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If you want to be convinced that Spokane is the greatest place to live, just visit Spokane in the fall! Spokane in the fall is absolutely gorgeous, from colorful red, orange and yellow leaves falling to pumpkin-spiced donuts on a farm and so, so much more. Before winter hits and everyone goes into hibernation, you must take advantage of fall in Spokane.
Here is a list of the top 7 things to do in Spokane in the fall!
Looking for more fall events happening in Spokane? Check out our Events calendar!
What is Fall Like in Spokane?
If you want to see just a little peek of what Spokane looks like in the fall, take a look at the photos below.
Most of these photos were taken at Manito Park in Spokane, but the one in the lower right corner was taken in North Spokane
You can also watch this gorgeous YouTube video, which was shot around Spokane.
Best Things to Do, See and Eat in Spokane in the Fall
1) Visit Green Bluff in the Fall
It goes without saying that a visit to Green Bluff is a ‘must do'… and must eat and must see! I've covered what you should do at Green Bluff if you only have an afternoon to spend, but you could spend hours upon hours visiting all the family farms, apple- and pumpkin-picking, visiting goats, drinking cider, and more.
Truly, fall is the time to visit Green Bluff. It's great in the summer, but it really picks up in the fall and even a bit in the winter. Many places in Green Bluff, including High Country Orchard and Beck's Harvest House serve breakfast and lunch, so it's easy to plan a whole day on the Bluff.
Fall in Spokane isn't complete without a trip to Green Bluff!
Some highlights include:
- Tons of fresh produce, including apples, peaches, squash and pumpkins at High Country Orchard from 9 am to 6 pm daily. On the weekends, High Country Orchard will also have pony rides, music, vendors and more.
- It's apple season in the fall at Sunset Orchard! Get apples, peaches, plums, corn, tomatoes and more. Sunset Orchard is open from 8 am to 5 pm daily. Sunset Orchard is also hosting its Fall Festival the whole month of October until Halloween – go during the week if you want a little more peace and quiet, or go on the weekends for food trucks and baked good!
Photo from Sunset Orchard's Instagram page
- Get your ‘world famous' pumpkin donuts from Beck's Harvest House this fall! Seriously, Beck's always has a ton going on and it's so centrally located in Green Bluff, it's a don't miss! Go early if you want pumpkin donuts – they're only offered on Fridays from 9 to noon and Saturday/Sundays from 9 am to 5 pm! This year due to COVID, you will need to make reservations at Beck's!
- Do you LOVE apples? You probably should if you live in Spokane! Walter's Fruit Ranch (one of my favorites) hosts the Apple Festival from September 25 to October 25, and Walter's has a ton of apples! Walter's is open from Monday-Thursday 9 am to 5 pm and Friday-Sunday from 8 am to 6 pm. (Also – Walter's has goats!). This year due to COVID, you will need to make reservations for the Apple Festival at Walter's!
Due to COVID this year, Siemer's Farm will not be participating in the Fall Apple Festival, which means no corn maze! But if you're looking for fun, you won't go wrong with any of the above mentioned events!
Finally, if you really love squash during the fall (and who doesn't, there are so many ways to cook and eat it!), you definitely want to visit Eleven Acres Farm. You can find all of their produce listed on their Today's Produce page, and just trust me when I say they offer a lot of squash!
Eleven Acres Farm has TONS of produce in the fall, and great prices, too!
Cherry Hill is another fantastic farm to visit on Green Bluff – follow them on Instagram for the latest, but here's a sample of what you can expect in the fall in Spokane! [Note: Cherry Hill is not open in the fall, but the list below can point you to the best ‘in season' fruits and veggies in the fall! Head over to Eleven Acres, Sunset Orchard or any of the other open farms on Green Bluff for produce!]
Image from Cherry Hill Orchard & Market Instagram page
2) Spooky Fun in Spokane
We've covered some of the best haunted houses (and scary stories) around Spokane, but there is even more you can do to get into a spooky frame of mind!
Possibly the most frightful place to observe the Halloween season, Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho transforms into Scarywood at night. Unfortunately, due to COVID, Scarywood will not be operating for the 2020 season.
Don't worry, though – you can still have a frightening good time! The King Family Haunted House is famous in Spokane, and for good reason. In prior years, you could go in and experience the haunted home, but this year the King Family is making the Haunted House a drive by and walk up (with masks and social distancing) display. You can visit the King Family Haunted House until Halloween!
As the King Family Haunted House describes it:
Those faint of heart may drive by for a glimpse of the EVIL WITHIN! Those with braver souls may explore on foot to experience a closer brush with TERROR!!
Don’t be misled by the name, Sparky’s Fun House may be fun… for the undead. This year, Sparky's Fun House will be a drive through – but don't worry, you're sure to still get a fright! This year the fright is called ‘Fear in the Headlights' and prices are $40 per car. Learn more and get tickets here.
Want to get away from Spokane for haunted fun? We've rounded up some of the best ghost towns in Washington!
