100 Activities That Will Get You in the Spirit of Fall
Updated: Sep. 23, 2019There is so much more to enjoy in the fall than eating apple pie and going on a hayride (though those are two of the most popular activities). Check out 98 more things you can do to get in the spirit of fall.
Gather Around a Fire
The crisp, cool air makes a bonfire fantastic in the fall. Don’t have a fire pit? Get an idea of what you want with these 37 sensational fire pits.
Horseshoes
Horseshoes is a classic summer/fall fun game that’s perfect for entertaining guests at a party, or just passing the time with your family. Strike up some friendly competition by installing a court yourself. Here’s a great tutorial to check out that’s fun to look at, too!
If you love outdoor projects, check out these eight ways to increase backyard fun.
Garage Sale
Spring cleaning is normally seen as a prime time for yard sales, but a post-summer garage sale can be the perfect way to clean out the summer toys and gear you no longer need while making room for holiday decorations—not to mention making a little extra cash, says Aaron LaPedis, author of The Garage Sale Millionaire. Plus, it is a great way to meet your neighbors and their kids before school starts to set up playdates and carpools, he adds. Follow these tips to rake in the big bucks.
DIY Bird Feeder
Suet, which can be purchased at most grocery stores, is the hard fat around the kidneys and loins of cows and sheep. Especially In the winter, suet is a source of heat and energy for insect-eating birds. You can make a simple suet bird feeder from a mesh bag that produce comes in. Just shape the suet into a ball, roll it in birdseed (although this isn’t necessary), put the suet in the mesh bag and hang it outside.
Canning
The fall is a good time to start canning since it’ll be harvest season, too. Learn how to can and what you’re able to can.
Go to a Farmer’s Market
Everyone loves the farmer’s market during watermelon and peach season but your local growers have plenty of great things to offer as the weather cools down too, says Kristamarie Collman, MD, a family medicine physician specializing in preventative health, nutrition, and weight management. “Take advantage of the seasonal foods such as butternut, pumpkin, and other root vegetables,” she says. “These eats are loaded with vitamins and immune boosting nutrients to help keep you healthy throughout the season.” Add these summer superfoods to your diet for a glowing complexion.
Camp
Thanks to cooler temps, fall camping can be the best camping, says Christian Shauf, CEO and founder of Uncharted Supply Co. The mild weather, changing foliage, and crackling fire will give you lasting memories, plus nothing will solve your sadness about summer ending better than crisp air and the beautiful colors of the leaves around you, he adds.
Plan an Adventure
Combat the dreaded end of summer by giving yourself something to look forward to. “Create a dream board filled with pictures of places you want to go or things you want to do to celebrate fall,” says Janine Knighton, creative director at PuttingAPinInIt.com. Apple picking, drives to see the changing leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, a cozy bed and breakfast, a sumptuous Thanksgiving family feast—whatever says “fall” to you. Then hang it somewhere you can see it every day, she adds. These 38 photos of fall across America will inspire you.
Button Up Your Cabin
Fall’s the time to winterize your cabin. Here’s a good place to start with what you’ll need to do.
Go Glamping
Not everyone is giddy to go camping but they might be for glamping, the glamorous form of camping. You’ll want to add these 32 things for the glamping experience.
Photo: Via Etsy
Jumbo Jenga
What’s better than gathering around an intimate table after dinner and playing a game of Jenga? DIY jumbo Jenga in the backyard, of course! You may have noticed some restaurants and parks have added an interactive space to their patios and open areas with this game, among others. Now it’s your turn to build the game yourself. Here’s a great tutorial to try out for adding life-size Jenga to your backyard fun.
Ladder Golf
Ladder golf is the kind of game that’s fun for all ages. You’ll need a little hand-eye coordination, but pretty much anyone can play. Here’s how to make your own DIY ladder golf game.
Cornhole Set
Cornhole, or bean bag toss, is a fun game that’s great for buddying up with a friend and playing against another duo. And while you can find the game online or at many stores, it’s also really easy to make. In fact, you can likely make a much better one than you can purchase! Here’s how to build a set that will last you for many backyard games to come.
Hike
Fall’s a beautiful time to hike. With the cooler climes you won’t return home a sweaty pig. Who know, you might be able to find some cool twigs you can use to make this picture frame.
Go See the Leaves Change
Find out the trees that are the best for fall color before you go out.
Pumpkin Picking
Pumpkin picking is a staple of fall. Want to know how to speed up the pumpkin carving process?
