Autumn might be one of the most beloved times of the year. Sure, summer is boisterous, spring is beautiful, and winter is cozy, but fall? Fall is perfect. You’re coming off of the heat of the summer so the cooling temperatures are a welcome change, recipes rotate as we come into soup and stew season, and even the trees put on one last glorious show before they sleep till spring.
Fall is absolutely ripe, plump, with fun activities and bucket list items. Some folks like to pick a few and make traditions of them, some will try to check them all off like a scavenger hunt, and still others will find one or two, and make them unforgettable experiences with memories to match. No matter how you plan to do them, here are some fun fall activities to try this year.
Pumpkin Farm
One of the holy trinity of fall agritainment, pumpkin farms can frequently offer far more than walking through a field to choose the monarch of your annual pumpkin army. Many pumpkin farms that operate near to suburban areas will often have hayrides, haunted houses, and a variety of food to accompany your pumpkin hunt. Some may even have costume shops and seasonal artisan goods being sold in converted barn spaces.
Corn Maze
Corn mazes are another agritainment staple, but are less common than pumpkin farms and apple orchards, depending on where you are regionally. Corn mazes are the perfect place to get lost for a few hours, while you enjoy a variety of local foods and crafts frequently being sold on-site. Some corn mazes are terrifyingly large, and some even offer prizes for the fastest times. If you have one within a reasonable distance, we recommend you take a chance on it.
Apple Orchard
Arguably one of the most popular and beloved combinations of artisan agriculture and family seasonal entertainment is the apple orchard. Apples are hardy enough that apple orchards can be found nearly everywhere, and offer more fun than should be legally allowed. You can find orchards that will let you pick your own bushel, visit an onsite haunted house, take in locally prepared delicacies like apple cider donuts and homemade fudge. Be sure to get a family picture before you leave, they almost always have a great spot with a yearly sign for selfies and such.
Pumpkin Carving
Carving a pumpkin is one of those fall holiday traditions that only gets better as you age. It was fun as kids to make silly or scary faces, but as an adult you can leverage a number of tools and online tutorials to make incredibly complexly carved and shaded pumpkins that will not only light up the night but will win contests and blow the minds of neighbors. After a night of adding to your pumpkin army, take some time to relax with the perfect bath bomb, like Bubbly Belle, a few candles, and a quiet house.
Foliage Drive
If you love fall, one of the things you probably love about it is the change of the deciduous leaves from the verdant green of summer, to the flares of yellow, orange, red, and brown that dance for a short time before falling. If you are in an area with these trees in abundance, that also has an autumn, you can enjoy the change locally with short drives, on average. If you check some online resources that track the change of the leaves, even those in areas that don’t normally experience the change can grab an Advantage Rent A Car, and make a day trip or overnight to a nearby region to experience it.
Friendsgiving
Once we cross the Halloween hurdle, we start plowing headlong into the other massively popular fall holiday, thanksgiving. With so many people limiting their exposure to people outside their normal social bubble, as well as minimizing travel, many families are putting the yearly feast on hold. To put some joy back in what might otherwise be a normal day, however, you can hold a Friendsgiving with people in your bubble. This gives you a chance to sit down and connect in new ways, like sharing traditions or dishes.
Jump Into A Pile Of Leaves
This is actually a great activity for Friendsgiving. Rake up all the leaves you can find, offer to rake for the neighbors if they’ll let you keep the leaves, and put them all into one giant pile. You know how to do it. Then let everyone take turns jumping into it. If you want to get fancy, hold a little competition for the best jump or fall into the leaves. Make handmade “trophies” if you’re the crafty type.
Decorating For Autumn Or Halloween
For some folks, decorating for Halloween is a state of mind that can last until Christmas or longer. But even for those that aren’t blessed with such spooky hearts, decorating for the change in seasons can still be wildly fun. Clear a morning with mild weather, open the windows for some fresh air, and throw on some classic rock vinyl records while you put up decorations of scarecrows, pumpkins, corn, the horn of plenty, and more. Be sure you dance a little bit, too. It’s good for your soul.
Roasting Chestnuts
Fall and winter are synonymous with chestnuts roasting over an open fire, but while eating roasted chestnuts is amazing, the experience of roasting them is not to be missed. Get some pre-roasted and just enjoy the smooth nutty flavor of them, or buy a roaster and make an evening of having them warm and fresh from an open fire. For added flair, buy caviar and toast points to pair with the sweetness of the nuts, and have a fancy evening picnic.
Tailgate A Sporting Event
October in particular has the culmination of the baseball season, and the kickoff of the football season, so there is probably no better time to tailgate any number of sporting events. If you’ve never done it, there’s no time to wait. Check out tailgaterconcierge.com to learn more about a game day tailgate experience. A chilly fall tailgating party in a parking lot of a game you don’t even have tickets to, with people you’ve never met, is a surprisingly fun time. Bring a cooler with some drinks, and something to throw on the grill, and you’ll be welcomed into just about any group. Just be prepared to argue everything from ketchup or no ketchup to snow tubing vs sledding.
Have A Puzzling Staycation
For a super cheap staycation or a long weekend at home, stream horror movies and do a huge jigsaw puzzle. It’s a great way to bring the household together with some spooky family time. Take turns picking movies, and make some favorite seasonal and comfort foods to gather around when hunger strikes.
Get Away For A Bit
If you are just not feeling the whole “staying home” thing, consider one of the new rustic vacation rental spots that are available for a few bucks and a little driving. You’ll be able to escape the grind and get a nice change of scenery without having to plan a whole cross-country thing with the whole family. Easier local rentals mean more time doing what you love.
