5 Reasons to Love October in Massachusetts

Sponsored by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism

October in Massachusetts means more than leaf peeping. It’s also a time for Halloween fun, PYO bounty, and hunting for the perfect cider doughnut. Here’s how to make the most of this magical month — and plan a day outing, weekend escape, or leisurely road trip to remember.

1. The Creature Features

Expect to see everything from tiny dinosaurs to rainbow unicorns galloping around Stone Zoo in Stoneham during its Boo at the Zoo weekend (Oct. 19 and 20), which invites kids to put on their Halloween best and explore a trick-or-treat trail through the animal habitats. Adding to the family festivities are arts and craft stations, music from a live DJ, storytelling, and a costume contest. And of course, there are the zoo residents themselves — including the recently arrived cougar sisters Maple and Willow — who might just get in on the action, too, by snacking on or playing with pumpkins of their very own.

Doubling the Halloween delights is Zoo Howl (Oct. 26 and 27) at Stone Zoo’s sibling facility in Boston, Franklin Park Zoo. Home to more than a thousand animals from 220-plus species, Franklin Park Zoo is also hosting a special nighttime event, Boston Lights (through Nov. 3), that features awe-inspiring lantern displays, a treasure hunt, and Chinese classical dance performances.

Beyond Greater Boston, New England’s largest zoo invites visitors to get into the spirit, too. The 200-acre-plus Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon holds a week of family Halloween adventures called Zoo Boo Days (Oct. 25-31), while evenings at the zoo come alive with thousands of glowing, intricately carved pumpkins during The Great Jack O’Lantern Journey (through Oct. 31). And south of Boston, take your pick of three whole weekends tailored for little ghouls and goblins at the Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, as its annual Boo at the Zoo event returns for its 23rd year (Oct. 12-13, 19-20, and 26-27), along with a version aimed at ages 5 and under, Baby Boo at the Zoo, on Halloween day.

2. The Haunted History

When the nation’s 250th birthday arrives in 2026, Massachusetts will be front and center as the birthplace of the American Revolution. But its legends and lore go even further back in time, and revisiting them during October can make for a singularly spine-tingling adventure. First settled in 1626, Salem is a city where the past — and more than a few ghosts — seems to lurk around every corner. It’s also the site of the largest Halloween celebration in the world, Salem Haunted Happenings, now in its 42nd year. More than 1 million people are expected to visit the Witch City throughout the month of October, drawn by haunted-house tours, a “zombie walk,” costume balls, parades, and much more. Hocus Pocus fans shouldn’t miss the chance to visit the circa-1727 house that starred in the cult-favorite film, Ropes Mansion, which will be decked out in Hocus Pocus style from Oct. 25 to Oct. 31.

The living history museums Old Sturbridge Village and Hancock Shaker Village offer two very different windows on early Massachusetts life, but this month they celebrate the same spooky spirit. Phantoms by Firelight at Old Sturbridge Village (Fridays through Sundays Oct. 4-27) weaves eerie encounters throughout this recreated 19th-century community; see fire dancers, listen to ghost stories, and dare yourself to experience the Reaper’s Labyrinth corn maze. Pair that with a visit to the Berkshires for the Halloween Pumpkin Extravaganza at Hancock Shaker Village (Oct. 19), which invites visitors to come in costume for a day of family fun, or register for a Haunted Hancock tour (Oct. 17-19, 24-26, and 31), complete with true tales of ghostly sightings.

Still hungry for some hair-raising history? Try Frightful Fridays at Gore Place in Waltham (Fridays through Oct. 25); Trick-or-Treat at Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester (Oct. 30), and Spirits of the Old Manse in Concord (Oct. 18, 19, 25, and 26).

3. The Monster Mazes

Though many corn mazes open in late summer as fields of green, by October the stalks have dried to create whispering labyrinths that lean more toward Halloween while still being terrifically family-friendly. One of the biggest corn mazes in Massachusetts is the Sterling attraction Davis Mega Maze, which was ranked among the country’s top 10 best in USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Awards this year. The eight-acre maze has three miles of pathways and seven intensity levels to test participants, while beyond its borders are dozens of other attractions, from paintball and ziplining to live music and fair foods. (Open weekends through Oct. 27, plus Columbus Day; check website for updates.)

