Mostly Free & Fun Things To Do With NJ Kids This Weekend Oct 25-26: Harvest Moon Hayride, Night Halloween Hike, Pumpkin Patch & More!

10/22/14 - By Sasha Muzzarelli

The beautiful fall foliage is almost at its peak, Halloween is just around the corner and New Jersey is brimming with fall fun this weekend! There’s an autumn adventure to be had in every corner of our great state: head to Liberty Hall Museum’s Pumpkin Patch Day if you still haven’t gotten your huge orange beauty, take the Great Pumpkin Train to a corn maze and pumpkin patch as you ride the Delaware River Railroad or dress your little ones up in costume for some pre-Halloween trick-or-treating in quaint downtown Westfield. And for some night time fun, check out the always popular Harvest Moon Hayrides at Alstede Farms or brave a Nature of the Night Halloween Hike at Stony Brook-Millstone Reserve. And remember, you can check out the full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

All Weekend

Horse Sleigh Farm Fall Fun Weekends (Washington, NJ)
There's so much to do at Horse Sleigh Farm besides your basic hayride-pick a pumpkin-drink some cider, that we can't list all of it here. But can you say "paintball shooting rides", "gem mining" and "birdhouse painting"? Yes, you can! Also check out their haunted activities for the older set on Friday & Saturday night.

The Great Pumpkin Train (Phillipsburg, NJ)
When you mix locomotives and pumpkins, it’s pretty much guaranteed the kiddos will have a blast. Check out the last weekend of the Great Pumpkin Train at Delaware River Railroad Excursions and ride the railroad to their corn maze or just through the scenic landscape of western Jersey. End your journey at their huge pumpkin patch and pick a beauty to take home.

Mile Square Theater’s ‘Cyrano’ (Hoboken, NJ)
Mommy Poppins fave Mile Square Theater mounts a family-friendly version of the large-schnozzed romantic. Catch the last weekend of the performance this weekend. Also check out their adjusted performance for children with special needs on Sunday afternoon.  

Goblins in the Garden (Camden, NJ)
Show up in costume this weekend to the Camden Children’s Garden and have a howling good time! Take a haunted train ride, celebrate the Mexican tradition of ‘Dia de los Muertos,’ and trick or treat during the garden parade. On Saturday, meet creepy crawler creatures up close when The Bug Lady pays a spooktacular visit.

Saturday, October 25th

Harvest Moon Hayride & Corn Maze (Chester, NJ)
This kid-friendly and guaranteed non-scary nighttime event consists of a harvest moon hayride, a trip through the corn maze (bring your flashlight!), a country music DJ, and sitting around a blazing campfire with hot cider. Oh, and if you're feeling so inclined (and who wouldn't), you can also purchase a s'mores kit for optimum campfire pleasure.

Pumpkin Patch Day (Union, NJ)
Still need a big ‘ole pumpkin to complete your Halloween prep? Head over to Pumpkin Patch Day at Liberty Hall Museum for dozens of family-friendly activities like hayrides, crafts and of course, pumpkin picking to bring your very own home.

Tricks-n-Treats Family Fun Day (Madison, NJ)
The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts is hosting their annual Tricks-n-Tricks Halloween shindig this Saturday. Come dressed in costume and take part in all kinds of Halloween fun including games and crafts.

Nature of the Night Halloween Hike (Pennington, NJ)
Explore the ecology of night and the magic of Halloween at the Stony Brook-Millstone Reserve. Night hikes depart every 20 minutes and all hikers can cap off the evening with a campfire in the woods, refreshments and seasonal stories.

Sunday, October 26th

Downtown Westfield Trick or Treat (Westfield, NJ)
For a safe and fun pre-Halloween outing, take the kids to the charming downtown of Westfield. Fill up those pumpkins with goodies as your little ones visit the town’s retail stores and restaurants before participating in a special Halloween parade for kids 3 to 10.

Halloween Hocus Pocus (Westfield, NJ)
The Miller Cory House Museum is hosting a fun and family-friendly afternoon of Halloween festivities. Elementary school-aged kids can decorate their own Halloween cupcake, make seasonal crafts, get their faces painted and enjoy light refreshments and goodies.

Creatures of the Night (Tenafly, NJ)
Explore the creepy, crawly animals of the night at Tenafly Nature Center as you learn about nocturnal creatures and their habits. Meet some of TNC’s Animal Ambassadors of the dark and craft a spooky nocturnal animal mask to surprise your friends.

Check out our GO NJ List, with our top picks of awesome things to do for kids in the upcoming month; GO OCTOBER is full of family fun!

And don't forget: We have additional activity listings in our Event Calendar. And if you are heading into NYC for the weekend make sure you visit the New York City Mommy Poppins events calendar to get the latest on all the fun to be had NYC-style.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS