Top Fun Things to Do in October in Beloit
Things to do in October in Beloit are abundant, and there is something for everyone!
With leaves in full color, October is the perfect time for a getaway to this charming city. Whether you are looking for a romantic escape or a family getaway, Beloit’s exciting and unique events, natural attractions, downtown shops, and restaurants will make for an unforgettable Midwestern vacation.
Take a 5K, 10K, or Ultra Run through Big Hill Park
October 26
Take your trail running to the next level in picturesque Big Hill Park near the Rock River! The 5K will complete one loop, the 10K will complete two loops, and the Ultra runners will attempt to complete as many loops as they can in an eight-hour time limit. While this is certainly not an “easy” course, it can still be a great choice for your first trail 5K, 10K, or Ultra—if you’re up for the challenge to climb the Big Hill.
Downtown Beloit’s Annual Halloween Parade and Party!
October 26
Show off your little one’s costume in a parade down Grand Avenue and trick or treat at Downtown Beloit businesses during the last Farmers’ Market of the season. The fun includes live music, entertainment, carnival rides, and activities for all ghouls and goblins!
Apple Hut Orchard
Things to do in October in Beloit are abundant! Take a ride out in the country and stop at one of the most popular orchards in the region. Enjoy fresh air, fresh apples, turnovers, caramel apples and best cider cider donuts anywhere!
At Apple Hut Orchard, you can pick from more than a dozen varieties of apples. In addition to apples, you can purchase apple pies, pastries, caramel apples, donuts, pumpkin bread, apple cinnamon bread, apple cider, jams and honey in the store.
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday until Halloween.
Please Note: Cash Only!
Apple Hut Orchard
1718 W Walters Rd (4.19 mi)
Beloit, Wisconsin 53511
(608) 362-1961
Double B Farm Country Store & Café
Another great place to visit in Fall is Beloit’s best kept secret, Double B Farm. This charming family-owned cafe and store is located on a working farm. Enjoy home-style country dishes like their famous biscuits and gravy sourced on-site. You will enjoy dining inside the bright red barn decorated in a rural chic design for breakfast or lunch. Don’t be surprised when you pull up to find a menagerie of farm and domestic animals.
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday 8 am-3 pm
In Summer: Saturdays June-August 8 am-12 pm then reopen at 5:30 pm for woodfire pizzas
Please Note: Cash Only! Check their Facebook page for updates on closings. Sometimes the farm work has to come first!
Double B Farm Country Store & Café
2777 S. Brostuen Rd.
(608) 921-0293
Historic Downtown Beloit
Enjoy the crisp Fall air and spend some time in Beloit’s award-winning downtown. Downtown Beloit boasts early 20th-century architecture, seasonal artwork, and is all about charm and supporting local businesses. With more than 30 shops and 20 restaurants including an old-time candy shop offering homemade chocolates, retro candies and gourmet popcorn, you’ll have fun exploring! There are also several events that take place in downtown including a Spring and Fall Wine Walk.
Downtown Beloit Farmers’ Market
The Downtown Beloit Farmers’ Market is another special occasion that Beloiters are proud of. It is currently the second-largest market in the state—second only to Madison. The Market continues to grow with more than 100 vendors weekly. Items include local produce, organics, baked goods, honey, and jams & jellies. Shoppers will also find bedding plants, fish, meat, eggs & cheese, fresh flowers, artisan crafts, scents & skin care!
In addition to shopping, you can treat yourself to the food trucks serving a variety of ethnic foods and seafood. Live music will keep you entertained as you wander past the shops, and there are plenty of activities for the kids to enjoy as well.
The open-air market is held rain or shine and bursts at the seams every Saturday from 8 am-1 pm from May through October.
Paddle on Turtle Creek or the Rock River
Paddling and kayaking in Beloit and the surrounding area is amazing! Beloit is halfway on the Rock River Trail and has beautiful landscape and wildlife—perfect for water sports. The Rock River Trail is a National Water Trail also offers 10 other trails to discover! It winds its through Wisconsin and Illinois, 11 scenic counties, and 41 charming communities. The trail is also utilized to promote recreational use and areas of scenic and historic interest and significance.
In addition, Beloit has access to Turtle Creek and the Rock River. Spend a leisurely day kayaking the Turtle Creek that winds for miles from the oldest five-arch stone bridge in Wisconsin—Tiffany Bridge—built in 1869.
Big Hill Park & Welty Environmental Center
Hike one of the most scenic sites in Beloit at Big Hill Park, which lies north of the city on the bluffs of the river and offers spectacular views of the Rock River. This 190-acre park has plenty of nature and hiking trails, an environmental education center, sheltered picnic area and a playground. Get active and play softball, sand volleyball or simply take in the scenic autumn views.
In addition to the park, you can visit Welty Environmental Center. The center offers environmental education for all ages in the Stateline region, from pre-K through adults. Groups including schools, scouts, homeschool, 4-H and more are welcome. Annual festivals celebrating the natural world, along with school and public programs are offered year-round.
In addition to programming, they host several events throughout the year including Maple Sugar Fest, Dirty Dash, Ultra Run, and more!
Regular center hours are 8:30am-4:30pm Monday-Friday. Please call ahead as staff my be offsite with programs.
Welty Environmental Center
1201 Big Hill Ct.
(608) 361-1377
Beckman Mill
A visit to Beloit isn’t complete without taking in the historic Beckman Mill, an authentically restored operational grist mill from 1868. The Mill was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1977. It sits on 50 acres, and guided tours are offered in the afternoons and on the weekends. On the premises, you’ll find a new dam, mill pond, footbridge, saw mill display, 1840s cooperage, visitors center, gift shop, creamery, vintage garden, nature trails and more. Pick up a souvenir from the gift shop so you can take the Midwestern memories home with you.
In addition to regular tours and demonstrations, Beckman Mill hosts several events including Heritage Sunday, Ice Cream Social, Art in the Park, and more!
Hours: 1-4 pm Saturday-Sunday May through October.
Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated.
Beckman Mill
1600 S County Road H
(608) 751-1551
Enjoy History, Public Art, and Fall Colors on the Grounds of Beloit College
700 College St.
Situated high on a hill overlooking the Rock River and founded in 1846, Beloit College is the oldest continuously operated college in Wisconsin and was founded while the state was still a territory. The campus offers 40 wooded acres of winding walkways to meander along, and 20 conical, linear, and animal effigy mounds built between about A.D. 400 and 1200. One, in the form of a turtle, has inspired the symbol (and unofficial mascot) of the college. This nationally-recognized liberal arts college is also known for their concerts, dance performances, theatre productions, and Beloit College an annual Folk n’ Blues Festival. There are also two museums on the grounds. At the Logan Museum of Anthropology, you can view artifacts from around the world. The museum, founded in 1894, contains 300,000 archaeological and ethnological objects from around the world including Native American baskets, pre-Columbian and prehistoric Native American ceramics. Appreciate the beautiful architecture of the Wright Museum of Art located on the Beloit College campus, as well as the fine art on display. More than a dozen exhibitions, drawn from the permanent collection, in addition to regional and student artists and national touring shows, fill the galleries year-round.
