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Ottawa Fall Activities 2026: Paid Events, Free Things to Do and What to Bring
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items Looking for the best fall activities in Ottawa, Ontario? This guide rounds up the top paid fall events (haunted farms, pumpkin patches, ghost tours), the best free things to do in Ottawa in the fall (Gatineau Park fall colours, boardwalks, waterfalls...
Sections
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Paid Fall Events in Ottawa
Free Fall Activities in Ottawa
What to Bring
Paid Fall Events in Ottawa
Worth the ticket price: Ottawa's best paid fall events for 2026, from Canada's top haunted farm to a glowing pumpkin trail the kids will talk about all year.
Canada's number one haunted attraction is right here in Munster, just outside Ottawa. Daytime PumpkinFest for the littles, five haunts and a haunted hayride after dark for the brave ones. This is the big fall night out. Book ahead, weekends sell out.
FrightFest
Thousands of hand carved glowing pumpkins on a nighttime walk through Upper Canada Village. Worth the drive to Morrisburg, it is pure fall magic and the photos are unreal. Tickets are online only, nothing is sold at the gate, so plan ahead.
PumpkInferno at Upper Canada Village
A lantern lit ghost tour through downtown Ottawa, past the Château Laurier and some seriously creepy history. 75 minutes, spooky but not gory, so older kids can handle it. My favourite way to see downtown in October.
The Original Haunted Walk of Ottawa
A heritage farm right in Nepean, so no long drive with overtired kids. Corn maze, wagon rides, pumpkins and scarecrows, plus a Halloween costume weekend to close the season. Sweet, simple, local fall fun.
The Log Farm
Pumpkin picking, mazes and wagon rides in Cumberland by day, and sKreamers haunted nights after dark if your crew likes it scarier. One stop, two energy levels. Great east end option.
Proulx Farm
Eastern Ontario's longest running haunt, 31 years strong. Spooky wagon ride, a fog maze and the House of Terror. The night version is the real deal for teens and grown ups who want an actual scare.
Cannamore Orchard
Eight acres of pumpkins in Manotick, a corn maze, weekend wagon rides, and a market shed with butter tarts that alone justify the trip. Go for the pumpkins, stay for the pie.
Miller's Farm & Market
Free Fall Activities in Ottawa
Zero dollars, all the fall colour: the best free things to do in Ottawa in the fall, from Gatineau Park lookouts at peak colour to an ancient bog boardwalk kids love.
The headline act of Ottawa fall. The NCC runs Fall Rhapsody in Gatineau Park until late October, with lookouts like Champlain and Pink Lake at peak colour right now. There is even a free shuttle on weekends. Go on a weekday if you can, the colours ar...
Fall Rhapsody
A 1.2 km boardwalk through an ancient peat bog in the Greenbelt, and in fall the whole place turns gold. Flat, stroller friendly, and short enough for little legs. One of Ottawa's most underrated free walks.
Mer Bleue
26 hectares of trees at the Experimental Farm, planted for variety, so the colour changes block by block. Bring a picnic blanket and let the kids run. The butterfly meadow at Fletcher Wildlife Garden is right next door.
Attractions - Friends of the Central Experimental Farm
A flat, easy loop in Britannia that is perfect for kids and strollers. Fall is prime bird migration season here, so bring binoculars if you have them. No dogs or bikes on the trails, which keeps it peaceful.
Mud Lake
A waterfall in the middle of the city, framed by peak fall colour in early to mid October. Paved trails and free parking make this the easiest pretty stop on the list. Pair it with a picnic at Vincent Massey Park next door.
Le parc Hog's Back
Downtown's best free view: mature trees, open lawns, and a lookout over the Ottawa River to Gatineau. Grab a coffee in the ByWard Market first and make an afternoon of it. Sunset here in October is gorgeous.
Major's Hill Park
Free to wander, hard to leave empty handed. 85 plus local vendors, all from within 100 km, plus live music on Sundays. The outdoor season ends October 25 before it moves indoors, so catch a sunny Sunday while you can.
Lansdowne Market - Ottawa Farmers' Market
What to Bring
The Ottawa fall outing kit: what I actually pack for pumpkin patches, night events and colour hikes, so nobody is cold, hungry or holding a dead phone.
A proper outdoor blanket is the difference between a picnic and sitting on damp grass. This one folds up with a handle and shrugs off sand and dirt. It lives in my trunk all fall.
Picnic Blanket Green Grid Picnic Blanket Portable Bath Blanket With Handle Garden And Sand Proof Picnic Beach Camping Beach Blanket Suitable - Walmart.ca
Hot cider, coffee or hot chocolate that actually stays hot. This Thermos keeps drinks hot for 18 hours, so it covers a morning colour hike and an evening pumpkin trail. Every fall outing runs on this.
Thermos Stainless King Vacuum Insulated 16 oz Compact Bottle, Matte Steel - Walmart.ca
Rechargeable hand warmers for cold little hands at night events. Pumpkinferno and FrightFest get chilly after dark, and these double as a power bank in a pinch. Charge once, use all season.
As Seen On TV Handy Heater Ultra Hand Warmers 2 Piece
A cozy throw for the wagon ride, the car ride home, or a picnic at the Arboretum. The kids fight over this one. Lightweight enough to stuff in the tote, warm enough for October evenings.
Pixar Toy Story kids Plush Fleece Throw, 100% Polyester
Snacks are non negotiable with kids, and this little Coleman keeps drinks and sandwiches cold for up to 30 hours. Perfect size for a family fall day: big enough to matter, small enough to carry.
Coleman Pro 16 Can Premium Soft Cooler Lunchbox, 5.7 L (6 qt) Fully Insulated Lid & Body Stays Cold up to 30 Hours, Great for Camping, Parties, Sports, Concerts, Lunches & More
Fall events mean a hundred photos, and a dead phone at Pumpkinferno is a tragedy. This Anker has a built in flashlight for dark trails and a solar top up. It has saved me more than once.
Anker PowerCore Solar 10000mAh Power Bank, 15W USB-C with Dual Ports Flashlight IP65 Splash Proof Dustproof for Outdoor Activities
For evening events, campsite style picnics and the walk back to the car. Solar powered, so no batteries to hunt for. Also lovely on the porch with a pumpkin after the outing is done.
Dura Osier Synt Solar Lantern