Skip to content
 

Love Pumpkin Spice? Here’s Where to Celebrate Across the Country

From food festivals to latte-obsessed cities, plan a visit to one of these destinations to get your fix

stacks of pumpkins in a pumpkin patch

Getty Images

En español

The spice company McCormick & Company introduced its Pumpkin Pie Spice nearly 90 years ago to give bakers a flavorful boost when making their pumpkin pies. Through the years, the popular blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice has expanded far beyond dessert to all things food and drink, including beer, cereal and even Spam. But most pumpkin spice aficionados will point to the 2003 Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (or PSL for the truly enamored) as the treat that turned the flavor profile into a bona fide obsession. To wit, a spokesperson for Starbucks told us the PSL is the company’s most popular seasonal beverage of all time, selling more than 600 million in the U.S. since the launch. 

​The PSL may have sparked a cultural phenomenon, but the demand for all pumpkin-spice-flavored and pumpkin-spice-scented items continues to grow. One report found that pumpkin spice product sales have increased about 47 percent over the past five years, and according to data from the analytics company NielsenIQ, U.S. sales for pumpkin-spice-flavored grocery items reached a record $236 million at the end of July 2022. 

​For fun ways to enjoy the pumpkin spice season, check out the following events and destinations across the country.


AARP Membership -Join AARP for just $12 for your first year when you enroll in automatic renewal

Join today and save 25% off the standard annual rate. Get instant access to discounts, programs, services, and the information you need to benefit every area of your life. 


​Susan B. Barnes is a Florida-based freelance journalist with a passion for travel and the environment.

Also of Interest

AARP Travel Center

Call: 1.800.675.4318

Search Flights

Enter a valid date

Enter a valid date

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Enter a valid date

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Enter a valid date

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:


Flight 2

Enter a valid date


Flight 3

Enter a valid date


Flight 4

Enter a valid date


Flight 5

Enter a valid date


Add Another Flight

Search Hotels

Enter a valid date

Enter a valid date


Room 1


Room 2


Room 3


Room 4


Room 5


Room 6


Room 7


Room 8

Search Packages

Enter a valid date

Enter a valid date

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:


Room 1


Room 2


Room 3


Room 4


Room 5

Search Cars

Enter a valid date

Enter a valid date

Search Cruises

Select a valid location

Select a month

Search Things to Do

Enter a valid date

Enter a valid date