It is officially that time of the year! We have passed Sept. 22, and we are officially in the fall season. To spend autumn in the most fun way you can, here are WSPN’s top ten activities to do this season.

Apple Picking

Apple picking is, traditionally, one of the most popular outdoor fall activities in New England. Below are some orchards that are located 35 minutes or less from WHS.

Honey Pot Hill Orchards is in Stow, MA, and it is about a 20 minute drive from the high school. They are open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. everyday and reservations are not required. There are ‘pick your own’ booths where you can purchase bags to fill with your various picked apples such as Ginger Gold, Macintosh Red, Cortland, Spartan, Smitten and Gala.

Carlson Orchards is located in Harvard, MA, and it is about a 35 minute drive from WHS. Carlson has 100 acres of land with more than 15 kinds of apples to pick. They also have a growing schedule showing when certain apples will be ripe. Picking your own apples is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Lookout Farm is just a quick 20 minute drive from Wayland. Along with apple picking, Lookout Farm has many activities to partake in. Many other farms in the area are also running fall activities, including Codman Farm, which is hosting a harvest feast and fair.

Hayrides

Whether they are haunted or not, hayrides are a very popular fall activity. One that is popular for many WHS students is at the Nashoba Valley Ski area called Witches Woods. Witches Woods opened Oct. 1, and is open every Friday through Sunday, including some Thursdays. Witches Woods is just a 35 minute drive from WHS. Hanson Farm is another popular spot for hayrides this season. Located in Framingham, it has haunted hayrides every Friday and Saturday in October from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Decorating your house!

Whether you are decorating for Halloween, Thanksgiving or the fall season in general, you should definitely have these essential decorations. The best way to make it feel like the season is through scent. Getting candles flavored inspired by fall scents is a great way to fill your home with a fall setting. Another general decoration that can be up throughout the entire fall season are wreaths. You can either buy a wreath from a store, or you can make a “DIY” project. If you enjoy making decorations at home, wreaths aren’t your only option. By looking on Pinterest, you can be inspired to try and make many different decorations. Creating your own decorations is a fun activity that can help your house transform into a festive one. Lastly, flowers are a great way to bring in the fall colors such as red, yellow and orange. Some favorites are sunflowers and chrysanthemums.

Pumpkins

Pumpkins are one of the most symbolic plants of the fall season, but do you know how much you can actually get out of purchasing pumpkins? Here are some ways you can use pumpkins for any fall occasion.

First, of course, is picking pumpkins. Picking pumpkins does not necessarily mean you are going to a pumpkin patch and picking them by hand, store bought pumpkins are always an option. You can also just go to a store and purchase pre-cut pumpkins. However, to choose the right pumpkin, consider if you are planning on carving the pumpkin or leaving it out for decoration. If you plan on painting pumpkins, make sure you get pumpkins that do not have marks that you won’t be able to paint over. Carving pumpkins is another very popular Halloween activity, and the designs are bound to your creativity. Finding different designs to try is a way to spice up this activity each year. If you plan on carving pumpkins and enjoy pumpkin seeds, don’t waste them. Instead, roast them!

Party!

What better way to spend the fall season than having a party with friends. This this does not have to be anything large, just a few friends, especially in times of COVID-19, would be sufficient. However, to make things fun, make sure you celebrate with at least one of these activities for a fun evening.

Halloween treats: No more candy! Let the overload of Halloween candy stop for one night and pick out some yummy Halloween desserts instead. These could be themed cupcakes, spider cookies and maybe even try to make your own Frankenstein cake.

Halloween movies: Throw out some choices for Halloween movies and let your guests pick a flick. For those friends that don’t like horror, maybe watch ‘Hocus Pocus’ or ‘It’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.’ However, for those that enjoy a jump scare, there are countless movies to watch like ‘Halloween.’

Stay tuned for Top Ten New England fall activities to participate in (Part Two)