30 Fall Things to Do for a Cozy Autumn
Making your fall bucket list? I have 30 things to do in fall for you that are full of autumn inspiration. These fall things to do are full of fall fun with a cozy vibe that will help you enjoy with intention. From fun fall activities to fall events, fall things to do at home, to food and drinks to enjoy this season. This fall checklist has everything that you need to do this year from September to November to truly enjoy autumn.
Cozy Fall Things To Do At Home
Give your home a cozy fall refresh
Refreshing your home décor for the fall season is one of the best things to do in the fall. Create a cozy vibe for your home with beautiful fall décor, and even if you do not want to redecorate your space, simple things like swapping your pillow covers with fall-themed or fall color covers are a good place to start. Add a chunky knit throw on the couch or on the reading chair. Switch your everyday candle to warm autumn special fragrances like cinnamon or fig, or apple to create the seasonal feel. Add a little bit of fall-themed items like pumpkin or fall leaf figurines and décor, and you and your home are ready for the season.
Decorate your front porch or entryway
Let everyone know you are ready for the autumn by decorating the front porch. It’s not just for you, but it lifts the spirits of the guests and neighbours for the season. You don’t need a giant pumpkin display; even going for minimal décor with a few mini pumpkins in odd numbers looks good. Adding a seasonal doormat and a small fall wreath is enough to decorate your porch for the fall. If you have outdoor seating, changing the cover to plaid or buffalo will bring the look. Add a string of warm white lights around the entry to make evenings feel cozier.
Enjoy reading in a cozy reading nook
Fall season is perfect for catching up on reading with books that feel good or are spooky and mysterious. Make a reading list for the fall season and sit in a cozy corner with a warm drink and fall treats. Add a cozy lamp and curl up in a soft blanket to get lost in reading. Keep a stack of 3 to 4 books you are excited about beside your reading space so you are not scrolling to decide what to read next. Fall season is perfect to catch up on reading. I always end up with at least 1 book from the Harry Potter Series.
Create a cozy fall morning routine
Morning routine must change with the season, so now is the time to re-evaluate your routine to adjust it for the season. You can change to a cup of chai or spiced coffee for your morning beverage. Start the day with the sunlight, as it is softer and cooler this time of year and helps you wake up gently. You can choose a cozy, laid-back morning or enjoy a brisk walk, enjoying the fall colors of nature.
Tick off your fall watch list
Keep a running list on your phone of shows and movies you want to watch that are fall season coded. It can be new movies or series coming up in the season or something that was on your watch list for a long. Or maybe a rewatch of your favorites. It can be cozy and nostalgic or spooky and fun; I am a big fan of feel-good movies. Having a fall watch list will save you from scrolling for 20 minutes every time you sit down to watch something. I like to mix in one classic fall watch with something newer that just came out this year, and save the spooky ones for late October.
Enjoy a slow fall evening
A slow evening is just the thing you need to end your day with peace. And the cozy vibe of a fall evening is just the best part of the year. It’s not chilling but cool enough for you to relax. It’s best to put on some dim lights, one or 2 candles, and slip into comfy pyjamas and fluffy slippers. Put on a movie or read or spend time with your hobby, with the side of something warm to drink or fall treats. It just changes your mood instantly. You can also end your day with journaling with cute fall themed stationary.
Fall Things To Do Outdoors
Visit a pumpkin patch
Visit a pumpkin patch on a weekday morning if you can; most patches get packed on weekends in October, and you end up rushing through it. Look up if your local patch has a hayride or a small petting area this year; a lot of them add new activities each season, so check their site or Instagram before you go instead of assuming it is the same as last year.
Go apple picking
Spending time picking apples is one of a kind of experience. Call ahead or check online for which varieties are in season for the week you plan to go. Apple picking spots often post a picking calendar since not every apple is ready at the same time. Take your own bags if the orchard allows it; some charge extra for their bags. Plan to pick more than you think you need; you will end up using them for baking later.
Visit a corn maze
Visiting a corn maze is fun and nostalgic; you must try it this season. Plan to visit later in the afternoon, closer to sunset. If the maze offers a flashlight version, it is a completely different experience once it gets dark. Some mazes now have a theme that changes yearly, so look up this year’s design before you go, it is more fun when you know what you are looking for from above.
Trip to fall harvest festival
One thing that screams fall is the fall feast, you must not miss it. You can look for it in your locality; check online, now a days you can find the best updates on such stuff on Instagram. Start looking for it in September; a lot of harvest festivals are not heavily advertised, and you can easily miss them. These usually have local vendors, food trucks, and sometimes live music, it is a good low cost outing for the whole family.
Go leaf peeping
The first thing that comes to mind for anyone when you hear the word fall is the “Fall Leaves”. Pick a drive or trail known for peak color in your area and check a fall foliage tracker map online before you go since peak color shifts by a week or two each year depending on weather. Early morning or golden hour gives you the best light if you want photos. Take a thermos filled with something warm to make the drive more fun.