Apple Orchard
Pick up some apples for pie, cider or an apple bobbing contest at an apple orchard. It might be a good oasis from a congested pumpkin patch or corn maze. Check out how to create an apple spear to pick up apples in your yard.
Jump in a Pile of Leaves
The only fun part of raking leaves is getting to jump in them afterward. Try one of these super useful tools for dealing with leaves when it’s time to clean up.
Hayride
Create a connection with the harvest by going for a hayride. A bale of hay can be kind of comfy.
Airbnb For Fall Colors
The fall colors can be a good excuse to get away and you might be amazed what’s available on Airbnb. Get really adventurous and try renting one of these houseboats that feel like tiny home or immerse yourself in the canopy with a super cool treehouse.
Knit
Sit by the fire, sip on a pumpkin-spiced latte and get to work on a scarf for winter. Or try macramé, it’s all the rage.
Pick up Pine Cones
Pine cones can be a tripping hazard in the backyard, not to mention a hinderance to mowing your lawn, so gather them up and turn them into a creative wreath. Using a pooper scooper to pick up pine cones is one of our 45 hugely helpful home hints
Go Birding
As the leaves start to fall, spotting birds becomes easier. Birding is a good opportunity to get outside and explore. You’ll want to check out these backyard creations, including one that is perfect for birders.
Pumpkin-Spiced Latte
Stay in and create your own pumpkin-spiced latte, everything always tastes better when it’s homemade. Coffee will taste great in this pour-over coffee maker.
Fly a Kite
Flying a kite is an activity that a child of any age can enjoy. Marvel at the scenery while flying a kite. An old kite spool can turn into an incredibly handy tool at home, see how.
Harvest Party
Wouldn’t Thanksgiving be a lot more fun if you could have it with friends? Maybe, maybe not, but a harvest party can serve as a Thanksgiving with friends. Use the produce from the farmer’s market and brew up some pumpkin-spiced lattes. You won’t believe all the pumpkin-spiced products out there now.
Cider
Brew up some cider with apples from an orchard. A good cup of cider can hit the spot in the fall.
Make a Scarecrow
A scarecrow can serve a purpose in the garden at home but it can be an incredibly fun activity for parents and children. Get creative with the design of your scarecrow after seeing some of these cute scarecrows.
Bike Ride
A bike ride along a shady bike trail is a great way to spend a few hours on the weekend. It can be pretty relaxing to coast along the trail and hear the birds chirp. Accessorize your bike with these 10 awesome add-ons.
Friday Night Football
The passion and unbridled enthusiasm of high school football is a sight to behold. It’s also a great way to feel part of the community.
Arboretum
Arboretums can feel like a vacation without having to go far. The kaleidoscope colors of the flowers will leave you impressed and perhaps inspired to add color to your backyard.
Apple Bobbing
Apple bobbing has been a staple of Halloween parties for decades and it’s a fun way to pass the time.
Pumpkin Bread
Bake some pumpkin bread to get into the fall spirit. It can be a little slice of heaven.
Watch Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Fall Movies
As Halloween approaches, fall is a good time to queue up some classic movies like Legend of Sleepy Hollow or Hocus Pocus. Here’s a home theater that will make you jealous.
Ghost Hunting
Try something out of the ordinary and go ghost hunting. There are more and more ghost hunters out there and it’s a good opportunity to learn more about ghosts.
Reading Nook
There’s nothing quite like curling up with a good book on a cool afternoon. Find a sunny spot at home to set up a reading nook.
Watch Football Games On TV Outside
The days of nice weather start to become fleeting in fall so take the opportunity to pull the TV outside to watch college and pro football. Or set up a TV in the garage if you don’t want to haul one in and out of the house. You could go big and set up an outdoor theater.
Reclaim Something
Get going on that project you wanted to finish whether it’s revitalizing an old piece of furniture or repurposing something.
Build a Treehouse
If you’re ambitious, a treehouse can be a pretty cool project. It’s a little escape for kids to get out of the house and feel like they’ve got a space of their own. Be sure to check out these mouth-dropping treehouses to get some ideas.
Track Animals
Take the time to learn more about nature by getting to know different animal tracks. It’ll make those hikes like a little investigation and a bit more engrossing. Just make sure you don’t see any mice tracks heading into your house, you can prevent that with these tips.
Fall Garland
Drag in some leaves to create a gorgeous decor item for your home. Garland is fairly simple and pretty easy to store when winter hits. Try these fun fall outdoor containers, too.
