Pick your own pumpkins, get lost in a corn maze, sip apple cider slushies, and more at the Valley’s top destinations for fall fun.
Fall in Arizona means cooler weather, vibrant foliage, and tons of fun seasonal activities. From family-friendly farms with petting zoos and hay rides to haunted houses built for thrill-seekers, the Valley has something for everyone this season.
Whether you’re looking to spend a laid-back afternoon picking pumpkins or a spooky night navigating a haunted maze, these are the 10 best spots around the Valley to celebrate everything fall has to offer.
1. Desert Fall Festival
Desert Fall Festival offers the perfect mix of fall and farm-themed activities, including:
- A color-changing maze with glowing pumpkins
- Pumpkin bowling
- An excavator experience where you can move dirt in a real excavator
- Hale bale archery
- A 90-foot slide
- Line dancing lessons
- Bungee trampolines
There are several other activities and attractions you can enjoy for an additional fee, such as the apple cannon blaster, a roller rink, axe throwing, a zipline, and a mechanical bull.
Throughout the festival, which runs from Sept. 25 to Nov. 1, you can also indulge in a variety of comfort food and fall treats like wood-fired pizza, tacos, caramel apples, and apple cider slushies.
Cost: Admission tickets start at $17.95 per person.
Address: 14470 W. Tierra Buena Ln., Surprise
2. Fear Farm
Fear Farm is a fall farm experience unlike any other on this list. Created with thrill-seekers in mind, this farm is actually a series of spooky setups, including a Jason-themed walkthrough attraction, a haunted fun house, and a ghost ship.
Some add-ons that will make your experience even scarier include a haunted maze, a zombie shooting range, another interactive walkthrough with costumed staff, and access to two themed bars.
Cost: Ticket prices start at $24.99 per person.
Address: 1475 N. McClintock Dr., Tempe
3. MacDonald’s Ranch
The main attraction at MacDonald’s Ranch come fall is the pumpkin patch, which is open from Oct. 3 to 31. But that’s not all the family-owned ranch has to offer. There is also a petting zoo, a hay bale maze, lawn and carnival games, and a pedal car track, among other attractions.
Cost: Admission starts at $15 per person, with an additional fee for certain activities like pony rides and feeding the animals.
Address: 26540 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale
4. Mortimer Farms Pumpkin Fest & Corn Maze
There is plenty of fall fun to be had at Mortimer Farms’ Pumpkin Fest & Corn Maze event, which runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 31. As the name implies, there is a corn maze to explore and a pumpkin patch where you can pick out your own pumpkins. But the festival will also have train and hay rides, farm-inspired rides, games, and activities, fire dancers, DJs, and food trucks on weekends, and barn dances on Fridays.
Other weekend-only entertainment includes pig races, apple cider pressing demonstrations, trick rope performances, a game show, and a tractor parade.
You can also stop by the Apple Barn to shop for handmade products, unique gifts, home decor, and other items from local artisans and makers.
Cost: Admission starts at $16.50 but varies depending on the day you choose to visit.
Address: 12907 E. State Route 169, Dewey
5. Mother Nature’s Farm
Mother Nature’s Farm, a third-generation family farm, hosts its annual Fall Festival from late September through October. At the festival, there is plenty to do, from visiting with the farm animals to picking a pumpkin in the pumpkin patch to going on a hayride. Other attractions include a spider web crawl, straw bale maze, corn pit, and human hamster wheels.
The boutique is open year-round and offers a wide selection of goods, from gourmet salsas and jams to candles and home decor.
Cost: Fall Festival admission starts at $15.
Address: 1663 E. Baseline Rd., Gilbert
6. Schnepf Farms Pumpkin and Chili Party
Nothing says fall like pumpkin and chili—and there is plenty of both at the Schnepf Farms Pumpkin and Chili Party, which isn’t a one-day event but rather one that lasts all October long.
Your ticket gives you access to a whole lot more, though: hay rides, a 10-acre corn maze, live music, roller coaster and carnival rides, pig races, a petting zoo, a ropes course, and much more.
In addition to chili (pumpkin, regular, and vegetable), there are plenty of other food options, ranging from cider donuts and homemade pretzels to taco and potato bars.
Cost: General admission tickets start at $28.95 per person.
Address: 24810 S. Rittenhouse Rd., Queen Creek
7. Spooktacular Hot Air Balloon Festival
The Spooktacular Hot Air Balloon Festival is a Halloween-themed event where more than 20 hot air balloons serve as trick-or-treat stations, with 4,000 pounds of candy to hand out. You can also take a tethered hot air balloon ride (for an additional fee), participate in a costume contest, or explore the haunted trail.
The festival will also feature a market with food, beverage, and retail vendors, magic shows, and a kids’ zone with more than 30 inflatables, games, and other attractions.
Cost: Friday and Saturday adult tickets start at $22. Sunday adult tickets start at $19.
Address: 7555 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale
8. Tolmachoff Farms
Tolmachoff Farms reopens for the 2026 season on Oct. 1 with a full lineup of fall festivities. The fifth-generation farm is home to three corn mazes—a main maze that’s five acres and features a new design every year, a smaller one for kids, and a haunted maze you can explore at night.
Other attractions include a petting zoo, barrel train ride, hay pyramid, corn box, pedal cart track, and jumping pillow.
Cost: Farm admission is $20 per person. Certain attractions, such as train rides and the haunted maze, cost extra.
Address: 5726 N. 75th Ave., Glendale
9. Vertuccio Farms
Family-run Vertuccio Farms’ annual Fall Festival is a beloved Mesa tradition. This year, the festival will run from Oct. 2 to 31 and feature tons of fun for the whole family. Pick out pumpkins and fall decor in the pumpkin barn, or navigate your way through the five-acre corn maze.
Elsewhere on the farm, you’ll find a petting zoo, carnival games, a ropes course, a barrel train ride, and mini golf, to name just a few attractions.
Cost: Fall Festival tickets start at $17 per person. Admission is free for attendees two years old or younger.
Address: 4011 S. Power Rd., Mesa
10. 13th Floor Haunted House
13th Floor Haunted House is a must-visit for spooky season stans. This haunted house features three attractions: one that’s zombie-inspired, another that’s centered around a mortician who steals bodies from cemeteries, and a third that’s home to a creature called The Reaper.
There are also several activities you can add on to your experience, including a zombie shooting game, a mini escape room, and access to the tiki bar.
Cost: Ticket prices start at $22.99 per person.
Address: 2710 W. Bell Rd., Ste. 1180, Phoenix
