Happy fall, friends!
Ok — I know fall doesn’t technically start until September 23… but everyone knows that summer ends on Labor Day — and there are so many fun things on this fall bucket list, you’ll need a head start!
In a nationwide survey, nearly 30% of Americans chose fall as their favorite season. It’s no wonder why everyone loves fall: between the crisp temps, fall colors and pumpkin-everything (seriously — go to Trader Joe’s and you’ll see an abundance of pumpkin products!), what’s not to like?
Cincinnati is drop-dead gorgeous in the fall — our skies big and blue, trees rich orange and red hues and weather perfectly cool-but-not-cold-nor-hot-nor-humid. There’s also an abundance of festivals, events and happenings all around the city, celebrating fall, the harvest and Halloween!
Without further ado, I present your 2015 Fall Bucket List. Enjoy!
- Have a bowl of vegan chili from Park + Vine
- See the sunflowers at Gorman Heritage Farm
- Carve a pumpkin
- Go on a train ride with the family
- Conquer a Corn Maze (like the 7 acre maze at Blooms & Berries!)
- Have an apple cider doughnut (or how about a pumpkin pie milkshake?!)
- Take a fall hike at the Cincinnati Nature Center
- Go see Serpent Mound
- Make a homemade pie
- Have Blue Oven Bread with homemade soup (trust me — Blue Oven is worth standing in line for!)
- Jump in a pile of leaves
- Go apple picking
- Take a weekend getaway in Ohio
- Family hay ride!
- Visit a haunted house
- Take a Queen City Underground tour
- Go see The Art of the Brick exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum Center
- Check out the Taft Halloween exhibition (go on a Sunday — it’s free!)
- Attend Kids Fall Fest at Washington Park
- Go trick or treating on a day other than Halloween!
- Listen to The Monster Mash
- Watch a Hitchcock movie with your significant other (after the kids are asleep!)
- Buy a bag of your favorite Halloween candy — just for you (I’m partial to Almond Joys…)!
- Make pumpkin bread from scratch (you can cheat and buy a can of pumpkin puree)!
- Go chocolate crazy at the Cincinnati Chocolate Festival (October 11, FYI)
- Buy a flannel-something (shirt, scarf, pjs)
- Sign up for a Fall race
- Try a pumpkin product from Trader Joe’s
- Go to Balluminaria
- Put up a silly Halloween decoration in your yard
- Buy your children rakes so they can pitch in, then
- Jump in a pile of leaves!
- Volunteer somewhere
- Visit one of Hamilton County’s Great Parks
- Make something in your Crock Pot
- Go for an after-dinner walk as a family before the time change hits (AKA, before November 1)
- Get an early jump on holiday shopping!
- Plant spring bulbs! (Have your kids choose a few from a local nursery)
- Go to a farmer’s market before they close for the season
- Collect canned goods for a local food pantry
