Cool crisp temperatures, golden-red foliage, delicious baked goods, and pumpkin spice everything – these are all things that make autumn undoubtedly the best season of them all. Now that summer is officially behind us, there is so much to look forward to in this new season, from football games and Halloween to planning fall activities to do with friends. Because fall is a busy time and there are so many things to do, it can be hard to know what to prioritize. With some of our own inspiration and help from our peers, we created a list of our favorite fall activities to help you narrow down your lists.
- Watch a quintessential fall movie/TV show
There’s no better way to get in the mindset of fall than to watch the most iconic fall movies and TV shows, including some of our favorites: Harry Potter, Hocus Pocus, Charlie Brown the Great Pumpkin, Little Women, Insidious, and The Craft. This is the perfect time to watch all of your favorite horror movies and binge Gilmore Girls, so it’s best to get on that now. We recommend watching these during a movie marathon or TV binge with friends!
- Visit your local pumpkin patch
When you think of fall, you likely think of pumpkins, which is why it’s extremely important to visit a pumpkin patch (at least once) and get some pumpkins to carve and decorate for Halloween. So, take out your sweaters and hats and head to your local pumpkin patch! One of our favorite patches is the Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, located just five minutes away from school. This patch has pumpkins in every shape, size, and color, which is perfect for painting, carving, or simply decorating your home with. In addition, we recommend Nall’s Produce in Franconia and Cox Farms in Centreville.
- Try Starbucks’ new fall drinks
Whether you’re going to school, coming home from a sports game, or are simply in need of a delicious pick-me-up, make sure to stop by Starbucks and get one of their seasonal fall drinks. Our personal favorite fall drinks and treats include the iced pumpkin chai latte, pumpkin loaf bread, and pumpkin cream cheese muffins.
- Visit a farmers’ market/outdoor flea market
The perfect activity for a Saturday morning – put on a comfy fall outfit, buy some pumpkin bread and produce, and stroll around the stands in hopes of buying all of the fall essentials. There are multiple farmers’ markets in Old Town Alexandria, one of the most popular being in the Market Square on King Street. In Del Ray, there is a farmers’ market every Saturday and an outdoor flea market every second Saturday of the month. Similarly, the Georgetown flea market, which is open every Sunday, has a wide variety of clothing and accessories to choose from.
- Take a scenic hike
With the cooling temperature and beautiful foliage, autumn is a great time to go on a scenic hike with family and friends. It can be short, but it’s important to find a place where you can fully enjoy all of the natural beauty. Enjoy the fresh air and bring your favorite snacks to eat on the way. Some of our favorite places to hike are Great Falls Park in Fairfax County and the Four Mile Run trail in Alexandria.
- Visit Cox Farms
Cox farms has everything for fall, from hay rides to haunted houses and animal petting zoos. It’s an enjoyable day outing for family and friends to celebrate the new season (especially if you purchase their apple cider doughnuts)! The farm is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday but is open every other day from 10am-6pm. If you are more interested in the night events at Cox Farms, be sure to visit the Fields of Fear, which is open every Friday and Saturday night from September 22nd-November 4th (and Sunday, October 8th) from 7:30pm-11pm. Although Cox Farms is located 40 minutes away from school, it is definitely worth the drive!
- Go apple picking
You can’t have a fully complete bucket list of fall activities until you go apple picking, so pick a sunny weekend morning and head out for a fun-filled day at Hollin Farms! Hollin Farms is a family owned farm located in Delaplane, VA, just about one hour away from school. While this is a longer day trip, it’s the perfect place to get fresh apples, peaches, corn, and other produce, which is perfect for baking fall desserts! Hollin is open Wednesday- Thursday from 9am-12:30pm, and Saturday-Sunday from 9am-2:30pm, but is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
- Visit a haunted house/haunted maze
While us editors do enjoy a wholesome pumpkin and latte filled fall, we also appreciate a bit of a scare to start halloween season in October. “Shocktober” is one of the best haunted houses in Northern Virginia that will leave you with the creeps- however, it is roughly a 1 hour drive away in Leesburg. Another fun option for a scary night event is Markoff’s Haunted Forest in Montgomery County, Maryland. Markoff’s is also about an hour away from school, but is undoubtedly worth it. If your friends are interested in the scare but you are not, Markoff’s also has a Halloween-themed village, with everything from large bonfires to waffle trucks and your favorite fall music!
- Have a festive day at home
If you are the type of person who would rather enjoy fall from home, we recommend having a fall-themed sleepover with friends and doing a combination of the activities on this list. Here are some other easy and more local fall activities for you:
- Curl up with your favorite book and light a fall scented candle
- Get work done at a local coffee shop
- Bake your favorite fall treat
- Sit by a fire pit at night
There’s no better time than now to do all of your favorite fall-themed activities with friends, whether that be going to a haunted house or simply staying in and watching a comforting fall movie. With our complete list of must-do activities for this season, we hope you have a little more inspiration for the next few months when you’re looking for something to do!
