Yay! Fall is here! You can once again jump in piles of leaves and start thinking about the last possible day when we can wear flip-flops without getting frostbite. Fortunately, we go to school in a beautiful autumn state, and we can take full advantage of the foliage and crisp weather by visiting a few of these fantastic places:
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Plimoth Plantation
Growing up on the Cape, Pilgrims were the topic of conversation all through autumn. We dressed up like them for Halloween, made finger paintings of little Pilgrim hats in art class, and, best of all, went on school field trips to Plimoth Plantation every few years. Having said this, PP is definitely NOT just for little kids. There are full-scale Wampanoag home sites, a Mayflower II ship, and a Pilgrim village modeled exactly like the Plimoth of the 1600s. Hysterical photo ops, trust me. -
Salem
Every October, Halloween fanatics descend upon a small Massachusetts town famous for its history of witchcraft and witch trials – and it gets crazy. There are more haunted houses and scary tourist sites than you can count, a majority of them locally owned by Salem residents. I went last year with some friends and had an absolute blast! The costumes you see there are all incredible, and it’s a good way to spend a crisp fall day. As a tip, try to get there early if you’re driving – it’s quite a small town, and parking is a nightmare (pun intended) in October. -
Keene Pumpkin Festival
On October 20th, Keene, New Hampshire hosts their yearly Pumpkin Festival. Last year there were over 16,000 pumpkins! It’s an amazing spectacle, and something you need to visit if you’ve never seen it before. Feel free to bring your own carved pumpkins to add to the collections, too! -
Boston Vegetarian Food Festival
For the 17th year, the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival is coming to the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center on Tremont Street in Boston. Fall is the best time for natural foods – squash, pumpkin, and lots of yummy others! And it’s all free! -
Freeport, Maine
One of my favorite places to visit in the fall is Freeport, where you can see the absolute best foliage. The Camp Sunshine Pumpkin Festival on October 27th has over 6,000 pumpkins and lots of food, fun and games. I love the L.L. Bean flagship store in the center of town too – it’s HUGE and you can pick up all of your winter stuff ahead of time in one place.
Photo Sources:
http://www.womansday.com/life/holidays/10-illuminating-jack-o-lantern-festivals-111469
http://thedivinemissmommy.com/fall-in-freeport-maine-at-the-hilton-garden-inn/
http://www.plimoth.org/what-see-do