Fall Bucket List – Outdoor Activities

15 Outdoor Activities You Can Do This Fall

If you’re like me and count down the days until fall, then I’m sure you’re already out there making the most of this beautiful season!

Every year I look forward to the changing of the seasons. The slight chill in the air, the smells of baked goods and candles as you walk past open windows, the cozy sweaters and all of the outdoor activities!

No more sun burns and sweating the second you step outside.

Fall brings out a beauty in the world that no other season does.

Whether you’re already halfway through your fall bucket list or just starting, I hope this list of outdoor activities will help inspire you to get outside and see how the world is changing around you.

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15 Fall Outdoor Activities

As I put this list together, I realized how many things I’ve never done! Well that certainly has to change.

Collecting leaves and pinecones might be a little difficult here in California. At the end of the month I’m headed back to the midwest to visit the family and plan to cram in as many activities as I can!

1. Visit a pumpkin patch

Have you picked out that perfect pumpkin for carving yet? I love going to pumpkin patches, assessing my options and planning out the scene that will later be carved into it. I tend to forget that these skinny arms aren’t made to cary more than 10 pounds and always go for the biggest pumpkin first! I quickly re-adjust my expectations and find the lucky one I’ll be taking home. If you don’t have time to go to a pumpkin patch, your local grocery store has plenty of options to choose from! If you’re looking at pumpkins purely for decoration, the stores have plenty of pumpkins in a variety of colors you can mix and match on your porch.

2. Go apple picking

Apple picking every year has been a tradition in my family ever since my dad was kid. As I was growing up, we would actually go to the same orchard he did as a child! It was right on the boarder of Illinois and Wisconsin. The state line was on the road right in front of the orchard so if you straddled the dividing line on the road you were “in two places at once.” A Walk to Remember anyone?? Unfortunately that orchard has since closed. My family’s new tradition is trying out a different orchard every year. I still love going apple picking with them when I can but no orchard will beat the original! Here I am with me and my mom a few years ago. By mid day it was way too warm for long sleeves but you have to get that *perfect* fall picture, you know?

3. Collect Leaves

There have been a few times where I’ve brought leaves in with the intention of pressing them, forgotten, and then have had to throw them out a few days later when I find them brittle and shriveled up. One of these years I’ll get it right!

4. Go camping

I’ve only been camping once but it wasn’t in the fall. It went a lot better than I had expected so I would definitely be interested in trying it again. Even with the chillier weather, I imagine it would be incredibly peaceful to wake up to all of the changing leaves around you.

5. Have a bonfire

My family loves bonfires! This certainly can be done anytime of year but it always feels more magical in the fall.

6. Go to a festival

Anyone else big into Renaissance festivals?? I love going to these! It’s been a couple years since I’ve been though since Covid had them shut down for so long. One of these years I’ll dust off my costume again and go. This year, my husband is taking me to Knott’s Berry Farm for the first time. I’ve heard a lot of great things so I’m excited for it, just as long as we leave before it becomes Knott’s Scary Farm! As much as I love scary movies, a zombie coming after me in year life is not my cup of tea!

7. Go on a hayride

I’ve been on several but of course all of my pictures from them are super blurry! Reminder for the future, take pictures before the wagon starts moving!

8. Explore a corn maze

This was one thing my brother and I looked forward to every year when we went apple picking. The place my family went to had a corn maze, playground, animals to feed, apple cider and fresh homemade donuts! The corn maze was always a favorite, especially if we could talk my uncle into playing hide and seek with us in it. Again, I’m not one for jump scares. As long as the corn maze is family friends, I love it! When it’s a Halloween corn maze, don’t even think about asking me to go in. I’m a scaredy cat!

9. Make s’mores

Have you tried making s’mores in the microwave before? It’s definitely not the same but a good alternative if you won’t be around a bonfire this year.

10. Go on a nature hike

I love exploring the woods! This is a great family activity and moment to take that family photo to include in the Christmas card!

11. Collect pinecones

This one I’ve never done. Now that I have a little one, I plan on doing this one year and turning them into “bird feeders”. I believe that was an episode I saw on Barney about 25 years ago!

12. Go on a fall picnic

Don’t let the ants make you cancel your plans! I know they can be annoying but this is a great way to interrupt your family’s routine and get them out into the fresh air! Even if it’s just in the backyard. Work with your kids on packing snacks, making sandwiches,

13. Take pictures outside

One of my hobby’s is photography. Fall is especially my favorite time to get out and take photos with all of the gorgeous colors. In a few weeks I’ll be headed home to the midwest and can’t wait for the photo ops ahead!

14. Go to a drive-in movie

Do these even still exist? I sure hope so! If they don’t, set up a white sheet and projector in the backyard for a fun movie night out under the stars.

15. Go to a football game

I’ll be honest, my family has never been into sports. I’ve seen more football games in the last year than I had in my whole life ever since I married my husband. I’m more interested in throwing the football party than actually watching the game but I’d be up for seeing at least one in person.

Candidly Crafted

Fall Bucket List – Outdoor Activities

15 Outdoor Activities You Can Do This Fall