Photo Worthy Fall Activities & Adventures in Portland Oregon
I’ll fully admit that fall is my favorite season!
It’s not just because my birthday is in October, but the drop in temperatures means I can wear jeans, sweaters, and don’t need a coat! It’s also college football season (and as an alumni from the University of Michigan, college football is big in our house!), and some of our favorite family activities also happen in the fall! Before living in Asia and then moving to Portland a few years ago, we would always visit the Michigan apple orchards and cider mills for yummy donuts and cider each year. Here in Portland we’ve started some new fall family traditions, and needless to say I also love to photograph our favorite fall family traditions each year.
I wanted to share some photos and tips with you for our favorite fall locations and activities where you can take your family for some fall fun.
And bonus, they are also photo worthy! [I recommend having your fall family photo session at one of these locations! The adventure and fun will make for great memories!]
VISITING A PUMPKIN PATCH
There are so many amazing locations for fall activities in the Portland area, and one of our primary fall family activities is visiting a pumpkin patch.
PLUMPER PUMPKIN PATCH
Plumper Pumpkin Patch has some great tents for party gatherings (pre-Covid), and a very large space. You can pick from a huge variety of gourds and pumpkins. They have easy access wheelbarrows which you wheel right up onto the scale when you check out. There’s also farm animals, many long corrugated slides, and a pumpkin cannon!
HOFFMAN FARM STORE
The Hoffman Farm Store has great pumpkin fields, playground, food trucks, train ride, a farm store with yummy treats, flower fields, and corn fields too. We haven’t personally done the corn maze here but its highly recommended by personal friends.
RUNNING THROUGH A CORN MAZE
THE PUMPKIN PATCH, SAUVIE ISLAND
We have visited The Pumpkin Patch corn maze on Sauvie Island now for a few years in a row. Below is a selection of images from both years, and it’s crazy to see how much the girls have grown! In addition to the corn maze they have a great farm store with delicious produce and local products. A pumpkin patch, you pick flower field, and various fruits and vegetables depending on the season. We also enjoy the cider, pumpkin pie, and lunch here from the cafe. My oldest highly recommends the ‘hot chocolate float’!
Recommendation: Be sure to wear tall socks and or high tops in the corn maze. The tiny mulch chips along the maze can be quite annoying when they get into your shoes and socks…and if they’re short socks and shoes I guarantee you will feel it.
Recommendation: Select more than one of the clue sheets at the entrance to the maze. This way you can compare and contrast your answers…plus, its extra fun to do more than one quiz together.
Recommendation: I wouldn’t recommend this maze if you have young toddlers who will run away and not stay with you. It would be ok if they were in a backpack or carrier, or will stay close with you. The first half of the maze is easier than the second half, so if you do take younger kids in, I’d recommend only doing the first half. I’ll fully admit that we struggled reaching the last clue before the exit, as did many others.
The Pumpkin Patch also has a small you pick flower patch with sunflowers, Gerber daisies, and a few other flowers. It’s quite a lovely little place to stop and enjoy the beauty, and to explore if you are waiting for your delicious lunch from the cafe.
DECORATING FOR HALLOWEEN AND FALL
I just love driving around the neighborhood these days to see everyone’s creative fall and Halloween decorations. We’ve been painting small pumpkins with friends for the last few years, and it’s a great way to make new and different decorations each year. My girls have also gotten really into adding spider webs to our front bushes, and each year they’re getting bigger and bigger.
ENJOYING YUMMY FALL TREATS
We also love to eat and drink all things spiced and pumpkin in the fall! If you have a favorite bakery or cafe I’d love to hear about it to add it to our fall treat must eat list. Feel free to add any recommendations for food/drinks, pumpkin patches, and other favorite fall activities in the comments.