The Ultimate York County, SC Fall Bucket List
It may still be 90 degrees outside, but we've officially started our fall bucket list. Cider donuts, hay bales, pumpkin patches, lantern-lit ghost stories, and one very large scream park — York County packs a genuinely great fall into about eight weeks, and most of it is within a 30-minute drive of Fort Mill.
Here's the full list, with dates, prices, and the little things I wish someone had told me before we went.
A quick note: dates and prices shift, especially at the farms, where the weather calls the shots. Everything here was current as of early September 2026, but always double-check the business's own site or Instagram before you load up the car.
Farms, Orchards & Pumpkin Patches
1. Windy Hill Orchard & Cidery — York
1860 Black Hwy, York, SC 29745 | windyhillorchard.com | @windyhillcider
This is the one that makes it feel like fall. Windy Hill is a small family-run apple orchard and cider mill about five miles west of York, and it's been York County's original agritourism destination for years. The farm stand is open Thursday through Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sunday noon–6 p.m., running mid-August all the way through Christmas.
What to get: Hot cider donuts straight out of the fryer, fresh-pressed cider, apple butter, apple pies, and an apple cider slushie that is honestly the best thing on the menu when it's still warm out. Grown-ups can head to the Cider Bar (Fri noon–7, Sat 10–6, Sun noon–6) for a flight of their award-winning hard ciders.
Apple picking: U-pick is online reservation only and it sells out. They typically run picking from early September through mid-October and release dates in batches as they see how the crop develops. Reservations are only needed for picking — you can walk up to the farm stand and cider bar any time.
Tip: Enjoy live music on Saturdays and Sundays. Weekends get crowded though. Go on a Thursday or Friday morning right at opening if you want elbow room.
2. Fall Festival at Black's Peaches — York
1800 Black Hwy, York, SC 29745 | blackspeaches.com | @blackspeaches
The Black family has been farming here since 1923, and their October Fall Festival is a proper farm day! It runs every Saturday in October, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., with the pumpkin patch open daily all month.
What's included: Hayride, corn maze (this year in the shape of a squishy!), hay maze, pumpkin chunkin', cow milking, horse rodeo, corn shelling, skeeball, and a farm playground. Admission has run around $12 per person plus tax, with kids 2 and under free.
Know before you go: You can grab lunch Tuesdays – Saturdays, 11am-2pm. Expect to pick up some fresh produce, baked goods, local honey, and locally grown mums! No pets allowed.
3. Hall Family Farm — Lancaster
445 W. Rebound Rd, Lancaster, SC 29720 | hallfamilyfarm.com
Technically just over the line in Lancaster County, but it's a short, pretty drive from Fort Mill and absolutely earns a spot on the list. The 2026 fall season opens Friday, September 18 and runs through October 31.
What's there: A 7-acre corn maze with a scavenger hunt built into it, a separate kids' maze, a pick-your-own pumpkin patch (priced by the pound), a musical hayride, pedal go-karts, gem mining, a giant sandbox, duck races, a fire truck slide, and farm animals to feed.
What to make sure you get: The apple cider donut sundae — a warm cider donut under vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and caramel. Pair it with a cider slushie. They've been known to run out of donuts on busy weekends, so go early.
Hours typically run Tuesday–Thursday 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Friday–Saturday 9 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.–6 p.m., closed Mondays. Admission to the grounds is free; you pay per activity, which makes it easy to do a cheap trip or a splurge depending on your day.
4. Cotton Hills Farm — Chester
2575 Lowrys Hwy, Chester, SC 29706 | cottonhillsfarm.com | @cotton_hills_farm
Opening day for all fall activities is Saturday, September 12. This is one of the earliest fall openings in the area, so it's a great way to kick the season off before everything else gets going.
In the Wilson family since 1882, Cotton Hills is a real working farm, and fall is when it's at its absolute prettiest: cotton fields going white, leaves turning, and pumpkins everywhere. They're the largest pumpkin grower in South Carolina, so the 15-acre u-pick patch is no joke — but there's a lot more to the season than pumpkins.
What fall looks like here: A corn maze, wagon rides out through the fields, barnyard animals, the on-site grist mill where they still make their own grits and cornmeal, a play area for the kids, and an ice cream parlor. The Market on the farm stays stocked with fall produce, and once you get past Thanksgiving they roll straight into Christmas trees, wreaths, and greenery.
