Where to find fall fun in the Sioux Falls area

Megan Raposa -

Simplified: From apple picking to pumpkin patches to corn mazes, there's a lot of fall fun to be had in the Sioux Falls area. Here's your simplified guide to what's happening.

Let's talk pumpkin and apple pickin'

There are a number of places to get pumpkins in the area, and while you're at it, you can find fun for the whole family.

  • Riverview Christmas Tree Farm hosts a pumpkin festival on the weekends starting Sept. 28. You can take a hayride to the pumpkin patch, check out a variety of family games from giant checkers to inflatables, see live music, grab a beer, see the Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off and even get a family photo. Get the details here.
  • Country Apple Orchard also has U-Pick apples and pumpkins and a fall festival every weekend through the end of October. Admission includes access to more than 20 family activities including a petting zoo, tractor train rides and an apple cannon range. More details here.
  • Cherry Rock Farms also has a pumpkin patch with great deals, local products, hay rides and baby animals. Find them here.

What about corn mazes?

  • Sioux Falls Corn Maze is at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park and is already open for the season. They also have special "Moonlight Maize" nights and various events including laser tag and a silent disco. Details here.
  • Heartland Country Corn Maze is celebrating 25 years of mazes at its location southeast of Harrisburg. It's open through Oct. 20, and you can find hours and tickets here.

That's kiddie stuff. I want a good spook.

Fear not – there's plenty of scariness to go around this season, too.

  • Terror 29. This haunted house in Brandon purports to be "South Dakota's scariest." Terror 29 opens the first weekend in October and runs through Nov. 2. Get details and tickets here.
  • Jaycees Feargrounds. The Jaycees have been hosting a haunted house at the county fairgrounds for half a century. This year's theme is "Asylum at the Feargrounds," and the attraction opens Oct. 11. Save $5 per ticket by buying online.
  • Haunted trails. Riverview Christmas Tree Farm is also hosting two nights only of a "Haunted Trail" walk starting at 7 p.m. on Oct. 5 and 12. You can also check out the Heartland Country Maze at night, or the

What about fall foliage?

There are also tons of places to catch beautiful fall leaves in the region – especially at nearby state parks, including Good Earth State Park, the Big Sioux Recreation Area, Newton Hills State Park (and, really, any of them I might be missing here.)

You'll also get a view of the whole city from the top of Great Bear Ski Valley, as well as around the Mary Jo Arboretum and in McKennan Park.

What did we miss?

Send your go-to fall fun activities to megan@sfsimplified.com.