Fall Activities For You To Enjoy Near Annville Inn
*This blog post was inspired by a very similar post created by Visit Lebanon Valley*
Here in the verdant Lebanon Valley, known for its fertile soils, abundant water and natural beauty lies a plethora of opportunities to kick back and enjoy good ole fall activities, and even a slice of pumpkin pie! (Or, more authentic: Pumpkin Crème Whoopie Pies!)
Your stay at Annville Inn will provide a stunning perspective of the Valley’s changing leaves, and will give you the opportunity to sample the delights of Pennsylvania Dutch life, activities and culture.
Fall fun is abundant in the Lebanon Valley! Get lost in a corn maze. Pick that perfect-for-carving pumpkin. Spend a rainy day in a coffee shop. If you’re looking to make the most of the fall season, Lebanon Valley’s Annville Inn is the place to be! This blog covers 16 of the top fall activities in the area!
Pick Your Own Pumpkins
The Lebanon Valley is home to three pick-your-own pumpkin patches. At Risser-Marvel Farm Market in Annville, a short hayride will take you to a pumpkin patch where you can choose the perfect pumpkin right off the vine. In Jonestown, Gray’s Apple Ridge Orchard offers a pick-your-own patch with pruners for easy pumpkin picking and a garden hose for cleaning your pumpkin. And at Seyfert’s Corn Maze in Lebanon, the pick-your-own patch offers pumpkins of all shapes and sizes.
Take in the Fall Foliage Views
From late October to early November, the colors of fall paint their way across the
Lebanon Valley. Here are our top spots for leaf-peeping:
- Governor Dick Tower: If you’re daring enough to climb to the top, the Governor Dick Observation Tower will reward you with a 360-degree view featuring fall foliage across five counties! We have Guests going out to Governor Dick almost every week!
- Mt. Gretna experience (just before Governor Dick Tower if heading from Annville Inn): A short drive through quaint Mt. Gretna will take you back to another day, another time. That “ahhh” experience is further enhanced by today’s best in performing arts and crafting opportunities, exciting “hidden away” eateries and much more.
- Lebanon Valley Rail Trail: This 20+ mile trail transforms each fall as the lush green canopy of trees transitions into deep reds, oranges, and yellows! With trailheads throughout the county, each stretch of the Rail Trail offers a unique view of these fall colors. Many access points for the trail, three very close to Annville Inn!
- Memorial Lake State Park: At Memorial Lake State Park, reflect on the changing seasons… literally. With the lake’s setting among lush woodlands, the water’s surface provides a picture-perfect reflection of the fall colors in the trees.
- Swatara State Park: Adjacent to Memorial Lake State Park, with access to the
Appalachian Trail, is this fascinating park, loaded with historic sites and…foliage!
Visit a Historic Site
America’s 250th anniversary is on July 4th, 2026. Get ready for the big day by visiting one of the Lebanon Valley’s top 20 historic sites! From sites that honor the iron industry that once boomed in our Valley to local businesses that produce some of our favorite foods, these locations offer a unique look into our county’s history and culture.
Get Lost in a Corn Maze
It’s not fall without a trip to the corn maze! At 14 acres, Seyfert’s Corn Maze here in Lebanon County is one of the largest mazes in the region. Beyond the corn field, Seyfert’s also offers human foosball, a hayride, a pumpkin patch, rubber duck races, and a full-menu snack bar. On the other side of Lebanon County, Risser-Marvel Farm Market’s themed corn maze provides a unique challenge each fall. Risser-Marvel also features a hayride, pumpkin patch, trike track, and a market full of fresh produce, baked
goods, and fall décor.
Watch Hawks Migrate at Second Mountain
From August to December each year, Second Mountain Hawk Watch opens its viewing area for the migratory bird watching season. Overlooking the Stony Valley and Fort Indiantown Gap, Second Mountain offers panoramic views that stretch for miles, perfect for both bird watching and leaf peeping! When visiting, it is recommended to take a high-clearance vehicle as the road leading to the viewing area is quite steep. Once you reach the summit though, a flat parking lot allows for easy and accessible viewing!
