Autumn is a time for coming together! Cooler weather and festive activities mean there’s something fun for everyone. Keep the family busy or learn something new! Whether you’re getting cozy inside or exploring the great outdoors, these ideas will help you celebrate the season.
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1. Make Tasty Fall Treats
Fall is a great time to unleash your inner baker — so go ahead and celebrate the harvest through desserts and baked goods. Our seasonal favorites are infused with autumnal spices and fudgy craft chocolate. You’ll stay on-trend with recipes featuring whole foods and plant-based products. If you like making chocolate desserts, you need quality chocolate ingredients. Vegan chocolates with rich, organic cacao and vanilla beans make the perfect foundation for chocolate pumpkin bread.
Try a share-worthy pecan pie featuring chocolate and salted caramel. Craft-baking chocolate made with pure cacao or bittersweet dark chocolate will take your fall treats up a notch. Create an unforgettable chocolate coffee caramel tart — or do a modern take on the sweet potato pie with a chocolate crust. Do you prefer to showcase fall spices like cinnamon or cardamom? Autumn is the time for deliciously spiced desserts. Adorn a classic apple pie drizzled with caramel and paired with a cup of coffee — or try making mini apple cider doughnuts.
Add pistachios or pecans to your fall baklava recipe, and then impress your guests with a sweet potato cake. Keep things light with caramel apple tarts made with your favorite apples and airy puff pastry. If you’re serving your fall treats to friends, place them on a rustic plate featuring this year’s top autumnal colors.
Eggplant purple and burnt orange are fashionable, but you can’t go wrong with beautiful neutrals like cream or brown. Your spread will look comforting, and every bite will feel like a cozy hug. Serve with a warm beverage and a plaid cloth napkin.
2. Host a Harvest Party
There’s no better way to kick off the season than with a festive harvest party. This celebration is about fall, so adorn your space with plenty of autumn décor. Flank the entranceway with pumpkins and decorate with leaf garlands to give everyone that fall feeling. If you’d like, you can add corn or other fall gourds. Tree branches and apples are reminiscent of the harvest, and so are scarecrows and hay stacks.
Why not take the party outdoors if your backyard resembles a fall nature scene? Set up benches or tables with chairs. Use the space for a potluck — or set out seasonal apps to satisfy everyone. Serve roasted pumpkin seeds or candied pecans so guests can move around while snacking. They’ll love filling an appetizer plate with pumpkin hummus and pita chips with fresh vegetables.
More must-haves include cinnamon apple chips or baked sweet potato chips. Want to serve something more substantial? Make vegan jalapeno poppers stuffed with cashew cream. Cornbread is always tasty at a fall party, while potato cakes are a warm and delicious snack perfect for pairing with applesauce or baked apples. Other delicious favorites include vegan nachos and spicy buffalo cauliflower.
Now that you have a food menu, don’t forget to include fall beverages. Everyone loves apple cider, but you could also serve drinking chocolate. Elevate a cup of hot cocoa with bittersweet drinking chocolate crumbles and whipped cream made with coconut milk. Other delicious offerings include spiced pumpkin lattes and hot chai tea.
Make your harvest party complete with fun fall activities like pumpkin carving or creating caramel apples. Cook s’mores over an outdoor fire or decorate mini pumpkins with paint and craft glitter. Use a projector to watch sports or show a movie on the lawn. Offer folded chairs and blankets so everyone can relax and enjoy.
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3. Spend Quality Time in Nature
For many people, fall is an ideal time to go outdoors. The brisk temperatures offer a chance to take long walks and nature hikes. If the leaves change where you live, consider visiting a park or forest. Take in the cool, fresh air and absorb the vibrant color.
Fall is wonderful for exploring gorges and waterfalls. For a short time, you can pick your produce when you visit sprawling apple orchards. You’ll also make memories while camping by telling spooky stories and making snacks over the fire. Grab a book about local birds and use it for seasonal birdwatching. After all, there’s hardly anything more relaxing than gazing at beautiful birds while enjoying tea or hot cocoa.
This autumn, try something new: forest bathing. This activity doesn’t require you to immerse yourself in water—rather, it’s the practice of being mindful and meditative outdoors. Give yourself time to walk slowly through the forest, put a blanket down, and enjoy a deep breathing session.
If you’re passionate about learning, you can enjoy the fall weather by visiting interesting historical sites. Cooler weather makes it more comfortable to walk and explore outdoors. Autumn is also the time to visit a corn maze. Find one near you and see if you can navigate your way out of the grain-lined corridors. Other inspiring ways to enjoy your time in nature include gathering leaves for fall crafts and finding beautiful backdrops to take photos.
4. Visit a Fall Pumpkin Patch
Can you say it’s autumn without visiting a pumpkin patch? Everyone wants to pick their gourd to get in the fall spirit. Decide whether you need a big or small one, and then take some time to search around. These days, you will find smooth, classic-looking pumpkins and even bumpy, white heirloom varieties. You may see giant prize-winning pumpkins or minis for giving away as gifts and prizes. Once you find the perfect pumpkins, take some more time to admire the rows of different sizes and colors.
When you’re done looking around, see what other activities are available. Some patches are for pumpkins only, while others offer fall shopping and fun activities. You could have a chance to buy autumnal goods like apple butter or hot apple cider. Some harvest festivals sell cute wreaths and crafts perfect for home decorating.
Depending on the farm, you can take a hayride or snap photos with huge pumpkins or festive scarecrows. You can also meet farm animals at the pumpkin patch’s petting zoo or look to see if there’s a bounce house for the kids. If you want to use this opportunity to take family pictures, think about what you’ll wear beforehand. Fall colors and festive flannel can help you capture the season’s essence.
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Making the Most of Fall
The best part about fall is there are so many ways to celebrate! Whether you love the great outdoors or like cooking and baking, it’s easy to enjoy all that autumn offers. Create a list of everything you want to accomplish before winter. Have fun with different activities, and you’ll feel like you made the most of the season.
