Pumpkin patches from Half Moon Bay to Irvine, apple picking at Apple Hill, not-so-scary Halloween at Disneyland, Knott's, LEGOLAND and the zoos — and the fall class sign-up window. Honest about which ones are free.
Coastal fog at Half Moon Bay, apple pie at Apple Hill and a record-holding corn maze off I-80. Most open the last weekend of September — go on a weekday morning or book timed weekend tickets.
World's pumpkin capital — giant pumpkin weigh-off, parade, costume contest
Hay maze, pony rides and pumpkin patch on the coast
Record-holding giant corn maze and pumpkin patch off I-80
Sacramento-area pumpkin farm with train, pig races and corn maze
Pumpkin patch, corn maze, tractor rides and weekend entertainment
Wagon rides to the pumpkin field, corn maze and u-pick vegetables
LA's classic pumpkin patch with hay maze, petting zoo and pumpkin village
Apple picking, pie, hayrides and pumpkin patches across 50+ ranches
Daytime zoo events for the littlest ones, ticketed park nights for the whole family. Each has its own page with dates, ages and a direct link to tickets.
Disney California Adventure's ticketed Halloween party — trick-or-treat trails and villains
Daytime not-so-scary Halloween in Camp Snoopy with trick-or-treating
Monster Party Halloween weekends with trick-or-treat trails and costume contests
Daytime Halloween with trick-or-treat trails and sea-themed characters
Weekend Halloween activities, costume days and pumpkin enrichment for the animals
Trick-or-treat stations and Halloween crafts among the animals
Free admission for kids 11 and under all October at the Zoo and Safari Park
Fall is when weekly after-school slots get set for the school year. 118 California programs, filtered by city and subject.
Colburn, SF Ballet School, youth symphonies, children's choruses and youth theatre — fall is when weekly slots are set.
Code Ninjas, Rolling Robots, Coding with Kids, Tinkering School and robotics teams open fall sessions in September.
Swim schools, climbing gyms, gymnastics, MLS youth programs and year-round surf lessons.
RSM, AoPS Academy, AlphaStar, Bay Area Chess and free 826 writing labs.
French, Mandarin and Russian programs for kids, weekday and Saturday.
AbilityFirst, Friendship Circle and Special Olympics Young Athletes.
Bay Area: Arata's Pumpkin Farm and the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival, Cool Patch Pumpkins in Dixon (record-holding corn maze). Sacramento: Bishop's Pumpkin Farm in Wheatland and Apple Hill in Placerville. Los Angeles: Mr. Bones in Culver City and Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark. Orange County: Tanaka Farms in Irvine.
Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure, Knott's Spooky Farm, LEGOLAND Brick-or-Treat, SeaWorld Spooktacular, and the daytime zoo events — Boo at the L.A. Zoo and Boo at the Oakland Zoo. San Diego Zoo gives kids 11 and under free admission all October.
Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, San Diego Zoo Kids Free October and Apple Hill's ranches are free to enter; most pumpkin patches charge $10–$25 per person on weekends.
Most open the last weekend of September and run through October 31; Apple Hill runs September through November. Weekend afternoons sell out — book timed tickets or go on a weekday morning.
Most weekly classes set their fall schedule in late August and fill during September; music lessons, competitive gymnastics and swim slots go first. See GOkidOZ California's 118 after-school listings by city.
Zoo lights, boat parades, the Nutcracker and 18 winter-break camps — the December guide is ready when you are.