Fall is the favorite time of year for many Americans. Who could blame them! When the leaves start changing colors, Starbucks starts serving PSLs, and there’s a fresh briskness to the air it can awake a magical feeling. I love fall, but for me those signs always serve as a warning to get outdoors and enjoy the outside while it’s warm enough. All too soon we will be cuddled indoors under blankets, waiting out the winter. Once winter hits, the holidays start rolling in and before I know it, I’ll look up and it will be spring. Therefore, I have always felt it important to slow down and savor this time of year. Apple cider just isn’t as delicious outside the months of September and October. Below you can find a list of fall activities to help you usher in fall.
Apple picking
Fruit tastes sweeter when you pick it yourself! At least that’s how it seems to me. Many orchards have pick-your-own fruit and much of the time the prices are better than at the local grocery store. Plus you’re supporting local agriculture and that’s defiantly something you should feel good about. Several apple orchards have other activities that can include hay rides, pumpkin fields, face painting, and fresh food. I suggest goggling farms near you and make a day of it. Putting on your cutest plaid outfit and document the wholesome memories while you’re at it. There are tons of orchards all over the Midwest but here are four near major cities:
St. Louis MO: Eckert’s – I’ve been to this one and personally love it. They add new attractions beside apple picking every year and the workers are always incredibly nice.
Nashville, TN: Shade Tree Farms (apples available to buy, other orchard activities available)
Chicago, IL: Honey Hill Orchard
Indianapolis, IN: Pleasant View Orchard
Bonfires
It doesn’t have to be fall to have a bonfire, but the chilly air does mean you can sit closer to the fire (or your special someone). If you live somewhere that doesn’t permit burning then there are many national parks where you can rent a campsite for the night. With rates as low as $16 in some areas, it makes a great low cost out of the house date. Some area farms have bonfire rental sites and provide all the essentials for you. However, many times those services come at a premium. I’d bring along supplies for s’mores and a charcuterie board to share.
Pumpkin Fun
Pumpkin carving might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about these gourds but there’s so much you can do with these versatile fruits. Consider painting them (they will last longer than carving), or spraying them with adhesive to add decorations. Once you are done using them as decoration you can eat them and the rinds compost well. Speaking of pumpkin fun, there are so many pumpkin flavored treats available now. Have an at home dinner date based around the pumpkin flavor.
Corn mazes
Corn mazes and the Midwest go together like baked beans and cornbread. There’s nowhere else you can find fields and fields of corn and if you live outside the Midwest you might not realize how perfect a maze a field of corn can be sculpted into. Corn maze designs can vary from simple to extremely complex. Don’t under estimate the amount of time this fun activity can take. I once got lost in a corn maze for over an hour. I’d go in the later afternoon for that magical twilight atmosphere.
Here’s four I suggest, but there are hundreds in the Midwest:
1. Konows
Picnics
Although you can enjoy outdoor dining in the spring and summer, picnics in the Midwest are best enjoyed in the fall. This reasoning revolves around the dryer conditions. You will have an easier time finding a dry, hard surface to dine and less pesky insects will be around to annoy you. Remember to bring a warn blanket to snuggle under (sitting on the ground can get chilly). I find a lot of pretty plastic serving wear, perfect for a picnic, at stores like Homegoods. If you really want to go all out, picnic service companies will set you up a luxury picnic experience in a nearby park and you won’t have to worry about a thing.
