20 Best Fall Activities To Try Before Winter Arrives
Go On a Scenic Hike Before It’s Too Cold
The fall is a magical time. You can have fun outside while only wearing a sweater and as the trees change colors around you. The problem is that winter comes fast, so you need to get all your fall activities in without delay. Here are the 20 best fall activities to try before winter arrives.
1. Go Apple Picking
Visiting an apple orchard is a traditional fall activity, but they’re only open for a short amount of time. You can fill a basket with apples ripped from trees, savor fresh apple cider, and go home and bake a delicious apple pie.
2. Visit a Pumpkin Patch
Take your family to a pumpkin patch to stroll through rows of pumpkins to pick the perfect one for craving to complete your Halloween decorations. You should also get a second one for baking.
3. Take a Scenic Hike
Fall transforms ordinary hiking trails into scenic landscapes filled with yellows, oranges, and reds. Pick a local park or find a mountain trail and enjoy the crisp air and beautifully colored leaves. Don’t forget to bring a camera, as fall is the most photogenic season.
4. Take a Foliage Road Trip
Plan a road trip through a route bursting with fall colors. New England is stunning during the fall, but if it’s too far, look for roads that go through the local countryside. This is the most peaceful way to embrace autumn before the trees succumb to winter weather.
5. Get Lost in a Corn Maze
Corn mazes scream “fall fun”. You’ll put your navigation skills to the test while enjoying a fun activity with friends or your kids. Some mazes operate at night and encourage you to use flashlights, making for an extra fun time. Whether it’s during the day or night, you’ll have a blast trying to find your way out of a corn maze.
6. Bake Pumpkin Treats
Pumpkin is a beloved flavor for good reason. Baking pumpkin bread or roasting pumpkin seeds will fill your home with the cozy aroma of fall. You can even try experimenting with new recipes like savory pumpkin soup.
7. Host a Bonfire Night
Cool fall evenings are perfect for gathering around a bonfire with friends or family. You can roast marshmallows, make s’mores, and sip mulled wine while laughing and having fun before the winter chill sets in.
8. Find a Fall Festival
Fall festivals are everywhere, and they bring communities together with food vendors, hayrides, and live music. They’re a total vibe that everyone fan of fall will love.
9. Decorate Your Home for Fall
Fall vibes can fill your home before holiday decorations take over every inch. Go with pumpkins, gourds, plaid blankets, and autumn wreaths. Minor details like scented candles and cozy pillows can bring the fall aesthetic inside your home.
10. Take a Hayride
Hayrides might seem like a simple experience, but they’re always a crowd-pleaser. Try to find a hayride through farmland, an orchard, or one that’s Halloween themed for a spooky, fun time.
11. Make Homemade Cider
Apple cider is the unofficial drink of the fall. You can whip up a batch at home with apples, warming spices, and citrus. You can make a batch for the kids, and also a spiked version for adults.
12. Get In One Last Camping Trip
Camping in the summer can force you to deal with sweltering heat and a ton of bugs. Fall camping is a much more enjoyable experience. In addition to cooler weather and fewer bugs, you’ll be surrounded by fall foliage. Pack warm layers and thermoses with soup or chili.
13. Wander Through a Haunted House
No October night is complete without some spooky thrills. Pick from a haunted house with mild frights or a truly terrifying one. Either way, you’ll have a great experience that will get you amped up for Halloween night.
14. Collect Colorful Leaves
Fans of autumn should collect leaves, even if they aren't sure what to do with them right away. You can press the leaves into a scrapbook, make garlands, or use them in seasonal decorations. This is a simple way to bring nature’s stunning beauty inside your home.
15. Bike Through Fall Colors
An afternoon cycling through a tree-lined path in the fall is a great way to get exercise and experience the unadulterated beauty of the season. The crisp air is invigorating, but not as much as the idyllic scenery laced with the colors of the fall.
16. Try Fall Crafts
Fall crafts let you paint a pumpkin or make a lovely red, yellow, and orange wreath. These projects are great for kids and a pleasant way to bring the family together to make something beautiful that can hang on the family room wall.
17. Go on a Ghost Tour
You might have to do some research, but many towns offer ghost tours that add some spookiness and fright to local history. Some let you stroll through candlelit streets as you listen to chilling tales. This is the ideal fall activity, and also a fun date night.
Free Walking Tour Salzburg on Unsplash
18. Attend a Football Game
The fall ushers in every football season, making it a great time to take in a high school, college, or NFL game. The crisp air mixed with the energy of the crowd makes it a memorable experience. Add tailgating to the day and bring some chili and hot cider with you.
19. Visit a Farmers’ Market
Farmers’ markets in the fall are packed with squash, apples, pears, and baked goods like pumpkin pie. Get a coffee and stroll through a farmers’ market, enjoying all the fall flavors on display. This is also a great way to support local growers.
20. Host a Fall Movie Marathon
A fall-themed movie night is a great way to end the season. Some options include Hocus Pocus, Harry Potter, or you can go with a cozy rom-com. Get lots of blankets, light some candles, and serve seasonal snacks like caramel corn or pumpkin turnovers.
