The weather is changing, leaves are falling, pumpkin spice candles are lighting up your room, and you’re in the mood for cuddles and a scary movie with your boo. That can only mean one thing: fall is just around the corner – September 22nd to be exact!
It can be hard coming up with cute date ideas at school, especially when you’re a broke college student who’s not from the area. Well, your worries are officially over, because here’s a list of 5 cheap, fun, cute, and picture-worthy dates for you and your SO!
1. Apple picking
Hop in your car and take a 50 minute road trip down to Curtis Orchard in Champaign! You definitely don’t want to miss this fun apple-picking date with your bae by making a whole day out of it. Get lost in the apple field holding your boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s hand trying to find the reddest apples on the trees! The date won’t be over when you go home – you can use the freshly-picked apples to bake an apple pie or caramel apples with each other!
2. Pumpkin patch and a MAZE
It wouldn’t be fall if pumpkins weren’t involved! Feeling lazy, but still want to go on a date with your special someone? I mean, let’s admit it, we’ve all been there. No worries, though – Rader Family Farms is right here in Normal! Have an amazing time getting lost in a corn maze, eating at the multiple shops and grills, and, of course, picking out the perfect pumpkin to take home and carve. But don’t forget to save and bake the seeds to munch on later! (‘Cause food!)
3. Sunflower farm, canyon, and trails
Make a day trip out of driving an hour to Matthiessen State Park in Oglesby to walk on trails, experiencing the wildlife and sandstone around you. Sit by one of their multiple streams to watch fish jump through the air, see deer walk by, or just enjoy the beautiful fall day together! Want to see more? Walk through their mile-long canyon that was formed by water erosion! Think that was enough? Of course not! Walk over to their sunflower farm and surround yourself with big, beautiful, bright, and smiling sunflowers, and get that good picture to capture this beautiful date!
4. Haunted trail
If you’re looking for the jumping-out-of-your-skin, holding-on-to-your-boyfriend/girlfriend-with-a-“death grip” type of scare, then you’re in the right place! Right here in Normal on Constitution Trail, there is a haunted trail on October 27th and 28th from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., and it’s perfect because the fee is only a dollar. So mark your calendars, grab the loose change in your couch cushions, and be ready to jump into bae’s arms!
5. Picnic outside
Make some PB&J sandwiches, pop some kettle corn, grab a couple of blankets, some hot chocolate, and fall candles, and pick a movie to watch on your laptop with your SO! The cool air, hot chocolate, and fall candles will definitely set the mood so you can cuddle up with your boyfriend/girlfriend with a fuzzy blanket wrapped around the both of you while watching a movie. You don’t need to go far, because ISU’s quad is a perfect picnic area, especially when the leaves start to change!
When you’ve planned multiple adorable, picture-worthy – ’cause social media – fun, fall dates with your special someone, it will make the changing of the leaves even more special this year!