Enjoy weekday fun from 9 a.m.- 7 p.m. Admission: $6 per person includes: Corn Maze, access to the U-Pick Pumpkin Patch, pumpkins are priced separately based on weight), Corn Pit Play Area, Straw Maze, NEW Farm Games & Activities, including a pedal car track, pumpkin putt-putt, grain wagon basketball, and rope the steer.
Enjoy Fall Fun Saturdays 9 a.m.-7 p.m.. Admission: $12 per person and includes everything included with the weekday admission PLUS unlimited tractor train rides and hayrides!
Tip: It's about a 40-minute drive from Fort Mill, so pair it with a stop in downtown Chester or make a loop with Windy Hill and Black's Peaches — they're all out in the same direction.
5. Cherry Place Farm — Rock Hill
1950 Oakdale Rd, Rock Hill, SC 29730 | cherryplacefarm.com | @cherryplacefarm
Closer to home if you don't want the drive. Open Saturdays and Sundays in October (roughly Oct. 3–25 this year) for a self-guided farm tour with a two-acre corn maze and pumpkin patch. Around $12 for everyone ages 2 and up, which covers the maze, patch, hayrides, popcorn, animal feeding, and barnyard games.
Good to know: Friendly leashed dogs are welcome — one of the few patches that allows them.
6. Bush-N-Vine Farm — York
1650 Filbert Hwy, York, SC 29745 | www.bushnvinefarm.com | @bushnvine
Pumpkin season runs roughly September 27–October 31
A working farm stand that's been in the Hall family for over 150 years, open year-round with a farm cafe and CSA. Pumpkins are priced by the pound. Less of an "attraction" than the others and more of an actual farm market — which is exactly why it's a good stop if you just want good pumpkins and produce without paying admission.
7. Ice Cream at Springs Farm — Fort Mill
1010 Springfield Pkwy, Fort Mill, SC 29715 | springsfarm.com | @springsfarm_sc
Enjoy homemade soft serve made daily with fresh fruit! The current fall flavors are apple pie, pumpkin pie, vanilla, and peanut butter!
Festivals & Town Events
8. Main Street Oktoberfest Jam — Downtown Fort Mill
Main Street, Fort Mill | Free
Fort Mill's biggest block party of the fall is happening on September 19. Main Street closes to traffic and fills up with Bavarian-style brews, German-inspired food, 30+ plus local vendors, food trucks, and live music starting at 4:30 p.m.
The contests are so much fun: yodeling, stein holding, best-dressed, and brat-throwing each with adult and kids' categories. Expect to see face painting, balloon artists and activities from local vendors. Dig out the lederhosen — people genuinely commit.
9. Fort Mill Fall Festival — Walter Elisha Park
Saturday, October 17, 2026 | Fort Mill Amphitheater & Walter Y. Elisha Park, 345 N. White St. | Free | @town_of_fort_mill
The town's marquee fall event, and it's free! From 2-6 p.m. enjoy food, snack, and drink vendors, arts & crafts vendors, local businesses and nonprofit organizations, live music, fun shows and interactive exhibits, costume contests for all ages, roving entertainment, and Touch-A-Truck featuring Town vehicles and equipment.
Pro move: Park once and make an afternoon of it — the Scarecrow Crawl route runs right through downtown, so you can walk the scarecrows before or after the festival.
10. Fort Mill Scarecrow Crawl — Downtown Fort Mill
All of October | Free | fortmillsc.gov | @town_of_fort_mill
One of the best free things about fall here. For the whole month, downtown Fort Mill fills with handmade scarecrows built by families, schools, churches, businesses, and town departments. The route covers Tom Hall Street, Main Street, Clebourne Street, N. and S. White Streets, Millstone Park, and Walter Elisha Park.
Voting: Judges pick winners in categories like Most Creative, Most Fort Mill Spirit, Best School, and Most Complex. The public votes on the People's Choice award by liking photos on the Town of Fort Mill's Facebook page in October.
