Fall Things to Do

Pack your flannels, grab a pumpkin spice latte, and prepare to fall for Greater Des Moines. Whether it's fall color hikes paired with spooky haunted houses or cider-sipping orchard days paired with Oktoberfest pretzels bigger than your head, this three-day itinerary is autumn at its absolute peak.

DAY 1

Morning
Start your adventure south of the border without leaving West Des Moines at Faustino’s Breakfast & Tacos, the buzzy new sister restaurant of the raved-about Faustino’s Taqueria. Think chilaquiles drizzled in salsa verde, birria omelets, and breakfast tacos. And it’s never too early for churros and ice cream. Once you’re fueled up, make a caffeine stop at nearby SweetDude Coffee and Cafe, where pumpkin lattes and apple pie chai have fall written all over them. 

Afternoon
Leaf peeping isn’t just for postcards, it is practically a sport here. Kick things off with a hike at Jester Park, where fiery reds and golden yellows set the scene. Along the way, you might catch sight of the resident bison and elk herd, a living reminder of Iowa’s prairie past. Families will also love the park’s Natural Playscape, a kid-friendly area designed using boulders, earth mounds, and water features. 

Want the ultimate fall photo opportunity? Head further north to Ledges State Park in Madrid, where sandstone cliffs and winding trails pair perfectly with a plate of smoky brisket from nearby Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ in Luther. Trust us, nothing complements leaf piles like burnt ends. Just a stone’s throw away, the iconic High Trestle Trail bridge stretches a half mile across the Des Moines River Valley, soaring 13 stories above the water. Surrounded by blazing fall colors, it is one of the Midwest’s most epic backdrops and a must-stop for a seasonal selfie. Other colorful contenders for your new autumn profile pic include Brenton Arboretum, Easter Lake, Yellow Banks Park, and Pammel Park (bonus points for covered bridges).

Evening
When the sun sets, things get spooky. Kick off the night with a gore-met burger at Zombie Burger in the Historic East Village, where campy horror décor meets legendary spiked shakes. Go classic with the Dawn of the Dead burger, stacked with an eye-popping combo of American cheese, bacon, egg, and red onion. 

From there, raise a glass (or cauldron) at one of Des Moines’ Halloween pop-up bars. The headliner is Nightmare on Ingersoll, a haunted dive bar experience filled with creepy décor, over-the-top cocktails, and a playlist that leans into the season. If you prefer your frights with a touch of style, Good News, Darling (locked behind Hello, Marjorie) transforms into Disturb, a Halloween pop-up with a more upscale, craft cocktail approach. Either way, you’ll be sipping in the spirit of the season. 

Cap the night with full-on chills at a haunted house. Our favorite is the bone-chilling Slaughterhouse, an immersive, Slipknot-inspired experience that boasts a different story-based theme each year. Located in a permanent, 20,000 square foot space in downtown Des Moines, it even has year-round escape room experiences, and a basement speakeasy (spookeasy?) called The Haunt. And if you still have screams to spare, check out our full list of haunted houses. From the sprawling Sleepy Hollow Scream Park to Adventureland’s Phantom Fall Fest, there’s a jump scare for everyone. Choose wisely (or foolishly).

DAY 2  

Morning and Afternoon
Time to embrace your inner pumpkin patch kid. Just north of Des Moines in Cambridge, Center Grove Orchard is the undisputed crown jewel of fall fun and feels almost like an amusement park for the pumpkin patch set. Families flock here from across the state to tackle the corn maze, sink into the corn pool, and bounce on jumping pillows the size of small houses. The Farmyard alone could keep you busy for hours, with everything from hayrides and super slides to slingshots, train rides, and a goat herd that might just steal the show. Add in the apple orchard, pumpkin patch, sunflower meadow, and a Country Store stocked with jams, pies, and seasonal décor, and you will understand why this is the place to go each fall. Fuel up along the way at one of the many food stands and make sure you do not leave without a warm cider donut (or three). You will need the sugar rush just to keep up. 

If Center Grove is the full-throttle, all-day fall theme park, then the orchards and farms just south of Des Moines bring a more curated, laid-back vibe. Rose Farm in Norwalk feels like it was made for Instagram, with flower fields, artfully arranged pumpkins, and a stylish country chic setting that doubles as the perfect photo backdrop. Just down the road in Cumming, Wilson’s Orchard and Ciderhouse puts a hip, foodie spin on the season, pairing apple picking with scratch-made sourdough pizzas and a full menu of hard ciders on tap. Rounding out the loop, Howell’s Greenhouse and Pumpkin Patch offers the kind of mom-and-pop charm that keeps families coming back year after year, with wagon rides, goats, and a pumpkin patch that feels straight out of a storybook. Together, they make for a perfect day of autumn hopping just a few miles apart.