5 fall traditions to experience on Long Island this year
Alvin Thomas III, 8, of Central Islip, at Harbes Farm. Credit: Marcos Zapata, Lake Grove
Fall is coming, and so are many things that we associate with the season — from u-pick apples and pumpkins to corn mazes and hayrides to haunted houses. Here’s a bucket list of ideas to keep your fall traditions going this year.
1. Pick your own
Aria Qalbani leads her father through the corn maze at the Seven Ponds Orchard in Water Mill. Credit: Michael Heller
Apples, pumpkins and more are ready for you to pick right off the branch or vine this fall. The u-pick farm options on the East End are aplenty, and a trip to the fields is sure to stock your pantry full of fresh fruits ready for baking or snacking.
Be sure to check what's ripe and in season before you head out. If a warm apple pie is the end goal of your picking, consider reaching for those Granny Smiths at Lewin Farms (Fresh Pond Avenue, Calverton, lewinfarm.com), The Milk Pail (50 Horsemill Lane, Water Mill, milk-pail.com), Woodside Orchards (116 Manor Lane, Jamesport, woodsideorchards.com) or a variety of other farms. Apples are in season through October at most locations. If you're eyeing that perfect jack-o'-lantern canvas, slot in your farm trip for early to mid-October.
2. Spend the day on a farm
A picturesque autumn day on Long Island features a trip to the farm stand more often than not. Enjoy a day sipping cider at Harbes Family Farm, where the kids can roam the Barnyard Adventure and meet goats, rabbits and more. An obstacle course, complete with rope walks, tunnels and balance beams, is sure to intrigue. (715 Sound Ave., Mattituck, 631-482-7641, harbesfamilyfarm.com).
3. Get lost in a maze
Aria Qalbani leads her father through the corn maze at the Seven Ponds Orchard in Water Mill. Credit: Michael Heller
Some sunflower fields will be in bloom again mid-September, so you still have a shot at scoring that perfect Instagram shot. Rottkamp’s Fox Hollow Farm typically expects the field to last through the month. Call ahead to make sure farms are open as weather can impact bloom. (Rottkamp’s, 2287 Sound Ave., Calverton, 631-727-1786)
If corn is more your scene, try F&W Schmitt Farm's corn maze in Melville (pay to enter, schmittfarms.com). Farther east, try the maze at Harbes Orchard in Riverhead, where you can play trivia as you work your way through to the end (pay to enter, harbesfamilyfarm.com).
4. Sip on cider and snack on treats
Kara Vonatzski, Ann Lennon, Sue Brooks and Mary Jane Raynor gather at the Riverhead Ciderhouse. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Fall is just as much about the flavors as it is the activities. Breweries, cider mills and wineries are serving up locally made ciders with a crisp apple taste. At the Jericho Cider Mill, where people line up to buy it by the gallon, a frozen apple slushie is on tap when you visit (213 Rte. 106, Jericho, 516-433-3360, jerichocider.com). The Riverhead Ciderhouse serves up the hard ciders, with flavors including original apple, raspberry, peach and cranberry (2711 Sound Ave., Calverton, 631-591-0217, riverheadcider.com). Sweet and savory snacks, from roasted corn in the husk to the beloved apple cider doughnuts and pumpkin pies, also are waiting to be enjoyed at local farm stands this season.
5. Get spooked
The Bayville Scream Park in Bayville is full of haunted attractions. Credit: Daniel Brennan
Haunted houses are a mainstay of Long Island's spooky season. In recent years, many attractions have streamlined admission with advance ticket purchase for reserved timed slots and added more options for express or VIP access. Bayville Scream Park is a mainstay with its several haunted houses (from $33 for kids' not-so-scary experience; 516-624-4678, bayvillescreampark.com). New this season is the "nyctophobia experience," where you'll be left in total darkness ($15 add-on). If you like family-friendly spooks, keep your sights set on the Haunted House of Hamburgers, a themed dining experience slated to open in Farmingdale this fall.
