Happy September 1st! Depending on where you live, it might finally be starting to feel like Fall! (It definitely does not in Kansas City…still hot af some days. But we’re getting there.) The heat this summer was BRUTAL, so I am definitely ready for some cooler weather, bonfires, and crunchy leaves. To celebrate the start of September, I thought I would put together a Fall bucket list of activities that I am planning to do this year. Even though it doesn’t quite feel like Fall yet where I live, it’s time to start planning for my favorite season so that I don’t forget to do any of the best traditions! Here is my Fall bucket list for this year:
1.Have friends over for a fire pit + roast some hot dogs and s’mores. I love sitting around a fire pit and talking, maybe playing some music and roasting some marshmallows. Nothing more relaxing.
2. Buy some mums for your front porch. My favorite place to go is Family Tree Nursery. They have a great selection of beautiful flowers every time. I just suck at keeping them alive!
3. Drink hot chocolate, maybe even add some gourmet marshmallows. These marshmallows are great for hot chocolate, but also for tea or coffee depending on which flavors you get, and of course for s’mores!
4. Binge-watch all the Harry Potter movies and/or reread all the books. Fall is the perfect time to settle in and watch movies for hours. Harry Potter is the perfect choice for gloomy weather days, plus it seems like this time of year there is always an HP marathon on TV.
5. Buy some cute new sweaters, cardigans, boots, and other Fall staples. Be on the lookout for a whole post (or two or three) about this topic in the future…If you want some outfit inspiration in the meantime, check out my Legends haul I did a couple of weeks ago here.
6. Go to the Louisburg Cider Mill and get some cider and cider donuts. Maybe even go to Ciderfest! This year it’s September 28th-29th and October 5th-6th. They also have a pumpkin patch and corn maze, all around Fall fun.
7. And related to that, go to a pumpkin patch (other options include the Red Barn Farm in Weston, Faulkner’s Ranch near Lee’s Summit, and Carolyn’s Country Cousins in Liberty). And of course, carve a pumpkin!
8. Put together an epic Halloween costume and go out on Halloween night with some friends, or have friends over for a house party! There are lots of parties the weekends before and after Halloween, but it’s more difficult to find anything on actual Halloween night when it’s during the week. Belvoir Winery hosts a costume party on October 25th and again on Halloween night. If all else fails, we have just gone out to a couple of local bars in costumes and that is fun too. Power & Light hosts a Wicked Wine Walk the weekend after Halloween, and that looks like a really good time.
9. Have a constant supply of Halloween candy around the house and decorate the house and yard for Halloween. If you know me, you know that having candy around the house at all times and buying new decorations will always be an item on my Fall bucket list.
10. Host Friendsgiving! I absolutely love decorating the house and the tables and bringing all our friends together in one place to have a fun time and eat tons of yummy comfort food. We hosted last year for the first time and I hope to continue this tradition for a long time. I was able to find lots of fun, inexpensive decorations at Party City last year, but also love getting Fall decor at At Home, Home Goods, and Target.
11. Do a photoshoot at Grinter Farm with the sunflowers (amateur or professional – both will turn out amazing). Pro tip: Go as early as you can in the morning to avoid the crowds and the heat! Also, follow them on Facebook. They’re great about updating on the best time to visit the fields. Make sure to stop in the general store to support their business and get a bite to eat at the food trucks!
12. Go to downtown Parkville (English Landing, Stone Canyon Pizza, maybe some mini-golfing), which is always beautiful but especially in the Fall!
13. Go to at least one Oktoberfest. So far I have only gone to the one in Lee’s Summit, but it is such a good time! Lots of vendors, great music and German food, and of course great beer. Power & Light also hosts an Oktoberfest celebration that looks worth checking out.
14. Stay overnight at Belvoir Winery and Inn in Liberty, or The Elms Hotel and Spa in Excelsior Springs. Belvoir also has murder mystery nights and paranormal investigations that you can sign up to attend.
15. Watch a scary movie at B&B Theatres or Screenland Armour. The Screenland has free scary movies once a month. After experiencing leather recliners and heated seats at B&B, it’s really hard to go back to a regular movie theatre.
16. Learn a couple of new Fall cocktail recipes. Of course Pinterest is the place to go to find anything you could possibly dream of, including Apple Pie Sangria, Pumpkin Spice White Russians, Caramel Apple Martini, the possibilities are truly endless.
17. Go to Applefest in Weston. Unfortunately, this event is during our wedding weekend. But I will go someday!! Another event I like to go to that is on our wedding day is WaterFire. It’s on the Plaza and they have floating bonfires all along Brush Creek. There’s performers and live music and it’s a really fun time, but obviously won’t be able to make it to that this year either.
18. Spend a day in Atchison and do all the cheap, fun, haunted things (Sallie House, haunted trolley tour, McInteer Villa, etc.)
19. Go to Jowler Creek Winery in Platte City for Caramel Apple Sangria Sundays in September, grape stomps, wine-tasting hayrides, etc.
20. And finally, go for a walk at Weston Bend State Park, Smithville Lake, Burr Oak Woods in Blue Springs, Hodge Park near Gladstone, or Parkville Nature Sanctuary to admire the foliage. Going on hikes is one of my favorite things to do all year, but especially with the beauty that Fall brings. Mid-October is the perfect time to go, right as all the leaves are changing color and the weather is getting chilly.
Of course there are a million other fun things to do this Fall, especially in Kansas City! If this was a comprehensive list it would be like 100 items long. Fall is just my favorite, fashion-wise, weather-wise, food and drink-wise, everything. Let me know what I missed! What are some of the items on your bucket list this Fall?
Loved this post!! Fall always has so many fun things to do, and the weather is just perfect!
Yes!! I already started getting some Fall/Halloween decorations out today. I’m too excited!!