Top 5 Things To Do This Fall

Fall is here and so is that crisp fall air!  The CKR Team has compiled this list of this falls must-dos!

1.  Liberty Mills Farms

9166 Liberty Mills Road, Somerset, VA  22972  Phone:  434.882.MAZE (6293)
Liberty Mills Farm is a family owned and operated farm located in outside Orange, VA about 50 minutes from Short Pump.  Admission includes unlimited access to the 25 acre corn maze for the day, puzzles within the maze, hay rides (when operating) and activities/games including ‘cornball’.  There is also an 8 acre pick your own pumpkin patch if you still need your pumpkins.

Why Does Liberty Mills Farm find itself in our list of top to-dos?  The corn mazes are AMAZING!  In fact, this is Virginia’s largest corn maze!   Check out the aerial pictures from past years.  The maze is divided into four (4) separate trails and all but one offer a map to assist with navigating.  And the ticket price of $12pp includes all 4 mazes.

  • The first maze is for the youngest visitors, it takes about 30 minutes to find all the story stations.
  • The second maze, is a medium level, and offers trivia based on the maze theme for the year.  It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to complete.
  • The third, and most popular maze, for families with kids of varied ages, or for tweens & teens, takes 2-3 hours. (Therefore we always recommend trying the second maze first – a solid trial run for the group and a good assessment for how well it will navigate).  This maze has it’s visitors looking for 21 stations with specific hole punches to prove completion!
  • The fourth maze is a labyrinth at the top of the maze. There are no maps to guide you here.
2.  Trick or Treat – Twice!

Trick or Treating is the time honored tradition of October.  What could be more fun for kids than collecting candy twice!  There are several trick or treat events occurring in RVA where kids can do just that.  Our favorites are listed below.

Annual Gayton Pumpkin Festival
Friday, October 27th @ 5pm-7pm  in the Gayton Crossing Shopping Center.
Enjoy a special community Trick or Treat Night from Gayton Crossing Merchants.  Other fun activities too!  Free.

Trick or Treat in Scarytown
Saturday, October 28th  @11am-1pm in Carytown.
Many merchants open their doors for trick-or-treating families.  Just look for the Trick or Treat sign in windows from participating merchants.  Every year, zombies walk…or crawl…or drag themselves through Carytown.  For more information on the Annual Zombie Walk click here.  Zombies start walking in Carytown around 1pm.

 

3.  Learn About Colonial History and the Founding Fathers

mountvernon.org

Four of the first five Presidents of the United States were Virginians: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe.  Families can visit each of their homes and learn more about our country’s early history.  Two of the most popular are, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, and  Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.  Both have great tours designed for families.

Colonial Williamsburg is an amazing experience for families – a true living history museum with interpreters in costume and live demonstrations.  Eighty eight of the buildings are original and many others have been rebuilt based on research and remains. Walking around the grounds of Colonial Williamsburg with kids costs nothing. It’s free! It’s only when you want to enter the buildings or attend events that you need a ticket.  So plan your trip and be prepared for plenty of walking.

 

4.  Take a Ride on the Virginia Capital Trail

The Virginia Capital Trail trail traverses approximately 52 miles from Great Shiplock Park, here in Richmond, to the Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg.  The trail is paved from trailhead to trailhead and is completely separated from all roads.   There area nine main access points, and the website includes a complete trail map and an easy to read mileage chart, all of which can be downloaded.  Families can plan their trip and travel as far as they are able and still get back to the car!

 

5.  Enjoy the Fall Foliage and See a Waterfall

The leaves are changing and Virginia is at it’s most beautiful this time of year.  Why not also take the kids on a hike and see one of the amazing waterfalls in the area.  Each is just a daytrip from RVA.  Our favorites are listed below.

Crabtree Falls is located in Nelson County and is the highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River.

Whiteoak Canyon is one of Shenandoah National Park’s most popular destinations.  It has six waterfalls with heights from 35 to 86 feet.

Cascades National Recreation Trail  is a scenic, 4-mile round-trip trail that leads to a 66-foot waterfall within Jefferson National Forest.