Growing up in Rhode Island, fall was always my favorite time of the year. After a hot, sweaty, humid summer, I was always ready to enjoy the cooler, crisp air along with the changing foliage, apple picking, farm visits, and hiking. There's nothing quite like fall in any of the New England states, is there? If you enjoy this season as much as I do, here are some of the best things to do in Rhode Island in the fall:
Rhode Island Fall Foliage: Where To Go In Rhode Island For Fall Foliage
The Ocean State should be renamed the "Fall Foliage State" this time of year. With vibrant hues, your eyes will dazzle anytime you see the colorful leaves. For some of the best foliage, here are the best places to visit in Rhode Island in the fall:
1. Roger Wiliams Park
Location: 1000 Elmwood Ave, Providence, RI 02907
Wow factor: This is one of my favorite spots in Providence. It's utterly spectacular, especially in the fall.
Need To Know: Visiting the park is free. However, admission is charged to visit the zoo.
Roger Williams Park is more than just a zoo. Surrounding the zoo is a gorgeous park filled with thousands of trees all ablaze with colorful foliage. Take a camera with you in order to document your visit. And do yourself a favor and take a photo of The Iron Bridge surrounded by fall foliage. It's absolutely dreamy!
2. Goddard Memorial State Park
Location: Warwick, RI 02818
Wow factor: One of the most beautiful parks to visit in the state, especially during fall. Make sure you walk around and check out the park's buildings against the backdrop of fall colors.
Need To Know: There are three hiking trails and no admission fee to visit.
In the autumn months, Goddard Memorial State Park turns into picture-perfect destination for visitors to enjoy a hike and the cooler weather. The vibrant fall colors make the park look like a painting and with fewer crowds than in summer, you'll find peace and quiet this time of the year. And with 62 species of deciduous trees, you'll have quite a variety of colors to look at.
3. Arcadia State Management Area
Location: 260 Arcadia Rd, Hope Valley, RI 02823
Wow factor: This park is absolutely dreamy as you walk through the woods under a canopy of colorful leaves.
Need To Know: Not only can you hike but go horseback riding and mountain biking here.
This state recreation area is 14,000 acres and is a prime place to go hiking throughout the year. And if you feel like going for a hike this fall, at Arcadia State Management Area, there's no better trail than the Arcadia Trail Loop. This 10.7-mile trail meanders through the forest on an epic (and colorful!) fall adventure. Make sure you are prepared with the proper hiking gear for this trail and download the AllTrails+ app to use on the hike.
Best Pumpkin Patches In Rhode Island
If one of your favorite Rhode Island fall activities is visiting a pumpkin patch for the perfect gourd, well, there are several farms where you can do just that! Here are some of the best pumpkin patches in RI:
4. Adam's Farm
Location: 158 Burnt Swamp Rd, Cumberland, RI 02864
Wow factor: This is such a festive farm to visit with the whole family, and there's more here to enjoy in addition to the pumpkin patch.
Need To Know: During the fall, tickets will be available on the Adam's Farm website.
Founded in 1924, Adam's Farm is a fourth-generation farm best-known for its pumpkin patch. If you're searching for "fall activities near me," this Cumberland-based farm is a must-visit! In fact, it's been voted "Best Pumpkin Picking In Rhode Island." Not only can you pick pumpkins but there is a corn maze, animals, hayrides (on weekends only), and a variety of fun activities. What a great way to celebrate fall.
5. Pezza Farm
Location: 2279 Plainfield Pike, Johnston, RI 02919
Wow factor: This is a lovely farm that sells plants and has farm animals you can visit. Oh, and it has a wonderful pumpkin patch!
Need To Know: For over 75 years, Pezza Farm has been the go-to place for garden plants in the state.
Pezza Farm has been voted "Best Farm and Garden Center in Rhode Island." I can absolutely see why, too. My mom would take my sister and me here throughout our childhood to pick out the most beautiful flowers and plants to put in her gardens. When fall arrives, the farm transforms into a festive place with a pumpkin patch, hayrides, and a "Scarecrow Zone" where you can build your very own scarecrow. Sounds like fun to me.
6. Cucumber Hill Farm
Location: 39 Cucumber Hill Rd, Foster, RI 02825
Wow factor: This is the perfect destination for families to create fall memories.
Need To Know: The fall season is from mid-September to late October on the weekends.
Located in Western Rhode Island' Moosup Valley, Cucumber Hill Farm is the place to be come fall. Come here on the weekends in the fall and pick your own pumpkins. It's so fun finding the best ones for home decor or carving a jack-o'lantern. In addition to pumpkins, you can try your hand at axe throwing, go for a fun tractor hay ride or a pony ride, and make your way through a corn maze. And if you get hungry, there will be food trucks.
Best Fall Festivals In Rhode Island
Let's celebrate the fall season, shall we? This is such an incredible time of the year and I remember attending fall festivals while growing up in RI. The Scituate Art Festival was among my favorites. Aside from the art festival, here are the best fall festivals in Rhode Island:
7. Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular
Location: 1000 Elmwood Ave, Providence, RI
Wow factor: The name says it all — Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular! It is, indeed, spectacular.
Need To Know: The pumpkin trail is open nightly from late September through early November. Purchase tickets online once they become available.
The annual Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is a much-anticipated event that features intricately carved pumpkins all aglow once the sun goes down. It's spooky, it's mesmerizing, and it's impressive, to say the least. Take a stroll through the glowing trail of pumpkins and notice what characters, faces, and scenes you see along the way.
8. Scituate Art Festival
Location: Scituate, RI
Wow factor: This is one of my favorite fall festivals in Rhode Island!
