Despite fall being a fan-favorite season, it’s almost nonexistent in Florida. But Gainesville is lucky enough to still get a little taste of fall. It gets way colder here than the beach I’m from, and the country area gives me the chance to do some fall festivities I wouldn’t be able to do otherwise. That being said, here’s a list of some fun fall activities to do in the Gainesville area!
1. Visit a pumpkin patch: My original roommate is from Newberry (it’s actually a town, not just a road) so I know a good bit about the area. At the First United Methodist Church there’s a pumpkin patch that runs until October 31. More information can be found here.
2. Have a Halloween movie marathon: This is your opportunity to watch as many seasonal movies as you can. It’s impossible not to include classics like Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus. Disney usually airs old favorites like The Little Vampire and Twitches. Gather your friends, make popcorn and watch as many consecutively as possible.
3. Go to the Newberry Corn Maze one night: Instead of breaking the bank to attend Halloween Horror Nights or Howl-O-Scream, you can have a night of scares at the Newberry Corn Maze for less than $20. I went last year and was plenty frightened on the haunted hayride, going through the haunted house and the corn maze. Prices and times can be found here.
4. Bake some seasonal goodies: Take every opportunity you have to bake something pumpkin flavored. It’s way easier than you think — there are plenty of mixes in the grocery store that require minimal effort. Then you can offer your friends pumpkin rolls, cupcakes, cookies or whatever your heart desires.
5. Decorate your living area: Each year, I decorate my room “fall” themed when the time rolls around. The Dollar Tree is extremely reasonable — $1 per item — and that allows for anyone to decorate. They never disappoint me with their seasonal decorations, and there are both fun and spooky items, depending on which aspect you prefer.
6. Go to the Haunted Houses in residential halls: This is a very underrated activity right on UF’s own campus. Even if you don’t live on campus, you’re welcome to attend the haunted houses put on by the residence hall’s area governments. Check out the IRHA website toward the end of October for dates and times.
I hope that you’re feeling inspired to see what this area has to offer! Enjoy the weather and all the fun activities that fall has to go along with it.
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