Looking for ways to celebrate fall near Saratoga Springs? Look no further! Below are some fun autumn activities to get you started, and some musts to cross off your bucket list before winter.
1) Apple Picking
When you imagine fall, what pops into your head? Hot apple cider? Apple picking? Warm cider donuts? Well, at Saratoga Apple, you can accomplish all of this! Just a 20 minute drive from campus are the beautiful apple orchards of family-owned Saratoga Apple. Grab a bag and start wandering the rows of apple trees searching for your favorite kinds, or maybe just the ones that catch your eye, and make sure not to stop until your bag is filled to the brim! Of course, don’t forget to stop at the Saratoga Apple store itself. With baskets of pumpkins and squash lining the door, and cider donuts waiting for you just inside, their store is the epitome of fall. Their hot apple cider is the perfect thing to warm you up on a chilly fall day while you shop for the ideal pumpkin to carve, decorate your dorm room with, or maybe even make some fall treats from.
2) Hiking
A “must” on everyone’s to-do list has to be seeing the colors of the leaves change, and what better way to do this than a fall hike. There are few places in the country more beautiful in the fall than upstate New York, and if you’re not from the east coast, one would even go so far as to say that seeing the colors of fall is a necessity. Any hike will give you a view of the beautiful fall colors, but if you’re looking for an extra-spectacular look out, Prospect Mountain (35-minute drive from campus), Sleeping Beauty Mountain (55 minutes), or Spruce Mountain (32 minutes) offer just that. Of course, even walking through North Woods can show you the spectacular array of colors that upstate New York has to offer if you’re not looking to leave the comfort of campus.
3) Explore Downtown Saratoga
There are of course many fall opportunities to take advantage of in Saratoga Springs itself. One of these opportunities is the farmers market on High Rock Avenue. Although it opens in May, the market takes on a fall life of its own in September and October, moving into Wilton Mall in November. Browse the seasonal produce and decorations and maybe even buy a gourd or two to spice up your dorm or apartment. And how could one write a fall article without including the words “pumpkin spice”? If you find yourself walking downtown with the threat of winter in the air, make sure to pop into one of the many coffee shops in Saratoga Springs to get your fix of pumpkin lattes, bread, muffins, and anything else you could possibly think of. Finally, if you want to see the fall colors but don’t feel like driving, or maybe don’t trust your hiking abilities, then Congress and Spa State Park are also great places to watch the leaves change close by.
Maybe the cold weather has got you feeling a little down and you’re not quite in the spirit to go apple picking or hiking through the fall foliage. In that case, there is nothing better than snuggling up and watching a scary movie with your friends or starting on those holiday classics a little early in the season. There are many fall activities to take part in, and whatever kind of activities you choose, make sure to take a break from studying before you’re holed up in your room for winter and it’s too late!