It’s officially fall. Time to bring out the cozy sweaters, light your candles and go get all the seasonal goodies that bring you joy. Not only does fall mean the start of a new season, but it also carries with it a festive spirit that brings out the kid in all of us. Whether it’s planning out your Halloween costume, or baking the yearly apple crisp, fall is filled with activities to look forward to. For those of you living in or visiting New York, there are a plethora of fall themed places to visit. Here are 5 festive fall day trips from NYC.
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1. The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze
The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze is an outdoor exhibit of over 7,000 hand carved jack o’lanterns arranged into stunning themed sculptures. Growing up in the Hudson Valley, the Blaze was something I looked forward to every year and is still on the very top of my fall festivities list. This event is perfect for someone who loves the Halloween spirit but doesn’t like anything scary. There are now two locations where you can see the Blaze; the first is at Van Cortland Manor in Westchester and the second is at Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Long Island. All tickets must be purchased in advance and are available for sale online here.
2. Headless Horseman Hayrides & Haunted House
If you’re searching for a good scare. Look no further. Depending on how you feel about haunted houses, this is either the best or worst Halloween themed experience around. Named by Yahoo as one of the top 10 haunted houses in America, this is a full fright experience that includes a haunted drive through, multiple haunted houses and haunted cornfield. This season’s schedule and tickets are available here.
3. Pumpkin Picking
Pumpkins have become the quintessential symbol of fall. The color, the taste and even their name. Think about it, if you put the word “pumpkin” before any sweet treat it automatically becomes an autumnal delicacy. Come October, pumpkins appear all over porches, dining rooms, and even mantels. So, what better way to celebrate fall than to pick your own! There are tons of local pumpkin farms near NYC, check out a list of them here.
4. Apple Picking
Coming in right behind the pumpkins are apples. Apple picking is a classic fall activity that is great for all ages. In addition to the trees, most orchards also have a farm stand with freshly baked apple goodies. After securing your bag of apples, treat yourself to some hot cider and apple cider donuts. Apple farms a day trip away from NYC are linked here.
5. Angry Orchard
Angry Orchard is a cider house located in Walden, New York. Although their behind the scenes tours are temporarily closed due to covid, their outdoor seating is open. Enjoy a flight of cider while surrounded by their 60 acre orchard. This is the perfect spot for a date or a quick getaway with some friends.
-Kira
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