20 Fun Fall Activities in Florida for a Perfect Fall Getaway

As the summer heat fades and cooler temperatures set in, Florida is the perfect place to enjoy a variety of fall activities. Fall is a great time to explore the Sunshine State and take part in a variety of fun activities. Take your family and friends to try the great outdoors, citrus picking, haunted houses, and enjoy the charm of the Sunshine State. We guarantee that you will enjoy various fall activities in Florida and wish to come back next year!

Whether you’re looking for an adventure or a more laid-back experience, Florida has plenty of fall activities that are sure to keep you entertained. From festivals and fairs to outdoor activities and markets, this guide will help you plan the perfect fall getaway in Florida. Let’s get started!

What Do Floridians Do in the Fall?

Floridians in the fall enjoy warm weather activities such as swimming, boating, fishing, camping, and visiting theme parks. Many also take advantage of the fall harvest, with farmers markets and U-pick farms offering a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Other activities include attending festivals and events, exploring local parks and trails, taking a road trip, and visiting local attractions.

Is It Worth Going to Florida in October?

Yes, it is totally worth going to Florida in October. The weather is comfortable and sunny, and the beaches are less crowded. October is also a great time of year for outdoor activities like fishing, camping, and hiking. For more fall activities in Florida, you can read the article above.

Amazing Fall Activities in Florida

1. Attend Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival in Orlando

If you are looking for fun fall-related activities in Florida, you should come to Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival. we have to say that it is one of the best food festivals in Florida from July to November every year.

More than 30 unique global marketplaces feature various delicacies from around the world. At this fall food festival for foodies, you can also participate in Disney’s culinary seminars, beverage boot camps, and many more.

2. Check Out the Miami Book Fair

Suppose you prefer light-medium activities during the cold chilly days, we recommend you to go to the Miami Book Fair. Especially if you are book lovers, this place is truly a paradise.

At the Wolfson Campus of Miami Dade College, more than 500 authors descended upon Miami for talks, readings, and panels. A street fair is also there, where you may purchase some new books or that elusive first edition you’ve been looking for.

3. Family Getaway at Sweet Season Farm, Milton

Take your family to enjoy the abundance of fall things to do in Florida. The Sweet Season Farm on the Florida Panhandle is the heart of real fall pleasure.

This location includes unique family-friendly attractions including a tube slide, corn cannon, cow train, and sunflower racetrack. With tickets $15.00 each, you can enjoy the spectacular roster of fall-related activities. The activities include a sizable corn maze, pumpkin patch, and hayride.

3. Pick Your Own Citrus at U-Pick Citrus Farm and Park in Clermont

If you are looking for an ideal family-related fall activity, we recommend you to try citrus picking. While there are some pumpkin patches in Florida, the state is most known for its citrus. At the U-Pick Citrus Farm and Park, the selection is at its widest in December.

However, late November is also a fantastic time to score red and yellow navel oranges, Early Pride tangerines, pomelos, lemons, and more. It’s only 25 minutes from Disney, and you can extend your trip by adding a monster truck tour of the nearby wildlife preserve.

5. Explore Scott’s Maze Adventures at Mount Dora

A large 7-acre cornfield at Long & Scott Farms in Mount Dora is home to an excellent themed maze. Your family and friends can enjoy the hayrides pushed by a tractor around the farm, which is truly a genuine country setting during  fall in Florida.

Moreover, we also recommend you to take your kids ride down the 60-foot slide, jump on the enormous pillow, and go fishing in the surrounding pond. Remember to stock up on fresh vegetables and homemade jams at their rural food shop!

6. Catch the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party

Theoretically, this is a college football game on October 29 annually. However, they refer to it as the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.”Here you can enjoy the fall festival with over 150,000 people crowding TIAA Bank Field Stadium in Jacksonville.

They are merely there to tailgate, which they do. People rent DJs, bring their own portable toilets, dress up, and grill a variety of foods. At the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, you can enjoy a variety of activities such as live music. Moreover, you can also enjoy lawn games, tailgating, a parade, and many more.

7. Take a Spooky Journey at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando

A horror journey is always a  fun way to celebrate fall in Florida. The streets of Universal Studios are transformed into a frightful place from September to November, as terrifying monsters and maniacs come to life.

