8 Ways You Can Still Have Fun This Fall

Fall is one of the best times to get outdoors and take in views of the colorful leaves, the smells of warming spices and the flavors of pumpkin and apple. Here’s what you can do to safely celebrate all that is autumn.

And keep in mind: If a venue ever feels too crowded or you find it hard to maintain social distancing when you get there, it’s better to skip the activity and try again another day.

Go Apple Picking

Apple orchards produce some of their best fruit in early fall. Many orchards have stripped down the games and rides, but many are open for pick-your-own visits, often with timed tickets. Places like Erwin’s Orchards in South Lyon, Michigan, have added wooden dividers to their wagons to make it easier to maintain distance, and there is plenty of room to spread out in the orchards to pick honeycrisp, golden delicious, gala apples and more.

Take home your haul and make a crisp, pie, homemade applesauce or just eat the apples as is.

Enjoy a Cider Tasting

Fall is also the season for cider (and doughnuts!). At Twin Star Orchards, located in New York’s Hudson Valley, you can taste some amazing hard ciders outdoors. You can also pre-order woodfired pizzas to enjoy at the farm (in groups of 10 or less). On the weekends they offer family-friendly concerts and events, all distanced and outside.

Some orchards are doing curbside pickup for their (non-alcoholic) cider and doughnuts (giving you more frequent chances to drive-by and go).

Get Lost in a Corn Maze

Wandering through a field isn’t necessarily cancelled. As recommended by the CDC, just be sure to check that the maze is one-way before embarking on your journey.

Visit a Pumpkin Patch

Whatever Halloween may look like this year, your porch can still sport a pumpkin. Patches are open for picking (and grocery store pumpkin displays are aplenty) for your decorating needs. If the weather holds up, invite friends over to decorate outside, while socially distanced, and make a variety of roasted pumpkin seeds as a snack!

Visit a Farmers’ Market

Seasonal fruits and vegetables are fun to work with, and there is no better place to find them than at your local farmers’ market. Markets around the country have set up safe ways to socially distance and shop, so bring your bag and load up on squash, apples, pomegranates and more.

Hit the Grill

Just because summer is over doesn’t mean you have to stop cooking outside. We’ll all be trying to extend life outdoors this fall, so why not try some fall grilling recipes? Get cooking with grilled vegetable salads, roasted squash pizzas and more.

Cozy Up by the Campfire

Yes, fall is still s’mores season, so throw on your favorite flannel or fleece and get cozy by the backyard campfire.

Make Chili

Few things say fall like chili on the stovetop. Throw it in a Crock-Pot, make it vegetarian, add extra spice or drop in a heap of vegetables. Here are over 50 ways to make it.

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