10 Fun Things to Do this Autumn

 Fall is the most beautiful time of year here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The air is crisp and the colors are incredible! If you haven’t witnessed the changing of leaves in your part of the country, you should plan a trip to PA!

Here are some things I’ve enjoyed doing with my children as they were growing up, as well as things I still love doing today.

Orchards and Pumpkin Patches. Pumpkin patches were always a big hit with my daughters in the Fall, even as young adults! We have plenty around here, and the one we went to regularly even has a petting zoo and corn maze. It’s fun to take the wagon out to the fields and let the kids pick out their own pumpkins.

Our apple orchards in this area are so amazing as well, and the one near me also has a little wagon ride out to pick the apples. I make some yummy things with the fresh apples,  like my homemade applesauce and apple pie.

Pumpkin Carving. Maybe a little closer to Halloween, but it’s a tradition my kids had for years, and they got pretty good at it! There are some farms and shops that hold pumpkin carving workshops- check them out. This one is held at one of our local colleges!

Fall Cocktails. I’m going to do a specific post on this soon, but if you enjoy a good cocktail, it’s fun to get into the fall theme with flavored liquors like caramel apple vodka and cinnamon schnapps. Plus mixers like apple cider, cranberry juice and ginger beer. Hot toddies in the fall are amazing with hot cider and spice blends of cinnamon, allspice, orange peel and cloves.

This Apple Cider Spritz is one of my favorites. It’s a Fall take on the Italian Aperol Spritz and is so easy and refreshing.

• 3 oz apple cider
• 1 oz Aperol
• Large pinch of ground cinnamon
• Ice
• 3 oz prosecco or sparkling wine
• Apple slices and a cinnamon stick

Add the first three ingredients to a large wine glass.. Stir in the ice, then top with wine. Garnish with the apple and cinnamon stick.

Football. It’s BIG in our state, with Penn State, the Eagles, and the Steelers. I’ve become quite the fanatic over it, and am planning a post soon on all the ways we make our watch parties and tailgates super fun. It’s a weekend ritual in the Fall here!

Farmer’s Markets. Most of our local markets run well into October and are so worth visiting (see my post on what’s worth buying at the Farmer’s Market). In addition to pumpkins and apples, PA grows some amazing sweet corn, tomatoes, peaches, and pretty much every vegetable. Pick up some things to decorate your home like Indian corn, gourds, wreaths, and corn stalks.

Decorating. I love putting out this festive wreath as the fall approaches along with colorful chrysanthemums, pumpkins and corn stalks.

We make a day out of collecting these things from markets and shops and making the house cute and cozy. One of my favorite things to get in the Fall is seasonal candles. The aromas of apple, pumpkin, chai, cinnamon…they make my house smell incredible.

Wineries. I’m sure I’ve mentioned my love of wineries- here’s a photo of our fun wine trolley in Palisade, Colorado earlier this month.

Pretty much every place I’ve visited has great wineries to explore, and our region is no different. From wine trails like the Lehigh Valley and Delaware Valley, or just hanging out and listening to music with a few glasses of wine.

Here are some of my favorites.

• Sorrenti Family Estates, Saylorsburg, PA
• Honey Hole Winery, Drums, PA
• Clover Hill Winery, Breinigsville, PA
• New Hope Winery, New Hope, PA
• Crossing Vineyards and Winery, Newtown, PA
• Chadds Ford, Chadds Ford, PA

Covered Bridges. In the Lehigh Valley, my husband and I found this self-guided ‘covered bridge tour’. Check it out here! What a cute thing to do, especially when paired with visits to a few wineries.

Four Wheeling. If I was talking about our winters, I would definitely be mentioning skiing since we have several great slopes here in Northeastern PA. But another active and fun activity we’ve tried is driving four-wheelers. We loved it!

Small Towns. I’ve seen some movies that are shot in other states, but actually use a place in Pennsylvania as their fictitious town because they are aiming for it to be super cute and quaint. (We just saw this in the movie Weapons!)

It is true, many of our towns are hands-down adorable. We love visiting New Hope, Jim Thorpe, Doylestown, and of course my beloved Chestnut Hill. You can easily make a weekend out of it at a cute Bed and Breakfast.

Shopping, good restaurants, and some towns even have short train rides to give you the full fall foliage experience. Check out this one in New Hope!

Fairs or Festivals. Most small towns and rural regions in the state have classic fairs and festivals in the Fall. From state fairs to church bazaars, we have a lot going on. In Peddlers Village, PA alone, we have the Scarecrow Festival, Octoberfeast, and an Apple Festival running from September-November.

I hope you have a wonderful Fall season, and enjoy some of these activities with friends and family!