The COVID-19 pandemic has changed much about life since it began, but the desire to celebrate the changing of seasons hasn’t gone away, and fall 2020 is now in full swing.
To help you safely plan fall fun with family and friends, we’ve compiled a list of some of the local attractions that are open to the public along with information about any new procedures that may be in place due to COVID-19.
Please note that this list is not meant to be exhaustive. If you have a suggestion for a local fall-themed business or attraction to include, please email it to jo**@sa**********.com.
Trauger’s Farm Market (Kintnersville)
In addition to picking up fresh produce and other seasonal items at the market, Trauger’s offers Oktoberfest celebrations every weekend. Visit the fest to participate in horse-drawn wagon rides (weather permitting), pick up some Hillbilly kettle corn, guess the weight of the pumpkin to try and win a prize, and more. Trauger’s is enforcing social distancing and mask-wearing, and they are offering contactless curbside pickup.
Grim’s Orchard and Family Farms (Breinigsville)
Grim’s is a local fall favorite destination. Stop by the farm on fall weekends to pick your own apples and pumpkins, or take part in Fall Festival activities including hayrides, the corn maze, apple cannon, cattle train, hay mountain and much more. Grim’s follows CDC, FDA and Department of Agriculture guidelines to help keep patrons safe from COVID-19. The farm is requiring patrons to wear masks at all times and practice social distancing. They have also moved to cashless methods of payment, and are limiting the number of people they allow in fields and orchards to promote distancing. Their full list of COVID guidelines can be found on their website.
Hausman Fruit Farm (Coopersburg)
Hausman Fruit Farm is open every weekend in October. Visitors to the farm can pick their own Fuji apples and pumpkins. The farm also offers pony rides on select weekends. Hausman asks that visitors practice social distancing and wear masks at all times. They also post updates on their Facebook page regarding special events.
Country Junction Pumpkin Festival (Lehighton)
The world’s largest general store is running its yearly Pumpkin Festival seven days a week through Oct. 25. Festival activities include hayrides, gourd launch, food trucks, paintball rides and more. Country Junction is enforcing mask-wearing and social distancing, and they are taking the temperatures of visitors upon arrival at the festival as part of their COVID guidelines.
Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway (Jim Thorpe)
The scenic railway takes visitors on a 45-minute narrated ride through Lehigh Gorge State Park. There is perhaps no better time for a ride through the rising mountains than October, when the vibrant colors of the fall season are in full effect. Train rides are offered seven days a week through Nov. 8.
Hotel of Horror (Saylorsburg)
Pennsylvania fans of fright will want to visit one of the Pocono Mountains’ premier haunted attractions. Hotel of Horror is housed in the 200-year-old abandoned Lake House Hotel. The hotel requires mask-wearing of all patrons and staff. Hand sanitizer is provided, and the hotel practices daily disinfecting of the attractions. The haunted house is a no-touch attraction, and visitors and staff have their temperatures taken upon arrival. More information about their COVID guidelines can be found on the hotel’s website.
Quiet Valley Harvest Festival (Stroudsburg)
To accommodate for COVID, Quiet Valley has altered its annual Harvest Festival to be a series of smaller events. This weekend is the last of this year’s festivities. Highlights include farm animals, refreshments, heritage crafts, wagon rides and more. The festival will be taking intermissions on Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m. to allow for sanitizing, and Quiet Valley will be limiting the total number of staff and visitors to 250.
Sleepy Hollow Haunted Acres (Newtown)
Sleepy Hollow offers daring visitors the opportunity to explore abandoned gardens of winding crypts and catacombs, as well as the ruins of a bewitched village. The haunted acres are open 14 nights throughout October. Tickets must be purchased online, and admission is limited this year. To reduce the threat of COVID, Sleepy Hollow is requiring that patrons wear masks at all times, and guests are required to keep 15 feet apart from other groups. Guests are also prohibited from touching actors and props.
Bobwhite Acres (Coopersburg)
Bobwhite Acres offers pick-your-own apples on weekdays (Tuesday-Friday) throughout October. Visitors will be able to pick their own yellow delicious apples, and they can purchase a variety of apples at the farmstand, including McIntosh, Royal Gala, Cortland and more. The pumpkin patch is open to visitors on weekends throughout October, although visitors will only be able to walk the patch this year, as the hayrides will not operate due to COVID. Masks are required at the checkout table, produce tables, in waiting lines and at weigh stations, and they are optional in the fields unless social distancing is not possible.
Trap Door Poconos (Bartonsville)
Trap Door Poconos is the Poconos’ largest escape room. It is offering two escape games this year, as well as a wine tasting puzzle activity. Their Cure Z escape game requires players to work their way through 10 rooms and nearly 3,000 square feet of suspenseful puzzles. Players will undergo a temperature screening upon arriving at the escape room, and they are required to wear masks and provided gloves throughout the facility. Hand sanitizer stations are also available.
