Fall in the Chippewa Valley is not a quiet season. It is flannel, bonfires, and a calendar that somehow gets busier than summer. 🍂
If you’re looking for fall activities in the Chippewa Valley this year, whether you’ve lived here forever or you just moved to the area, here’s where my family actually spends our October weekends. (Plus the events still coming up this month!)
Pumpkin Patches and Apple Orchards Near Eau Claire & Chippewa Falls
You cannot do fall in Wisconsin without a pumpkin patch day, and friend, we are LUCKY with how many good ones are within twenty minutes of us.
Our family’s favorite, hands down, is Ferguson’s Orchards in Eau Claire. Admission is $18 a person this year, but it works like a season pass, so you can go back as many times as you want all fall. (And let’s be honest, once your kids see it, you WILL be going back.) Mine ask to go every single year without fail. Hayrides out to the pumpkin patch, a corn maze, a jumping pad, a corn pit, farm animals, pedal tractors… plan to lose a solid couple of hours and come home with very tired, very happy kids.
If you want a slower, simpler day, Bushel & A Peck and Connell’s Family Orchard right in Chippewa Falls are both great lower cost options. Connell’s has been family-run since 1858 (seven generations of Connells!), and there’s something kind of special about picking apples on land with that much history. Fresh cider, wagon rides, and the kind of caramel apples that ruin you for the store bought kind.
A few other local favorites worth knowing: Maple Harvest Apple Orchard just south of Eau Claire has a 10-acre corn maze, and on Friday and Saturday nights in October they keep it open late for a night maze (weather permitting). Flashlights and a little bravery required. 🔦 And out in Elk Mound, Pleasant Valley Tree Farm brought back its Fall Harvest Festival with a corn maze and a spooky trail, if you want something a little more “event” than “orchard visit.”
My tip across all of them: go on a weekday morning if you can. Weekends get crowded fast, and you’ll have a much more peaceful time wandering the rows with little ones in tow. And always peek at their website or Facebook page before you head out, because fall hours can shift week to week.
Fall Events Still Happening This October
Okay, real talk. A lot of the BIG fall events around here actually happen in September. The Ginormous Pumpkin Festival in Altoona, the Downtown Eau Claire Fall Festival, Chippewa Falls Oktoberfest… they’ve already come and gone for this year. 😩
But don’t worry, October still has plenty going on! Here’s what’s on my radar:
Eau Claire Dark History Trolley Tour (through November 3)
This one is for the grown-ups. It’s a 90-minute after-dark ride through the city’s spookier side, with true crime, old scandals, and haunted bridges. Tickets sell fast, so grab yours through the Chippewa River Trolley.
The Enchanted Order Escape Room at the Schlegelmilch House (weekends into early November)
A witchy escape room inside one of Eau Claire’s historic homes. Perfect for a date night or a girls’ night out.
Downtown Chippewa Falls Trick-or-Treating (Friday, October 30, 3 to 5 PM)
Bring the kids downtown in their costumes for the annual trick-or-treat event put on by Chippewa Falls Main Street. Look for the posters in the windows of participating businesses. It is the perfect after-school stop before the big night! 👻
hall-EAU-ween 5K (Friday, October 30 at 6:30 PM)
A costume-friendly fun run starting at Phoenix Park, with the course lit up along the bridges. No timing chips, no pressure, just fun. Great one for the whole family!
Downtown Eau Claire Trick-or-Treat (Saturday, October 31)
Downtown businesses along Barstow Street hand out treats to all the little ghouls and goblins. Such a sweet way to show your kids the downtown community.
The Brewing Projekt Halloween Party (Saturday, October 31)
If you’ve got a sitter lined up, this is one of the biggest costume parties in the area, with food trucks, live entertainment, games, and specialty cocktails. 🎃
For the full list, Visit Eau Claire’s Halloween page is a great resource. And my advice for next year? Put those September festivals on your calendar NOW. The Ginormous Pumpkin Festival at River Prairie is free and one of the most fun family days of the whole year. Trust me, you’ll want to be there. 💕
Hiking and Fall Colors in the Chippewa Valley
The Chippewa River State Trail and Irvine Park right in Chippewa Falls are two of my go-to spots when the leaves start turning. Irvine Park is especially great with kids, with playgrounds and easy walking paths, so you get the fall colors without a hiking boot level of commitment.
If you want something a little more “nature reserve” and a little less “city park,” Beaver Creek Reserve out in Fall Creek has trails, a nature center, and some genuinely gorgeous color this time of year. It’s one of those spots that makes you remember why you live here (or why you should!).
Want even more leaf peeping? I rounded up my favorite parks, trails, and scenic drives in my guide to the best places to see fall colors near Eau Claire. 🍁
Cozy Local Spots to Warm Up
After a day outside, you NEED a warm drink in your hands. And friend, the Chippewa Valley has some seriously good local coffee shops. Skip the chains and try these favorites:
Whirlybird Coffee Co. (Chippewa Falls)
Family-owned, so welcoming, and SO creative with their seasonal drinks. If you can never decide what to order (hi, it’s me 🙋♀️), grab a coffee flight and try a few. whirlybirdcoffee.com
Cabin Coffee Co. (Altoona)
They roast their own coffee right on site, and the drive-thru is a total lifesaver when you have kids buckled in the back seat and zero desire to unbuckle them.
Kahvi Coffee House + Cafe (Eau Claire)
Scandinavian-inspired and cozy, with a fireplace for those chilly fall mornings. Order the Fika Mocha (a caramel white mocha) and thank me later. Bonus: they have a dog-friendly patio! kahvicoffee.com
Phoenix Coffee (Downtown Eau Claire)
Right on the riverwalk with big windows and one of the best views downtown. It is the perfect stop before a walk through Phoenix Park to see the leaves, and the kolaches are a must. thephoenixcoffee.com
Pumpkin spice or apple cider, a hot drink in hand while you watch the leaves fall is its own kind of therapy. ☕🍂
Thinking About Moving to the Chippewa Valley? Visit in the Fall
If you’re considering a move to the Chippewa Valley, fall is genuinely one of the best times to visit and get a feel for the community. The farmers markets are winding down, the local events calendar is still packed, and you’ll see a community that really shows up for its own traditions. It’s a great litmus test for whether this is the kind of place you want to raise your family.
If you’re just starting to explore, my guide to moving to Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls is the perfect place to begin. And if you want more ways to keep the kids busy all year long, here’s my list of family-friendly things to do near Chippewa Falls.
Dreaming about making the move? I’d love to help you find your spot here. Let’s chat! 💕
However you spend your October, I hope it involves a flannel, a cider, and a few too many pictures of leaves. Chat soon, friend! 🍂