By Allie Steers, Elizabeth Deegan, and Zandria Oliver
Fall is here, and the exquisite fall foliage, crisp weather, and fall activities make Litchfield County exceptionally magical this time of year. Check out our list of festive fall activities, from gorgeous leaf-peeping spots, to fall festivals, pumpkin patches, corn mazes and more.
1. Go leaf peeping.
- Drive route 7 to Kent
- Route 44 to Falls Village
- Lake Waramaug scenic route
2. Take a scenic hike at one of the many preserves and parks around us. Each offers varying levels of trails and points of interest.
- Hidden Valley Preserve in Washington
- Macedonia Brook State Park in Kent
- Steep Rock Preserve in Washington
- Macricostas Preserve in New Preston
- Mt. Tom State Park in Washington
- Kent Falls State Park in Kent
- Pine Knob Loop Trail in Sharon
- Lake Waramaug State Park
3. Get lost in a corn maze.
4. Take a guided e-bike tour with Covered Bridge Electric Bike in West Cornwall or KC&E Adventures and experience the bucolic views that Litchfield County has to offer.
5. Take a hayride.
- Bunnell Farm in Litchfield
- The Farm in Woodbury
- Barden Farm Market in New Hartford
- March Farm in Bethlehem
6. Go pumpkin picking at a local farm.
- Bunnell Farm in Litchfield
- Angevine Farm in Warren
- Harris Hill Farm in New Milford
- March Farm in Bethlehem
- The Farm in Woodbury
- Barden Farm in New Hartford
- Deeply Rooted Farms in Harwinton
7. Go to a fall festival.
- 19th Annual Connecticut Garlic & Harvest Festival on October 12-13 in Bethlehem
- Washington Harvest Festival on October 13
- New Milford Apple Festival on September 28
- CAMA Fall Festival September 27-29 in Kent
- Falls Village Fall Festival on October 19
- Hawkridge Winery’s Harvest Festival in Watertown on October 5
8. Take a spooky walk through the Harrybrooke Park Haunted Trail in New Milford on Fridays & Saturdays starting October 12.
9. Celebrate at an Oktoberfest Festival.
Clocktown Clocktoberfest in Thomaston on September 29
Harvest Bounty Fest in Litchfield on October 5
@ The Corner Oktoberfest in Litchfield from September 21- October 6
Hawkridge Winery’s Harvest Festival in Watertown on October 5
10. Create a spooky wreath and have a glass of wine at Hawk Ridge Winery’s Halloween Wreath Making on October 2.
11. Visit the Railroad Museum of New England in Thomaston and take one of their Autumn Colors Limited train rides to see the fall foliage in Litchfield County.
12. Go apple picking at a local farm.
Averill Farm in Washington Depot
13. Take a trip to the Harwinton Fair, running October 4-6.
14. Join Minor Memorial Library for a Halloween Storywalk on Joey’s Trail; learn about the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
15. Attend the Warner Theatre’s Annual Wine and Food Tasting on October 19. Buy tickets here!
16. Take a cemetery tour.
All Hallows Eve at Glebe House Museum
A Tale of Two Cemeteries – A Lantern Tour of Downtown Terryville
17. Have a scenic picnic, walk or a beautiful photo op at Topsmead State Forest.
18. Pop into the Merwinsville Hotel’s 37rd annual Columbus Day weekend arts & fine crafts show and restoration anniversary celebration. October 12-14 and 18-20.
19. Check out Trunk or Treat in New Milford on Halloween night and experience the Thriller Flash Mob in the middle of the green.
20. Run or walk in Kent’s largest one-day community event, the 48th Annual Kent Pumpkin Run on October 27. Prizes will be given to the top five most creative costumes. Register here by October 25.
21. Nothing screams fall quite like sipping on a hot drink from a local cafe. We are lucky to have so many around us. Here are just a few offering delectable eats and drinks that will warm you up:
Marty’s Cafe in Washington Depot
The Smithy Cafe in New Preston
Bridgewater Village Store in Bridgewater
River & Rail Cafe in New Milford
Quin Brew Coffee Co. in Watertown
22. Check out Edward Tufte’s Landscape Sculpture Farm, Hogpen Hill Farms, with five miles of walking trails. Register here.
23. Do the Wigwam Escape room at The Institute for American Indian Studies and learn a new way to interact with history.
24. Visit a local farm stand and pick up some fresh produce while getting in the fall spirit! They are decorated for the fall season and have many fresh produce items!
Maple Bank Farm in Roxbury
25. Join the Litchfield Historical Society at the Tapping Reeve Meadow on October 19-31 for Scarecrows in the Meadow.
26. Bookstore tour, to prepare for colder days-in reading a book by the fireplace or for inspiration to join a book club.
27. Visit the elephant’s trunk flea market.
28. Explore local Farmer’s markets while they’re still open – perfect for finding hot cider and local produce and goods. Here are just a few of the many markets.
- New Milford Farmers’ Market in New Milford
- Litchfield Hills Farm-Fresh Market in Litchfield
- Norfolk Farmers’ Market in Norfolk
- The Morris Marketplace in Morris
- Thomaston Farmers’ Market in Thomaston
- Torrington Farmers’ Market in Torrington
29. Take a Pottery class
30. Go antiquing, here are a few antique stores to stop in!
- Housatonic Trading Co. in Bantam
- Jeffrey Tillou Antiques in Litchfield
- Elephant’s Trunk Flea in Market in New Milford
- Privet House in New Preston
- Mill House Antiques in Woodbury
31. Go see a movie at an outdoor/drive-in movie theater
Four Brothers Drive Inn in Amenia
The Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens in Washington
32. Get relaxed or back in shape with yoga / fitness classes in the area. Here are a few of many fitness / yoga studios in the county!
