Fall Activities for Families in Central PA

Minute Read

While there are dozens of fun things to do with your family during the fall, we have hand-picked (pun intended) six fall activities families can enjoy that are also cost-effective.

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  1. Apple picking. One of our favorite fall activities is visiting a local orchard (like Strites' Orchard) and picking apples. Part of the fun is in selecting the apples themselves, but the other part is figuring out what you’re going to do with them once you get home. You can enjoy a few as they come, but we love to slice them up, add some cinnamon, put them in a pastry crust, and turn them into a pie.

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  2. Go through a corn maze. Corn mazes are wonderfully versatile because they can either be festive fun (during daytime hours) or super spooky (during nighttime hours). Places like Paulus Mt. Airy Orchards in Dillsburg, PA, have two different mazes to explore. They feature a giant five-acre corn maze that takes about 40 minutes to walk through, but they also have a small kid-friendly one for the younger family members.

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  3. Go on a hayride. Suppose you spent the day picking apples or wandering through a corn maze. In that case, a hayride is a great activity for a bit of hard-earned relaxation, with rolling hills and the Appalachian mountains covering most of Central PA, a hayride is scenic and soothing. It’s a great time to kick back, unwind and enjoy the views around you.

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  4. Make s'mores. We live in the land of Hershey’s Chocolate, so this is an obvious and sweet autumn activity. Whether you’re roasting those marshmallows over an open flame in the backyard or carefully heating them in the microwave, a s’more is the perfect fall treat. Feel free to get creative with it, too! Try out a peanut butter cup or add some bacon to it instead of a standard chocolate bar.

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  5. Take a nature walk. Once the temperatures start cooling and the leaves start changing colors, a nature walk is a fun adventure for big and little kids alike. Try to take what your children are interested in and highlight that during your exploring. Whether it’s identifying different plants and animals, singing silly songs, or just having a chance to chat, get them involved in the way they would appreciate best.

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  6. Carve a pumpkin. From a simple design to an extravagant creation, carving pumpkins with your family is always a fun fall activity. Limit the mess it usually brings by setting up a folding table outside and laying out newspapers or trash bags to cover the top. We often find that the mess is part of the fun, but if you don’t love the squish of the pumpkin innards, wear disposable gloves while you clean it out.

Download a PDF of this list of fall activities. 

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