If you are aficionados of horror, this top Halloween event in Florida is definitely the place to go. Every year, Universal produces a Halloween-themed park with real haunted houses, fright zones, and live performances. In our opinion, those attractions will sure to make the hair rise up on the back of your neck.

8. Watch Your Car Defy Gravity on Spook Hill

It’s worthwhile to take a side trip to Spook Hill if you’re in central Florida in fall. Spook Hill, one of the country’s oldest gravity hills, has a topology that makes it appear as though a downward slope is actually an upward slope.

Watch how your car gradually starts to ascend when you park it on the white line at the bottom of the slope and put it in neutral. Additionally, you can also admire the splendor of Bok Gardens or go see a specific mouse.

9. Get Wild at Fantasy Fest, Key West

Fantasy Fest, a crazy 10-day celebration held each year in Key West in October and known throughout the world as an adult paradise event, is a wild fall Florida festival. At Fantasy Fest in Key West, you can join in a variety of activities. The most exciting activities include costume parties, parades, live music, body painting, art shows, contests, and more.

Moreover, it’s encouraged to use your creativity and give Key West’s quirky vibe. You can also explore the island’s diverse nightlife, dine at mouth-watering restaurants, and take part in the annual drag race.

10. Find Elusive Skunk Ape at Trail Lakes Campground

Florida’s fall months are a perfect time to find elusive Skunk Ape at Trail Lakes Campground. The enormous, hairy creature resembles Bigfoot in appearance. However, it derives its name from the strong odor, some claim to be associated with sightings.

Although its existence has not yet been proven, we highly recommend you to camp here. We can assure you that it is entertaining to go to the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters and look for the monster for yourself. In addition to visiting the animal refuge, you can also go camping in the Trail Lakes Campground.


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11. Enjoy Rides at Pensacola Interstate Fair, Pensacola

At the Pensacola Interstate Fair, you can enjoy various carnival rides, games, live entertainment, food, and more. Explore one of the biggest festivals held on the Gulf Coast in October. At the festival, you can stuff your face with red velvet funnel cakes, ride the slow-moving carousel in the breeze, or test your shooting abilities to win a plush animal.

The fair typically features a variety of vendors selling unique items, as well as a variety of displays, exhibits, and shows. We believe without a doubt, it will be a fantastic fall activity in South Florida.

12. Join a Not-So-Scary Party at Disney World

Disney World Halloween party (Source : tampabay)

If you are looking for a fall-themed activity for the kids, we believe Disney World will never go wrong. It’s more than a place for your kids to stock up on candy along trick-or-treat trails.

There are also Disney characters dressed in Halloween attire, a Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular show, Halloween-themed variations on popular park rides. Moreover, you can also watch an All Hallows Eve-themed version of Disney’s famous parade and fireworks display.

13. Try Fresh Seafood at Destin Seafood Festival, Destin

Try Fresh Seafood at Destin Seafood Festival, Destin

The Destin Seafood Festival is a waterside festival celebrated in October on the bustling Destin Harbor Boardwalk. It features lots of fresh seafood provided by food vendors and nearby restaurants.

As an annual tradition on the Emerald Coast, the celebration begins with a stunning fireworks show. Then, it is followed by exciting festival activities and a special Kid Zone to keep the kids entertained. You can enjoy delicious seafood dishes, watch cooking demonstrations and competitions, listen to live music, and explore a variety of arts and crafts vendors.

14. Take a Spiritual Journey in Cassadaga

Take a Spiritual Journey in Cassadaga

Cassadaga, an unincorporated area in Volusia County, is frequently referred to as the “psychic capital of the globe.” Many of the mediums, spiritual teachers, and healers in the community accept walk-in clients. And, we do think that a spiritual tour will be a unique thing to do in Florida in October.

We high suggest that you go to the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association. It would be other activities that you might be interested in participating, and you would also like to take a historical tour of the neighborhood, joining a meditation group, or attending a seance.

