6 Fall Bucket-List Activities

Decorate with gourds, go apple-picking, visit pumpkin patches, watch a fall movie, can your produce, and celebrate Oktoberfest with our fall bucket list.

Deck Out Your Home with Gourds

Ornamental gourds can serve as unique centerpieces and mantel decorations. Look for these types of gourds on your next trip to the pumpkin patch:

• Daisy: These get their name from the daisy like pattern that forms at the stem. They come in different colors, including green, yellow, orange, and white.
• Speckled Swan: Named for its swanlike neck, this gourd is dark green, speckled with light green spots, and weighs about 3 pounds.
• Gremlins: These come in a number of shapes but are easily identified by their warty textures. Their presence adds funky flair to any fall centerpiece.
• Tennessee Spinning: This tiny, 2-inch gourd can dance when you spin it! Spinning gourds are green with stripes but when dried will take on a sandy hue.

Find more tips for decorating with gourds here.

How About These Apples?

Get some time outdoors by visiting your local apple orchard. You might be lucky enough to live by one that lets you pick your own! Here are five orchards across Texas to get you started.

WOW U-Pick Farms, Krum
These friendly farmers allow visitors to pick their own produce. The large selection of fruits and vegetables range from okra in the summer to apples in the fall. Be sure to call ahead or check their website for produce availability before heading out.

Efurd Orchards, Pittsburg
Serving produce since 1972, the store sells fresh-picked apples in the fall and offers a range of jams and homemade soft serve flavors that are perfect complements to the crisp autumn weather. Don’t forget to snap a picture at their famous tractor fountain on your way out!

The Orchard, Idalou
Schedule a tour that includes a hayride and picking 30 varieties of apples from 6,000 trees. While you’re there, stop by the store to enjoy a cup of apple cider and a slice of the renowned German apple cake.

Sonlight Apple Orchard, Mason
Go for handpicked apples; stay for the night! Built in 1877 and restored in 2005, the Apple Cottage B&B is a quaint country stay for the family. Check their website for delicious recipes you can whip up with your fresh- picked apples.

Love Creek Orchards, Medina
Planted in 1981 as an experiment, these apples were a hit, and the success marked the beginning of a new industry in the state. Head to Medina for a tour and find fresh apple pie, apple butter, and all kinds of baked goodies at the store.

Take your bundle of apples to the kitchen for all sorts of autumn treats.

Quest for the Great Pumpkin

Head to your local pumpkin patch to scope out the perfect jack-o’-lantern!

Maxwell’s Pumpkin Farm, Amarillo
See goats cross the Golden Goat Bridge and bunnies hop around a hare-sized town. In addition to adorable farm animals, Maxwell’s Pumpkin Farm offers more than 30 attractions, including two different kinds of train rides, three bounce houses, a giant hay maze, and “apple cannons.”

Yesterland Farm, Canton
Yesterland Farm is a pumpkin patch and so much more. A day of roller coasters, farm animals, and corn mazes ends with an evening of fireworks and festival foods. Don’t forget to snap a picture by the Texas flag mural!

Rockin’ K Farms, Robstown
Venture out to Rockin’ K Farms and get lost in the corn maze, ride the Cow Train, play every outdoor game you can imagine, and — of course — pick out your very own pumpkins to take home.

Blase Family Farm, Rockwall
Blase Family Farm operates as a blueberry patch in the summer and a pumpkin patch in the fall, when it offers autumnal activities ranging from hayrides to a petting zoo. The farm sells pumpkins for both carving and baking, so make sure to grab one of each (at least).

The Robinson Family Farm, Temple
The Robinson Family Farm features a classic pumpkin patch, but it doesn’t end there. Kids of all ages will enjoy a day of riding the barrel train, going on hayrides, playing in the corn pit, puzzling their way out of the corn maze, and listening to live music.

Host an At-Home Fall Film Festival

Give into the autumn aesthetic by diving into fall-feeling movies that are enjoyable for the whole family.

“Coco” (2017): Rated PG
Although his family has banned music, Miguel is a musician at heart. On Día de Muertos, Miguel adventures to the Land of the Dead, where he learns the importance of family, art, life, and death. Rated PG.

“Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier” (1955): Rated PG
Follow the adventures of a Texas hero in this cult film from the 1950s.

“Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009): Rated PG
After a heist is pulled on their farms, three farmers band together to dig up Mr. Fox’s home. A stop-motion adventure of family, friendship, and fun, this flick is truly fantastic.

“Giant” (1956): Rated G
This Texas classic featuring James Dean depicts life, culture, and society over the years in West Texas.

“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966): Rated G
This “Peanuts” TV special has stood the test of time and radiates nostalgia. Watch it while carving pumpkins and turn it into an annual tradition with the kids!

“Remember the Titans” (2000): Rated PG
You know fall is here when the Friday night lights flicker on. This classic tells the story of a recently desegregated Virginia high school where the football team has to learn to play as one.

Host a movie night for your family using our guide.

Have a Can-Off With Your Neighbors

Canning and preserving could be considered an art. It’s all about cleanliness, measurements, and making the things you love. Here are some Texas favorites for your canning plans this fall.

• Cans: Can produce grown at home for unique treats, from salsas to jams. Get inspired with these three recipes.
• Jellies: Sunday afternoon in the fall means it’s time for a jelly jamboree. Try out these Texas classics.
• Pickles: If you’ve ever wanted to pickle your own produce, find recipes for pickling nuts, strawberries, gourds, and more here.

3 Keys to a DIY Oktoberfest

German immigrants flocked to Texas as early as the 1830s, settling in the south and central parts of the state and forming what became known as the German Belt. They helped found New Braunfels and Fredericksburg, two Texas towns still heavily influenced by German culture. Because of these roots, many towns across Texas host Oktoberfest festivals. Bring the festivities to your own backyard this fall by incorporating beloved German recipes and traditions!

Clothes: Traditionally at Oktoberfest, women wear dirndl and men wear lederhosen. If you can’t find authentic outfits, you can subtly accessorize with braided hair, Tyrolean hats, or knee-high socks and shorts.

Music: The brass beat of traditional German music is an absolute staple of an Oktoberfest celebration. Make sure to have all the Oktoberfest classics queued, like “I Sing a Liad Für Di,” “Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit,” and even the “Chicken Dance.”

Food: Arguably the best part of any Oktoberfest celebration is the food. Enjoy pretzels, sauerkraut, brats, and plenty of mustard. Top it all off with a beautiful Black Forest cake for dessert.

Discover German-ancestral recipes here.