TIP: If you enjoy this, here is a “day trip” suggestion for additional fall activities. Sojourn further to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. Craig, your innkeeper’s husband, was on the leadership team as Director of Advancement at Hawk Mountain for half a decade, and one of our part-time Gardeners, Kelsey, is a volunteer there!
Shop at a Thrift Store
Fall is synonymous with back-to-school season. Whether you’re going back, your kids are going back, or you’re just here for the back-to-school deals, save a few bucks this year by shopping at one of the Lebanon Valley’s thrift stores.
For new, brand name items, we recommend stopping by Blue Mountain Thrift Store in Palmyra. For housewares, décor, and furniture, Jubilee Thrift & Re-Build-It in Annville is the place to be. And if you’re looking for a thrift store where you could simply browse for hours, the Salvation Army Family Store in Lebanon is a great option! Also popular in the area is the Humane Society Thrift Store in downtown Lebanon. The queen of them all, though, is the two story Jubilee Thrift Store in Lebanon. Purchases from there support prison ministry. Throughout our region, there are nearly a half dozen Jubilee Thrift Stores. Additionally, Annville Inn provides a printed list we created of the thrift and antique stores in our area…over 15 locations!
Go Apple Picking
Apple picking is a must when visiting the Lebanon Valley in early fall. In Jonestown, Gray’s Apple Ridge Orchard offers a pick-your-own experience with 13 varieties of apples from mid-September through October. Also located in Jonestown, Sycamore Spring Orchard is open from mid-August through October with 10 apple varieties to pick from. Sycamore Spring Orchard is famous well beyond
our valley for their Apple Dumplings. Last year, they created and sold over 55,000 apple dumplings!
In Lebanon, Honey Bear Orchards features six varieties of apples with a pick-your-own experience that runs from early September into October.
Visit a Coffee Shop
No matter where you are in Lebanon County, there’s probably a coffee shop nearby. Here are a few of our recommendations:
- For a delicious, made-to-order breakfast, head to the Caffeination Station in
Palmyra where warm homemade cookies, freshly brewed coffees, and hearty
breakfast sandwiches await! - For a quick grab and go option, we recommend Cool Beans Brew, a mobile coffee truck with a loyal following for their extensive menu of cold brews, refreshers, and specialty drinks. Check out their Facebook to see where they’ll be this fall.
- For a cozy spot where the baked goods take center stage, try Ancestor Coffee and Creperie in Annville. Also, here in Annville is Cleona Coffee Roasters (they supply our expresso and other grinds at Annville Inn), and Perky Shepherd Coffee. In nearby Palmyra and Lebanon are a plethora of coffee roasters. In the past five years, the number of coffee shops have exploded here. Soon, we will publish a Blog Post listing all of the ones enjoyed by our Guests.
Stop by a Roadside Stand
Shown Above: Weaver’s Produce. Widely known for having the ABSOLUTE BEST TASTING
CORN IN THE VALLEY! Folks come from far and wide to get their produce at Weaver’s. In fact, we have Guests of Annville Inn that swing by on their way out of town to load up their car with produce to take home and freeze.
The Lebanon Valley is home to countless roadside stands boasting some of the season’s freshest produce and flowers. In the fall, Seyfert’s Orchard is a local hotspot for their freshly picked apples and pears, as well as their apple cider, chow-chow, baked goods, and more. Also a popular spot each fall, Heagy’s Pumpkins and Produce offers a huge selection of pumpkins, gourds, mums, and seasonal produce. And for seasonal blooms arranged in beautiful bouquets, drive by Michelle’s Fresh Cut Flowers along Heidelberg Ave in Newmanstown. Sycamore Springs Orchard and Honeybear Orchard, both just behind (to the north) of Annville Inn provide a plethora of fresh fruit tree produce. At Honeybear, you can pick your own peaches! Tip: Bring cash! Many roadside stands do not accept cards.
