Walking around the University of Arizona campus during fall, it’s easy to be deceived by the lush green trees, iced Starbucks drinks, and blazing hot sun. Autumn in Arizona is unlike any other place; crisp, cool days cease to exist, fiery red and gold leaves do not fall, and watching the seasons change is just a mere figment of our imaginations. For all of you ‘out of staters’, myself included, this change is not an easy one to accept after spending the last two decades watching summer turn to fall.
On a more positive note, we can appreciate how awesome it is to have about 300 days of sunshine a year here in Arizona. Not to mention consistently beautiful, clear skies above! Although we may not have the luxury of enjoying these visible changes of fall in Tucson, there are still so many ways we can acknowledge this wonderful time of year. I think we can all agree that one of the first things we associate fall with is pumpkins, in any way, shape, or form. Whether it’s carving pumpkins, eating pumpkin pie, or drinking pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkins are the premise of what fall is all about.
To get your pumpkin fix here in Tucson this fall, Buckelew Farm will be having their 27th annual Pumpkin Festival and Corn Maze the last few weekend of October. This festival is for all ages, young and young at heart where you have the opportunity to pick pumpkins, meander through the corn maze, and if your feeling adventurous you can take a drawn wagon. Other activities include a mechanical bull, a food booth/ beer garden, and paintball.
As college students on a budget, the month of October can create a dent in our already depleted bank accounts from participating in philanthropies, football games, fraternity weekenders, and the week long festivities leading up to Halloween. Lucky for us and especially our bank accounts, there are so many fun fall-themed things to do in Tucson that don’t require you to spend even a penny. So, I have put together a list of activities that are inexpensive or free of cost and genuinely enjoyable!
1. Stargaze
2. Carve Pumpkins
3. Movie night
4. Watch the sunrise
5. Nature walk
6. Go camping
7. Hot tub
8. Have a picnic
9. Watch football
10. Cuddle by the fire
11. Make candy apples
12. Take a scenic drive
13. Visit an Orchard
14. Bake
15. Eat candy corn
16. Drink hot chocolate
17. Have a bonfire
18. Explore the woods
19. Read a book
20. Build a fire
21. Hike
22. Do a puzzle
23. Make S’mores
24. Run a 5k
25. Make popcorn
26. Drink apple cider
27. Tailgate
28. Snuggle under a bunch of blankets
29. Sleep in a tent
30. Road trip
31. Early morning job
32. Enjoy a sunset
33. Make a scarecrow
34. Take a bike ride