Fall Fun in Hamilton County Indiana
Are you ready for some fall fun? With sunshine and a slight breeze, Saturday was the perfect weather to enjoy a day full of everyday adventures in Hamilton County Indiana. Hamilton County is a northern suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana, and boasts some wonderful towns, lots of interesting things to do, and a family-friendly atmosphere.
Start your day with local coffee
We started our day as every morning should begin with a delicious cup of local coffee. Indie Coffee Roasters is a local coffee shop at the edge of Main Street in Carmel with a fun, industrial vibe, friendly baristas, and rich, bold coffee.
The shop is located in a converted house with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. We enjoyed sipping our coffee on the large patio as the temperature was perfect for our cappuccinos and lattes – crisp air but warm sunshine.
I have plans to go back there and work in the near future – it’ll be a nice change of pace from my normal coffee shop! Indie Coffee Roasters also has kombucha on tap as well as decadent hot chocolate for the non-coffee drinkers. This is an excellent way to begin a day of exploring.
Visit Russell Farms for some good old-fashioned fall fun!
Once we were fueled up, we walked through the Carmel Farmer’s Market to pick up some fresh tomatoes and zucchini for the week. Yum!
Our next stop was to pick a pumpkin at Russell Farms in Noblesville, IN. If you are looking for family-friendly fall fun, Russell Farms has you covered. Not only did we find the perfect pumpkin, but we also found a lot of fun!
While visiting, we checked out the animals, got lost in the corn maze, rode on some fun old-fashioned “rides” and played a round of mini-golf.
Also available are cute shopping areas, a hayride, and tons of games for little ones. Need a place to hold an event? (Birthday party, school field trip, etc.) Russell Farms is the perfect set-up.
I remember taking my kids there on field trips when they were little and I was amazed at how much it has grown and all that has been added. Plan on a couple of hours – especially if your kids are in the 3-11 age range. My teen still had a good time, but I think 3-11 is the farm’s sweet spot.
Enjoy a picnic lunch at a local park
After working up an appetite with all the playing at the farm (and running through the corn maze – well, “walking quickly”), we decided a picnic was in order. Our favorite picnic spot is just down the road from Russell Farms and my preferred place to walk our dog.
Since it was close, we ran home and got him and he was able to enjoy a leisurely picnic and gorgeous 2-mile walk with us at Potter’s Bridge.
Not only is Potter’s Bridge a great picnic and walking location, but there is also a fun playground and a covered bridge which is ideal for a family or formal pictures.
It’s also possible to access the White River from Potter’s Bridge and you’ll often see kayakers, tubers, and folks fishing. I love that there are mile markers along the path as well as many benches, swings, and other places to stop and enjoy the views.
If you are in the area, Potter’s Bridge is a must-stop. Especially in the fall as the leaves begin to change. It’s beautiful.
Don’t miss fresh fall treats at the Apple Store
It was high time for an afternoon snack, and the best place in Hamilton County to load up on Fall goodies is The Apple Store at Conner Prairie. (Conner Prairie is a wonderful living history museum – I’m sure I’ll do a full post on it in the future – but it’s really a day trip in itself).
Luckily, The Apple Store is open to the public without museum admission and is a fun place to grab a Fall treat.
In the store, you’ll find cider slushes, caramel and candy apples, apple pie and dumplings, unique sodas, candy, fall and Halloween crafts, and plenty of fresh apples. A cider slush tasted amazing after our long walk, and my kids indulged in a caramel apple too!
The store is operated by the Conner Prairie Alliance and all the proceeds go right back into Conner Prairie improvements.
Most years, the store is only open from September 1st – October 31st, so get there soon! Even if you are just driving down Allisonville heading into Fishers or Indianapolis, make a point to stop at least once during the season!
End the perfect fall day with a visit to Urban Vines
By this point, we had worn our kids out, but my hubby and I still had energy, so we dropped them off at home and went to Westfield to check out Urban Vines. This winery/brewery had been on my radar for a long time and today was the day. We both loved it!
Our goal was to try out their pumpkin beer, but when we arrived we discovered they were out of it until October 27th. We did get a tiny sip that our server was able to pull from the tap and it was delicious – I’ll have to get back there on the 27th for a full glass!
Since pumpkin beer was out, we decided to try a wine tasting. After discovering I loved several of their wines, my husband and I each ordered a glass and placed an order for a charcuterie plate. Wine and charcuterie are one of my all-time favorite meals, and this experience didn’t disappoint.
We headed out to the patio and enjoyed live music, a lovely setting, and tasty food and drinks. Perfection. The meats are all local from Smoking Goose and the cheeses from Tulip Tree Creamery. I loved that we could make our own platter by selecting individual ingredients based on our preferences.
The winery is very kid and dog-friendly with a small playground and plenty of outdoor games. Sometimes there are ciders available, which I would LOVE to try, and the winery holds frequent events, live music, and festivals. Urban Vines is a perfect date night, girls’ night out, or just a relaxing place to hang out for a few hours in the afternoon.
I know I’ll be going back frequently – it was the absolute best way to end an amazing day enjoying Fall Fun in Hamilton County!
Thanks so much to Hamilton County Tourism for sponsoring our day. We had a fabulous time exploring Hamilton County and made some wonderful memories as a family. All thoughts, opinions, and pictures are my own.
Indie Coffee Roasters, 220 E. Main St., Carmel, IN 317-993-3443
Russell Farms Pumpkin Patch, 12290 E. 191st St., Noblesville, IN 317-773-9078
Potter’s Bridge Park, 19401 N. Allisonville Rd., Noblesville, IN
The Apple Store at Conner Prairie, 13400 Allisonville Rd., Fishers, IN 317-776-600
Urban Vines, 303 E. 161st St., Westfield, IN 317-763-0678
👉 Ready to book your fall weekend to Hamilton County? Check out Booking.com for the best hotel locations and rates!
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