It’s officially FALL and we’ve got the Ultimate Guide to Fall and Halloween Activities in Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, Mulberry, Auburndale, and across Polk County.
What do you love about fall?
🎃 Visiting the pumpkin patch and carving pumpkins?
🎃 Planning Halloween costumes?
🎃 Hayrides and special fall events?
🎃 Getting lost in a corn maze?
🎃 Filling your candy bowls up with candy corn?
🎃 Visiting Haunted Houses and getting SCARED?
🎃 Eating apples and caramel dip or drinking a pumpkin latte?
🎃 Watching Halloween themed movies or scary TV shows?
🎃 Trunk or Treat events and Fall Festivals?
We’ll be updating this page all the way up until October 31, so be sure to check back often for any new events and activities!
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A few of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you when you make a purchase by clicking through our links. Thank you for supporting Lakeland Mom! We only recommend deals that we have researched to be sure they are a savings to you.
Thank you to Harvest Holler Corn Maze for sponsoring this post!
Visit Harvest Holler Corn Maze for a fun fall day on a working family farm! Enjoy the corn maze, pumpkin patch, live animals, hay ride, cow train, corn hole, tire swings, hay fort, corn bin, photo opportunities, and NEW in 2017 – the FRANKENSLIDE.
ALL activities are included with admission!
The Watering Hole serves up hamburgers, sausage, hot dogs, corn on the cob, and more. Be sure to stop into MawMaw’s Country Store for homemade jams, local orange blossom honey, and homemade pies and cobbler.
Located at 950 Tavares Road, Polk City, FL 33868, only minutes from Lakeland!
Open weekends from September 21 – November 11, 2018.
Fridays – 4pm – 8pm
Saturdays – 12pm – 8pm
Sundays – 12pm – 5pm
Weekdays by reservation only for fields trips, scouts, and other groups. For more info visit their Website and to see photos check out their Facebook page. You can also read our review from 2017.
Spend a day at Harvest Holler to celebrate fall!
Corn Mazes & Farms
Harvest Holler Corn Maze
Visit Harvest Holler Corn Maze for a fun fall day on a working family farm! Enjoy the corn maze, pumpkin patch, live animals, hay ride, cow train, corn hole, tire swings, hay fort, corn bin, photo opportunities, and NEW this year – the FRANKENSLIDE! The Watering Hole serves up hamburgers, sausage, hot dogs, corn on the cob, and more. Be sure to stop into MawMaw’s Country Store for homemade jams, local orange blossom honey, and homemade pies and cobbler. (No outside food allowed)
When you visit Harvest Holler Corn Maze, ALL activities are included in your admission cost.
Location: 950 Tavares Road, Polk City, FL 33868 (MAP IT)
More info: Website / Facebook
Dates & Times: Open weekends from September 21 – November 11, 2018
Friday – 4pm-8pm / Saturday – 12pm – 8pm / Sunday 12pm – 5pm / Weekdays by reservation only
Cost: Adults $10.50 / Seniors $8.50 / Children (3-12) $8 / Ages 2 & Under FREE
CornFusion Crop Maze & Fall Festival at Smith Family Ranch
Location: 13444 Moore Road, Lakeland, FL 33809 (MAP IT)
More info: Website / Facebook
Dates & Times: Open weekends beginning September 29, 2018
Saturday & Sunday – 10am – 6pm
Cost: Adults $10.75/ Children (4-15) $8.75 / Ages 3 & Under FREE /
FREE Admission for Active/Retired Military, Law Enforcement, Fire Fighters, EMS (I.D. Required)
Check for GROUPON DEALS
Fox Squirrel Corn Maze
Location: 3002 Charlie Taylor Road N, Plant City, FL 33565 (MAP IT)
More info: Website / Facebook
Dates & Times: Open weekends from October 6 – 28, 2018
Saturday & Sunday 10am – 5pm (Guests must exit by 6pm)
Cost: Adults $11 / Children (3-17) $10 / Ages 2 & Under FREE
The Heartland Maze and Fall Festival
Location: 3350 US Highway 17 North, Bowling Green, FL 33834 (MAP IT)
More info: Website / Facebook
Dates & Times: Heartland Festival is open weekends from October 13 – November 4, 2018.
Saturday 11am – 7pm, Sunday 1pm – 7pm.
The weekend before Halloween (October 26-27) there is also a Flashlight Maze & Haunted House from 7pm – 10pm.
Cost: $4.95-$14.95/person. Visit website for full pricing details.
Check for GROUPON DEALS
Know Before You Go:
- Be sure to check the website or Facebook page prior to your visit, especially if we’ve had a lot of rain – all activities are affected by weather!
- Take cash – some farms only accept cash and do not have an ATM on site
- Check out each farm’s Website and/or Facebook page to see a full list of activities – they all have many activities beyond just the maze!
- Wear closed toe shoes – you will be outside walking on dirt and grass.
Pumpkin Patches
Whether you’re looking for the perfect pumpkin, or a place to take photos of your own little pumpkins, we’ve got a list of pumpkin patches in the Lakeland area. Keep in mind that they will close once the pumpkins are gone!
Most (if not all) of the Corn Mazes and Farms listed above also have pumpkins available!
First United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch
72 Lake Morton Dr, Lakeland, FL 33801 (MAP IT)
Website | Facebook | 863-686-3163
Opens: Sunday, September 30
Hours: Monday through Friday from 11am – 7pm / Saturdays and Sundays from 9am – 7pm
Presbyterian Church in the Highlands Pumpkin Patch
1010 Lake Miriam Dr, Lakeland, FL 33813 (MAP IT)
Website | Facebook | 863-646-3121
Opens: Sunday, Oct 7 from 1pm – 7pm
Hours: Open daily 9 am to 7 pm
TBA Church Pumpkin Patch
1815 Co Rd 540A, Lakeland, FL 33813 (MAP IT)
Website | Facebook | (863) 647-9282
Opens: Saturday, October 6 around noon
Hours: Monday through Friday 4 – 8pm | Saturdays 10am – 8pm | Sundays 2 – 8pm
(We would LOVE to include more Pumpkin Patches on our list. Please contact us or leave a comment below if you know of one!)
