Our 50 Favorite Fall Activities

Fill your calendar with seasonal recipes, festive decorating ideas and fun-filled autumn adventures the whole family will enjoy.

Keep in mind: Price and stock could change after publish date, and we may make money from these affiliate links.

September 24, 2021

By: Maria Conti and Chelsea Faulkner

Related To:

Shop This Look

Photo By: ©iStockphoto.com/monkeybusinessimages

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Photo By: Danita Delimont/Gallo Images/Getty Images

Photo By: Flynnside Out Productions

Photo By: Shutterstock/Evgeny Atamanenko

Photo By: Karen Kavett

Photo By: Yasmin Murphy

Photo By: Chelsea Faulkner, Printable Designed by Maggie Miller

Photo By: Sarah Busby; Styling by H. Camille Smith

Photo By: Discover Lehigh Valley

Photo By: Heather Baird SprinkleBakes.com

Photo By: Flynnside Out Productions

Photo By: Laurie Dickson

Photo By: Social Media Breakfast, flickr

Photo By: Marian Parsons, Mustard Seed Interiors

Photo By: Julie Martens Forney

Photo By: Steve Keating Photography

Photo By: Tentrr

©Rustic White Photography

Photo By: Evin Photography

Photo By: iBulb.org

Photo By: Crystal Martin

Photo By: Brian Patrick Flynn

Photo By: Crystal Martin

Photo By: Danielle Boaz

Photo By: Emily Fazio

Photo By: Nebraska Tourism

Photo By: Jason Kisner

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia, Styling by Jill Tennant Design

Photo By: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc / Getty Images

Photo By: Heather Baird, SprinkleBakes.com

Photo By: Debbie Wolfe

Photo By: Thinkstock

Photo By: Heather Baird

Photo By: Photography by Bethany Nauert; Styled by Erica Reitman and Paige Geffen

Photo By: Image courtesy of Gracie Blue Photography (www.grblue.com)

Photo By: JurgaR

Photo By: Matthew Inden/Miles

Photo By: Downeast Cider House

Photo By: Flynnside Out Productions

Photo By: Billings Farm and Museum Festival

Photo By: Marian Parsons, Mustard Seed Interiors

Photo By: www.tourismpei.com, photo by John Sylvester

Photo By: Emily Wilson

Photo By: Cassidy Garcia

Fun Things to Do This Fall

Make the most of dipping temperatures and colorful foliage this fall with our ultimate checklist of seasonal activities for families, couples, kids and more. Looking to get outside? Try a fall foliage road trip or book a glamping trip. Want to stay close to home? Check out our favorite fall crafts or stir up a seasonal cocktail or two. Keep reading for ideas to add to your fun-filled fall agenda.

Toast S'mores

You never outgrow the joy of roasting s’mores over the fire with family and friends. Cozy up with an oversized outdoor throw and a platter of marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate bars around your fire pit or tabletop fire bowl, then wash it all down with apple cider, hot cocoa or a seasonal sangria. Grab some of our favorite s'mores-inspired recipes at the link, below.

SEE MORE: 19 Easy, Creative Recipes & DIYs for S'mores Lovers

Go on a Fall Foliage Road Trip

Gas up the car and hit the road in search of the prettiest places to watch the leaves change this fall. Check out your local state park for a leaf-peeping day trip or browse our list of best fall foliage road trips across America, below.

SEE MORE: America’s Best Fall Foliage Road Trips

Host a Tailgate

What better way to kick off football season than by hosting a killer tailgate? Take a page out of Brian Patrick Flynn’s playbook and line your truck bed with haystacks for comfy seating and provide throws to keep warm after dark. Earn MVP if your blankets and big-batch cocktails coordinate with your team colors.

SEE MORE: Tailgating Ideas

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Carve Pumpkins

Don’t let autumn pass you by without spending at least one weekend picking and carving pumpkins. Go classic with a toothy (read: eerie) jack-o'-lantern smile or choose from one of our 99 free carving templates in the link below.

SEE MORE: Beginner Halloween Pumpkin-Carving Ideas With Templates

Or Paint 'Em Instead!

Carving not your thing? Skip the gourd guts and sharp tools and paint your pumpkin instead. Painting offers endless ways to customize your pumpkin to fit your fall aesthetic without a pointy knife in sight. Learn how to recreate this charming fall floral-painted pumpkin, plus 40 more painted pumpkin ideas at the link below.

SEE MORE: 40+ Painted Pumpkin Ideas

Make DIY Halloween Costumes

It’s never too early to start working on your Halloween costume. Spend your fall afternoons putting your crafting skills to work and create DIY costumes for you, your partner (in life or crime), your kiddos and your four-legged friend. Not only are DIY costumes packed with personality, they’re budget-friendly and one-of-a-kind, to boot. Check out all of our favorite homemade costume ideas below.

SEE MORE: 100 Easy + Budget-Friendly DIY Halloween Costumes

Go on a Halloween Scavenger Hunt

Looking to scare up some family-friendly fun this Halloween? We created a free, printable Halloween scavenger hunt perfect for kids of all ages. This interactive outdoor activity is a great way to involve the whole family while trick-or-treating, or bring it along in the car while checking out Halloween decorations in your neighborhood. Download the free Halloween scavenger hunt file here, then check out more free, printable Halloween scavenger hunt ideas at the link below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Free, Printable Halloween Scavenger Hunts

From: Maggie Miller

Decorate for Fall, Inside & Out

As the season changes, so should your decor. Welcome the arrival of fall with gorgeous decorations both indoors and out. Here, editor Camille Smith flanked a pair of pretty autumnal planters with an assortment of pumpkins, gourds and fall foliage. Learn how she did it, plus snag all of our best fall decorating tips at the link below.

SEE MORE: Our Favorite Fall Decorating Ideas

From: H. Camille Smith

Attend Oktoberfest Events

We’re so glad we live in a world with Oktoberfests. (Isn’t that how the saying goes?) Celebrate the season by spending your weekend at a local Oktoberfest event with family and friends. Brats, brews and Bavarian pretzels the size of your head make for a fall Saturday well spent.

Learn More : Oktoberfest

Throw Your Own Oktoberfest Party

If a trip to Germany isn't in the cards this year, host your own Oktoberfest party at home. From authentic German recipes to crafts and tips for setting up a backyard bier bar, our Oktoberfest party-planning tips will help you be the host with the most. Prost!

SEE MORE: Throw the Ultimate Backyard Oktoberfest Party

From: Heather Baird

Visit a Vineyard

Looking for the perfect day date? Put on your best boots and chicest wool hat to spend a golden autumn afternoon at the nearest vineyard. Split a charcuterie board and savor the day with a flight of the winery's boldest reds.

SEE MORE: Tour Wine Country: Beautiful Wineries Across the Nation

Or Host Your Own Wine Tasting

Toast the season with a celebratory outdoor wine tasting. Host a wine potluck tasting for friends in the backyard, or throw on your best booties and blanket scarf for an afternoon spent sipping on Syrah at your local winery.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Cozy Up With a Good Book

Escape reality for an hour (or four) with a cozy plaid throw blanket and page-turning read on your back porch. Don’t forget to make yourself a fresh pumpkin spice latte or apple cider, then light your favorite fall-scented candle before cracking open your book.

Get Lost

Literally. Brave the unknown and embark on an autumnal adventure with an afternoon or evening spent in a corn maze. Bring friends along for moral support and lots of laughter along the way.

SEE MORE: Top 10 Corn Mazes

Go Apple Picking

Immerse yourself in seasonal splendor with a Saturday trip to your local apple orchard. Spend the afternoon walking the orchard groves, sipping cider and filling baskets with apples aplenty. And don’t even think about heading home without at least one (preferably three) farm-fresh apple pie(s) in tow.

SEE MORE: Celebrate Fall With an Apple-Themed Outdoor Get-Together

From: Marian Parsons

Bob for Apples

Once a Celtic New Year tradition, bobbing for apples is now a quintessential autumn pastime that every kid must experience. Check it off your parenting bucket list this fall. Fill a metal tub or pot with water and fill with fresh red apples to treat your kiddos to a silly, laugh-inducing afternoon they’ll remember always.

SEE MORE: 20 Ways to Decorate With Fall Fruits, Veggies and More

Rent a Cabin

Treat yourself to a change of scenery for the weekend. Rent a mountain or countryside cabin at the height of foliage season to enjoy unmatched autumnal views of golden yellow, fiery orange and amber hues.

SEE MORE: 15 Cozy Cabins to Book Now

From: Balance Associates Architects

Go Glamping

Looking to get away and enjoy all nature has to offer this fall without sacrificing the comforts of home? Consider booking a glamping trip (aka "glamorous camping"). This style of camping encompasses all manner of lodging: Tents, treehouses and tiny homes are among the most popular choices. Check out Travel Channel's list of top fall glamping getaways below.

SEE MORE: The Prettiest Glamping Spots for a Fall Getaway

Dress Your Door

Greet the season with an afternoon dedicated to crafting a festive fall wreath for your front door. This rustic design is sure to stop neighbors in their tracks with a rich mix of dried corn husks, amber foliage and pint-sized pumpkins. Find all our favorite DIY autumn wreaths in the link below.

SEE MORE: 30 DIY Fall Wreath Ideas to Spruce Up Your Front Door

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Pretty-Up Your Porch

Spend your Saturday prettying-up your front porch with mums, scarecrows and pumpkins aplenty. Here, designer Jenny Reimold frames her front door with symmetry and a festival of fall hues. Follow Reimold’s lead and use hay bales and bushel baskets to prop up your autumn elements and give your seasonal display head-turning dimension.

SEE MORE: Celebrate Autumn With the Season's Best Porches and Patios

From: Jenny Reimold

Fill Planters With Fall Blooms

As spring and summer blooms sizzle out, it's time to pot up some pretties that'll add a big splash of autumnal color and fall curb appeal while being able to tolerate autumn's dipping nighttime temps. Snag our list of 50 beautiful fall container garden ideas at the link below.

SEE MORE: 50 Gorgeous Fall Container Garden & Planter Ideas

Plant Spring Bulbs

Fall is the right time to get spring-flowering bulbs into the ground. This includes tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinth and giant allium. Less common bulbs, like fritillaria, snowdrops, glory in the snow and grape hyacinth should also be on your autumn planting list. When is the right time to plant bulbs? When night temperatures are reliably in the 40 to 50°F range. This usually happens when crickets stop chirping. Get more details at the link below.

SEE MORE: What to Plant This Fall

Gather Around a Bonfire

'Tis the season to catch up with family friends around a backyard bonfire. Offer guests outdoor pillows for plush back support and all-weather blankets to keep them cozy and warm all night. The most crucial element to any autumn bonfire? S’mores, baby. Set up a station with graham crackers, chocolate bars and marshmallows aplenty for guests to make an oh-so-tasty, toasted dessert.

SEE MORE: The Best Fire Pits Under $350

Enjoy a Movie or TV Marathon Outdoors

Grab a thermos of cider, some warm snacks and a cozy blanket and head outside to enjoy your favorite fall-themed movie or binge-worthy scary show under the stars ('Ghostober' marathon, anyone?). Learn how to make this DIY outdoor movie screen in less than an hour and turn your next movie night into a fun-filled family event.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make Your Own Movie Screen

Play Cornhole

A round of cornhole is a failproof, fun way to spend time with friends on a brisk autumn afternoon. Bring out your cornhole boards every chance you get this fall because, let’s face it — football tailgates, Halloween parties and Thanksgiving events are far more entertaining with a little healthy competition thrown into the mix.

Get the How-To: How to Build Regulation Cornhole Boards

Host a Fall Craft Night

Embrace the warm colors and coziness of the season by settling in for a night of fall crafting. Gather your craft supplies, then check out our list of fun, festive DIY projects, from kids' crafts to handmade decor (like this gorgeous faux leaf wall art), below.

SEE MORE: 90+ Fall DIY & Craft Projects for All Ages

Learn to Knit

Cut your screen time in half and curb your blanket-shopping addiction in one fell swoop with this cozy little hobby. Take up traditional or arm-knitting this fall, and you’ll have all the cold-weather accessories (and holiday gifts!) you’ll need for the year by the winter solstice.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Arm Knit a Chunky Blanket in Less Than 1 Hour

Seek Out Sunflowers

Sunflower farms are autumn photo-ops waiting — nay, begging — to happen. Put on your favorite fall outfit and head to a nearby field to take in the golden views and snap a few like-worthy photos, too.

Pack a Picnic

Welcome the season with an alfresco autumn picnic for family and friends. Incorporate fruits and florals of the season on your picnic table to create an elevated, memorable event for adults. Roll out a classic quilt in the backyard to set the scene for a casual, carefree picnic perfect for kids of all ages.

Get the How-To: Rustic Fall Table Setting Ideas for Outdoor Celebrations

Host a Pumpkin Party

Invite neighbors and friends over for a festive, fall-tastic pumpkin party. Ask guests to bring over their all-time favorite pumpkin recipe to enjoy together and jumpstart the fun with gourd-inspired games upon their arrival. Get the breakdown on our pumpkin pong, tic-tac-toe and tin can toss in the link below.

GET THE HOW-TO: 31 Fun Halloween Party Games for Kids and Adults

Visit a Pumpkin Patch

Nothing spells fall like a breezy afternoon spent at the pumpkin patch. Head to your local pumpkin farm to make your picks for the season, and don’t leave before taking several festive photos for the 'gram.

SEE MORE: Top 15 U.S. Pumpkin Patches

Bake an Apple Pie

Apples, cinnamon and sugar — oh my! Put your baking skills to the test with a traditional homemade apple pie. Follow our apple pie recipe once, and you’ll never go back to store-bought again. Get the ingredient list and step-by-step instructions to get started below, then go here to find more mouthwatering apple pie-inspired recipes.

Get the Recipe: Apple Pie Recipe

Or Make Pumpkin Everything

Once you’ve had your fill of cinnamon-apple sweets, turn your attention to fall’s other favorite flavor: pumpkin. Stock your pantry with canned pumpkin puree to make decadent desserts all season long. Need ideas? We're here to deliver. Find 16 canned pumpkin recipes to make this fall in the link below.

SEE MORE: 16 Treats You Can Make With a Can of Pumpkin Pie Filling

Make Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter

Celebrate the season with our addictive slow cooker pumpkin butter recipe. The mouth-watering butter adds spicy-sweet flavor to all your breakfast and dessert mainstays. The best part? It requires almost no effort to make. Throw all the ingredients in your slow cooker and leave it on low for six hours, and, voila! You have the perfect topping for all your fall menu faves. Grab the recipe at the link below, then go here to find 50 more fall slow cooker recipes to try.

Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Butter Recipe

Cook a Cozy Fall Meal

Sit down to dinner with mouthwatering flavors that will have everyone coming back for seconds. First up: This subtly spicy pumpkin pasta. With seasonal ingredients like pumpkin and hazelnut, this pasta is ready to become a weeknight staple in your home. Find more favorite fall recipes at the link below.

GET THE RECIPE + MORE: Flavors of Fall: Easy Dinner Ideas and Recipes

Toast Pumpkin Seeds

Think twice before tossing your pumpkin seeds after carving your jack-o-lantern. Toasted pumpkin seeds are a tasty, customizable, and healthy fall snack that the whole household can enjoy. Season your seeds with savory spices for a salty midday treat or coat in cinnamon and sugar to satisfy your seasonal sweet tooth.

GET THE RECIPE: 9 Ways With Pumpkin Seeds

Make + Decorate Whimsical Fall Treats

Put your decorating skills to the test with an afternoon spent baking and decorating these whimsical woodland-inspired fall treats. We love these recipes because even if your pretzel-topped deer or sprinkle-clad hedgehogs come out looking worse for wear, they taste delicious every single time.

Get These Recipes + More : 50 Irresistible Fall Desserts

Stir Up Some Fall Cocktails

Gather your pumpkin pie spice, bust out the spirits and mix up one of these autumnal beverages to carry you through every phase of fall, from football festivities to Thanksgiving dinner.

SEE MORE: 42 Flavorful Cocktail Recipes Perfect for Fall

Take a Hayride

Don’t miss the opportunity to cruise the grounds of your local pumpkin patch in the back of a pickup. Grab a PSL (that stands for pumpkin spice latte, of course) and go on a hayride with your friends or kids to take in the pastoral fall views.

SEE MORE: Pumpkin Patch Tour: Burt's Farm

Play in a Pile of Leaves

The only thing better than playing in a pile of leaves? The look of pure joy on your child’s face while they play in a pile of leaves. Have them help you rake leaves with the promise of playing in the collected leaves at the end of the day. Yes, you may have to rake twice, but their smile will be well worth the effort.

Make a Fall Floral Arrangement

Perk up your mantel, bookcase or entry buffet with vibrant fall blooms. Spend your morning sipping on a spicy chai latte while arranging fresh-snipped or silk seasonal flowers in an eye-catching metallic vase. Our fall arrangement favorites include dahlias, spider mums, sunflowers, amaranth, protea, oak, preserved hydrangea, Queen Anne’s lace, thistle and sweet gum branches. Add a few pheasant feathers in the mix for added texture and an elevated autumn appeal.

SEE MORE: 50 Eye-Catching Fall Flower Arrangements & Centerpieces

Take a Hike

See a kaleidoscope of fall colors unlike ever before with a hiking trip in October or November. Research the top spots to see the leaves change color nearest you, and be sure to bring your camera along to capture the splendor of your surroundings.

SEE MORE: The 10 Best Fall Foliage Hikes, According to Photographers

Enjoy Seasonal Sips at a Cider Mill

Combat the brisk air and warm up from the inside out with a sampling of spiked, seasonal sips at your local cider mill. Spend a casual afternoon with your partner and pups enjoying a cider flight outdoors, or check out a cider mill that hosts family-friendly tours and activities for your little ones.

SEE MORE: Spiked Apple Cider Cocktail

Host a Chili Cook-Off

Challenge your friends and family to a chili cook-off event to commemorate the season. Invite each guest to come armed with a batch of their tried-and-true chili or a classic side dish like skillet cornbread. Set up a toppings bar with hot sauce, jalapeños, cheddar cheese, sour cream, corn chips, sliced avocado, tomatoes, red onion and lime wedges.

Get the Recipe: Cornbread-Topped Chili-in-a-Jar Recipe

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Visit a Petting Zoo

Kids and adults of all ages love seeing a friendly, furry face. Head over to a nearby petting zoo or farm to spend quality time with cows, goats, llamas and pot-bellied pigs. Bonus points if your autumnal outing ends with a pony ride around the grounds.

SEE MORE: Serious Cuteness: Farmyard Baby Animals at Biltmore Estate

Make (+Eat!) Candy Apples

Satisfy your relentless sweet tooth with this classic fall treat. Candy and caramel apples are ultra-easy to make at home, plus they’re fun to customize with your favorite tasty toppings. Our go-to garnishes include hazelnut spread, caramel, chopped pretzels, rainbow sprinkles and mini marshmallows.

GET THE RECIPE: Create the Ultimate DIY Candied Apple Bar for Fall

From: Marian Parsons

Write Down What You're Thankful for

Keep a daily gratitude journal where you list all the things you're most thankful for. Not only does this practice help boost your mood (and fight those seasonal blues), but it's great to look back on year after year. At Thanksgiving, keep the gratitude going by encouraging friends and family to write what they're thankful for on paper leaves. Glue the leaves to twigs from the backyard and arrange in a large vase for a lovely fall centerpiece.

GET THE HOW-TO: New Thanksgiving Tradition: Create a Thankful Tree

Bike With a View

Skip the stationary bike and take the scenic route to get your cardio in this fall. Find a local, tree-lined trail that showcases autumn’s iconic hues for a workout that feels like anything but a chore.

SEE MORE: 11 Essential Bike Trails for Experiencing Fall Color

Check Out a Fall Festival

Get outdoors and celebrate the cooler weather at a local fall festival like the Rise Festival held in the middle of the Mojave Desert. On the first Friday and Saturday in October, weather permitting, festival-goers write messages on paper lanterns and release them into the night sky simultaneously. Check out our list of top fall festivals around the country, below.

SEE MORE: 21 Great Fall Festivals

Make Homemade Potpourri

Wrap your home in intoxicating fall scents with our DIY potpourri. Our mix combines cinnamon sticks, clove, apple, pear, orange and lemon to yield an enchanting autumn fragrance that will linger in your home for weeks. Get the step-by-step instructions and ingredients in the link below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Freshen Up Your Space With DIY Potpourri

Our 50 Favorite Fall Activities

Related To:

Shop This Look

Fun Things to Do This Fall

Toast S'mores

Go on a Fall Foliage Road Trip

Host a Tailgate

Carve Pumpkins

Or Paint 'Em Instead!

Make DIY Halloween Costumes

Go on a Halloween Scavenger Hunt

Decorate for Fall, Inside & Out

Attend Oktoberfest Events

Throw Your Own Oktoberfest Party

Visit a Vineyard

Or Host Your Own Wine Tasting

Cozy Up With a Good Book

Get Lost

Go Apple Picking

Bob for Apples

Rent a Cabin

Go Glamping

Dress Your Door

Pretty-Up Your Porch

Fill Planters With Fall Blooms

Plant Spring Bulbs

Gather Around a Bonfire

Enjoy a Movie or TV Marathon Outdoors

Play Cornhole

Host a Fall Craft Night

Learn to Knit

Seek Out Sunflowers

Pack a Picnic

Host a Pumpkin Party

Visit a Pumpkin Patch

Bake an Apple Pie

Or Make Pumpkin Everything

Make Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter

Cook a Cozy Fall Meal

Toast Pumpkin Seeds

Make + Decorate Whimsical Fall Treats

Stir Up Some Fall Cocktails

Take a Hayride

Play in a Pile of Leaves

Make a Fall Floral Arrangement

Take a Hike

Enjoy Seasonal Sips at a Cider Mill

Host a Chili Cook-Off

Visit a Petting Zoo

Make (+Eat!) Candy Apples

Write Down What You're Thankful for

Bike With a View

Check Out a Fall Festival

Make Homemade Potpourri

16 Treats You Can Make With a Can of Pumpkin Pie Filling 17 Photos

Our Favorite Fall Decorating Ideas 85 Photos

Our Favorite Fall Camping Essentials

50 Irresistible Fall Desserts 50 Photos

Our Favorite Sheepskin Decor for Fall

Fall Entertaining Ideas 12 Videos

Related Pages