Updated August 2026 • Curated by NaperKids
There is a short window every year when the Naperville area is at its absolute best — pumpkin patches and corn mazes a short drive away, apple picking, hayrides, and trails turning gold at the forest preserves. This guide rounds up the best of it: local farms with fall festivals, nature centers with easy kid-length hikes, and standbys like the Morton Arboretum’s Children’s Garden that get even better in sweater weather. A word from experience: farm season dates and hours change every year (and pick-your-own fields close when they are picked out), so check each farm’s website for this year’s dates before you load up the car. For dated fall happenings — festivals, storytimes, Halloween events — our events calendar is updated weekly as organizers announce them.
1,700 acres. Four-acre Children's Garden with climbing structures, secret streams, paved paths, wooden bridges. Maze Garden (shrub maze + toddler maze...
40+ acres of forest along Fox River. Live animal exhibits, hands-on learning stations, 6 hiking trails. Summer camps for ages 2-13. Free parking. Phon...
Outdoor trails and interactive nature center where kids learn about local wildlife and ecosystems.
Universally accessible playground in the heart of DuPage County Forest Preserve's Danada South. Offers multi-sensory experiences for seeing, hearing, ...
Hiking, picnicking, archery, fishing, boating, tubing, camping. Camping Fri-Sat nights May-September. Great for family outings.
Living history museum recreating pioneer life through educational demonstrations and hands-on fun. Admission includes unlimited rides on train, hay wa...
Grain bin sandbox, spring animals, pedal tractors, pony rides, gem mining, train rides, face painting. Seasonal (fall popular for apple picking/pumpki...
Large pumpkin patch where you can pick your own pumpkins starting in late September. Family-friendly farm experience.
Nature programs including archery, beekeeping, astronomy, wilderness skills. Field trips: Fascinating Forests, Wetland Wonders, Incredible Insects, So...
Fall festival with corn maze, pumpkin patch, outdoor family activities, bouncing trampoline, zip lines, petting zoo, slides, and more. About 25 minute...
Known for Fall Fest events with pumpkins, hayrides, and self-feed petting zoo. Spend the day meeting farm animals and feeding them.
Horseback riding lessons (8+), pony lessons (5-7), pony rides, petting zoo, hayrides, and horse boarding.
60 forest preserves, 500+ miles of trails. Nature centers have free exhibits. Check calendar of events for free nature programs for kids.
Family farm with petting zoo for over 33 years. Friendly farm animals to pet and feed. Free pony rides on Saturdays & Sundays in October (11am-5pm). P...
Step back in time to experience 1890s DuPage County farm life. Restored farmstead with historically-costumed interpreters. Hands-on farm activities fo...
Related events happening in the Naperville area
Top picks include pick-your-own pumpkin patches, corn mazes and hayrides at area farms, apple picking, and easy hikes at nature centers and forest preserves. Most farm attractions run in September and October — check each farm’s website for this year’s dates.
Yes — Keller’s Farmstand (on US-34 in nearby Oswego) serves the Naperville area, and Abbey Farms (Aurora), Johansen Farms (Bolingbrook), and Sonny Acres Farm (West Chicago) are a short drive away. See our pumpkin patches guide for the full list.
Knoch Knolls Nature Center is free to visit, and DuPage County forest preserves offer free trails and self-guided nature activities. The library and park district also run free fall programs — check our events calendar for current listings.
Family-friendly options include Knoch Knolls Nature Center in Naperville, Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville, Red Oak Nature Center along the Fox River, and the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, which has a four-acre Children’s Garden.
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