The air is crisp, the temperature is flirting with the 60s, the leaves are falling from the trees—this is not a drill, people! Fall is upon us! A Carolina autumn is a magical thing. Take it from a Florida girl like me, whose pre-college definition of fall was that awkward period from September to November when it wasn’t quite warm enough to go to the beach but still hot enough to be annoying. One of my favorite parts of being at Wake last year was seeing the leaves turn to vibrant red, orange, and yellow hues, wearing chunky sweaters and booties, and treating myself to a hot chocolate because the weather basically mandated it. This year, I have been so eager to jumpstart the fall festivities that I’ve compiled a bucket list, of sorts, for the quintessential fall day in Winston-Salem, and I thought it was worth sharing:
A Scenic Walk (or hike!)
The first thing on any bucket list of mine will always be a way to get active. Because the temperature is arriving at that happy medium between chilly and cold, an excellent, seasonal way to get moving is by going on a scenic walk or hike. Two of my favorite spots in the Winston-Salem area to do each of these activities are Reynolda Trail and Pilot Mountain. The entrance of Reynolda Trail begins on the South part of campus, and it connects Wake to Reynolda Village. The trail has many different paths of varying lengths, so you can choose your adventure based on the distance you want to travel. What I can guarantee on all paths is the gorgeous autumn scenery that could be straight out of a movie. The trees fully envelope the trail, allowing the walker to truly experience his natural surroundings. If you’re looking for a slightly higher intensity start to the morning, I recommend hiking Pilot Mountain. Just about 20 miles north of campus, the views that this state park offer are some of the most remarkable, stunning scenes I’ve encountered. The park has multiple paths of varying difficulty levels and mileage, each with its own impeccable views. In the fall time, Pilot Mountain is a great place to go to look at the autumnal scenery below from over 2,000 feet up, all while getting your steps in.
Refuel with Some Pumpkin Spice Treats
After a walk or hike, you ought to be itching for a refreshing seasonal snack, and I’ve got you covered. One of Winston’s local hot spots, Camino Bakery, makes incredible fall pastries. Not only is Camino a great study spot during midterm season, but it sells mouthwatering autumnal pastries, including the pumpkin Danish with green cheese glaze, the pumpkin chocolate chip muffin (vegan and gluten free), and delectable pumpkin bread. If you’re craving a warm drink, Camino serves delicious ones like their pumpkin juice, apple cap, and hot chocolate. Another bakery that prepares delicious seasonal treats is Dewey’s Bakery, a Winston favorite, which has incredible pumpkin and sweet potato pies for fall as well as pumpkin spice cake squares and cupcakes.
Visit a Pumpkin Patch
Of course, when planning the prototypical fall day, you must schedule in some time to visit a pumpkin patch. My personal favorite one in Winston-Salem is Hawks Pumpkin Patch. Hawks is just a 20-minute drive from campus and is the cutest area for taking fall photos and hanging out with friends. The patch has pumpkins of all sizes, even a mini, dorm-appropriate size option that only costs a dollar, and has a tiny market where you can buy homemade cider and jams. For us millennials, the patch is a great backdrop for photos, whether your aesthetic is complemented best by rustic fields, playful props, or classic hay bales. Regardless, Hawks is a great stop on your festive adventure and a perfect spot to spend an hour or so with friends.
Hit Up the Fair
Another essential fall activity for the classic autumn day is to go to the fair. Lucky for us, Winston holds the annual Dixie Classic Fair at the beginning of October; this year it’ll be in town until October 13th. The fair has something for everyone, whether it be fried food, exhilarating rides (that might be a stretch), a petting zoo, fun prizes (you could take home a fish!), or a place to spend time with friends. To me, the fair truly comes alive at night when all the lights illuminate the fairgrounds and you can see the Ferris wheel from miles away. Although the fair may not be everyone’s scene, I recommend going at least once; get a good group together, take some photos, ride a ride or two, and definitely buy the bucket of warm cookies and split it with your friends (I implore you, if you don’t heed any advice from the article, at least do this, you’ll thank me later; ).
Watch a ~Spooky~ Movie
The only way to end this paradigmatic fall experience in my opinion is to do so with a Halloween movie. This October, freeform is capitalizing off the success of its “25 Days of Christmas” and blessing us with the “31 Nights of Halloween.” Each night, ABC will treat us to a spooky classic, some highlights of which are Hocus Pocus and The Addams Family. If you miss one night, don’t fret because the movies will be shown multiple times throughout the countdown. While on your Halloween movie binge, don’t forget about Disney classics such as the Halloweentown series that are available on other platforms. Also, if you grow tired of spooky movies, NFL football is always my favorite way to spend a fall afternoon (Fly Eagles Fly).
Well, that was my comprehensive list of how to have the most perfect, quintessential, oh-so-stereotypical fall day in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Did I forget to mention that I actually devoted my past Saturday to this bucket list? Yep, in a single day I completed every item on this list in an effort to divert my attention from the impending doom that is midterm exams. So, coming from experience, I definitely recommend all of these activities and especially recommend doing them all in one day because, I have to say, it was one of the most fulfilling days I’ve had at Wake– one surrounded by friends and pumpkin spice.