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Fall in Rhode Island is absolutely unparalleled. As you probably already know, New England is known for its incredible fall foliage, and Rhode Island fall foliage is absolutely stunning.
There are many great fall in Rhode Island things to do! You can go on an epic ghost tour, pick the perfect pumpkin from a local farm’s pumpkin patch, or even just hit the road for scenic fall drives.
No matter what you choose to do, fall in Rhode Island will genuinely knock your socks off – it’s one of the best times to visit RI!
Here are some of the best things to do during autumn in Rhode Island for your next trip to the Ocean State.
Fall in Rhode Island
Go on Ghost Tours
There are some fantastic Rhode Island ghost tours if you love spooky season! These are always classic fall in Rhode Island activities.
Providence has some great options for RI ghost tours.
👻 The Providence Ghosts Phantoms and Poltergeists Tour 👻 is a fantastic haunted history tour that includes some of the darker history of RI’s capital city.
For a haunted history tour by boat, 👻 Haunted Boat Tours in Providence 👻 comes complete with flickering lanterns, which always makes the spooky stories seem a little spookier!
Newport ghost tours are also very highly rated, so the City by the Sea is another popular Rhode Island haunted history spot.
This 👻 Walking Ghost Tour Through Newport RI 👻 aka the Wicked Awesome Ghost Walk, includes visits to notable haunted spots like the White Horse Tavern, the oldest active tavern in the US.
👻 The Olde Town Ghost Walk 👻 is the most highly rated haunted history tour in Newport, and it will take you to the most haunted locations in town, including the Jailhouse Inn and Trinity Church.
Pick the Perfect Pumpkin
Rhode Island has plenty of great pumpkin patches to choose from, and it’s hard to find a more classic fall activity than this one. Hunting for the perfect pumpkin is always a wholesome good time. Then, you get to carve it into a spooky jack o lantern to put on your stoop!
If you’re looking for some recommendations, consider checking out Dame Farm & Orchards, one of the best pumpkin patches in Rhode Island. They have great fall views, and the area is pretty picturesque. This farm is located right in Johnston.
Another amazing pumpkin patch for fall in Rhode Island is Manfredi Farms. It’s located in Westerly and they also do great hayrides, which you won’t want to miss out on. Don’t forget to stop at one of the restaurants in Westerly while you’re there!
Check out Hocus Pocus 2 Filming Locations
Did you know that Hocus Pocus 2 was filmed in Rhode Island? It’s true! You can visit where Hocus Pocus 2 was filmed; what a great way to celebrate spooky season!
Take a Fall Foliage Cruise
Can it get any better than a fall foliage cruise? Fall in Rhode Island is perfect for getting out and enjoying the dazzling fall colors as they are reflected in the water.
When it comes to fall foliage cruises in Rhode Island, you’ve got options! Rhode Island Bay Cruises, Gansett Cruises and Newport Classic Cruises are all popular options. Book a sunset fall foliage cruise for a truly unforgettable experience!
Discover the Beauty of Block Island
For some amazing fall foliage, head to Block Island, located right off the coast of Rhode Island. It’s most well known for being home to the North Lighthouse, great beaches, and the Block Island National Wildlife Refuge.
A trip to Block Island is unparalleled in fall because of all the amazing colors. Even just sitting near the beach and enjoying the breeze while gazing at the nearby trees will genuinely take your breath away.
To get to Block Island, you just need to hop on a ferry! As long as you don’t wait until the end of the season, many of Block Island’s excellent restaurants and places to stay will still be open, too.
Attend Rhode Island Fall Festivals
Named one of the “10 Fabulous Fall Festivals on the Coast,” by Coastal Living Magazine, the Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival is a definite must visit during October in Rhode Island.
Fun family activities, live music, and of course, RI seafood staples like oysters, lobster rolls, stuffies, and more are just waiting for you mid October in Newport.
Autumnfest in Woonsocket is the largest fall festival in Northern Rhode Island, with live music, vendors, rides, a parade, and even fireworks.
Applefest in Greenville is one of the best fall festivals in Rhode Island for kids, with apple and pumpkin picking, hayrides, live music, and gorgeous fall foliage at this scenic farm!
Go Fall Apple Picking
One of the best things to do during fall in Rhode Island is to head to one of the nearby orchards and go apple picking! Who doesn’t love picking apples? It’s basically the perfect early fall in RI activity.
One of the most popular apple orchards in Rhode Island is Steere Orchard in Greenville. They have pick your own apples between August and October, with varieties like Red and Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Macintosh, and more!
They even have scenic fall hayrides, too!
Get Lost in a Corn Maze
What would fall in Rhode Island be without some corn maze fun?
One of the best corn mazes in Rhode Island is the one at Escobar Farm. It’s located in Portsmouth and has limited opening hours, but trust me, you’ll want to visit this place.
The corn maze design changes each year, so even if you’ve conquered the year before, you’ll be getting a fresh challenge each fall!
Throughout the season, Escobar’s hosts different events, too. There’s usually a Harry Potter Day (where you can get a discount for dressing like someone from the series!) and even a costume party day. How fun is that?
Drive Scenic Fall Roads
To really take in the incredible Rhode Island fall foliage, consider taking a scenic road trip. Fall drives along the coast are especially scenic because you can take in the epic coastline in addition to the fall colors.
There are great fall foliage views in Rhode Island that can be found just by driving scenic routes like Ten Mile Drive in Newport, Route 77 through Tiverton and Little Compton, Route 102 or Ten Rod Road, and Route 1A from Wickford to Woonsocket.
These scenic roads are perfect for Rhode Island leaf peeping.
Read Next: 8 Stunning New England Fall Foliage Drives (in All 6 States!)
Attend Jack O Lantern Spectacular
The Jack O Lantern Spectacular is one event that nobody should miss during fall in Rhode Island.
It’s hosted at Roger Williams Park Zoo and is usually held for the entire month of October, so there’s plenty of time to make it to this cool fall event!
There are incredible jack o lanterns that are carved and placed all over the zoo. These cool carved jack o lanterns are refreshed throughout the full October run, typically going through around 20,000 pumpkins each event!
Not only is a trip to the Roger Williams Park Zoo always a fun thing to do, but this event is perfect to get in that spooky state of mind for Halloween!
Read Next: Top 12 Hotels in Providence RI: Where to Stay in PVD
Take a Hike
Last but not least, one of the absolute best Rhode Island fall things to do is to go on one of the state’s incredible hikes.
One of the coolest coastal hikes is the Cliff Walk in Newport. This hike takes you along the classic coast with the ocean on one side and the famed Gilded Age mansions on the other.
It’s a very interesting scenic walk, especially with bursts of fall color to be seen in the yards of the historic homes.
For a very scenic autumn fall foliage hike, head to Carr’s Pond and Tarbox Pond hike. It takes less than two hours to do the hike, and it’s only about four miles long. You’ll hike around the ponds as you take in the view and enjoy the incredible fall foliage.
If you want to go on a fall foliage hike that goes straight through the forest, then consider doing the Stepstone Falls via Ben Utter Trail. It’s just under three miles long, and it’s out and back, so you’ll hike back on the same trail you walk out on. The main star of the show for this trail is a beautiful waterfall that you won’t want to miss.
While other seasons in Rhode Island are incredible, fall is absolutely gorgeous. Enjoy your fall in Rhode Island!
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