The temperatures are (kinda) cooling down, pumpkins are out at HEB, and the Texans are back playing at NRG, which means fall is on the horizon. Fall is one of my favorite seasons in H-Town because of all the festivities! Whether you want to see the Houston Zoo in a new way, take a quick road trip to a pumpkin farm, or devour a turkey leg at the Texas Renaissance Festival, you won’t get bored over the next few months. So, what fall fun should you visit and which ones can you save for later?
Definitely Visit Dewberry Farm
If you’re looking for peak fall vibes, take a mini road trip to Dewberry Farm out in Brookshire. Every year, it seems like their fall festivities get bigger and better. Looking for that perfect Instagram pic? Snap one in their pumpkin patch or their life-sized Pumpkin House. Grab your crew and spend the afternoon getting lost in their giant 8-acre corn maze. At night, the farm transforms into a Halloween experience complete with a pumpkin stroll and glowing jack-o’-lanterns. Working up an appetite after all that fun? Don’t worry, they have fried oreos, turkey legs, and barbecue to keep you satisfied!
Visit Houston Zoo Boo
Now that the weather is cooling down, it’s much more pleasant to walk around the Houston Zoo and enjoy Zoo Boo! AND you get to wear costumes and check out fun decorations. Imagine walking down the tiger exhibit with a bunch of hanging jack-o-lanterns. It adds so much whimsy for the kiddos, and the young-at-heart. Executive Producer Laura Isensee has gone before and recommends you go at least once. And if wearing costumes is your jam, then go every year and make it your own H-Town fall ritual. This year they have a fun-sounding new addition called PhantomScape where animated images are projected on the rocks and landscape at the Galapagos Islands exhibit.
Can’t Miss the Texas Renaissance Festival
In just a few short weeks, Texas RenFest will open to Houston queens and kings on Oct. 11. For over 50 years, this festival has been a staple fall event for Houstonians, and there is good reason! Where else can you dress in your best Renaissance attire, jam to live music, see exciting performances, and eat until you can’t anymore? Never been before and wondering what to check out? I recommend you splurge on a ticket to The King’s Feast, a two hour dinner theatre event where you can feast like never before. Also mark your calendar for one of their themed weekends, which include everything from Oktoberfest to Celtic Christmas. Although the festival has undergone some controversy within the last year, It’s a Houston tradition that will never get old!
Skip Houston Parks and Head to Sam Houston National Forest
Want to catch some fall foliage? Make an adventure out of it and drive about 50 miles north to Sam Houston National Forest. Go on a hike, camp, ride your bike, fish, or just take your time exploring. It takes until around late October or early November for the beautiful brown, red, and orange colors to start showing up on our trees and when they do, it’s breathtaking. Don’t want to wait to see fall foliage? Go now and bask in the cooler temperatures!
Disclaimer: The Texas Renaissance Festival is a sponsor of City Cast Houston and Hey Houston. Sponsors play no role in City Cast's journalism.
