A Family Guide to Muskegon’s Many Autumn Activities
Think things slow down around Muskegon when summer ends? Think again. The fall months are just as jam-packed with festivals, food and fun. Ahead, hear from locals sharing their favorite events that keep them returning year after year.
Fresh Air
Without exception, locals hype up the Muskegon Lakeshore’s outdoor adventures.
Rob Recknagel is the spokesperson for Lewis Adventure Farm and Zoo, a 700-acre, fifth-generation working family farm that welcomed 180,000 visitors in 2025 and is a particular favorite during autumn months. “Fall weekends are crazy good,” he says.
In addition to its regular attractions, a corn maze, candy cannon and pig racing at Porkchop Downs are exclusive to the season. Outside of the Farm, Recknagel says his family’s favorite thing to do is take fall color tours heading through all of the region’s small towns.
Lakeshore’s Depot to Depot self-guided tour, which connects historic train depots in Muskegon and Whitehall, is just one of many scenic routes in the area. Another way to enjoy the stunning fall foliage: soaring over the pines and oaks of Muskegon State Park on a quarter-mile-long zipline at Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park.
Prefer to keep your feet firmly on the ground? The region’s three state parks (Muskegon, P.J. Hoff master and Duck Lake state parks) boast a total of nearly 70 miles of trails, says LaShelle Mikesell of Visit Muskegon.
“Fall hiking along the lakeshore is hard to beat,” she says.
And individuals of all abilities are welcome; Muskegon State Park was recognized by National Geographic as one of the top five wheelchair-friendly beaches in the U.S.
Equally enchanting spots include Black Lake Park in Norton Shores and Hart-Montague Trail and White Lake Pathway in Montague.
“It feels like October is nearly as busy as July with visitors because of our incredible bike trails,” says Stephanie Ware, executive director of White Lake Area Chamber and Visitors Bureau.
Festivals and Holiday Happenings
Since 2000, September has meant traditional folk dances and Celtic tunes as downtown Muskegon hosts the Michigan Irish Music Festival. Mikesell has attended every year and has watched it grow from a single stage into six covered stages showcasing more than two dozen performers.
Carla Flanders, CEO of local firm CMF Marketing, calls the four-day jam one of her favorite events of the year.
“It’s so fun!” she says. “People come from all over the world.”
October brings harvest and Halloween events. Montague’s Pumpkinfest celebrates its 30th year in 2026 with family-friendly activities including hayrides, a seed-spitting contest, pumpkin carving and the headliner: a freestyle pumpkin roll down Dowling Hill.
Embrace spooky season in Muskegon with a candlelit Obituary Tour at the Hackley & Hume Historic Site, where you’ll learn about Victorian death and memorial traditions in impeccably restored Victorian mansions, or check out City of the Dead, a tour of Evergreen Cemetery where actors portray historic figures haunting their own burial sites.
“One of the most uniquely Muskegon traditions is trick-or-treating at the Muskegon South Pierhead Lighthouse,” Mikesell says. “Where else can families do that?”
Autumn Eats
Don’t neglect the Lakeshore’s fall flavors. Muskegon Farmers Market is open year-round, but according to Flanders, autumn is prime market time.
“For me, the fall is the best. The smells, the sights, the colors – apples, pumpkins, gourds,” Flanders says.
For cozy warm drinks on crisp Muskegon days, Mikesell loves The Coffee Factory for its seasonal patio decor and Aldea Coffee for its especially welcoming vibe. The Exchange Coffee Bar is another beloved brewmonger. Beverages like hot caramel apple cider, maple spice latte and pumpkin cookie cold brew only add to the autumnal atmosphere.
The aroma of smoke waft ing from popular local smokehouse Dr. Rolf’s Barbeque epitomizes the season, and its comfort food always satisfies. Mikesell’s picks here are grilled chicken thighs, loaded tater tots, and macaroni and cheese.
Finally, October’s Harvest Fest fundraiser brings together students and instructors from the Culinary Institute of Michigan for a sprawling open-house food festival that feeds hundreds of. guests each year, says event organizer Flanders.
“The desserts area is always amazing,” she says. “Last year’s apple brandy tiramisu was great, and the assorted chocolates are so decadent.”
Even the event’s signature drink is hyper-local; it’s crafted from apple moscato produced by Muskegon County’s own Estelita Wine – perfect for raising a glass to everything the season and the shore has to offer.
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