Ask an Agent: Prime Spots for Seasonal Fall Fun in Metro D.C. and the Mid-Atlantic Region
by Grace Cassidy
October 2025
Fall is in full swing along the Mid-Atlantic with falling temperatures, crunchy leaves, and all your favorite autumnal activities. To help you find the best spots to pick your own apples and pumpkins, explore corn mazes, and enjoy some fall fun in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C., we asked Metro D.C.-based agent Tracy Shively to share some of her favorite destinations.
Farms
Cox Farm, Centreville, Va.
Cox Farm is a fall favorite for both locals and those visiting the region. Their Fall Festival runs into early November, offering a great opportunity to enjoy pumpkin picking, a corn maze, hay rides, giant slides, live music, food, and other activities for the kids. The fall is also the perfect time to enjoy Cox Farm’s Fields of Fear, a spooky event with nighttime hay rides, haunted trails, and jump scares in the corn field.
“Cox Farm is a very well-known attraction in this area,” says Shively. “They have the haunted spooky attractions at night and daytime events for families. Plus, it’s an all-price-range kind of venue.”
Butler’s Orchard, Germantown, Md.
Located in Montgomery County, Maryland, Butler’s Orchard is a great place to go for seasonal apple and pumpkin picking. They also offer daytime campfire sites, hay rides, and a convenient farm market stocked with fresh produce, grocery items, baked goods (including fresh-baked pies), gifts, flowers, and items for the kids.
Festivals & Events
Waterfowl Festival, Easton, Md.
This three-day festival goes off every November, showcasing artists, exhibitions, forums, Dock Dogs shows, kids’ art workshops, and much more.
“I go every year,” Shively says. “It’s a very cool thing to go and experience, and it’s a big draw in the area.”
The event draws over 350 artists and vendors for over 25,000 visitors. And over the course of 50 years, the Waterfowl Festival has raised $6 million for wildlife and habitat conservation, research, scholarships, and education.
Maryland Renaissance Festival, Village of Revel Grove, Md.
Sited on 27 acres and featuring over 200 professional performers, 10 stages, a 3,000-seat arena, and 140 artisans, the Renaissance Festival never fails to draw a crowd to Revel Grove every fall. The festival commences in late summer, but fall is when the festival is at its best. Ren Fest offers a variety of special events throughout the year including the Celtic Celebration, a Singles Party, Children’s Weekend, and much more.
Adams Morgan Apple Festival, Washington D.C.
The AdMo Apple Festival is a must-see for anyone who loves pies, whether it’s baking them or just indulging. This one-day event in October is open for pie tasting, patronizing local vendors, and strolling around the charming DC neighborhood. There’s even a homemade apple pie baking contest.
Boo at the Zoo, Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Washington D.C.
This family-friendly Halloween event at the National Zoo is sure to get the kids into their costumes to experience the incredible animals. There are 30 trick-or-treat stations located throughout the park, Halloween decorations, live giant pumpkin carving, and a roaming magician. Plus, your admission will grant you after-hours access to the Small Mammal House, Elephant Community Center, and Reptile Discovery Center.
Leaf Peeping
Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, Luray, Va.
Skyline Drive is the only public road that runs through Shenandoah National Park, offering beautiful views over the changing leaves in the fall. It’s usually open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, spanning 105 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s estimated to take around three hours to drive the entire length of the road, making it a great day trip during peak leaf peeping season.
George Washington Memorial Parkway
This scenic drive was designed for recreational driving, and it’s one of the top drives for witnessing the change in leaves from bright green to rich reds, oranges, and yellows. Make sure to check the fall foliage guide before you go.
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