- Charym in Litchfield
- W. Rhythm Fitness in Kent
- Litchfield Hills Fitness in Litchfield
- EVOLVE Yoga Wellness Nutrition in New Milford
33. Kayak and fish in Bantam Lake, the largest natural lake in Connecticut covering 947 acres. There are two launches, Beverly’s Marina at the corner of Rt. 209 and Palmer Road in Morris, or White Memorial Family Campground Launch.
34. Take a cooking class to show off your new recipes and skills during the holiday season
- The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm in New Milford
- Husky Meadows Farm in Norfolk
- Wisdom House Retreat & Conference Center in Litchfield
35. Spend the day at a beautiful vineyard. Litchfield County has numerous vineyards to enjoy. Bring a picnic blanket and some chairs and relax while sipping on wine and watching the sunset. Check their websites for special live entertainment events. Here are just a few: Hopkins Vineyard in Warren; Spring Hill Vineyards in New Preston; Hawk Ridge Winery in Watertown; Connecticut Valley Winery in New Hartford; Sunset Meadows Vineyards in Goshen.
36. Go brewery/distillery hopping! Here are just a few:
- Woodbury Brewing Company in Woodbury
- Clocktown Brewing Company in Thomaston
- Litchfield Distillery in Litchfield
- Bad Dog Brewing in Torrington
- Great Falls Brewing Company in Canaan
- Kent Falls Brewing Co. in Kent
- Norbrook Farm Brewery in Colebrook
37. Visit local cidery, Park Lane Cider Mill in New Milford for some freshly pressed cider.
38. Visit an animal sanctuary, bird sanctuary, or farm!
- JP Farm Animal Sanctuary
- Highwire Deer and Animal Farm in Woodbury
- Clover Ridge Animal Sanctuary in New Milford
- Richard G. Croft Memorial Preserve in Goshen
- Jane and George Pratt Valley Preserve in New Milford
- Sharon Audubon Center in Sharon
- Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy in Litchfield
- Action Wildlife in Goshen
39. Take an art class!
- Artroom Atelier in Litchfield
- Washington Art Association in Washington Depot
- Five Points Art Center in Torrington
- Hue studio in Litchfield
- Village Center for the Arts in New Milford
- Under Mountain Weavers in Salisbury
- Glazey Dayz in Watertown
40. Go see some live music
- Warner Theatre in Torrington
- Woodbury Brewing Company in Woodbury
- Hawk Ridge Winery in Watertown
- 2nd Home Lounge in Winsted
- The Jameson Pub in Watertown
- Hopkin Vineyards in Warren
- Music Mountain in Falls Village
- Infinity Music Hall & Bistro in Norfolk
41. Go see a play or show at a local theater.
- Warner Theatre in Torrington
- Sharon Playhouse in Sharon
- Thomaston Opera House in Thomaston
- The Falls Village Children’s Theater in Falls Village
- Goshen Players in Goshen
- Hotchkiss Dramatic Association in Lakeville
- Theatreworks in New Milford
42. Try out Horseback riding!
43. Try curling at Norfolk Curling Club in Norfolk.
44. Have some family fun and go bowling
- Thomaston Lanes Inc in Thomaston
- New Milford Lanes in New Milford
- Laurel Duckpin Bowling Lanes in Winsted
45. A thrifting excursion to revamp your wardrobe more sustainably
- The Thrift Mart of New Milford Inc in New Milford
- The Hunt in New Milford
- The Quality Thrift Shop in Kent
- The King’s Closet Thrift Store and More in Torrington
- The Red Barn Thrift Shop in Woodbury
- Clothes Tree Thrift Shop in Bantam
- VNA Northwest Thrift Store in New Preston
- Valley Thrift Shop in Winsted
- The Bargain Barn in Sharon
46. Get primped with a new hairstyle or nails at local salons, or even have a spa day! Here are a few places:
- https://www.charym.com/
- LaFrance Medical Aesthetics in Bristol
- Byrde + the b in Litchfield
- The Spa at Litchfield Hills in Litchfield
- West Street Barber in Litchfield
- The Winvian Spa in Morris
- Joe’s Salon & Spa in New Milford
- Watertown Salon Nails & Boutique in Watertown
47. For history buffs, visit the litchfield history museum
48. Admire the beautiful waterfalls of Litchfield County. Do go chasing waterfalls.
- Kent Falls
- Great Falls in Falls Village
- Buttermilk Falls in Plymouth
- Dean’s Ravine Falls in Canaan
- Burr Falls in Torrington
- Campbell Falls in Norfolk
- Aspetuck Falls in Washington
- Nonnewaug Falls in Woodbury
- Knife Shop Falls in Litchfield
49. Art gallery tour
- Washington Art Association in Washington Depot
- Kent Art Association in Kent
- Eckert Fine Art + Consulting in Washington Depot
- Jennifer Terzian Gallery in Litchfield
- amArtHouse in Bantam
- Souterrain Gallery in West Cornwall
- Furnace Art on Paper Archive in Falls Village
- Carol Corey Fine Art in Kent
- Craven Contemporary Art Gallery in Kent
- Kenise Barnes Fine Art in Kent
- Standard Space in Sharon
- Five Points Gallery in Torrington
- Tremaine Gallery in Lakeville
50. Visit Action Wildlife in Goshen for their yearly haunted house; the Forsaken Lands running September 28-November 2.