Need To Know: This festival is a free event in downtown Scituate. Parking is available along the street.
When I was growing up, attending the Scituate Art Festival was, by far, my favorite thing to do. Not only was it fun to see the art and craft vendors but there was always great food (I would always get a doughboy) and entertainment. Not only that, but the scenery in Scituate is downright charming and quintessential New England.
9. Newport Oktoberfest
Location: Fort Adams State Park, 80 Fort Adams Dr, Newport, RI 02840
Wow factor: For a good time plus beer, this is a must-attend event this fall!
Need To Know: This fall event is held one day in late September and serves as an annual fundraiser for the Fort Adams Trust. Tickets are available on the Newport Oktoberfest website. Not only does your ticket guarantee entry but you get a souvenir stein glass. as well. This event is 21+.
Fort Adams State Park hosts plenty of events throughout the year, namely the Newport Jazz Fest and the Newport Folk Fest. But there's one other event that calls this historic fort home — the Newport Oktoberfest. Hosted by The Fort Adams Trust and Rugged Island Brewing Co., it's a taste of Bavaria right here in our own backyard. Enjoy live German music as you drink beer or wine and eat authentic Bavarian foods.
10. Bowen's Wharf Seafood Festival
Location: 1 Bowen's Landing, Newport, RI 02840
Wow factor: If you're someone who enjoys fresh and delicious seafood from local vendors, this is the best event of the year to attend.
Need To Know: This festival is held on a weekend in mid-October. Admission is free and food and drinks are for purchase.
It's no secret that Rhode Island is home to some incredible seafood. It's the Ocean State, after all! If you want to try a variety of seafood dishes from a number of vendors, you should plan on attending the Bowen's Wharf Seafood Festival. For over 30 years, this event has gathered crowds of seafood lovers from all over for food, music, and festive fall fun.
Free & Cheap Rhode Island Fall Activities
Not everything you want to do this fall costs a lot. In fact, there are plenty of free and cheap activities you can partake in around the state. Here are some of the most affordable activities in Rhode Island in the fall.
11. Ride your bike along the Blackstone River Bikeway
Location: Blackstone River Bikeway, Cumberland, RI 02864
Wow factor: This bike path and the river are striking with fall foliage surrounding them as you ride.
Need To Know: There is no fee to use the bike path. It runs through the Blackstone Valley of RI for over 18 miles.
For one of the best "fall activities near me," surround yourself with both history and scenery while riding along the Blackstone River Bikeway. While over 18 miles running between Providence and the Massachusetts border, this bike path is considered easy. Do the whole thing or just a portion of the path as you take in the views of the Blackstone River, the historic mills, and the trees all ripe with fall colors.
12. Take a walk at Rocky Point State Park
Location: 1 Rocky Point Ave, Warwick, RI 02889
Wow factor: If you grew up in Rhode Island and went to Rocky Point when it was an amusement park, this place is a dose of nostalgia. It's also quite a unique place filled with remnants of old rides that look so fascinating with foliage surrounding them.
Need To Know: This park is free to visit.
Do you remember when Rocky Point was an amusement park? Well, I do. And while I was sad to see it close when I was in high school, its memory remains in the amusement park-turned-state park, Rocky Point State Park. Sitting on the coast with views galore, you'll see remnants of old rides throughout the park. It's certainly a dose of nostalgia for those of us who used to ride those rides when they were operational back in the day. But now it's a wonderfully scenic park worth exploring in the fall.
13. WaterFire Providence
Location: 4 N Main St, Providence, RI 02903
Wow factor: This is one of the most memorable events held in the state no matter the time of year.
Need To Know: While the event is free, you will most likely have to pay for parking whether in a private lot or at Providence Place Mall.
I remember when WaterFire first started. It was a big deal then and, over time, it continued to grow. More and more people would show up over the years to see the curiously beautiful display of bonfires along the river in downtown Providence. More bonfires have been added and gondola rides are even given for those who want to spend the money for an extra special night out. WaterFire is held throughout the year, with several dates scheduled for the fall.
14. Take a stroll through Swan Point Cemetery
Location: 585 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI 02906
Wow factor: This is another favorite place of mine in Providence. It's absolutely gorgeous, especially in autumn.
Need To Know: This "garden cemetery" spans 200 acres and is a popular, yet quiet spot, for walking and birdwatching.
Swan Point Cemetery is such a fascinating place. With headstones throughout its acreage, it's also a place that's rife with birds and other wildlife. It's actually quite a popular spot for birdwatchers. And yes, it's a cemetery but fall is also spooky season, right? Swan Point is the final resting place for H.P. Lovecraft, an author of horror fiction, as well as members of the Aldrich and Lippitt families. You can certainly get a bit of a history hike accomplished here as well.
15. Spend an afternoon at Lincoln Woods State Park
Location: 2 Manchester Print Works Rd, Lincoln, RI
Wow factor: Quiet, peaceful, and oh-so-pretty, Lincoln Woods is a picturesque spot to enjoy a fall afternoon.
Need To Know: There is no entry fee for the park.
Growing up in Northern Rhode Island, Lincoln Woods State Park was the closest park to my childhood home. While it gets pretty crowded in the summer with those who want to go swimming in the lake, fall takes on a more peaceful feel. With fewer crowds, you'll find solitude as you take a hike through the forest under a canopy of red, yellow, and orange hues. This is an ideal place for a picnic, practicing your fall photography skills, and taking in the scenery.
What are some of your favorite things to do in Rhode Island in the fall? Is this your favorite time of year, too? Let us know!
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