15. Art Shopping at Mount Dora Craft Fair

Art Shopping at Mount Dora Craft Fair

For those who are looking for art-related things to do in Florida during fall, why don’t you go to Mount Dora Craft Fair? It’s one of the biggest and most well-known Orlando Florida’s fall festivals is held in the adored tiny town of Mount Dora.

This ancient town has a well-known fair in October that features more than 400 craft sellers. Visitors and craftsmen who value the genuine craftsmanship of local artists swarm the streets, making it the ideal place to find unusual items for their holiday shopping lists.

16. Try St. Augustine Ghost Tour

Try St. Augustine Ghost Tour

When it comes to a spooky thing to do in Florida in November, we have no doubt that the St. Augustine Ghost Tour should be on your list. If you prefer a walking tour, a lighthouse visit, a pub crawl, or an experience in a vintage buggy, St. Augustine has a ton of alternatives to offer.

The tour stops at some of the city’s most haunted sites and includes stories about the spirits and legends that inhabit the area. In our opinion, you’ll learn some historical facts and perhaps catch a few paranormal apparitions.

17. Watch Motor Races Biketoberfest, Daytona Beach

Watch Motor Races Biketoberfest, Daytona Beach

Biketoberfest in Daytona Beach is a must-attend event if you enjoy experiencing thrills while riding two wheels. So, let’s hop on your Harley and drive to Daytona Beach. This historic sanctuary for motorcyclists since 1937 will be a biker’s paradise during this October weekend event complete with live music, motorcycle racing, and beach drives.

Even if you’re not into biking, don’t worry. You can still take in the colorful local celebrations and marvel at the tens of thousands of bikes that invade Daytona.

18. Take Part in the Tour de Trash

Take Part in the Tour de Trash

Enjoying Florida’s beaches is one of the main attractions for tourists. So, why not help to maintain the beach’s cleanliness? And while you’re at it, have a little celebration?

If so, the Tour de Trash Kickoff Beach Cleanup and Blue Market, a festival on the pier with local vendors focusing on sustainable goods at the Juno Beach Pier, is the right choice. Numerous beach clean-ups will take place along the state’s east coast following the game, perfect for environment enthusiasts.


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19. Haunt an Underwater Cemetery at Neptune Memorial Reef 

Haunt an Underwater Cemetery at Neptune Memorial Reef
Underwater Cemetery at Neptune Memorial Reef (Source : theguardian)

A fantastic way to celebrate the fall season in Florida, make the trip to Neptune Memorial Reef would be perfect. The 16-acre underwater “lost city” is defended by stone lions and is made out of various structures from steel, bronze, and concrete to act as artificial reefs.

Visitors are welcome, but the memorial reef staff asks that you show care for the ashes kept there as it is also a place of final rest for some. You can also learn more about the reef’s environmental and ecological impact, as well as the history of the area and the memorials located within the reef.

20. Manatee Viewing at Tampa

Manatee Viewing at Tampa

In Florida, fall heralds the start of the best time of the year to get up close and personal with some of the state’s prized gentle giants, the manatees. You can take a guided tour to view manatees in the wild. The Manatee Viewing Center at Tampa offers educational programs, kayak tours, and educational displays about manatees. Moreover, you can also take a walk along the boardwalk to observe manatees in the Crystal River from a safe distance. We can assure you this is one of the best activities for kids and family.

Final Thoughts

Fall in Florida is a great time of year to enjoy the outdoors and experience the beauty of the changing seasons. With cooler temperatures, crisp air, and picture-perfect foliage, there are plenty of activities to enjoy, from attending festivals to citrus picking and pumpkin carving. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing fall weekend trip or an exhilarating adventure, we hope these fall activities in Florida can help you to spend a perfect getaway with your family and friends.


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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is the best part of Florida to visit in October?

The best part of Florida to visit in October is the Gulf Coast. The warm weather and sunny skies make it the perfect time to explore the white sand beaches, lush state parks, and vibrant coastal towns. If you need more fall activities in Florida, please check the article above.

Is it too cold to swim in Florida in October? 

It depends on the location in Florida and the weather. Generally, the waters in the northern and central parts of Florida are still quite warm and comfortable for swimming in October, but the waters in the southern and coastal parts of Florida can be quite cold for swimming. If you are looking for more fall activities in Florida, please read the article above.

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