Budget-Friendly Fall Activities for the Whole Family

Autumn has arrived, and it’s brought cooler temperatures and changing leaves along with it. It’s the perfect time to be outside—which means there are a lot of free activities everywhere you look!

If you’re working toward a big money goal or hoping to get a head start on Christmas savings, now is the perfect time to take advantage of all the budget-friendly fall activities.

To give you some ideas, we’ve created an fall bucket list. How many of these activities can you and your family cross off before winter?

Budget-Friendly Fall Activities

1. Go on a nature hike. Make a game out of your family nature hike by making a bingo sheet. Include things like acorns, orange leaves and fuzzy squirrels. Whoever gets bingo first wins!

2. Have a picnic. The weather is perfect. Why not enjoy it with a nice picnic lunch at a local park? You can make it even better if you pack a couple of autumn treats, like apple cider!

3. Go pick pumpkins. It’s that time of year. Prepare your heart and head out to the pumpkin patch. Just make sure you budget for all the cute gourds you want to bring home with you!

4. Visit an apple orchard. This is an autumn classic. If you live near an apple orchard, make a day of it. Some places sell you bushels of apples, while others even let you pick your own.

5. Carve jack-o’-lanterns. Once you’ve visited the pumpkin patch, make a family date of picking out patterns and (carefully) carving them onto your pumpkins. Don’t forget to budget for the candles!

6. Check out local festivals. You can find local festivals just about anywhere at this time of year! Check out what events are happening in your city and prepare for a day of fall fun!

7. Visit a corn maze. Another must-have bucket list item, visiting a corn maze is one of the best parts of fall. If you’re a competitive family, time each other to see who can make it out the fastest!

8. Go to a football game. It’s that time of year. Slip on your boots, throw on a scarf, and head out to a local football game. Whether you go to a high school, college or professional game, you’re bound to have a blast.

9. Make apple cobbler. Nothing says fall like the smell of fresh apple cobbler in the oven. It’ll smell even better if you use the apples you bought (or picked) from your trip to the apple orchard.

10. Make popcorn on the stove. Sure, you can make popcorn on the stove no matter what month it is. But there’s something extra special about this cozy tradition in the fall. And it tastes good, too!

11. Roast pumpkin seeds. Make the most of your pumpkins by scooping out the seeds when you’re carving jack-o’-lanterns. Toss them in the oven with a drizzle of oil and salt, and you’ll have a delicious snack!

12. Visit a haunted house. If you’re into spooky Halloween traditions, this should be at the top of your list. Just make sure you know what to expect before taking the kiddos with you!

13. Roast marshmallows. There’s just something about this time of year that makes roasting marshmallows an absolute must. Bonus points if you make s’mores.

14. Drink hot chocolate. Autumn isn’t complete unless you enjoy a few mugs of hot chocolate on crisp fall nights. Or, if you aren’t a fan of chocolate, swap it out for a hearty cup of spiced apple cider. Yum!

15. Go for a Sunday drive. Leisurely Sunday drives are always in style, but they’re even better in the fall. Grab a blanket for the drive and hit the road to admire all the leaves changing colors.