This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Penn chapter.
Fall is upon us, and that means hayrides, pumpkin spiced everything, and those special activites only the autumn can bring! Read on to see the best ways to celebrate this season:
1. Visit an Orchard
There is nothing like leaving the city for a day to visit an orchard. The fall scene is set beautifully with vivid leaves, crisp air, and the smell of baked goods. Orchards provide a variety of activities that simply don’t exist in urban settings. Picking apples and choosing pumpkins, for example, are rare forms of fun for us city dwellers. Orchards offer the opportunity to experience hayrides and corn mazes, which are great for bonding time with friends away from the distractions of everyday life. Do your homework and choose an orchard that has activities you find interesting– some offer petting zoos, pony rides, carousels, apple slingshots– and tailor your visit accordingly. Try strolling through the small on-site market, a cup of hot cider in hand, taking in the variety of jams, butters, and pies. The child-like wonder you will feel is unparalleled.
2. Warm Up the Oven
Remember those apples from the orchard? Well, they are perfect for baking delicious fall desserts. Who doesn’t want the smell of a fresh apple pie wafting through their apartment? If baking doesn’t come easily to you, apple pie is not as difficult to prepare as you may think. Frozen pie shells are sold in every grocery store, and instead of making a crust to cover the apples, a brown sugar crumble is a simple yet tasty alternative. Try this easy to follow recipe. There are so many other flavors of fall: pumpkin spice, cinnamon, caramel. Minimal effort recipes are all over the internet. Make it fun: put on music, or a fall classic (It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, anyone?) to set the mood.
3. Find a Haunted House
What’s fall without haunted houses? Most haunted houses start in early October and have become a major autumn activity, inextricably linked with the spirit of the season. This is a great group activity, or even a fun date. The anticipation starts before you even enter the first room. As you hear the screams of the people who’ve gone before you, your heart begins to race and you feel your blood rushing through your body. Everyone clings to one another, moving as one to dodge and duck bloody axemen and scary apparitions. It’s an opportunity to experience the fear of frightening films live, to scream and be afraid while simultaneously knowing that you will come out the other side completely unharmed. What better way to gear up for Halloween? If you feel especially brave, check out a haunted house that allows workers to touch visitors for an added fear factor.
Happy Fall!