Fall Highlights in Westchester County

Fall is the perfect time to enjoy the many activities and events offered in Westchester County, New York. The air is crisp, and the beauty of the foliage is everywhere you look. Plus, there’s fun for the whole family. There’s apple picking and cider sipping, haunted houses to give you a good scare, and local craft brews, wines and spirits to sample.

Here’s a sampling of all there is to enjoy this fall in Westchester County.

A Taste of Westchester County

Kick back and relax with a drink from one of the area’s many craft beverage-makers. Whether you’re looking to try the beers from a local brewery, a nice glass of wine, or maybe some whiskey or gin, you’re sure to find it in the area. In addition to tastings, there are also behind-the-scenes tours, so you can see how things are made. Light-fare is also available at select locations.

Beer lovers have lots of choices including Broken Bow Brewery in Tuckahoe. They offer a selection of beers including seasonal varieties and award-winning special brews you won’t want to miss. Captain Lawrence Brewing Company in Elmsford has both beer and fun activities; a large beer garden, happy hour specials and a large selection of beers including seasonal brews made with fruit harvested from Hudson Valley.

Those looking for spirits have options in Westchester County, too. StillTheOne Distillery serves up whiskey, vodka and gin they make in small batches and bottle by hand. They are also the world’s first distillery to make a gin distilled from honey, which is something gin fans will love. Nahmias et Fils distillery in Yonkers also has an exclusive offering you won’t find elsewhere. It is the only producer of Mahia in the United States, a Moroccan spirit distilled from figs.

Apple Picking and Harvest Fun

Fall is harvest time and that means apple picking. Get all the apples you need to get your apple pie and apple crumble fix at Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm in Yorktown as it celebrates its 102^nd year in operation. The fun starts with a ride in a hay wagon out to the orchard where you can pick your own apples from over a dozen different varieties. While you’re there, find the perfect pumpkin for your Halloween jack-o’-lantern and grab some fresh apple cider donuts for the road.

If you’re a big fan of hard apple cider, then you must stop at Harvest Moon Farm and Orchard in North Salem. This farm features its own micro farm-cidery, apple picking and a pumpkin patch. On weekends they offer hayrides, a bounce house, apple cannons, games, live music, farm animals, and more!

Stone Barns Center Harvest Fest is an opportunity to have fun and enjoy the fall harvest while learning about what it takes to make it all possible. The fundraising event, which will be held on October 6 this year, benefits the center’s mission to promote healthy and sustainable food choices. Visitors to the Pocantico Hills farm can enjoy hayrides, cooking activities and tours of the property. There’s also a market featuring local fare, live music and farm demonstrations with the animals that call Stone Barns home.

Halloween Adventures

Kids and adults alike will be amazed by The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze held at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson on weekends from the end of September through November. This annual display features hundreds of pumpkins carved by over 1,000 volunteers. There’s the Pumpkin Promenade and Pumpkin Zee Bride along with a Statue of Liberty made entirely of carved pumpkins. Don’t miss the working 20-foot diameter Pumpkin Carousel! This event does sell out so be sure to buy your tickets in advance.

If you’re looking for a spookier adventure, then try a Sleepy Hollow Cemetery tour. This guided tour features highlights of the 90-acre grounds and shares the history of this legendary cemetery. There are evening lantern tours and daytime tours if you’re not up for the idea of wandering a cemetery at night. There are also tours that let you retrace the steps of the famous Ichabod Crane from “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” with a visit to the author’s gravesite as well as one that focuses on the cemetery’s more notorious residents.

Experience the ultimate haunted adventure in Sleepy Hollow at Horseman’s Hollow at Philipsburg Manor on weekends throughout October. This lovely manor is transformed into a terrifying haunted house with an experience that starts with a walking trail through a spooky town scene. It leads into the ruins of Ichabod Crane’s schoolhouse and a maze that eventually takes you right to the Headless Horsemen’s lair. This one is not for the faint of heart and is sure to set your heart racing.

Those who are looking for more lighthearted Halloween fun will find it at the 17^th Annual Village of Tarrytown Halloween Parade. Held on the evening of October 27, this parade features brightly decorated floats and marching bands with an appearance from the Headless Horseman himself. It’s a carnival-like atmosphere perfect for families with kids of all ages. Join in on the fun and wear your own costume to the parade!

Whether it’s a taste from one of the areas many craft beverage-makers, family time picking apples and sipping cider, or a little Halloween fun, you’ll find it all this fall in beautiful Westchester County.