The cool breeze washing over us suddenly smells of pumpkin spice and bonfires, and people all over Missouri have begun to pull out their cozy fall sweaters. Soak up this beautiful weather while enjoying these family-friendly activities around St. Louis!

Best of Missouri Market

This weekend is the final weekend of the 25^th annual Best of Missouri Market at the Missouri Botanical Garden! Come out to The Garden – open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – and enjoy live local entertainment and more than 120 vendors offering handmade crafts, beautiful plants, and delicious food and wines. Make sure to stop by the Kid’s Corner, which will host a variety of crafts, plus cookie decorating and face painting!

Fun at Eckert’s Farm

Whether you’re in search for the perfect Fuji apples for that Thanksgiving apple pie, or you’re on the hunt for a 150-lb. jack-o’-lantern, this fall Eckert’s in Belleville hosts a variety of activities people of all ages can enjoy, including haunted hayrides and fall-themed cooking classes! Click here to view their entire event calendar.

Ottertoberfest at the St. Louis Zoo

Did you know that a group of river otters is known as a “raft?” Grab a “raft” of your friends and head to the Saint Louis Zoo to celebrate our fun-loving North American river otters. Ottertoberfest will be held Oct. 1 & 2 and Oct. 8 & 9, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will feature traditional German beer and food, live music, otter-related games and activities for kids, and much more! As always, admission is free.

Gateway Arch Riverboat Cruises

The Gateway Arch Riverboats are in full swing this fall with exciting cruises the whole family can partake in!

• Cruise to the mouth of the Missouri River and experience the passage through the massive Mississippi River lock system on the Gateway Arch Riverboats Lock-N-Dam Cruise, offered Oct. 8, 15 & 22.
• Take a narrated cruise to the quaint riverside town of Kimmswick, Mo. on the October 20^th Gateway Arch Riverboats Kimmswick Cruise. On this day-long excursion, cruisers will have time to sightsee, shop and enjoy lunch at the famous Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery.
• Celebrate the annual German Oktoberfest festival in a very St. Louis way – on the Gateway Arch Riverboats Oktoberfest Cruise, offered Oct. 9 & 16. Savor authentic German food with a tasty buffet, dance to live German music, and toast to good friends and fun times on the river.

Great Godfrey Maze

Get some fresh air, exercise and use your puzzle-solving skills at one of the largest corn mazes in the St. Louis area, the Great Godfrey Maze! The maze, along with other popular attractions such as the cow train and corn crib, are open every weekend this fall for general admission. For those looking to navigate the twists and turns of the maze with a flashlight, the haunted maze will open at dark until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings for visitors who dare to enter at night.

Kimmswick Apple Butter Festival

Every fall, Missourians flock to the charming town of Kimmswick for its annual Apple Butter Festival. Hundreds of vendors and booths will line the town’s streets selling a variety of crafts and treats. Enjoy live music, pumpkin carving and of course the Kimmswick Historical Society’s famous apple butter! The festival is held October 29 & 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.