Fall is a great time to do things outdoors. Throughout much of the United States, the weather is milder, not too hot or too cold. This makes the season an excellent chance to have some fun, no matter what your age! If you’re looking for some ways you can enjoy autumn this year, you’re in luck! There are so many that they couldn’t be contained in one list.
We’ve already covered a few more Halloween-themed ideas in “Fun Halloween Ways to Get Fit,” so check out that article for how enjoying Halloween can be a fun way to exercise. If you’re not ready for Halloween yet, today, we’ll cover three other ways to have fun during fall!
Attend a Fall Festival
Autumn tends to be a busy time of year for festivals and fairs. No matter what state you live in, there’s likely a fall festival that will delight and entertain. The most common of these tend to be harvest festivals, which celebrate the many seasonal ingredients of fall. This means festivals packed with apples and pumpkins, hay rides, and more delicious seasonal food than you can handle! And, let’s not forget the Halloween festivals that most states have, too. Many of these fall harvest festivals are kid-friendly, making them a perfect weekend activity for the whole family!
Oktoberfest is packed with German food, German clothes, German culture, German heritage, and last but not least, German beer.
Of all the fall festivals, we haven’t mentioned one of the most common around the country and the world. Oktoberfest is a celebration of German, specifically Bavarian, heritage thrown in mid-September to early-October each year. Originally, Oktoberfest was a royal wedding party in Bavaria in 1810 that the locals enjoyed so much, they decided to do it again! As German immigrants made their way to the United States, they took their culture with them, which gave rise to Oktoberfest festivals here. Celebrating all things German and Bavarian, Oktoberfest is packed with German food, German clothes, German culture, German heritage, and last but not least, German beer. So go ahead, if you’re able to, and throw on your lederhosen, eat some schnitzel, and enjoy a seasonal ale while you’re serenaded by authentic folk tunes!
Tailgate at a Football Game
Autumn is also the kickoff of many different sports seasons in the United States, most popularly the football season. Tailgating is a great way to enjoy your time before the game starts with your favorite beverage and grilled food. It’s also a great way to meet other fans of your team or get in a little good-natured banter with the other team’s fans. Whether you’re a fan of college or professional football, your sports fandom can actually be healthy for you, so tailgating can be a great excuse to get out of the house! If you’re health conscious, you can even “healthify” the classic tailgating foods — like wings, burgers, or alcoholic drinks.
If you’re health conscious, you can even “healthify” the classic tailgating foods — like wings, burgers, or alcoholic drinks.
If you’re a fan of your local team or want to support your grandkids who are playing or active in their school’s sports, you may find that even more enriching. Now, you may get some looks if you tailgate a high school football game, but there are other ways you can enjoy the game. Many local schools wouldn’t be able to run their sports programs without gameday volunteers. By volunteering to collect tickets or work in the food stand, you’re becoming an invaluable part of your grandchild’s sporting experience!
Go Camping
If you’re an active senior who loves the outdoors, camping may be the perfect way to spend a weekend. Fall is one of the best times of year to go camping because the weather is less hot than that in the summer, but not as cold as in the winter. Those crisp autumn nights until the harvest moon is picturesque with a campfire and some smores. Just make sure to practice fire-safety to keep the forest, wildlife, or your house and neighborhood safe. You can spend your days hiking, fishing, or bird-watching, all activities that pair nicely with camping.
Truly, you can camp almost anywhere, as long as it’s safe and legal for you to do so in that location.
Depending on your campsite, camping can be safe and easy. Truly, you can camp almost anywhere, as long as it’s safe and legal for you to do so in that location. Most national parks allow camping with approvals, possibly making the purchase of a National Park Senior Pass a great investment if this interests you. If you want to spend time in nature, but want more of the comforts of home, you can even try glamping!
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Fall is a fun time of year when the weather is in that Goldilocks zone of just right. This gives seniors many opportunities to get out and enjoy the many seasonal activities that present themselves. These three examples are by no means the only ways you can have fun this fall, either. Whatever you end up doing, we hope you have a safe and fun fall season!
