Boost Fall Tourism with Self-Guided Tours
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How to Boost Fall Tourism: 20 Self-Guided Tours, Hunts & Ideas That Work

Woman in red beanie smiles while using her phone outdoors. Phone screen shows a scavenger hunt on the Driftscape app as a fun fall activity.

I know the feeling. The summer rush is over, the leaves are starting to turn, and you’re looking at a quiet shoulder season, wondering how to keep that visitor energy going. It's a common challenge for DMOs and BIA: how do you maintain momentum without the budget for a major new festival?


The secret to boosting fall tourism isn't about reinventing the wheel. It's about using the unique charm of autumn to create new, engaging experiences. By transforming existing traditions, such as local folklore, fall fairs, or haunted histories, into self-guided digital experiences, you can extend your season and attract a different kind of visitor. It’s a proven strategy that gives people an immersive travel experience while highlighting local businesses and stories they might have otherwise missed.


Think of how Thunder Bay, Ontario, took a long-standing community tradition of decorating homes for Halloween and turned it into a digital, self-guided Haunted House Tour. The result? Over 25,000 views and a 1000% increase in engagement. That’s a huge win, all by leveraging something the community was already doing with a digital tourism platform.


Why Your Community Needs to Embrace Fall Activities Now

Fall is a goldmine for cultural tourism. It’s a time for cozy local coffee shops, vibrant foliage, and festive traditions. These themes are perfect for a self-guided tour or a gamified scavenger hunt. With a self-guided tour app, you can create a curated trail of must-see spots, share rich audio stories, and even offer prizes for participation. This is a low-overhead way to encourage people to get out, explore, and support local businesses.


Here are a few benefits you can expect:

  • Extend your tourism season well past the summer rush.

  • Boost local businesses by driving foot traffic to specific shops and cafes.

  • Increase community pride and give residents a fresh way to engage with their town.

  • Save money on print materials by creating digital guides.


20 Fresh Ideas to Boost Fall Tourism

Ready to get started? Here are 20 ideas, from simple tours to gamified scavenger hunts, that are perfect for autumn.


Heritage & History

  1. Fall Harvest History Tour: Map out local farms and historical sites related to your area's agricultural past.

  2. Haunted History Trail: Create a spooky tour of historical homes, cemeteries, and eerie local legends.

  3. Local Folklore Scavenger Hunt: Use riddles and clues to guide visitors to spots connected to your town’s unique stories.

  4. Veteran and Remembrance Tour: Highlight local war memorials and the stories of veterans in your community in time for Remembrance Day.


Nature & Outdoors

  1. Autumn Leaf Peeping Tour: Create a scenic route highlighting the best spots for fall foliage and link to local businesses along the way.

  2. Pumpkin Patch & Apple Orchard Trail: A tour that directs families to all the best spots for picking, treats, and seasonal fun.

  3. Fall Colours Photo Contest: A scavenger hunt where users find and photograph specific fall items and submit them for a prize.

  4. Bird Migration Tour: Partner with a local nature group to create a tour of the best spots for birdwatching during the fall migration.


Family & Community

  1. Halloween Home Decor Tour: (Just like Thunder Bay!) Have residents submit their spookiest decorations to be added to a digital map.

  2. Costume Shop & Candy Hunt: A tour that promotes local businesses selling costumes and Halloween treats to encourage people to shop local.

  3. Fall Festival Photo Trail: Set up designated photo ops at your community festival and encourage visitors to share their pictures.

  4. Thanksgiving Charity Tour: A digital guide to local food banks and community centers where people can donate or volunteer.


Food & Drink

  1. Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice: A tour of local cafes and bakeries that feature seasonal treats and pumpkin spice lattes.

  2. Brewery & Cider House Trail: A self-guided tour of local spots where visitors can try fall-themed craft brews and ciders.

  3. Harvest Feast Tour: Highlight restaurants and markets that use locally sourced fall ingredients in their menus.


Arts & Culture

  1. Local Artists’ Autumn Studio Tour: A tour of galleries and studios featuring art inspired by the fall season.

  2. Scarecrow Festival Scavenger Hunt: If your town has a scarecrow festival, turn it into a guided hunt to find and vote for the best one.


Events & Attractions

  1. Corn Maze Challenge: Create a digital companion for your local corn maze with fun facts or mini-games to play inside.

  2. Self-Guided Holiday Lights Tour: Get an early start on winter with a tour of local homes and businesses that have already put up their holiday lights. (Sussex, NB did this and got over 3,500 participants in just 30 days!)

  3. Selfie Scavenger Hunt: Have visitors take selfies at various local landmarks and share them on social media for a prize, using a special hashtag to promote your destination.


The fall season is a golden opportunity to engage visitors and locals alike. Don’t let it pass you by.

By transforming your community's existing charms into accessible, engaging fall activities, you can keep the tourism energy high and create a new kind of magic for everyone.

A powerful self-guided tour app can make this all happen without adding a ton of extra work for your team.


Ready to explore how easy it is to bring your own ideas to life?

Book a demo to explore how Driftscape can help you bring your community's stories to life and drive local economic growth.

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