Fall is just around the corner, which means sweater weather, pumpkin spice, and time with friends and family, even as schoolwork starts to pick up. Between classes, midterms, and work, it is easy to let the season fly by without actually enjoying all that it has to offer. Luckily, there are plenty of things to do around Windsor-Essex to feel like a true Gilmore Girl, without actually having to live in Stars Hollow. Here are six things to add to your Windsor fall bucket list.
- Go Apple Picking at Thiessen Orchards
Is it really fall if you do not go apple picking at least once? Thiessen Orchards in Leamington is a great place to spend an afternoon picking your own apples and enjoying the orchard’s activities and attractions. Between the corn maze, wagon rides, and all the fall treats, you can easily spend a few hours here. It’s also the perfect place to dress up, take photos with your friends or partner, and grab a doughnut and an iced coffee.Â
- Pick Out a Pumpkin at Pépé’s Pumpkin Patch
A pumpkin patch is another fall essential, and Pépé’s Pumpkin Patch in LaSalle is another fun way to spend an afternoon. There are pumpkins, a hayride, and a corn maze. Even better, I like to carve and paint pumpkins to fully get into the spooky season spirit. They are open September 19th to October 31st!
- Spend a Saturday Morning at the Downtown Windsor Farmers’ Market
Before farmers’ market season comes to an end, spend a Saturday morning walking around the Downtown Windsor Farmers’ Market. Grab a coffee, check out the local vendors, and pick up some fresh produce, baked goods, or something from a local small business. It is a great place to catch up with friends or family, and afterwards you can take a walk by the river before the winter weather arrives. They are open Saturdays from 9 pm to 2pm until October 31st.Â
- Spend an Afternoon at Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards
One of the best parts about living in Windsor is having an abundance of local wineries to enjoy. Sometimes I need a break from studying and work, and my friends and I love to take a trip out to Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards in Harrow for an afternoon of wine tasting and catching up. They have a tasting flight, beautiful fall scenery, and great eats at The Vines Restaurant. The cooler weather makes it the perfect time to visit and the perfect excuse to get a little dressed up for a girls’ day out.
- Scarehouse Windsor
If Halloween is your favourite part of fall, you need at least one activity that is actually scary. Scarehouse Windsor is the perfect place to immerse yourself in everything horror and paranormal. I have made it a tradition to go every year, and it never disappoints. They offer five themed haunt rooms, 90-minute dinner experiences, and are rated #1 in Canada. Grab your friends or significant other, as this is one place you don’t want to miss.Â
- Check Out the Windsor International Film Festival
Fall in Windsor also marks the return of the Windsor International Film Festival. WIFF is the perfect opportunity to watch what you normally would not and experience one of Windsor’s largest downtown events. Pick a movie with your friends, grab some popcorn, and make a night out of it. I had to attend a movie for one of my classes once, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the film and how many incredible Canadian films and filmmakers there are out there.Â
The fall semester always flies by for me, so this year I am trying to remain present and live in the moment as much as possible. Whether that means picking apples at Thiessen Orchards, finding the perfect pumpkin at Pépé’s, spending an afternoon at a winery, or screaming your way through Scarehouse, you do not have to travel far to have the perfect fall day. Windsor-Essex has plenty to offer; you just have to make the time to enjoy it.