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Local Attractions
Pumpkin Safari at Safari Wilderness Ranch
Location: 10850 Moore Rd, Lakeland, FL 33809 (MAP IT)
More info: Website
Dates & Times: Saturday or Sunday in October – 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28
Safaris depart on the hour, every hour, from 1pm to 5pm. Reservations not required.
What’s included: 45-minute mini vehicle safari, Pumpkin , Walk around small mammal house, free-flight aviary, and chance to see our camels. Kids (and adults) are encouraged to wear costumes. All add-ons (coati encounters, petting zoo feedings and Lemur Feedings) are full-price and not included.
Cost: TICKETS ONLY AVAILABLE ON GROUPON
$39 for Pumpkin Safari admission for one with take-home pumpkin ($75 value)
$75 for Pumpkin Safari admission for two with take-home pumpkin ($150 value)
$145 for Pumpkin Safari admission for four with take-home pumpkin ($300 value)
This is one of our favorite places in Lakeland and this deal is 1/2 price off their regular safari. Parking is $7.
Brick or Treat at LEGOLAND Florida
Location: 1 Legoland Way, Winter Haven, FL 33884 (MAP IT)
More info: Website
Dates & Times: Weekends in October 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28 and Halloween on the 31st
Cost: All activities included with LEGOLAND Florida admission or Annual Passes
Haunted Houses & Zombies
We STRONGLY encourage you to ask around and find out more about each of these attractions before taking children. They are all legitimately SCARY, and only you can judge what age is appropriate for your own kids!
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Haunted Jail Tour: Zombie Outbreak
Location: PCSO Old Jail across from Bartow PD – 455 N. Broadway Ave, Bartow, FL 33830 (MAP IT)
More info: Click here
Dates & Times: Fridays & Saturdays – October 19, 20, 26, 27, 2018
6pm-10pm
Cost: $6 – all proceeds benefit the United Way
For the little ones who are too young to go through the haunted jail, there will be a separate room with treats and games! Bring the whole family for a night of fun.
Buckingham Terror Haunted House (Campfire)
Location: 2600 Buckingham Ave., Lakeland, FL 33803 (MAP IT)
More info: Website / Facebook
Dates & Times: Open nightly from October 19 – 31, 2018
Sunday-Thursday 7:30pm-9pm
Friday & Saturday 7:30pm-11pm
Halloween 7:30-10pm
Cost: $10 for adults / $8 for ages 13 – 18 / $5 for ages 12 & under
DISCLAIMER: Not intended for children under 10 or the faint of heart.
Zombie Farm Paintball Hayride (at Cornfusion)
Location: 13444 Moore Road, Lakeland, FL 33809 (MAP IT)
More info: Website / Facebook
Dates & Times: Open Fridays & Saturdays starting in October (check website for opening date)
Friday & Saturday: 7pm- 10pm
Cost: Admission is $30. Your zombie hunt consists of a 20 minute hayride in the dark that includes paintball guns, masks, and 200 rounds of paintballs to shoot at live zombie actors. Participants are required to be at least 48″ tall.
Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail and Ominous Descent
Location: 2837 S Frontage Rd, Plant City, FL 33566 (MAP IT)
More info: Website / Facebook
Dates & Times: Open weekends October 5 – October 29. Visit website for dates and hours and details on a kids event.
Cost: Range from $12-30 per person
DISCLAIMER: The trails are designed to be frightening. Some material and scenes might not be appropriate for children under 12 years of age.
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Halloween Movies & TV Specials
During the month of October you can find plenty of Movies & TV Shows for getting into the Halloween spirit at home.
A few of our family friendly favorites include:
- Spookley the Square Pumpkin
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Spooky Buddies
- It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
- Hocus Pocus
- Toy Story of Terror
Channels with special Halloween programming:
Central Florida Halloween Attractions
We have some amazing events and activities to choose from right here in Polk County! However we also know it can be fun to visit somewhere new and make a day trip out of it. Below you’ll find links to events and attractions less within a 1.5 hour drive or less of the Lakeland area.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY
- Long & Scott Farm and Corn Maze in Mount Dora
- Sweetfields Farm Fall Season on the Farm in Brooksville
- Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival in Bradenton
- Pumpkin Patch Express at the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish
- Pumpkin Patch & Fall Festival at Southern Hill Farms in Clermont
- Partin Ranch Corn Maze in Kenansville (south of Kissimmee)
- Bass Pro Shops Great Pumpkin Celebration – FREE Halloween Event
- Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom (READ OUR REVIEW!)
- SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular
- Screamin’ Green Hauntoween at The Crayola Experience in Orlando (check for GROUPON DEALS)
- Zoo Boo Bash at the Central Florida Zoo in Orlando
- Creatures of the Night at Zoo Tampa
NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART (AKA – SCARY!)
Single Day Events
Trunk or Treat, Carnivals, Hayrides, Halloween Movies, Fall Festivals & more – with over 30 Fall and Halloween events happening this month, there is something for everyone on our calendar in October! Click on any event to get more details. You will only see upcoming Fall/Halloween themed events below. Visit our calendar page to see all events in October.
Did we miss a great pumpkin patch, fall attraction, or other multi-day event? Contact us or leave a comment below and we’ll get it added to our list!
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