Consider this your complete fall guide to Indianapolis and Central Indiana. Fall in Indiana is truly my favorite part of the year. With apple orchards, haunted houses, fall festivals, and changing leaves, Central Indiana has no shortage of ways to spend a cozy fall weekend.
Here are just a few of the best things to do in Indianapolis and Central Indiana in the fall:
Apple Orchards in Central Indiana
Anderson Orchard 📍 369 E Greencastle Rd, Mooresville, Indiana
If you’re looking for the ultimate fall day in Indiana, head to Anderson Orchard in Mooresville! Just outside Indianapolis, this orchard has it all: apple picking, a pumpkin patch, a playground for kids, and a farm store with cider, fresh produce + baked treats. My favorite tradition is always grabbing an apple cider slushy, fried apple pie à la mode, and biscuits with apple butter 😍
Dull’s Tree Farm 📍 1765 W Blubaugh Ave, Thorntown, Indiana
This is the most intense pumpkin patch I’ve ever seen. It actually feels wrong to call it a pumpkin patch because it is SO much more than that! There are countless activities at Dull’s including (but not limited to) giant slides, apple cannons, wagon rides, playgrounds, butterfly gardens, and fall treats.
🗓️ The hours and open dates are hard to explain on this one, so here is a link to their calendar instead
🎟️ Admission: $17.95 – $21.95
Beasley’s Orchard 📍 2304 E Main St, Danville, Indiana
Fall isn’t complete without a trip to Beasley’s Orchard in Danville, Indiana! They’ve got u-pick apples, a cozy farm market with all the fall treats, and fall festival fun just 30 minutes from Indianapolis. Anyone can come to the market and get a slushy from their cider bar, produce, pumpkins, and other fall treats, but for access to their corn maze, Barnyard Bonanza Activity area, and apple cannons, it is a separate fee.
🗓️ Monday – Saturday: 9:00am-6:00pm + Sunday: 12:00pm-6:00pm
🎟️ Admission: free for the market, $12-16 for festival entrance
Chandler’s Orchard + Country Market 📍 2849 S Co Rd 825 E, Fillmore, Indiana
This is an adorable little farm west of Indianapolis (perfect for a stop on the way home from the Covered Bridge Festival) with pumpkins, local treats, yard games, and more!
🗓️ May – November: Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM & Sundays 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
🎟️ Admission: free
Lark Ranch 📍 1611 N Meridian Rd, Greenfield, Indiana
Just 30 minutes from Indianapolis, Lark Ranch in Greenfield, Indiana is one of my new favorite fall traditions. And they have so much more than just their pumpkin patch: corn mazes, train rides, slides, seasonal treats, and more!
🗓️ Open on weekends September 19 – November 1
🎟️ Admission: $17 – 22
Parke County Covered Bridge Festival
The Parke County Indiana Covered Bridge Festival is back! From October 9th – 18th, you can visit one of 10 festival locations across Parke County, Indiana. Here’s what I wish I’d known before going:
🎟️ Admission is free
🛍️ Bring cash (not every vendor takes cards, but there are ATMs)
🚗 Parking fills up fast, and traffic gets crazy so arrive early
🍁 Don’t miss Dottie’s Cinnamon Rolls (Bridgeton), pumpkin ice cream (Mansfield), chicken noodles, and other fall goodies!
📱 There’s little to no service, so grab a map and plan your route home!
📍This is just one of 10 festival locations for Parke County’s 10-day Covered Bridge Festival
⏰ Festivals open at 9am and close at 5pm (except for Tangier which is 10am-6pm)
🗓️ October 9-18
Outdoor Escape Room in Downtown Indianapolis
This outdoor escape room takes you all around Indianapolis with puzzles and clues that use real-world clues from monuments and streets in the city. The whole thing can be done on foot with great restaurants and sights along the way!
Places for a Fall Hike in Central Indiana
If you’re looking for the best fall foliage in Indiana, check out these parks for hiking:
Brown County State Park 📍 1801 IN-46, Nashville, Indiana
🎟️ Entry Fee: $7 for Indiana residents, $9 for out of state
Eagle Creek Park 📍 7840 W 56th St, Indianapolis, Indiana
🎟️ Entry Fee: $6 for Marion County residents, $8 for other counties
Cozy Indiana Towns for a Fall Road Trip from Indianapolis
Brown County, Indiana 📍 Nashville
Nashville, Indiana is a classic fall road trip destination just an hour south of Indianapolis. Check out my video guides to Brown County, Indiana here and here.
BONUS: Stay in a Postcard Cabin!