11. Catawba Fest — Tega Cay
September | Catawba Park, Tega Cay | Free | tegacaysc.org
Hosted by the City of Tega Cay, the Catawba Fest Arts & Crafts Show kicks off the fall season with local artisans, live music (the headliner kicks off at 4:45 p.m.), food trucks, a free kids' zone, a kids market, and — the best part — Smokin’ Ed’s Eating Competitions! Adults and children can enjoy pumpkin pie and donut eating contests and those who are ages 21+ can partake in the Carolina Reaper Donuts of Doom eating contest!
12. Baxter Village Fall Festival & Market Days — Fort Mill
October 24, 2026 | Market Street, Baxter Village | Free
From 12:00-6:00 p.m., head to Market Street Town Center where you can enjoy 125+ vendors, live entertainment, games, prizes, and fall fun for the whole family.
13. Clover Highland Games — Clover
Saturday, November 14, 2026 | Knox St. & Memorial Dr., Clover | cloversc.org
Looking for something a little different? Bagpipe bands, Celtic music, border collie demonstrations, crafts, food, and children's games. A genuinely different way to spend a crisp November Saturday, and a nod to the area's Scots-Irish roots.
14. Yap Ye Iswa — Catawba Indian Nation
November 21, 2026 | Catawba Reservation, Rock Hill | Free
On Nov. 21 from 12-4 p.m., head out to the Catawba Nation's annual festival, held on the reservation, featuring traditional Catawba pottery, art, food, and dances. All activities and crafts are arranged by Native artists and community members — no outside vendors. Worth building a trip around.
Spooky Season
5. SCarowinds — Carowinds
Select nights, September 11 – November 1, 2026 | carowinds.com | @carowinds
The Carolinas' biggest Halloween event, and it's right in our backyard. Six haunted mazes, five scare zones, six live shows, 500-plus roaming monsters, and every coaster running in the dark.
New for 2026: Jason: Blood Reign, a licensed Friday the 13th maze — the first time Jason has stalked the Carolinas. The Conjuring: Beyond Fear returns as a separately ticketed experience.
The thing that trips everyone up: Park admission or a season pass gets you into the event, but not into the mazes. Everyone needs a Haunted Attractions Pass, passholders included. Carowinds sells a SCarowinds bundle that combines admission and maze access, which usually beats buying them separately.
Two more rules to know: Re-entry is blocked after 6 p.m. on SCarowinds nights, so a dinner run off-property ends your evening. Bags are capped at 12" x 12" x 6" after 6 p.m. If the scare actors are the issue but you still want to go, they sell a glowing "No Boo" necklace that tells them to skip you in the scare zones (it doesn't work inside the mazes).
16. Tricks and Treats at Carowinds — the daytime, kid-friendly version
Saturdays & Sundays, September 12 – November 1, 2026 | Included with admission
If you have little ones, this is your event. Trick-or-treat stations throughout the park, a costume contest, free pumpkins for kids under 12 at Patch's Pumpkin Patch, a foam pit, a Camp Snoopy dance party, and the Peanuts gang in Halloween costumes. All ages, no scares, no separate ticket.
17. Lanterns & Legends Walking Tour — Fort Mill History Museum
Thursdays–Saturdays in October | $17 | fmhm.org | @fortmillhistory
The 10th annual run of what has quietly become one of the best fall traditions in town. You'll walk about a half mile through historic downtown Fort Mill by lantern light while a guide tells you the stories, characters, and legends behind the buildings you drive past every day.
2026 dates: October 1–3, 8–10, 15–17, 22–24, and 29–30, with tours at 6:45 and 7:45 p.m.
Details: Tours start at the museum (107 Clebourne St.) and are rain or shine and non-refundable. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Space is limited and these do sell out. You can also build a private tour for a group of 15–20 — call 803-802-3646.
Parking: Behind Hobo's on Main Street, the municipal lot on Tom Hall, or Veterans Park at 106 N. White St.
18. Spirits of Fort Mill Bar Crawl
October 1 & 8, 2026 | 6:00–8:15 p.m. | $25 | 21+ | @fortmillhistory
The grown-up version of Lanterns & Legends. Three downtown venues, a drink at each, and the same lantern-lit local history and lore along the way. Food and drinks aren't included, but there are drink specials.
19. Graveyard Scavenger Hunt
October 1–31 | Fort Mill History Museum | Free | @fortmillhistory
Low-key, free, and great for kids who like a mission. Pick up a scavenger hunt sheet at the museum during open hours, head to New Unity Cemetery to find the clues, and return your sheet by 4 p.m. on October 31 for a chance to win a prize. Winner announced November 6.
