Michigan Fall Activities: Best Things to Do in Michigan in Fall
With so many things to do in Michigan the Fall, it’s hard to know where to start for best fall fun. We’re sharing some of our favorite fall activities. Read on for everything you need to know to find fall fun in Michigan.
Discover Fun Fall Activities in Michigan
You’ve heard about the amazing fall color show in Michigan, right?
Sure, Michigan summers are amazing (we’re home to some of the best beaches in the world, after all), but at the end of the season, there’s always something wonderful waiting around the corner.
In Michigan, that thing is fall.
Once the autumn season hits, the entire state lights up in a blaze of stunning color. What’s more, everywhere you look there seems to be something fun to do in the fall.
From visiting farmer’s markets and taking a scenic fall road trip to picking pumpkins and enjoying cider and counts at an apple orchard, the opportunities for outdoor activity in Michigan simply explode come autumn time.
It’s time to start making your Fall bucket list because we’ve rounded up all our favorite places to visit in Michigan in the fall, and some of the best things to do.
Best Michigan Fall Foliage and Leaf Peeping Road Trips
If you haven’t already guessed, the Michigan fall season is our favorite.
Scenic drives and road trips are a perfect way to see the spectacular fall foliage, and our beautiful lakes provide a stunning backdrop for the leaves as they change color.
Whether you take a north country trail in Sleeping Bear Dunes or head to Upper Peninsula’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, the opportunities for outdoor adventures are endless.
We’ve put together some fall road trip itineraries to help with your travel plans. You can choose from these below.
PRO-TIP: Our Six Places to See in Northern Michigan features a visitors guide to fall in the Traverse City area and include Traverse City’s best places to stay, play and eat!
WHEN TO GO: Use the Updated 2022 Peak Fall Color Map to help plan your Michigan fall color tour. Remember that Michigan’s fall color show starts in the upper peninsula and slowly makes its way south… to the far southern reaches of the lower peninsula.
Lake Michigan Lighthouses in the Fall
Of course, Lake Michigan’s lighthouses are pretty in the summer, but once fall comes around they are even more beautiful, when the water becomes a bit wilder with changing weather patterns.
The frothy whitecaps are whipped up by the wind, and it’s so picturesque to see the waves as they crash around the lighthouses.
From southwest Michigan’s St. Joseph Pierhead Lights to Grand Traverse Bay, Harbor Springs, and beyond, the Lake Michigan lighthouses (many are historical sites) are a great way to experience Michigan fall fun.
You can read more about them here and use the Lake Michigan Lighthouse Map to plan your trip.
Lake Huron Lighthouses to Visit in the Fall
Lake Huron’s coast is also dotted with historic lighthouses that have stood as beacons in the night for many years, guiding ships to safety in rough waters.
Autumn is the perfect time to visit them, too. From the Round Island Light off the coasts of Mackinac Island and Mackinaw City and down to Fort Gratiot Lighthouse in Port Huron near Lexington, MI, you’ll find more than enough lighthouses to fill a scenic fall getaway.
We recommend visiting Alpena, where you’ll find seven lighthouses in the area to check out.
You’ll also want to explore the beautiful grounds of the Tawas Point Lighthouse in East Tawas, and the Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse near Port Austin.
Top Apple Orchards and Cider Mills to Visit in Michigan
Who needs an amusement park when you have Michigan’s apple orchards and cider mills?
Fall in Michigan isn’t complete without a visit to an apple farm or two and visiting a Michigan cider mill is a true fall festival.
Yes, you can still find farm markets to get some apple cider and donuts, but you’ll also find many other activities, including u-pick apples, wagon rides, zip-lining, petting zoos, and haunted houses…even bonfires to relax and try some craft beers or hard ciders.
Whether it’s Robinette’s Apple Haus in Grand Rapids. Uncle John’s Cider Mill in St. John’s or Wiard’s Country Farm near Ann Arbor, you’ll find more than enough apple festivities to help you get into the autumn swing of things.
Visit These Perfect Pumpkin Patches
Pumpkin picking is an annual event in fall, and Michigan’s pumpkin patches (much like our apple orchards and cider mills) offer lots of opportunities to celebrate the season.
You’ll find fall festivals and events and more to help you celebrate the season.
Learn more about our favorite Michigan pumpkin patches to visit this fall. We’ve included an interactive map to help you plan your visit.
Amazing Corn Mazes to Visit
Many Michigan farms celebrate the fall harvest by turning their cornfields into larger-than-life corn mazes.
There’s nothing quite so “Midwest” than spending a lazy fall day in the crisp air, getting lost in an endless field of yellow corn stalks under a bright, blue Michigan sky.
You can read about some of the top corn mazes in Michigan here.
More Places to Find Fall Fun
Still looking for things to do in the fall in Michigan?
If you’re up for it, you might try exploring these haunted places in Michigan. From hotels and inns “haunted” by friendly ghosts to eerie and mysterious lightkeepers still visiting their lighthouses years after they’ve passed on, you can read about some of Michigan’s most haunted places.
You can decide for yourself if you’d like to visit….