Autumn Magic List
The flowers in my backyard are fighting for their lives against the overnight frosts, and only the sunflowers remain vibrant and healthy. The grass is also a carpet of red and orange waiting to be raked, and I really should go outside with a rake and a garbage bag for the sad flowers. Somehow though this would involve admitting that summer is over, that fall really is upon us and that I need to start thinking about the “w” word – which I can’t even bring myself to type.
Fortunately I’ve been blessed with a “glass half full” perspective to the changing of seasons, and there are a few things I am looking forward to this October and November. Pumpkin spice lattes anybody?
The return of my favorite autumn bevies aside, there is a lot to get excited about this time of year, and you don’t have to put on orange tinted glasses to get excited about the magic of the season. Below are the top 10 things I want to do this fall. I hope these ideas will inspire you to create your own Autumn Magic List.
My Autumn Magic List
1. Enjoy a local theme park, zoo, or tourist attraction – without the crowds! Why not celebrate that summer vacation is over and you can actually walk around your local zoo and see animals rather than crowds of tourists. As somebody who doesn’t like large masses of people, I love autumn and welcome having some of my favorite places to myself again.
2. Embrace slower paced autumn hiking. Summer tends to be busy, and we are often out the door early in the morning to tackle big adventures. Now is the time to embrace a relaxed start — to skip packing lunches and to grab something near the trail head before or after a short little outing, and to slow it down. Chances are the kids will love these short little weekend trips, too, as a break from the busyness of school and extracurricular activities.
3. Spend a day in the country. Nothing says autumn more than a day in the country running through a corn maze, hiking through golden trees, or picking pumpkins at a local farm.
4. Check one final trip off the summer list. I don’t know about you, but I know that my summer list definitely didn’t get finished. There are still bike rides that we didn’t get to, skate parks my son wants to visit at least one more time, and a few places we’d hoped to travel to but didn’t get the chance. My philosophy, therefore, is keep going till the snow falls! There are still a couple of good months to check things off that summer list before pulling out the skis.
5. Get yourself ready for cold weather sports. Now’s the time to build some skills that you’ll use over the next several months. Sign up for indoor skating lessons, register for an early-season ski clinic, or join a club that will get you out this winter.
6. Go camping one last time. I know it might be cold where you live by mid-October, but this is a great time to try comfort camping in a yurt or covered wall tent, to book a wilderness cabin or hut, or to stay in a back-country lodge.
7. Go on a Family Super Hero Hike. The best thing about the season of Halloween is that you can dress up and pretend to be anybody you want – even as an adult! Try it. I dare you to dress up in matching superhero costumes (complete with capes) and go running through the woods with your child. Let me know if you feel like you’re six years old again.
8. Throw an Outdoor Halloween Bash. Check out this story that I wrote for BonBon Break last year to get inspired for this one.
9. Plan a Thanksgiving feast with friends. Pack the house to overflowing, create a mess that will take a day to clean up, and celebrate gratefulness with the people you love most.
10. Find Snow! I know, I said I wasn’t ready to say the “w” word, but you can enjoy a hike in the early season snow without having to think about winter yet. You may have to drive for it or to go find a ski hill that opens early in November, but it can be fun to escape the dreary days of late November with a quick trip to Narnia and the winter wonderland you’ll find when you step through the wardrobe.
If you’re on Instagram, hashtag your photos with #AutumnMagic so I can follow your adventures, and I’ll do the same. Together we can inspire one another to get out and to make the most of the next couple of months.
MORE INSPIRATION:
- Why I Stopped Saying No to Screen Time
- Shut Your Eyes and Listen to Peter
- 11 Ideas for Build-Your-Own-Dinner Nights
- More Than A Snap Judgement
Read more from the INSPIRE posts
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This post was written by Tanya Koob exclusively for BonBon Break Media, LLC.
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