Get Started on Halloween Costumes
A lot of the fun in Halloween is the picking of a costume. Get a head start and start planning when fall arrives. That way you’ll have time to create your costume. A roll of duct tape can be quite the tool for costumes, see some of the craziest here.
Start Building Halloween Yard Decorations
If the weather starts to take a turn, stay inside for a day to start creating Halloween decorations for inside or for the yard. You’ll love these monstrously creative Halloween creations.
Leaf Hunt
Identify different leaves around the yard or at a park with a leaf hunt for kids. Have them place leaves into bags that have a matching picture. It’s fun learning experience for kids. If you need a refresher, here’s a good guide on identifying tree species.
Acorn Crafts
If you’ve got a tree dropping acorns, keep a few on hand to create some acorn decor. It’s a little DIY project that won’t cost you anything besides time. Try these 11 incredibly simple DIY decor ideas.
Creepy Cottage Pumpkin
DIY a miniature Halloween scene inside of a foam pumpkin to use year after year for fun decoration. Check out how to get it done.
Barn Dance
Find a barn dance nearby, gather a group of your friends and dance the night away!
Rock Climbing
If you’ve never done this before, we recommend getting some experience at an indoor rock climbing facility. Then if you get the hang of it, rock climbing outdoors is an amazing experience to enjoy in the fall.
Stargazing
You can stargaze while camping, or you can drive a ways outside of the city and recline on the hood of your vehicle to take in the night sky. Better yet, check out some of the world’s best stargazing destinations.
Sunflower Farm
In addition to pumpkins, sunflowers are a quintessential fall plant, and visiting a sunflower farm makes for a fabulous fall experience. And it’s great for taking photos!
Clean Out Your Gutters
Spread Mulch to Protect Perennials
Prepare Your Fireplace
Clean Up Your Lawnmower and Other Yard Tools
Trim Problem Bushes and Trees
Rake Those Leaves!
Aerate the Lawn
Prep Your Garden
Clean and Store Garden Tools
Inspect Your Fence
Drain Ponds
Clean and Fill Bird Feeders
Plant Bulbs
Repair Cracks
Store Outdoor Furniture
Practice Pest Control
Get Your Gutters Ready
Check Exterior Caulking and Weatherstripping
Fall is the perfect time to make sure your house is properly caulked and your weatherstripping is in good shape. Inspect around windows, doors and anywhere else two materials meet to make sure the caulk is in good shape. Check weatherstripping around doors and replace if it's broken or missing – it's super easy to do.
Give Your Roof a Once-Over
No one wants to be fixing a roof in the dead of winter. Give it a once-over to make sure there aren't any signs of trouble. Pay attention to broken or missing shingles, missing flashing and any discoloration.
Install Frost-Proof Outdoor Faucets
New outdoor faucets are frost-proof and also prevent unsanitary water from contaminating your water system. Installing a new outdoor faucet takes just a few hours and will give you peace of mind all winter long. These other fall to-dos are a little less work and a lot more fun.
Winterize Your Sprinkler System
Drain Garden Hoses or Waste Money on Replacements
Drain Mechanical Sprinklers or Buy a New One in the Spring
Change Your Furnace Filter
Changing your furnace filter is one of the easiest things you can do to keep your furnace in good shape. If you haven't changed it in a while, make sure you have a fresh one before your turn your furnace on for the first time.
Check Your Chimney or Risk a Fire
Stop Airflow Up the Chimney
Deep Clean Rugs and Carpeting
Take advantage of one of those beautiful fall afternoons to give your rugs a deep clean. Take area rugs outside and give them a good shake (or a good whack), then give them a thorough vacuum with your shop vac. Don't forget our interior carpets—you can rent a carpet cleaner and give your carpet a deep clean before you start hosting holiday gatherings.
Get Your Snowblower Ready for Service
You'll want to be sure your snowblower starts before the first big snowfall. Take some time to get your snowblower running and in good order so it'll be spitting snow as soon as it hits the ground.
Stockpile Firewood
Whether you have a source of wood on your property or need to purchase a cord or two, fall is a great time to spend cutting and chopping wood to burn in your fireplace all winter long. And if you're using a chain saw, make sure to brush up on your safety knowledge before you hit the forest.
Store Summer Toys
Rotate Storage
Garage Door Maintenance
Install Weather Stripping
Insulate
Preserve Lawn Supplies
Switch to Warmer Bedding and Clothes
Insulate Pipes to get Your Home Ready for the Cold
Inspect Your Screens and Windows
Prepare Your Entryway for Muddy Feet
Protect the A/C Compressor or Risk Damage From a Falling Icicle
Clean Weep Holes
