🍂 Fall Family Fun Around Van Buren County

October 8, 2025

As the Michigan air cools and leaves begin to turn, fall offers a wonderful backdrop for families to connect, explore, and create lasting memories. Below are local spots and ideas to help you make the most of the season!

🎃 Visit a Local Pumpkin Patch or Orchard

Head to Harvest Moon Acres in Gobles for hayrides, a corn maze, and pumpkins.
Stop by Overhiser Orchards in South Haven for apple picking, a pumpkin patch, wagon rides, and a petting zoo.
Try Bumbleberry Acres for a mix of farm fun and animals.
If you’re up for a short drive, Gull Meadow Farms in Richland offers dozens of fall activities.

🍎 Apple, Pumpkin & Sunflower Picking

Many of the farms above also host u-pick orchards and seasonal fields. Overhiser, for example, offers apples, pumpkins, and sunflower heads. Overhiser Orchards
Use local farm event calendars like Pumpkin Patches & More to find seasonal openings in your area. Pumpkin Patches and More

🍁 Explore Trails, Parks, & Natural Areas

Van Buren State Park (Ruggles Road, South Haven): a mix of dunes, forest trails, picnic areas, and access to the Van Buren Trail.
Kal-Haven / Van Buren Trail: ideal for biking or walking through fall foliage.
North Point Conservation Area: forested dunes and wetland trails near Lake Michigan.
Portman Nature Preserve (Almena Township): a quieter natural area with trails and diverse habitats.

Bring a nature scavenger list, sketchbook, or leaf-identifying app to make a simple hike educational for kids.

📚 Cozy Up with a Fall Reading Challenge

Use the Van Buren District Library with its multiple branches for borrowing books, attending storytimes, or joining reading programs.
Consider a book bingo or seasonal reading log. Encourage reading outdoors, in parks, or under a cozy blanket.
Check local library calendars for fall events like children’s crafts, author visits, or “leafy story walks.”

🧡 Fall Fun at Home

Bake together (pumpkin muffins, apple crisp, caramel apples).
Do leaf rubbings or pressed leaf crafts.
Make a family “thankful tree” where each person writes something they’re grateful for on a leaf.
Host a supervised backyard fire for s’mores, storytelling, or singing.

🍂 Celebrate the Season Together

No matter how you spend it, fall is a wonderful time to connect, learn, and enjoy all that our community has to offer. Take advantage of the season’s simple joys—whether that’s a walk through colorful trees, a shared story, or a warm cup of cider.