Summer is over. The leaves have changed or cover the ground. When you wake up in the morning or fall asleep in the evening, you might have to wear a hoodie to keep warm. You all know what time of the year it is: It’s fall!
In New York, fall activities are a must and especially in the place where I grew up: the Hudson Valley. It’s located about 50 minutes north of Manhattan and is ranked as one of the most beautiful places to see the leaves change. In the Hudson Valley, fall is a really big deal. There are a lot of tourists who drive from all over the country and from New York City to hike and see some of the amazing foliage in my area.
Another amazing activity to experience? The Halloween festivities. Now, New York is not really known for its Halloween spirit. I know Massachusetts claims that title but there is a town close by called Sleepy Hollow. All the local businesses turn Main Street into a Halloween fest with lights and decorations, such as spider webs on lamp posts. During the Halloween season, the number one ranked haunted attraction is the Headless Horseman Haunted House, located right here in the Hudson Valley. It’s perfect for all you Halloween enthusiasts. The Headless Horseman has been ranked second for scariest haunted house or attraction and ranked fourth all time in the country. Better yet, both the trail and the haunted house are ADA accessible. I went to the Headless Horseman when I was in high school with some friends and it was a great experience. Fun fact: Sleepy Hollow, New York, is not where the Headless Horseman is located. They’re separated by about 60 miles.
Another great activity is apple picking and consuming cider donuts. Apple picking is a big thing upstate. I live only two miles away from the Angry Orchard Farm. Every year, we usually get together with family and friends for a full day of apple picking. Although the price for an apple bag has definitely gone up since I was a kid, there is nothing like eating a freshly picked apple. Besides getting to see family and catching up with them, I think my favorite part about apple picking is the fresh-made cider donuts. They just melt in your mouth when you take a bite. Seriously, you don’t even have to chew! If you have never had fresh cider donuts, that is something that needs to be pushed to the top of your list for fall activities.
Finally, the last activity I always get involved with during the fall is the dreaded preparation for winter. If you live in the northeast, you know what I’m talking about. When the leaves drop and make a mess all over your lawn, you have to rake all of the leaves up before the snow starts to fall. Every year, I am put in charge of blowing leaves while the rest of my family takes down the pool lanai and puts all the firepit and pool chairs into one of our sheds. No one likes to do chores. But it is very important that you clean up all your leaves before the snow hits, because if you leave them on the ground the snow packs them down and when spring thaws the snow out, the smell is awful and it’s a pain to mow your grass over the wet leaves.
If you take one thing away from this list of fall activities, it should be the cider donuts. Please find a local farm and try some. You’ll thank me later.
About Josh McDermott: Josh is a brand ambassador for Quantum Rehab®. He is a public speaker and has served as a goodwill ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Josh lives in New York and loves to travel. Click here to learn more about Josh.