Shop at farmers market
Fall markets usually bring out things you do not see the rest of the year, like squash varieties, mums, and fresh cider. Go with a loose plan for what you want to cook that week so you are not just buying random things. This is also a nice way to support local vendors before the market season ends for winter.
Spend a day at an orchard or cider mill
Many orchards do more than picking now, it is like a mini festival. Try to look for ones with added activities like fall treat stalls, or a small tasting, hayrides. Check if they have a specific weekend for something like a cider pressing demo; some mills let you watch or even help press cider which is a fun one time thing to see.
Food And Drinks To Enjoy Fall Season
Bake your favorite fall treats
Use the apples from your apple picking trip for something like a simple apple crisp instead of a full pie if you want low effort. Pumpkin bread and cinnamon rolls also freeze well, so bake a double batch and freeze half for a busy week later in the season.
Host a soup night
Pick 2 to 3 soups to make in big batches and invite a few people over to serve themselves; it is a much easier way to host than a full sit-down dinner. Put out bread, toppings like cheese and croutons, and let people build their own bowl.
Try a seasonal drink on your favorite cafe’s menu
Most cafes only run their fall menu for a limited window, so check when it drops this year instead of waiting since some sell out of seasonal syrups before the season even ends. Try one new drink you have not had before instead of defaulting to the same order every time.
Make homemade apple cider
If you did go apple picking, this is the place to use your extra apples. Simmer them with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and a bit of orange peel for a few hours; your whole house will smell like fall. It also makes a good gift in a mason jar if you make extra.
Make a fall charcuterie board
Skip the usual grape and cracker combo and lean into the season with things like dried apple chips, mini pumpkin bread slices, spiced nuts, and a soft cheese with honey drizzled on top. A small bowl of fig jam works really well here too.
Host a cozy fall dinner party
Keep the menu simple, one main dish that can sit in the oven like a roast chicken or a baked pasta, so you are not stuck in the kitchen the whole time. Set the table with warm candles instead of bright overhead light and let the evening run slow.
Plan a chili night
Make a big pot of chili and set out various toppings like cheese, sour cream, green onion, jalapenos, for everyone can customize their own bowl. The best part is that you can make it ahead the day before, as chili tastes better the next day anyway.
Creative Things To Do This Fall
Start a fall DIY project
Try something you can actually finish in a weekend instead of a big project that sits half done, like painting a few pumpkins instead of carving, or making a small wood sign for your porch. Check what is trending this year for fall decor ideas if you want inspiration, styles shift slightly every season.
Learn a cozy hobby
Fall is a good time to pick this up since you are naturally inside more once it gets colder and darker earlier. Start with something small like a scarf or a simple embroidery hoop pattern instead of a big project, you want a win early on so you stick with it.
Make a fall wreath or centerpiece
Use real or faux dried elements like wheat stalks, eucalyptus, and small gourds instead of the typical silk fall leaves everyone uses, it looks more current. If you want a centerpiece instead, a low wooden tray with candles, mini pumpkins, and a few pinecones works for the whole season through Thanksgiving.
Start planning homemade holiday gifts
Fall is the time to start if you want to make gifts instead of buying everything last minute in December. Think along the lines of homemade jam, a spice mix, or a small batch of cookies packaged nicely, and start now so it does not turn into a rushed project in the final week before the holidays.
Fall Things To Do With Friends And Family
Host a Fall game night
Pick 2 to 3 games so people have options, a mix of something quick and something longer in case people want to keep playing. Add a fall snack spread and let it run late, this is one of the easiest ways to see friends without much planning.
Play classic fall party games
Fall is perfect to spend time with family and friends, and what better way than to play some games. There are many fall season games that you can play with friends and family to enjoy a fun fall. You can surely find something for any age and liking. You can check these 25 Fun Fall Games for All Ages.
Have a s’mores night
You do not need a big setup, a small grill or even a tabletop sterno works fine for a backyard s’mores night. Set out a few topping options beyond the classic, like peanut butter cups or strawberries, to make it feel a little different this year.
Invite friends for a cozy fall brunch
Keep the menu simple with a few make-ahead dishes like a baked French toast casserole so you are not cooking while your friends are there. Add a warm drink station with coffee, tea, and maybe mulled cider so people can serve themselves.
Go for a cozy fall date
Skip the usual dinner and a movie and try something seasonal instead, a hayride, a walk through a botanical garden during peak color, or grabbing a seasonal drink and walking through a local festival together.
Plan a family baking day
Set aside one weekend day to bake together instead of squeezing it in during a weeknight. Let kids help with the messier parts like decorating or mixing, and pick 2 to 3 recipes so the day has a rhythm instead of feeling rushed.
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