By: Dallin Rahlf

Fall weather is wonderful and weird. In the morning, it’s cold enough to leave some frost on your car and make you think that winter has come in its full fury. By noon, it’s 70 degrees and you’re dying in the thick sweater that was literally the most perfect thing to be wearing just two hours ago. It’s great and unique, and it’s worth embracing the magic of it with your family and friends.

You might have seen part one of this list that entails what’s best to do in the outdoors during October. In that list, we went over visiting a pumpkin patch, a corn maze, and playing some night games. Those are three great things to do, but it didn’t even scratch the surface on the remaining exciting outdoor things to do this fall! Let’s get going on this.

1. Go on a dawn or dusk hike

Are you one for hiking? Hiking is an excellent way to get out of the house and explore the world around you. You don’t have to visit your nearest mountain or find the tallest hill. Some of the best hikes can be done in the woods of your neighborhood! Find something that will be good for your and the fam and try to plan it so you can be done and resting at a good point to watch the sunrise or sunset. I would aim for the sunset hike if you’ve got teenagers that will murder you if you wake them before 10am on a Saturday. But if you’ve got a family that wakes up early, seeing the sun rise is an awesome experience I would hope everyone can enjoy.

2. Attend a football game

Some of you may not jump for joy at the idea of going to a long, boring, dumb football game, but take it from someone who is married to a girl who never watched football in her life before marrying me: it’s fun! Going to a football game is like stepping into this other realm—a place where people yell and cheer, where they eat all sorts of food, occasionally sing off key fight songs, and have their entire day affected by the outcome of the game. It’s awesome!

Here’s some tips from a football expert: if you’re looking to surprise your husband with a spontaneous football game, do not underestimate the power of local sports. Look for a family friend that has their 7-year-old in their first tackle league or go to a high school football game. These games are much shorter than an NFL or college football game, and it’s a little more involved in the local community. If you want to go above and beyond, then yes, NFL or college may be your way of reallytelling your husband you love him. And it’ll be fun! Bring some blankets, buy some sugary snacks and get full on nachos. Cheer when everyone else cheers and you’ll be great.  

3. Take a scenic fall drive

It’s pretty tough not to find some fall foliage here in the US of A. I’m here in Utah (which is essentially a desert), yet it still has some great spots where the trees turn beautiful colors of yellow, orange, red and purple. It looks great against the mountains. I’m originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, which is just gorgeous with its millions of trees that turn the brightest of colors. Take you and your family out for a scenic, relaxed, absolutely-in-no-hurry drive to truly enjoy what the world looks like around you. Step outside for a little bit and walk around in the trees and have the kids go collect some of their favorite leaves they find.

4. Jumping in leaves

Oh my goodness, I cannot tell you how many hours I spent as a kid playing in the leaves my brothers and I would rake up every October/November. It’s so simple and yet so rewarding to be able to jump into that crunchy, cushioned pile of fallen, golden leaves. We would pull up our trampoline next to and full send with some front flips and crazy jumps. It was countless hours of fun, and I’m sure we slept very well that night.

A note for you is that I learned a valuable lesson through this: hard work pays off for some good, old-fashioned fun. If we wanted to jump in the leaves, there had to be a pile. If we need a pile, then we need to create the pile. See what I’m getting at? I was the youngest of five boys, so my contribution was small, but my effort and heart was there. Life lessons AND good times, all in one brisk afternoon.

5. Farmer’s markets and apple picking

You know what’s cooler than getting apples in a store? Picking them yourself! I’ve seen so many kids get absolutely amped on the idea of going apple picking. It must be in our DNA to enjoy the harvesting of food. It’s great for the community and get your kids excited for something away from the TV. Everyone wins! If you want to add a little more thrill for the hunt of perfect apples, show your kids what you all can try and bake with those apples later. An awesome pie? A delicious apple crisp?  Apple cider? Give them something to hunt for, release them, and reap the bounty in which they will sow.

Usually in the same area of apple picking is a farmer’s market. Is it just me, or does food taste better from a farmer’s market? Maybe it’s because it’s produced with love. Either way, you’ll find tons of ingredients to work into your next stew.

6. Scout the neighborhoods for decorations

People seem to be getting more into the Halloween spirit lately. I’ve seen more houses with the smart lights illuminating their front yard with purple and orange lights, giving it an ominous glow that looks spooky and fun. It also seems that more people are displaying Halloween decorations than I’ve ever noticed.

Don’t let all of these peoples’ good works go to waste! Get the family in a car and tour the neighborhoods around you and see who can find the coolest looking house. Don’t linger for toolong though, lest things start to look suspicious. Smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.