Five Fall Favorites

My favorite season is in FULL swing and I am sooo happy about it!! Everyone knows that fall is the superior season and I’m not just saying that because I’m a basic white girl. Personally I love cold weather and as soon as the nights become chilly and the leaves start to change I am the happiest person alive. Give me all the bonfires, apple cider, flannel, blankets, candles and Harry Potter movie marathons and I am one happy gal. 

So today on the blog in honor of my favorite season, I’m gonna share a few Autumn must do’s for me! I’ll share some of my favorite activities and the best places (in my humble opinion) to do them in the Warwick, NY area! Alright let’s get into it already!!

The first thing that likely comes to mind for anyone looking to do a fall activity is apple picking and yes, I LOVE apple picking! I don’t only love apple picking for the cute Instagrams and outfits you can wear I genuinely love the thought of picking my own food! Whether that’s summer gardening, peach, strawberry or blueberry picking it’s all a great way to connect with where your food comes from! Apple picking being the most basic way to do that, probably. My favorite place to do that is Ochs Orchard in Warwick, NY! I’ve been going with my family for as long as I can remember! The price is super reasonable, the apples are always delicious (and the staff lets you know which varieties are in season and when so you can get your fave kind!) and you get gorgeous views of the area. And after picking there’s a market store where you can shop more local goodies and pet a goat or two!

My next favorite place to spend time during the fall season is Heaven Hill Farm! Heaven Hill is a garden store and farm perfect to visit during the fall. They have a Pumpkin Festival each year which draws hundreds of people every weekend to pick pumpkins, get lost in a corn maze and shop local til you drop! From face painting, to food carts and all the photo ops you can imagine Heaven Hill is an amazing place to spend a day with your family getting all the fall feels in! Not to mention they have amazing homemade apple cider donuts and delicious local ice cream too! Be sure to get there early to beat the crowd and catch a hay ride to the pumpkin patch, shop all the fall decor and snag some locally made goodies while you’re at it!

There is nothing like a winery in the fall, am I right ladies?! Warwick Valley Winery is one of my favorite places to visit this time of year. They have apple picking, delicious wine and cider of course and live music on weekends too! It’s totally family friendly with picnic tables and grassy areas you can bring your own blanket to sit on and let the kiddos run around! You can do wine and cider tastings here, buy bottles to bring home or just grab a glass and enjoy the scenery. From year round favorites to seasonal specialties Warwick Valley Winery has something for everyone. My favorites are the Pear cider and Pumpkin cider!

Another one of my favorite fall activities is hiking! Sure that sounds great through September but I know once the cold starts to set in people look at my like I’m crazy when I say I still like to hike through November, just hear me out okay?! Foliage is on point, you don’t sweat like a sinner in church and the trails are WAY less congested! Sounds good right? So one of my favorite local hikes to take in the fall is the Stairway to Heaven trail. This trail is HIGHLY popular and draws tourists from all over, but this trail is not for the faint of heart. It is a 2.9 mile hike part of the AT with an elevation gain of about 1,000 feet. So basically you walk straight up the mountain, but don’t worry that view is so worth it!! Just bring snacks and water and say hey to all the thru-hikers you pass they tell super cool stories! And after your hike you can walk right across the street to Heaven Hill for a well-deserved donut :)

Last on my list of fall faves is Orange County Distillery. I LOVE THIS PLACE. It’s just soooo cool! It’s nestled in a quiet, scenic part of Orange County and is the perfect place to get away for a bit. Orange County Distillery at Brown Barn farms features homemade whiskey they add to a number of cocktails they expertly craft, local beers and ciders and there’s always a food truck to grab snacks from! There’s plenty of outdoor space to sit and bring your own chairs, or hang out inside the barn at the bar! Don’t forget to head upstairs before you leave for an awesome place to hangout with friends in the loft with a bunch of cozy couches and chairs. They have trivia night once a week and special events once in a while, but you can keep up to date on their Instagram on that and drink specials!

Fall is not over yet guys and take advantage of it all through November! Okay yes I start celebrating Christmas way too early usually, but technically you have like through Thanksgiving to keep celebrating fall right?! If you hit up any of these places in the next few weeks you won’t be disappointed, it will fuel your fall spirit and make you super excited to visit again next year and maybe make a tradition of it! Happy fall y’all!!