Fall has officially arrived! The Midwest, and our area specifically, offers many ways to celebrate and enjoy the season. When the activities are free, it’s even better!

Go on a Bike Ride, Walk, or Hike

While we might feel silly admitting it, the leaves changing really are beautiful. Taking a walk, hiking, or heading out on a bike are all amazing ways to see the changing colors and feel the cool autumn breeze. Popular locations for these activities are Horseshoe Bluff, the Mines of Spain, the Heritage Trail, or any of the trails at Swiss Valley.

Embrace Your Inner Artist

Halloween’s coming up. Go to the store and get a pumpkin to carve! It’s a great activity to do with friends and family. Once you’re done you can it on your front porch for a Halloween decoration! While the old reliable “triangle eyes and nose” face is a good place to start, more advanced or daring artists may want to try out a tricky design. Check out the Pumpkin Lady’s blog for patterns!

If you’re not in the mood for carving a pumpkin, it’s just as easy to paint one. Your family can enjoy this fun activity with you. Let your creativity do the work and you will be able to create many cool and colorful designs. A simple Google Image search yields lots of inspiration!

Too cold to go outside?

Sometimes the fall weather isn’t all it’s cracked up to be…especially when it’s raining. There are many Halloween and fall movies to get you in the mood! If you want to stay at home, grab yourself a nice warm blanket at turn on the TV. Find a good spooky show or movie to watch. Traditional cable has lots of options, as do streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. You can find everything from gory horror to Casper and Scooby-Doo cartoons!