FALL FUN BUCKET LIST
1. PICK A PUMPKIN
Head to your local pumpkin patch to soak in some fall atmosphere — we love Barton Hill Farms just outside Austin.
2. COOK FALL COMFORT FOOD
With the changing weather comes great fall cooking. Texas Table Top, a site affiliated with the Texas Farm Bureau, has a great list of local recipes to help celebrate the season.
3. HAVE A BEER AT AN OKTOBERFEST
Oktoberfest celebrations are held throughout the fall and are an excellent opportunity to try out local brews.
4. VIEW FALL FOLIAGE
Texas State Parks are great places to take a walk and see the changing leaves.
5. HOST A THANKSGIVING POTLUCK
Settled into your new place and ready to invite family and friends? A Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving) potluck is a great way to get together and celebrate the holidays in your new abode.
6. CHECK OUT LOCAL COFFEE SPECIALS
October 1 is International Coffee Day. Who doesn’t love a good pumpkin spice latte?
7. CARVE PUMPKINS
Whether you’ve gone pumpkin picking or found your gourd at H-E-B, jack-o-lanterns make a perfect seasonal porch decoration.
8. WATCH FOOTBALL
We know you love catching your local high school team live, or check out the showdown between the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners on October 8.
9. VISIT LOCAL MUSIC FESTIVALS
The cooling weather is an excellent opportunity to find local outdoor music festivals.
10. DECORATE FOR THE HOLIDAYS (Halloween or Thanksgiving)
Make your home the star of the neighborhood with seasonal decorations, such as Thanksgiving-themed door hangers or chilling Halloween lighting.
11. HAVE A BONFIRE
Gather around and break out the s’mores for this traditional way to cap off the changing weather.
12. WATCH MOVIES
Get into the Halloween spirit with your favorite films! Cozy up on the couch to watch “Hocus Pocus” or check out nearby drive-in theaters (like Moonstruck in Houston) for showings of classic thrillers.
13. VISIT A HAUNTED HOUSE
Local parks departments often create their hometown frights. Or you can hit the road to see the Moxley Manor Haunted House, based on the true horror story of the Moxley family’s untimely demise.
14. GET LOST IN A CORN MAZE
Whether you’re ready for hours of fun or to let your kids take the map for a quick run through a maze, finding your way out is half the battle.
15. MAKE HALLOWEEN TREATS
Halloween is perfect for practicing your pastry decorating skills with goodies like Spider Cupcakes or Pumpkin Spice Cookies.
16. VISIT LOCAL WINERIES
The Nice Winery in Houston is nice, indeed.
17. CHECK OUT YOUR NEIGHBORS’ HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS
Going for walks is a great way to get to know your neighborhood and get inspiration for making your own scary sights.
18. KNIT COZY SCARVES
What better time to pick up a new hobby than when it’s functional? Local libraries can help with books and other resources to get started.
19. BAKE A PIE
Switch on your oven and fill your home with the archetypal scent of autumn. Apples are a fall favorite, but pears (and, of course, pumpkins) are also in season.
20. CHECK OUT SEASONAL PRODUCE
If you need produce for those baked goods, head to the farmers markets for the freshest around.
AUSTIN FALL BUCKET LIST
1. HEAD TO A LOCAL OKTOBERFEST
Towns all around Austin host events starting as early as September through the second week of November.
2. JOIN NEIGHBORS FOR A FAMILY-FRIENDLY HALLOWEEN PARTY
The Willie Mae Kirk Branch of the Austin Public Library is hosting a community Halloween party on Oct. 31.
3. SOAK UP LOCAL MUSIC FESTIVALS
Austin has a diverse lineup of music festivals planned for this fall, from the Austin City Limits Music Festival to the Long Center’s Halloween Children’s Concert.
4. SPEND TIME APPRECIATING NATURE
Nearby state parks continue to host events throughout the fall, such as stargazing on Oct. 14 at Pedernales Falls State Park.
5. TAKE A ‘GHOST TOUR’ OF THE CITY
Take a walking tour of Austin with experienced guides, and get into the Halloween spirit with local ghost stories. (Or, if scary stories aren’t your thing, learn more about the city with a guided morning walk instead.)
HOUSTON FALL BUCKET LIST
1. HALLOWEEN IN THE PARK
Pull up a picnic blanket or set your folding chairs for outdoor movies. Levy Park is playing “Hotel Transylvania” on Oct. 14 and “Hocus Pocus” on Oct. 28.
2. SEE THE BATS AT BRAZOS BEND STATE PARK
Brazos Bend State Park is a great place to appreciate the fall weather. For kids, check out this bat-themed Storytime and Crafts event at the Nature Center on Oct. 22.
3. ENJOY SCREAM ON THE GREEN
Hosted on Oct. 28, Scream on the Green will feature costume contests, music, and a screening of “Monster House.”
4. CELEBRATE DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
Discovery Green helps families celebrate the “Day of the Dead” on Oct. 30.
5. TAKE A NATURE WALKING TOUR
Let a guide help you experience nearby Buffalo Bayou Park with a nature walk on Oct. 15.
TEXAS FALL BUCKET LIST
1. STATE FAIR OF TEXAS
The State Fair of Texas runs from Sept. 30-Oct. 23 and celebrates ‘all things Texan.’
2. SEE THE FALL FOLIAGE AT AUTUMN AT THE ARBORETUM
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden’s fall festival, Autumn at the Arboretum, runs from Sept. 17-Oct. 31.
3. GO CAMPING
There are more open camping spots in the fall, and you won’t be sweating in a tent. Enjoy one of our state parks, which also offer year-round nature programming.
4. DON’T MISS AUSTIN CITY LIMITS MUSIC FESTIVAL
With nine stages and more than 100 performances, this ultimate music festival runs this year from Oct. 7-16. (Plus, some of the state’s top food trucks come in to be a part of ACL Eats Food Court.)
5. THANKSGIVING DAY PARADES
Houston hosts its parade at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving day, or catch the Sun Bowl parade in El Paso at 10 a.m.
