Break out the sweaters and pom pom hats! Fall is here, which means it’s time to cozy up and enjoy some festive, autumn-inspired fun. Don’t let this season pass you by without planning some exciting outdoor and at-home activities to enjoy the crisp colors and cooler nights.
Consider creating a family calendar where you and your kids can write down all of your ideas for fall happenings. Having themes such as “Friday Movie Night” or “Baking Sundays” is a great way to create family traditions and spend quality time together. Mix your favorite everyday, at-home autumnal activities with a couple of major weekend events that will fill your schedule without pulling on your purse strings.
Here are some festive ideas that you and your family are sure to enjoy:
Pumpkin Patches
What better way to celebrate pumpkin season than by visiting a pumpkin patch? Pumpkin patches have a variety of kids’ offerings including face painting, rides, petting zoos, pumpkin carving, games, and more. A pumpkin patch provides the perfect backdrop for family photos and many family photographers offer affordable mini-holiday sessions that work with most budgets. Each pumpkin patch is different so consider visiting more than one this season!
Check out these spooktacular pumpkin patches:
Shawn’s Pumpkin Patch (11650 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025)
Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch (10100 Jefferson Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232)
Mr. Jack O’ Lanterns Pumpkin Patch (6333 W 3rd St. Los Angeles, CA 90036)
Apple Picking
Visiting an apple farm is ripe with fall happenings for both adults and children. Picking delicious varieties of apples straight from the tree, listening to live music, kids crafts, feeding farm animals, wagon and hayride tours, and corn mazes are just some of the fun awaiting you at an apple farm. Be prepared to carve out an entire day to visit an apple farm.
Take your pick of some of southern California’s longtime apple orchards:
Willowbrook Apple Farm (12099 Oak Glen Road, Oak Glen)
Los Rios Ranch (39611 Oak Glen Rd, Yucaipa)
Riley’s Farm (12261 Oak Glen Rd, Yucaipa)
Amusement Parks, Festivals, and Fairs
All major amusement parks here in SoCal, such as Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios, and Magic Mountain have fall and Halloween-inspired attractions, rides, and events. There are also many smaller fairs, festivals, and craft events that take place around Los Angeles every weekend.
LA Fall Fair (November 4-6, La Prada Event Plaza, Whittier Narrows Park)
Día de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Cemetery (6000 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90038)
Halloween Parade and Carnival — Gardner Street School (7450 Hawthorne Ave Los Angeles, CA 90046)
L.A. Haunted Hayride (4730 Crystal Springs Drive Los Angeles, CA 90027)
SHAQtoberfest (1126 Queens Highway Long Beach, CA 90802)
Stay-At-Home Treats
While going out and enjoying the change in seasons is a must, here are some of our favorite stay-at-home activities that the whole family will love.
- Pumpkin carving (don’t forget to save the seeds and toast them up for a tasty snack!)
- Baking pumpkin-flavored cookies, cakes, and other treats
- Watch classic fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving movies
- Create DIY Halloween and fall decorations (find inspiration on Pinterest!)
- Cozy up and read some fall children’s books
- Toasting marshmallows over a bonfire
- DIY Halloween costumes
- Create some seasonal-inspired art
- Host a fall-themed potluck dinner
- Try out new autumn-inspired dinner recipes
Photo: iofoto