20. Halloween Trivia Night at Amor Artis
Tuesday, October 13, 2026 | 7–9 p.m. | 204 Main St., Suite 101 | @fortmillhistory
Hosted by the Fort Mill History Museum, with horror films, monsters, folklore, and Halloween traditions on the question sheet. Dressing up is encouraged, and a portion of the night's sales support the museum.
Cozy Afternoons & Live Music
21. Live music and hay bales at the Anne Springs Close Greenway
2573 Lake Haigler Dr., Fort Mill | ascgreenway.org | @ascgreenway
2,100 acres of trails, lakes, and pastures, and it's at its best in October when the light gets golden and the crowds thin out.
Live Music at the Greenway Canteen: Friday and Saturday evenings, 6–9 p.m., with local singer-songwriters booked through early November. Laid-back outdoor setting, food and drinks available, limited indoor and outdoor seating.
Fresh Air Hour: First Thursday of every month, 5:30–8 p.m. at the Lake Haigler entrance — free admission to explore the whole Greenway, usually with live music. October 1 and November 5 this year.
Fall Artisan Market: Saturday, October 3, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Also worth doing: The Children's Farm, the Forest Playground, an educational hike, or just a long walk with a coffee. Kayak rentals on Lake Haigler run by reservation while the weather holds.
22. Fall afternoons at The Print Shop
113 Railroad Ave, Fort Mill | @theprintshopfm
The Amor Artis outpost by the railroad tracks, and the ideal place to sit outside once the weather finally breaks. Live music happens frequently, the outdoor seating is the whole appeal, dogs are welcome, and it's right by the park so it works with kids in tow.
Hours: Closed Mondays; Tue–Thu 3–9 p.m., Fri 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m., Sat 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
Bonus for music people: The Charlotte Folk Society hosts a free bluegrass jam here the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, 6–8 p.m. No ticket — just bring an instrument or come listen.
23. Third Thursday Art Crawl — Downtown Fort Mill
Third Thursday of every month | Free
Local businesses along Main Street turn into pop-up galleries featuring local artists. Stroll, shop, grab dinner, and see some art. October falls right in the middle of scarecrow season, so you get both in one evening.
24. Town of Fort Mill Farmers & Artisans Market
106 N. White St., Fort Mill | fortmillsc.gov/345/Fort-Mill-Farmers-Artisans-Market
Peak season for the good stuff — local produce, flowers, coffee, baked goods, honey, elderberry syrup, handcrafted beverages, local artisans and so much more. The Fort Mill History Museum also brings Pioneer Crafts to the market on select Saturdays (Sept. 12 and Oct. 10), featuring free crafts with the kids.
The Free, At-Home Stuff
Campfire and s'mores in the backyard, the first night it dips below 65
Pumpkin painting — easier than carving, lasts longer, and no one loses a finger
A pile of leaves to jump in (give it until late October — our peak color usually lands in the last two weeks of the month)
A fall porch — mums from Bush-N-Vine or the farmers market, cornstalks, and however many pumpkins you can justify
Apple cider on the stove with cinnamon sticks and orange peel, using a jug from Windy Hill
A drive out Highway 5 toward York just to look at the trees
Football on a Friday night at the high school, wrapped in a blanket
A trunk-or-treat at a local church or school — check neighborhood pages in mid-October
A Few Practical Notes
Book the reservation stuff early. Windy Hill apple picking and Lanterns & Legends both sell out. Put them on the calendar now.
Weekday mornings are the cheat code. Every farm on this list is dramatically more pleasant on a Thursday at 10 a.m. than a Saturday at 2 p.m.
Bring cash for the small farms, even though most take cards now.
Check the pet policy. Black's Peaches and Hall Family Farm don't allow dogs. The Greenway, Cherry Place, and The Print Shop do.
Our fall runs late. Peak color around here is usually the last two weeks of October into early November — well after the pumpkin patches open. Don't be discouraged if it's 85 degrees at the pumpkin patch in early October. That's just how it goes here.
Dates change. Especially the farms, which are at the mercy of the weather and the crop. Always check the business's own website or Instagram the morning you go.
What's on your fall list this year? Tell me what I missed — I'm always looking to add a stop. 🍂🎃
