Omaha comes alive in the fall, with plenty of ways to celebrate the season across the community. Whether you’re after a budget-friendly pumpkin patch, a scenic trail with peak fall color, or a rainy-day plan the whole family will enjoy, Omaha has it covered. This guide breaks down the best fall activities across the Omaha area by category, so you can skip the searching and go straight to what you want.
- Omaha Pumpkin Patches, Mazes, & Farm Experiences
- Fall Festivities & Events
- Omaha Parks Perfect for Fall
Omaha Pumpkin Patches, Mazes, & Farm Experiences
The Omaha area shows up big for fall, and the list of things to do is endless. For this guide, we walked through events and experiences not just in Omaha, but in the surrounding areas too. Dates, hours, and prices are current as of publishing, but fall schedules shift, so always double-check before you head out.
Vala’s Pumpkin Patch & Apple Orchard
Vala’s 400-acre farm in Gretna is the gold standard for Midwest fall experiences, packed with 50+ attractions that range from pig races and apple slinging to hard cider bakery bars and campfire pit rentals. Between the corn maze, the giant slides, and a lineup of food and drink that goes well beyond your standard fair fare, there’s enough here to make a full day feel short. Kids have enough to fill a full day. Adults have plenty of reasons to come without them.
- Location: 12102 S 180th St, Gretna, NE 68028
- Date/Hours: Sept 3–Nov 1 | Sun–Thu: 9 a.m.–9 p.m. | Fri–Sat: 9 a.m.–10 p.m.
- Cost: $26.99–$45.99 admission, free for children 2 & under
- Perfect For: Families, date night, large groups
For a 2026 Vala’s Guide, visit Vala’s Pumpkin Patch 2026 Guide: New Attractions, Costs, & Tips.
Skinny Bones Pumpkin Patch
Located 25 minutes north of Midtown in Blair, Skinny Bones runs at a different pace than the bigger Sarpy County farms—and that’s exactly the point. Uncrowded weekday mornings, a PeeWee corn maze scaled for toddlers, a giant jump pillow, Frankenslide, bonfire pits, and pedal karts make this an easy choice for families with young kids who’d rather not battle Vala’s October Saturday crowds.
- Location: 3935 NE-133, Blair, NE 68008
- Date/Hours: Sept 4–Nov 1 | Sun: 9 a.m.–7 p.m. | Mon–Wed: 9 a.m.–3 p.m. | Thurs: 9 a.m.–9 p.m. | Fri–Sat: 9 a.m.–10 p.m.
- Cost: $17.99-$29.99 admission, free for children 2 & under
- Perfect For: Toddlers, families with young kids, budget-conscious visitors
Bellevue Berry Farm & Pumpkin Patch
Bellevue Berry Farm delivers a more rustic, laid-back fall experience, which is exactly why many Omaha families prefer it. The farm in Papillion features unique wooden pirate ships and a lost gold mine play structure that kids absolutely love, plus traditional pumpkin-picking rows, outdoor slides, and campfire pits scattered throughout the grounds. Daytime visits are perfect for young children, but the farm transforms after dark with a haunted hayrack ride that draws teens and adults looking for a solid autumn scare without driving across town.
- Location: 11001 S 48th St, Papillion, NE 68133
- Date/Hours: Sept 12–Nov 1 | Mon–Thu: 9 a.m.–8:30 p.m. | Fri: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. | Sat–Sun: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
- Cost: $12–$20 admission, free for children 2 & under
- Perfect For: Families with young kids; teens and adults seeking nighttime haunted hayrack rides
Ditmars Orchard & Vineyard
Ditmars Orchard is one of those places that locals keep to themselves, and it’s honestly a little criminal how underrated it is. Located just across the river in Council Bluffs, only twenty minutes from downtown Omaha, the apple cider donuts here are genuinely excellent, and the homemade apple wine and cider make this a strong choice for an adult date-day outing. Kids gravitate toward the small animal area, while adults tend to linger near the vineyard and café. Sunday mornings are a sweet spot for a low-crowd visit before the weekend rush hits in the afternoon.
- Location: 19475 225th St, Council Bluffs, IA 51503
- Date/Hours: Tue–Sat: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | Sun: 11 a.m.–5 p.m. | Mon: Closed
- Cost: $10 admission
- Perfect For: Fall date-day outings; budget-conscious families who want the orchard experience without the admission fee
Roca Berry Farm
Roca Berry Farm has been “harvesting memories” since 1980, and with 70+ attractions spread across the property, it’s less a pumpkin patch than a full-day fall theme park. Daytime hours bring favorites like a corn maze, hayrides, a locomotive train ride, pedal karts, mini ziplines, and Pumpkin Land. After dark, the farm transforms into Roca Scary Farm, with a Haunted Hayride, Haunted Manor, and the Psycho Path drawing teens and adults for a genuine scare. It’s about an hour from Omaha, making it more of a day-trip destination than a quick evening out, so plan accordingly.
