9 ways to enjoy autumn in the Triangle
Fall offers the perfect blend of cool mornings, warm afternoons and lingering sunshine, making it the season to get out and about in the Triangle.
WRAL has guides to playgrounds, to museums, to fall festivals and pumpkin patches, but here are our top picks – suitable for all ages with options for rain or shine.
WRAL Azalea Gardens
WRAL Azalea Gardens is the perfect place to enjoy the beauty of nature with family and friends. The garden, located between Western Boulevard and Centennial Parkway, just west of downtown Raleigh, is an escape with a glimpse of greenery.
This multi-purpose community garden is open year around and has over 60+ varieties of azaleas to view along with a mini-trail and water fountain to greet and guide your family through.
Location: 2619 Western Blvd, Raleigh
Hours of Operation: Everyday 7 a.m. to –7 p.m.
Free to visit.
Website: https://wral-gardens.com/
Planet Peace Farm
Everyone likes a good outing when farm animals are involved! Planet Peace Farm is a non-profit organization located between Raleigh and Knightdale where parents and children can bond with animals and experience a day in the life of an NC farmer.
Planet Peace Farm’s mission is to provide spaces for the youth to reduce stress and find inner peace through the multiple activities within the farm.
Their activities and services Include:
- Lessons in horsemanship, gardening & mindfulness
- Family & homeschooling farm visits
- Outdoor stretching, meditation, and yoga
- One-on-one youth mentoring & internships
- Birthday parties & picnics
- Farm fresh veggies, eggs & honey
Location: 6121 Forestville Road
Hours of Operation:
Sunday-Monday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tuesday-Thursday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday: 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
All activities and services are free of charge.
Website: https://www.planetpeaceful.org/
Raleigh City Farm
Rooted in Raleigh, the Raleigh City Farm is a nonprofit urban farm founded in 2011 with the purpose of connecting the community with agriculture. Committed to diversity and the power of well-being, this farm hosts workshops and events regularly for the family to come and spend time with nature and community friends. Nearby, you can pick up a sweet treat from Two Roosters Ice Cream and grab a bite from Standard Beer + Food around the way.
Location: 800 N Blount Street Raleigh, NC 27604
Hours:
Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Closed
Tuesday: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday: 8 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Free entry
Website: https://raleighcityfarm.org/
Harris Lake County Park
Located on the Shearon Harris Reservoir, this 680-acre park has enough space for the family to come and venture into the best of North Carolina’s outside scenery. Whether it is a picnic or playground, a bike ride, hiking or canoeing, you can do it all here. There are even facilities for disc golf and volleyball.
Location: 2112 County Park Drive
Hours of Operation: 8 a.m. -sunset
Free to visit.
Reserve a picnic space or shelter online.
Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve
Rich with color in the fall, this family-friendly preserve is great for a nice jog or biking adventure. As you trek the three miles, you will be sure to pass by some Eastern Hemlock trees (hence the name), upland forest ridges, ravines and creeks. A safe place for pets and children, this outdoor oasis will be sure to help you reset.
Location: 2616 Kildaire Farm Rd, Cary, NC 27518
Hours of Operation:
Monday- Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Closed Sunday
Free to visit.
Website: https://www.hemlockbluffs.org/hemlock-bluffs-nature-preserve.html
Ken’s Korny Corn Maze
Covering five acres of land, Ken’s Korny Maze is the perfect place to get lost with family and friends! This 2.5-mile path of crazy corn typically takes about 60 to 75 minutes to complete. With multiple activities surrounding the main attraction, and a variety of areas where fun décor would make for a good family photo, this is a promising good weekend of fun.
Location: 3175 Benson Rd., Garner, NC 27529
Hours of Operation:
Friday: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Closed Monday-Thursday.
Open Sept. 29 to Nov. 6, 2023. (Dates vary each year)
Cost:
Ages 3-5: $10
Ages 6 and up: $17
Website: https://kensproduce.com/kens-korny-corn-maze-fall-events/
Annual IBMA Bluegrass Fall Festival Live! powered by PNC
Each year since 2013, downtown Raleigh welcomes the well-known urban bluegrass music festival. Greatly anticipated by Raleigh locals, this festival covers 5 blocks from Martin Street to the Martin Marietta Center for Performing Arts with various vendors, food trucks, and performing stages for various artists. With an exciting line-up of entertainers bringing their own style and twists on the banjos, guitars, and fiddles, this festival never seems to miss a beat! Typically, a two-day event, this festival guarantees a good time.
Location: downtown Raleigh
Dates: Sept. 29-30, 2023 (dates vary each year; visit website for more information)
Cost: Free entry
Website: https://worldofbluegrass.org/ibma-bluegrass-live/
NC State Fair
The annual North Carolina State Fair is one of the largest events that happens as the season of fall rolls in. Each year, this event brings in more than 1 million Carolinians, and families traditionally come for all this event has to offer. If you’re looking for a place to have the best day ever, a day of exciting fair rides, fuzzy animals, cool games and all the food you can think of will do the trick.
Location: 4285 Trinity Rd Raleigh, NC 27607
Dates for 2024: October 17-24 (seasonal event; visit website for updates on schedule)
Time: Varies depending on day; visit https://www.ncstatefair.org/ for more info on hours of operation.
Cost: Ranges depending on age. (subject to change each year)
Adult (ages 13-64): $10-$13
Senior Adults (65+) =$5
Youth (ages 6-12) =$5
Child (5 & under) = Free
NC Museum of Art
The North Carolina Museum of Art can be both an inside and outside adventure. Housing more than 5,000 years of history, and a long-standing reputation for relevant facts and exotic representations of art and culture, this museum is quite the gallery to visit. The NC Museum of Art has many outside sculptures to gaze at and admire, and a full house of galleries and exhibits to venture.
Location: 2110 Bue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607
Hours of Operation:
Monday-Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday-Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free to visit; Certain exhibits may require admission fee.
Website: https://ncartmuseum.org/
