Go out and have fun with your friends and family this fall at some of these exciting events and festivals!

Fields of Fear and Cox Farms

Fields of Fear is one of the most popular fall experiences in Northern Virginia. The event is geared towards  an older audience (like teenagers) and features several terrifying attractions like the zombie themed hayride, the Cornightmare corn maze and the Forest: Back 40.

If you’re looking for a decidedly less scary experience, head to the Cox Farm’s Fall Festival during the day. It’s more family friendly, and most activities are geared more towards kids and families, but there are still fun things you can do with your friends.

• Goat Pen: No matter how old you are, feeding goats is pretty fun (and cute)
• Hayride and Corn Maze: These are also much more family friendly than their Fields of Fear versions, but they perfectly capture the spirit of fall
• THE FOOD: I cannot emphasize this point enough. The food offered at Cox Farms is the reason that I make a point of visiting both Fields of Fear and the Fall Festival. They have a wide selection of fall foods including: fresh apples and apple cider (included with admission), Apple Cider Donuts, caramel apples, kettle corn, milk and cookies, and homemade BBQ.

Address: 15621 Braddock Rd, Centreville, VA 20120

Fall Festival hours: 10 AM-6 PM (5 PM in November)

                               Last admission is one hour before closing

                               Tickets are available at the gate or may be pre-purchased online.

                               Nineteen more days to enjoy! (closes November 7th)

Fields of Fear hours: Every Friday and Saturday night 7:30 PM- 11:00 PM

                                 Last Admission at 10:00

                                 Last day is November 4th

If you’re willing to travel (45-60 minutes)

Markoff’s Haunted Forest

If Fields of Fear isn’t scary enough for you, Markoff’s Haunted Forest is the next spot for you. The famous attraction features two separate trails (choose one trail for $30 dollars), each with their own special twist and theme.  Additionally, there is “The Town”, available for $25 dollars, which is filled with countless scares and events. This is Markoff’s 25th anniversary running the Haunted Forest, so you know that they will be going all out this year.  The town and trails have a Dia de Los Muertos theme, and the town has several options for eating or dining in between activities. While this attraction is a bit further away from home than Fields of Fear, it is definitely worth it.

Hours: Open every October weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) and Halloween

            Attractions open at dusk

Hartland Orchard

Looking for a fun, day-long experience with friends? Try apple-picking! At $15.00 per 1/2 bushel (about 60 medium sized apples), Hartland Orchard offers several types of apples for you to pick year-round. They also sell fresh items like apple butter, apple cider, and honey.

If you visit before November 1st, you’ll also be able to visit their pumpkin patch! Since Hartland is a relatively small orchard, you’ll have to call ahead to get updates on daily availability, but the orchard is well maintained and a great fall experience!

Address : 3064 Hartland Lane, Markham, VA 22643

Hours: 9:00a.m. – 5:00p.m.

Note: You can only pay in cash or check, so make sure to bring enough money