Dubois County, Indiana 📍 Jasper + Huntingburg
If you love slow mornings, homemade cookies, historic churches, and conversations with strangers, please plan a fall road trip to Dubois County, Indiana! Read the whole itinerary here and thank me later.
Ghost Tours in Indianapolis
There is some haunted history around our city, and these ghost tours will make your spooky vibes come alive while also teaching you some true crime and ghost stories about Indianapolis.
USE CODE WHEREISSONDRA5 on any of these tours for a discount:
Wicked Wraiths of White River: Indianapolis Ghost Tour
Indianapolis: Adults-Only True Crime and Ghosts Walking Tour
Indianapolis: Downtown Ghosts and Legends Walking Tour
Cafes, Bars, and Restaurants in Central Indiana to Visit this Fall
Urban Apples 📍 18326 Spring Mill Rd, Westfield, Indiana
Urban Apples in Westfield is an apple cider lover’s dream! I highly recommend getting their Orchard Float. It’s a hard cider slushy with vanilla ice cream + a fresh cider donut on top.
The Alchemist 📍 1660 Bellefontaine Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
This is one of my favorite bars in Indianapolis. Spooky, moody vibes and seven new fall cocktails that are all impeccable. And yes, I tried all of them 😅
Black House Cafe 📍 1122 Shelby St, Indianapolis, Indiana
A horror-themed coffee shop in Fountain Square. P.S. The Fountain Square neighborhood of Indianapolis needs our support, and Halloween time is the perfect time to visit Black House Cafe for a little pick-me-up and to explore the rest of the fun shops and restaurants in the neighborhood. I put together a 24 hour itinerary to Fountain Square on Instagram that you can follow!
The Black Lagoon at Almost Famous 📍 721 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana
You’ve heard of Christmas pop-up bars, right? Well, The Black Lagoon is a Halloween pop-up bar at Almost Famous on Mass Ave in Indianapolis. A must-visit place for the girls who prefer black cats and witches over snowmen and Santa, like me 😉
Haunted Houses in Central Indiana
Hanna Haunted Acres 📍 7323 E. Hanna Ave., Indianapolis, Indiana
Hanna Haunted Acres is personally my favorite haunted house in Indianapolis. There are 6 attractions, including the BEST haunted hayride! Ticket prices vary by date but start around $28. For my extra fearless friends, you can also add on a full touch, sensory deprivation experience with the D.O.A.
Indy Scream Park 📍 5211 S. New Columbus Rd., Anderson, Indiana
Indy Scream Park has 6 attractions including a paintball experience. Ticket prices vary by date but start around $28 for all night access to five haunted houses (not including paintball). As a kid, I definitely found this one the scariest of all Indianapolis haunted attractions!
Thirteenth Hour 📍 915 S. Shortridge Rd., Indianapolis, Indiana
There are five unique themed attractions at Thirteenth Hour Indianapolis. All are no-touch. The five haunted houses all tie together in a story format with a break in between at Purgatory (a refreshment area in the middle of the attractions). GA Tickets are $29.99.
Fright Manor 📍 350 Anniston Dr, Southport, Indiana
Standard tickets are $25 and include one trip through each of their 2 attractions. And a portion of their proceeds goes to the Southport Little League which is so awesome!
Necropolis Underground Haunted Attraction 📍 7130 Western Select Dr, Indianapolis, Indiana
Necropolis has four haunted houses for one ticket price, but they also offer axe throwing, mini golf, VR, and escape rooms for additional fees. Tickets to just the haunted attractions start at $37.98, and you can add on the other attractions right there in the ticket portal. For $40 more, you’ll have access to all the attractions.
Harvest Nights at Newfields
Newfields 📍 4000 N Michigan Rd, Indianapolis, Indiana
Harvest Nights at Newfields is presented by Everwise Credit Union (shout out to my local credit union!!). This is an annual spooky-not-scary attraction with tens of thousands of jack-o’-lanterns! Tickets start at $25 and kids 5 and under are free. Purchase your tickets here.
Clearly, there are tons of great things to do this fall in Indianapolis and Central Indiana. If you have a suggestion on what Indy fall activity I should try next, leave a comment on this post or send me a message on Instagram.
Whatever it is you’re looking for, Where Is Sondra has tons of local guides and lists, so you never have to spend hours searching for the perfect things to do in Indy:
Summer Guide to Indianapolis + Central Indiana
Central Indiana Coffee Shop Guide
Winter Farmers Markets in Indianapolis
Subscribe to this blog below, and don’t forget to check your junk/other folder to add me as a contact. That way, future blogs and lists like this will get delivered directly to your inbox:
