6 Fun Activities to Do in the Fall

With the temperatures dropping this week, it has reminded me that we’re half way through my favourite season of the year. Autumn flies by in such a flash and there’s never enough time to accomplish everything on my fall bucket list. Here are some of the fall activities we do as a family:

Watch the Fall Foliage

Autumn is a breathtaking time here at home with a palette of crimson red, golden yellow, and burnt oranges. You can enjoy the beautiful fall foliage simply by taking a walk around the neighbourhood. Pick up some leaves and enjoy the crisp air. If you have some more time, take a hike. If you live in Ontario, head north to Algonquin Provincial Park where the changing leaves of the maple trees were a source of inspiration for the Group of Seven.

Cost: Free

Visit a Pumpkin Patch

What is fall without pumpkins? You could always buy one at a nearby grocery store, but why not make a trip to a farm with a pumpkin patch? It’ll only cost you the price of the pumpkins you purchase. Keep in mind though, some farms may set you back $5-10/head (in addition to the cost of the pumpkins) if they offer more than just a pumpkin patch. Bring a picnic lunch and spend a day running through corn mazes, jumping on hay stacks, petting the farm animals, and riding tractors before picking up the perfect pumpkin to bring home.

Cost: Price of pumpkins OR $5-10/person + price of pumpkins, depending on the farm

Urban Departures Pick: We tend to pay the premium and visit the “fancy” farms with the giant corn mazes when we go pumpkin picking. Cooper’s Farm, located an hour north of Toronto, costs $8/person and has a huge corn maze. The maze spans over an area of 10-acres and features a new theme each year (currently Blue Jays). Pumpkins cost $4/each or $10/3.

Pick Apples

The old saying goes, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, so stop by an apple orchard and pick a bushel to keep the doctor at bay. Again, like the pumpkin patch, some orchards charge an admission fee around $5/person; those orchards tend to be bigger and offer a variety of activities. To find an orchard near you, visit PickYourOwn.org

Cost: Price of apples or $5/person + price of apples, depending on the orchard

Urban Departures Pick: Rain or shine, we make our way to Applewood Farm Winery to pick half a bushel of honey crisps, royal galas and cortlands for $5/person. Because I have no self control, I always spend an extra $3 for some wonderful apple fritters and cider.

Make Pie

Don’t fret if it rains. There’s a plethora of activities to do inside, including our favourite of cooking up a storm with our farm harvest of pumpkins and apples. Roast pumpkin seeds, make applesauce, and- best of all- bake a pie. Nothing is cozier than a home filled with the scents of cinnamon and cloves.

Cost: Price of ingredients if you do not already have them available at home

Watch Sports, Play Sports

I believe fall and football go hand in hand? Tickets to live sporting events are costly, but you can watch in the comfort of your own home while eating your pie. Don’t have cable TV (we don’t)? go over to a friend’s house! Or better yet, go outside and play some.

Cost: Free

Drink Wine

Autumn is a great time for wine tasting because many wineries host special events where you can participate in the grape harvest. Pick some grapes, try some wine. A glass can be as low as $1/per taste; some wineries offer tours, starting at $5/head. To keep costs down, limit the number of tastings and hold back on buying too many bottles to take home. (Baby does not participate in this activity).

Cost: A minimum of $1/wine tasting, depending on winery. Bottles cost extra.

Urban Departures Pick: Ontario has two lovely wine regions: Niagara and Prince Edward County. While both are lovely to visit and offer exceptional wines, I am partial to Prince Edward County. Visit Norman Hardie (for my favourite Pinot Noir). Every October, Norman Hardie opens his vineyards to the public to help pick grapes; participants are rewarded with a roast pig and wine afterwards.

What are some of your favorite fall pastimes and how much do they cost?