More mind-bending fun awaits at Mike’s Maze on Warner Farm in Sunderland, which boasts not only an eight-acre circus-themed maze but also a separate maze for grownups that mixes puzzle solving and beer tasting. The on-site Corn Café serves farm-fresh food, and diversions including a playground with giant versions of chess and Jenga will keep kids entertained for hours. (Open Friday-Sunday through Nov. 5, plus Columbus Day; check website for updates.)

For a truly terrifying twist, head to Connors Farm in Danvers. By day it offers a non-haunted seven-acre corn maze, along with apple picking, pumpkin picking, and other family fun. But by night it uses those same fields as part of its Hysteria haunted farm walking trail, an unforgettable 45-minute voyage into the world of ghouls and ghosts. (Open daily through Nov. 3; Hysteria open Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 26, plus Oct. 13 and Oct. 31; check website for updates.)

4. The Prime Pickings

With Halloween as its signature event, October is all about dressing up — and that goes for the trees and fields on Massachusetts farms, too. Apple trees are bursting with clusters of red, yellow, and green fruit, while orange pumpkins add splashes of color to the ground. It’s a treasure trove for PYO enthusiasts, who can harvest their fill at countless orchards and pumpkin patches across the Bay State this month, including:

• Parlee Farms in Tyngsboro: Recently named the best apple-picking spot in America by Newsweek, it has more than 20 varieties of apples, with hayrides into the orchard offered on weekends. There’s also 13 acres of pumpkins here — more than 40,000 specimens in all.

• Belkin Family Lookout Farm in South Natick: One of the oldest working farms in the country, Lookout Farm has been run by the Belkin family for the past two decades and is a favorite U-pick spot close to Boston.

• Smolak Farms in North Andover: Apple picking may already be over at this family favorite, but the pumpkin patch is going strong as the farm’s Halloween Fall Festival continues.

• Coonamessett Farm in East Falmouth: This 20-acre member-supported farm is a prime pumpkin-picking spot on the Cape. Look for weekend hayrides, friendly farm animals, and a farm store, too.

• Apex Orchard in Shelburne Falls: One of the most scenic orchards in Massachusetts, this hilltop destination has apple picking, weekend tractor-drawn trailer rides, and a pumpkin patch stocked with all-new varieties for 2024 (such as Polar Bear, Black Bear, and “extra warty” pumpkins).

For more PYO spots, see the MassGrown Map.

5. The Slam Dunks

A warm, spicy, and sweet confection like no other, the cider doughnut can bring out the fall fanatic in anyone. Just ask Alex Schwartz, who was a Cambridge programmer in 2020 when he began his quest to taste as many cider doughnuts in New England as he can. He continues his mission as the “Cider Donuteur,” and his continually updated map shows just how many Massachusetts options await those with a passion for autumn’s favorite dessert.

Orchards and farm stands are fertile hunting grounds for cider doughnuts, since the essential ingredients are often sourced on-site. On the North Shore, you can compare the sugar-coated version from Cider Hill Farm with the equally delicious plain version from Russell Orchards. In North Central Massachusetts, aka Johnny Appleseed Country, Bolton Spring Farm is among the orchards that fry ’em up hot — so is Bartlett’s Orchard in Western Massachusetts. But don’t overlook the options at bakeries around the Commonwealth, either, ranging from Cape Cod’s Hole in One to Worcester’s Crust Bakeshop to Greater Boston’s Blackbird Doughnuts, Kane’s Donuts, and Union Square Donuts.

And if you’re feeling a bit adventurous, try sampling this seasonal treat in liquid form: Downeast Cider’s “Cider Donut” blends fresh-pressed cider with vanilla, cinnamon, and brown sugar, available in stores and at its Boston taproom.