Pick Your Own Flowers
Hurry over to Royal Oaks Farm for the end of their pick-your-own season! Up until the first frost, (usually in early October) Royal Oaks remains open for picking your own flowers. Just stop by their self-serve shed, grab a pair of snippers, select a Mason Jar or pail bucket, and get snipping! Royal Oaks also offers premade bouquets and gift certificates, both of which make great gifts for family and friends!
Golf the Valley
Enjoy the beauty of fall on one of the Lebanon Valley’s seven picturesque golf courses. Featuring some of the best greens in the region, each of these courses offers a unique perspective of the Valley. From P.B. Dye perfection at Iron Valley Golf Club to the Ron Forse design of Royal Oaks Golf Club, these courses bring a challenge for even the most seasoned golfers. Learn more about each course with the guide to golfing the Lebanon Valley. For added golfing information, please see the Annville Inn Travel Guide, which lists all the courses in our area.
Play Pickleball
The Pickleball craze has made its way to Lebanon County! Here are some of the area’s
top courts:
- South Hills Park: Six courts, located in Lebanon.
- Fairlane Avenue Park: Four courts, located in Myerstown.
- Coleman Memorial Park: Four courts with net dividers to prevent balls from bouncing into other courts, located in Lebanon.
- Annville-Cleona Pickleball Courts: Two courts, located in Annville.
- Heidelberg Township Park: One court located in Newmanstown.
Catch a Fall Movie or Live Performing Arts at the Allen Theatre
The Allen Theatre in Annville offers a great escape any time of the year. This fall, catch a seasonal flick in their single screen theatre or experience an entertaining live performance. At this theater you can watch shows ranging from tribute bands and singer songwriters to standup and variety comedy sets. While visiting, enjoy a bite to eat in the café and be sure to browse their collection of new and used books, CDs, and vinyl’s. It’s the perfect place to sip a cup of joe as you watch the rain fall outside.
Shop Local for Fall Décor
There’s nothing quite like the first light of a pumpkin spice candle in the fall. Discover your new favorite candle and find seasonal decorations for your home at specialty stores all across the Valley. In Quentin, stop by the Carriage House Collective for handcrafted goods including furniture, seasonal décor, candles, and more from over 30 vendors. For more handmade décor and outdoor ornaments to spice up your home for the fall season, check out the Tweed Weasel Folk Arts & Primitives in Schaefferstown, which features the works of nationally recognized artist Tish Bachleda. Tip: The Tweed Weasel is not from Middle Creek Wildlife Refuge, we will soon publish a blog about this fascinating natural preserve. .
Find Indoor Fun on a Rainy Day
The Drunken Smithy…about nine minutes from Annville Inn!
The Valley has plenty of options to save for a rainy day! If you’ve got kids around, head to South Annville where the Lazer Factory and Klick Lewis Arena offer indoor fun for kids and kids at heart. For another option, try out the Drunken Smithy in the Lebanon Valley Mall for axe throwing, forging workshops, and even their mead hall! And at Palmyra Bowling, enjoy a round on the lanes before sitting down to a mouthwatering meal at the Sinkhole Saloon and Grille. The Sinkhole Sallon and Grille was recently featured on an episode of America’s Best Restaurants Roadshow!
Book a “Fly Over”
Not far from Annville Inn, one can reserve a hot air balloon ride with Lancaster Balloon Rides. It is not uncommon to see hot air balloons flying over Annville Inn, with those in the gondola waving at Guests enjoying our swimming pool!
Book Your Fall Getaway
Enjoy your stay here at Hershey’s Five Star Annville Inn, famous for
- Rosalie’s breakfasts and hospitality
- Our quiet country elegance
- Amazing views…
And more amenities than most inns:
- Full sized in-ground swimming pool
- Six-person hot tub
- 20-seat movie theatre with Dolby 7.1 Surround just like at the “movies”
- Plant conservatory glassed in on all sides with a wood burning fireplace for winter
- Three acres of botanical gardens with over 600 roses and 10,000 bulbs.
- Large game room with pool table
- Three dining areas for breakfast,
- Jacuzzis in Guest Rooms,
- Most rooms with private entrances and decks
- Fireplaces in all rooms
- King and queen beds throughout
- …and much more to enjoy at Annville Inn!