- Location: 16531 S 38th St, Roca, NE 68430
- Date/Hours: Sept 21–Oct 30 | Mon–Wed: 9 a.m.–7 p.m. | Thu–Fri: 9 a.m.–8 p.m. | Sat–Sun: 9 a.m.–8 p.m.
- Nighttime Attraction Hours: September 26, every weekend in October | Fri–Sat: 7 p.m.–10 p.m. | Sun: 7 p.m.–9 p.m.
- Cost: $16.95-$25.95 admission, free for children 3 & under
- Perfect For: Full-day family outings with older kids; thrill-seekers wanting a haunted attraction lineup
Fall Festivities & Events
AppleJack Festival
Nebraska City’s AppleJack Festival has been the region’s kickoff to fall for nearly 60 years, and it spreads across the entire town rather than one venue. Weekend one leans traditional while weekend two turns the focus to apples, with a kids’ Apple Jamboree, a downtown cider stroll, and a Taste of AppleJack recipe contest. The real draw, though, is Arbor Day Farm itself: u-pick apples, caramel apples and fresh pie, wine and hard cider tastings, and the Tree Adventure’s Treetop Village. It’s about an hour south of Omaha, so most people make a full day of it and hit Kimmel Orchard or Union Orchard on the way.
- Location: Arbor Day Farm, 2611 Arbor Ave, Nebraska City, NE 68410 (festival activities throughout downtown Nebraska City)
- Date/Hours: Sept 18–20 & Sept 26–27 | Fri: 11 a.m.–6 p.m. | Sat: 9 a.m.–7 p.m. | Sun: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Cost: Free admission
- Perfect For: Families wanting a classic small-town fall festival; apple lovers; anyone who wants a day trip with a scenic drive
Junkstock
Junkstock is less a market and more a full-blown vintage experience. It’s a weekend-long “junk, music, and food” festival on a 180-acre historic horse farm that’s landed in USA Today’s top festival lists. Its Harvest Edition leans into the season: a giant pumpkin house, bonfires, chrysanthemums, hayrack rides, and apple cider donuts, plus 200+ vendors selling repurposed furniture, antiques, and handmade goods.
- Location: Sycamore Farms, 1150 River Road Drive, Waterloo, NE 68069
- Date/Hours: Oct 2–4 & Oct 9–11
- Cost: $20–$30 admission, free for children 12 & under
- Perfect For: Vintage/antique shoppers, a low-key weekend outing with friends, dog owners wanting a pet-friendly fall outing
Omaha Parks Perfect for Fall
Heartland of America Park & The RiverFront
Downtown Omaha’s best free outdoor space, and arguably at its best in fall, with the fountain still running, trees turning along the Missouri, and the whole corridor connecting into one long walkable stretch that includes the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. Flat and paved throughout, so it works for strollers, wheelchairs, and casual walkers alike.
- Location: 800 Douglas St, Omaha, NE 68102
- Date/Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk
- Cost: Free
- Perfect For: A quick outdoor break downtown, easy walks with kids or dogs, sunset views
Chalco Hills Recreation Area
More than 7 miles of paved and dirt trails loop Wehrspann Lake in southwest Omaha, and it’s one of the better spots locally for seeing fall color reflected on the water. The main loop is flat and manageable, so it works equally well as a serious hike, an easy bike ride, or a slow walk with the dog.
- Location: Main entrance at 154th St & Giles Rd, Omaha, NE 68136
- Date/Hours: Open daily, 6 a.m.–10 p.m.
- Cost: Free
- Perfect For: Hikers and cyclists, fall-foliage photos, a quieter outdoor outing
Elmwood Park
One of Omaha’s oldest parks, backing up to UNO and turning a deep gold-and-red through October. It’s more about the setting than any single attraction. Big shade trees, a duck pond, disc golf, and a limestone amphitheater fill the park, so it’s best treated as a place to slow down rather than a checklist stop.
- Location: 802 S 60th St, Omaha, NE 68106
- Date/Hours: Open daily, 6 a.m.–10 p.m.
- Cost: Free
- Perfect For: Picnics, casual fall walks, disc golf, a relaxed break between other stops
Memorial Park
A sprawling, open hillside park built around war memorials, with sweeping lawns and skyline views rather than a forest canopy. It’s a favorite for kite flying, picnics, and just sitting outside with a wide, unobstructed view of the changing season.
- Location: 6005 Underwood Ave, Omaha, NE 68132
- Date/Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk
- Cost: Free
- Perfect For: Picnics, open-sky views, an easygoing outing with kids or dogs
Make the Most of Fall
There’s no right way to do fall in Omaha. With enough activities to fill out the whole season, you could spend every weekend from September through Halloween chasing something new and still not run out of options. Use this guide as a starting point, not a checklist. Pick what fits your day and start exploring!
Looking for more things to do in Omaha? Explore Hurrdat ONE’s local guides, like Best Orchards around Omaha, Best Omaha-Area Pumpkin Patches, and Halloween in Omaha.