3) Fall Colors in Spokane
Almost anywhere you go in Spokane during the fall is going to be beautiful, particularly if you're able to go up to the South Hill or 5 Mile, where you'll climb the hills and look down at all the lovely, changing colors and fall leaves. But if you really want some dedicated places to see Spokane fall colors, you won't want to miss:
- Finch Arboretum – the Arboretum offers a self-guided walking tour and encourages guests to visit at any time of the year, but particularly the fall! According to Finch Arboretum “the Mountain Ash, Maple and Oak trees are the most well-known for their berries and leaf colors. The artistry of these fall colors create incredible photographs and backdrop for beautiful wedding events.” This is a free fall in Spokane event – it's definitely a ‘can't miss.'
- Manito Park – almost all of Manito Park is perfect for seeing the fall colors, but my favorite place to really get some gorgeous, deep reds is the Japanese Garden. You can learn more about Manito and get their free walking tour brochure here. The Japanese Garden is under construction right now, but all of Manito Park is gorgeous for fall colors!
- Dishman Hills Conservation Area/Iller Creek – on the edge of Spokane Valley, you'll have a nice 5 mile loop around Iller Creek in the Dishman Hills Conservation Area. There's a reason why Dishman Hills offers ‘fall foliage hikes' – it's gorgeous here!
- Riverside State Park – Want to stay closer to Spokane to see the fall colors? Head over to Riverside State Park, which offers plenty of options for hardcore hikers to those who just want to stroll. You will need a Discover Pass to park here.
According to this interactive fall foliage prediction map, we can expect Spokane to see peak fall colors around October 12 – so head out there then!
Manito Park in the South Hill
4) Halloween Activities in Spokane
Beyond handing out candy to trick-or-treaters (or visiting your neighbors for candy), there are a ton of fun Halloween activities in Spokane, and lots of ways to enjoy fall in Spokane:
- King Family Haunted House – open from 7 to 9 pm on weekends and the whole week of Halloween. Located at 15604 N Freya Street, Mead, WA. Free.
- Greenwood Cemetery – Walk this haunted staircase, located at 211 N. Government Way, Spokane, WA – if you dare! Legend has it that this staircase at the Greenwood Cemetery is haunted. If you walk at night, you may see the faces of men, women and children – plus hear their shrieks and cries.
- Spooktober at Kids Quest at Northern Quest – need something a little less creepy and more fun? Head over to Northern Quest Casino with the kids for Spooktober! Spooktober is happening the whole month of October, on the weekends, and is your chance to wear costumes and have some silly fun! Masks are required.
Looking for more haunted fall fun around Spokane? Here are some of the best haunted houses around Spokane!
5) Enjoy Pumpkin French Toast, Cupcakes, Donuts and More
So many places around Spokane are getting into fall flavors right now, with delicious things to eat and drink. A few of the standouts:
- Old European – Old European is serving up pumpkin donuts, pumpkin french toast, and apple cider mimosas!
- Sweet Frostings has a ton of delicious goodies, including Butterbeer (from Harry Potter) cupcakes! That's right, all you magical wizards out there, Sweet Frostings is celebrating the season with delicious, unique flavors of cupcakes!
- Hello Sugar donuts always offers a seasonal donut. It will change, but right now their seasonal donut is the pumpkin donut!
- Green Bluff tasty treats – of course, Green Bluff also has a lot of tasty treats this year, including their famous pumpkin donuts, sweet apples, and more.
Really, you can't go wrong with anything fall-flavored this time of year! From pumpkin donuts to pumpkin spiced coffee at local roasters and coffee shops in Spokane, there's something for everyone!
6) Pumpkin Patches in Spokane
If you're looking for amazing pumpkin patches in Spokane to get fun fall photos or to pick out your perfect Halloween pumpkin, there's no better place to go than Green Bluff. Some of our top recommendations for pumpkin patches in Spokane include:
- High Country Orchard
- Beck's Harvest House
- Eleven Acres
- Sunset Orchard
If you're looking for even more pumpkin patches a little outside of Spokane, you have options! Prairie Home Farm in Coeur d'Alene has you covered with their fun pumpkin patch. Simply grab a wagon and head to the patch! In addition to the pumpkin patch, Prairie Home Farm also has family photo ops with old time tractors, sunflowers, and a picture station!
7) Corn Mazes around Spokane
Some of our favorite corn mazes are closed for the season due to COVID, but if you have to have your corn maze, you have one option – in Colville. The Colville Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch & Market is open Monday through Thursday from 4 pm until dusk, Friday from 4 pm to 7 pm, and weekends from 11 am to 7 pm.
While it is an hour and a half drive from Spokane, it's not too far and offers plenty of entertainment once you get there!
As you can see, there is so much to do in and around Spokane in the fall! Spokane in the fall is gorgeous and, in my opinion, the best time to visit Spokane.
Which fall activities are you going to participate in this year? Let us know over on our Facebook page!
Want to enjoy more of Spokane and Washington in the fall? Check out our fall-related articles below:
- Learn more about the best ghost towns in Washington
- Where to find the best haunted houses in Spokane
- What to do during Gonzaga's fall family weekend
