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Fall fun: Apples, pumpkins, mazes, and haunted attractions

Apples, pumpkins and mazes, oh my! The leaves are beginning to change and fall off the trees, blanketing the land with warm and vibrant colors. The deciduous trees are preparing for their dormant phase, and people are preparing for the cold months ahead. But before our winter coats make a resurgence in our wardrobes and the days get dark by dinner time, there is much to enjoy about fall in Washtenaw County. The cider is being brewed and bottled, and everyone is looking for a little autumn fun.The Voice is sharing information on the best, local and fun fall activities. Cider mills, apple orchards and pumpkin patches are open for all sorts of fall goodies and gatherings. Take advantage of the fall fruits that are in season in Michigan and eat from a local apple orchard, enjoying the season while supporting local agriculture. There’s also information on all sorts of spooky halloween frights, like scary movie nights at nearby theaters that will be sure to leave you creeping and crawling with style into the halloween holiday. The Voice will feature haunted houses, forest walks and corn field mazes, all to bring scares and delight this October. As William Cullent Bryant put it, autumn is “The year’s last, loveliest smile,” and that smile should be enjoyed before these last leaves fall.

Apples, Pumpkins, and More

Debucks Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch

50240 Martz Road, Bellevile | Open through Oct. 29
Hours: Friday, 3–8 p.m. | Saturday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. | Sunday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Admission is $13, parking is free

Debucks features over 15 acres of corn mazes, farm homemade doughnuts and pulled pork, and plenty of family friendly activities like duck races and a barrel train ride.

Alber Orchard and Cider Mill

13011 Bethel Church Road, Manchester | Open through Nov. 7
Hours: Tuesday–Friday, Noon–6 p.m. | Saturday 9 a.m.–6 p.m. | Sunday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
No admission charge, but some activities have fees

Family owned and operated, Alber Orchard’s history goes back to the 1800s. This orchard focuses on that history, maintaining many strains of heirloom apples and preserving historical buildings on its property

Plymouth Orchards and Cider Mill

10260 Warren Road, Plymouth | Open through Nov. 5
Hours: Monday–Sunday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
No admission charge, but some activities have fees

Home to a farm-zoo and cider mill, Plymouth Orchard also hosts family photography and live music. Plymouth Orchards also supplies cider, doughnuts and pie to the nearby Red Shed Market.

Wiards Cider Mill and Apple Orchard

5565 Merritt Road, Ypsilanti | Country Fair Sept. 29–Oct. 27
Hours: Country Fair Wednesday–Sunday 11 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Admission charges: Wednesday–Friday $13.75, Saturday–Sunday $17.75

Not just a place for u-pick apples and pumpkins, Wiards also hosts a county fair full of ‘agri-tainment’, mini-golf and wagon rides.

Dexter Cider Mill

3685 Central St, Dexter | Open through November
Hours: Wednesday–Sunday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
No admission or parking fees

New this year, the Dexter Cider Mill now has hard cider! The Mill also puts out the award-winning “Dexter Cider Mill Apple Cookbook”.

Lesser Farms and Orchard

12651 Island Lake Road, Dexter | Open through October
Hours: Wednesday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. | Sunday, 1–6 p.m.
No admission or parking fees

Lesser Farms and Orchards is a family operated farm that has apples, cider and pumpkins, though not as u-picks.

Obstbaum Orchards

9252 Curie Road, Northville | Open through October
Hours: Saturday – Sunday 10 a.m. –6 p.m.
No admission or parking fees

Having been around for 40 years, Obstbaum Orchards opens its doors every weekend for people to come enjoy their cider and doughnuts, and for hayrides.

Wasem Fruit Farm

6580 Judd Road, Milan | Open through Oct.
Hours: Closed Monday and Wednesday | Tuesday– Sunday 9 a.m.– 6 p.m.
No admissions or parking fees

Wasem Fruit Farm takes pride in their high quality, u-pick apples, pumpkins and tart cherries. Wasem also has homemade cider and doughnuts made daily.

The Pumpkin Factory of Belleville Michigan

48651 Harris Road, Belleville | Open Oct. 1 – Oct. 31
Hours: Sunday, 10 a.m.– 7 p.m. | Monday–Thursday, noon – 7 p.m. | Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.– 10 p.m.
No admission or parking fees

Haunted hayrides, petting farm and pedal carts abound! Come to the Pumpkin Factory for tricks, treats and, of course, pumpkins.

Spicer Orchard

10411 Clyde Road, Fenton | U-Picks open through Oct. 31
Hours: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Daily

Celebrating 50 years in Hartland, Spicer Orchard hosts wine tasting and a farmer’s market, along with their u-pick apples, pumpkins, and other fruit. Spicer is also home to many petable, feedable farm animals, corn mazes and a zip line.

Erwin Orchards

61475 Silver Lake Road, South Lyon | Open daily through Nov. 5
Hours: Cider mill 6 a.m.–7 p.m. | U-Pick, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. | Daily, weather permitting

A third-generation family farm managing 200 acres of orchards and berry patches. Erwin Orchards is also home to other unique attractions, like a sunflower garden and a goat walk.

Haunted Attractions

Terrorfied Forest

The Terrorfied Forest takes you into 30 acres of dark forest. Beware, your screams will draw more monsters! The Bubbles Fun House is an indoor attraction, featuring a scary circus clown.

Talladay Farms Corn Maze

6270 Judd Road, Milan | Opens: Oct. 6 – 28
Hours: Friday and Saturday, Dusk–10 p.m.
Cost: Haunted Maze $7

This year, Talladay Farm’s corn maze features the seven continents. You can also come for their after dark haunted maze, which is separate from their main maze.

The Pumpkin Factory of Belleville Michigan

48651 Harris Road, Belleville | Opens: Oct. 1–Oct. 31
Hours: Friday and Saturday, 7–10 p.m.
Haunted Hayride $10 | Haunted House $10

Haunted Hayrides featuring live scary story telling, and a haunted house full of ghosts and ghouls! Visit the Pumpkin Factory website.

Night Terrors

5565 Merritt Road, Ypsilanti | Open through Oct. 31
Hours: Friday and Saturday, 7:15–11:30 p.m. | Sunday and Halloween, 7:15–10:30 p.m.
Single Attraction $18 | Haunted Hayride $20 | Four Attractions $44, $34 on Sunday | Six Attractions $54, $44 on Sunday

Wiard’s popular after dark attraction, features the Ultimate Haunted Barn, Alien Caged Clowns, the Asylum, The Mineshaft, Hayrides of the Lost and SplatterTown—haunted paintball!

Rotten Manor

13245 Dixie Highway, Holly
Hours: Friday and Saturday, 7 p.m.–midnight | Thursday and Sunday, 7–11 p.m.
Tickets: $25 per attraction | $40 for combo ticket | $10 for “skip-the-line” VIP pass

Rotten Manor boasts the “the largest, most realistic custom structures of any attraction in Michigan,” and also has old school carnival games, photo ops, and casket rides.

Illustration by Dorothy Gacioch | Washtenaw Voice