1.GO APPLE PICKING AT AN ORCHARD
Visits to orchards are a typical fall thing to do, and there’s nothing quite as enjoyable as heading to the outdoors for some apple-picking fun. Colors can range from dark green to orange, bright pink, and even a combination depending on the variety. Plus, each will have different flavor profiles. Be sure to ask the farmer at the orchard to tell you what the characteristics of the different varieties are, then you can decide what to do with them. Perhaps bake an apple pie for a neighbor!
2. CARVE A PUMPKIN
The fun of scooping out pumpkin guts is as good as it gets as far as fall activities are concerned, but you need to pick the right one. These days some producers have removed some of the guesswork by labeling ‘pie pumpkins’ and ‘carving pumpkins’. However, you can find the right pumpkin for carving by tapping it and trying to hear a hollow sound, choosing one with a consistent coloring, and making sure it sits flat. Once you’ve found the right pumpkin, push your creativity to the limits by carving out different designs from Jack O Lantern to spooky bats. Add candles on the inside and enjoy the sweetness of the light.
3. DIY A PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE
What do you do with the pumpkin puree gutted from your carved-out pumpkin? Nothing tastes of fall like a sip of Pumpkin Spice Latte, and you don’t have to go to Starbucks to get one. You can one at home with some blended pumpkin flesh from your carved-out pumpkin. Just warm any kind of milk and then add the pumpkin puree, sugar, spices, and vanilla extract in a pot. Combine the pumpkin spice mixture with strong coffee, and add whipped cream on top.
4. VISIT THE LOCAL PUMPKIN PATCH
What better place to pick a pumpkin than at the pumpkin patch? It is one of the most exciting fall things to do for families because most producers also include other activities, such as hayrides, to enhance the experience. The best time to arrive is 15 minutes before the gates open so as not to have to wait in a long line or arrive too late to pick the best pumpkins.
5. GO ON A HAY RIDE
Hay rides are connected with celebrations of the autumn harvest. Originally, farm children would ride hay wagons to the barn to unload the harvest. During those busy times, the hay rides were among the few times when they could stop to rest. City tourists to the regions found it enjoyable and by the late 19th century hay rides became tourist attractions.
