We are now solidly into Fall. Some of you are probably excited about that, but others of you are probably pretty sad that summer is over. For those who never want summer to end, I have good news! There are many summer things to keep doing this Fall to keep the summer vibes alive.
Personally, I love Fall. It’s definitely my favorite season since I’ve moved to a place that experiences Fall. Of course, I like the Fall holidays and the Fall foliage, but my favorite thing about Fall is the weather. Fall is the weather sweet spot for many of us. You’re neither sweating nor freezing, the mornings and evenings are crisp, but the afternoons warm up, you get to wear sweatshirts (my favorite article of clothing). I mean, there is a reason that I’m not the only person who loves Fall.
And sure, there are a ton of Fall-specific activities you can do to take advantage of this magical season with its magical weather. But you don’t have to give up all of your favorite summer activities just because the calendar has turned to Fall. There are so many summer things to keep doing this Fall that you can sprinkle in among the Fall bucket list items. Let’s keep a bit of summer alive this Fall, shall we?
Summer Things to Keep Doing This Fall
Grill
My husband loves to grill, but his work schedule doesn’t allow him to grill dinner anywhere close to as much as he would like. To compensate, we plan for him to grill outside of the traditional summer grilling season. In our house, grilling tops the list of summer things to keep doing this Fall.
What to grill?
Most of your favorite things to grill are just as appropriate for the Fall as they are for the summer. Burgers aren’t confined to summer, for example. Unfortunately, if you’re a lover of grilled vegetables, these aren’t the best in the Fall when most vegetables aren’t in season. Sorry, vegetarian friends!
Play outside
When you think about kids playing outside, you probably picture summertime. But my favorite time of the year to play outside with the kids is actually Fall because I’m not falling over from heat exhaustion. Add playing outside to your list of summer things to keep doing this Fall.
My kids are outside creatures. They’d so much rather be outside than indoors. This is why I keep a whole list of the best outdoor toys for toddlers and preschoolers. I’m more like an indoor cat, though, so I only really enjoy spending time outside when it’s like 70°F with low humidity. That means that when Fall rolls around, this mom is encouraging her kids to play outside!
What to play?
There’s not much you can’t play in the Fall that you could play in the summer outside. Just add a sweatshirt. You just might want to lay off the water play on crisp days.
Wear sunscreen
So, this isn’t an activity, but I wanted to include this on the list as a reminder. You’re probably very good at applying sunscreen in the summer. You’re maybe not as good about it in the Fall (or Winter or Spring), but you should be! Don’t forget to add sunscreen to your list of summer things to keep doing in the Fall. Your skin will thank you!
Where to apply?
Everywhere! If you plan to spend any amount of time outside or even inside near a window, you should protect your skin from the sun’s UV radiation. I apply Neutrogena Purescreen+ as part of my morning skincare routine every single day. It’s not super greasy, it’s pretty affordable, and it’s lightly tinted so it doesn’t leave that super attractive white cast we all love. I also start out each day with a layer of Eucerin Daily Hydration moisturizer + sunscreen on the exposed parts of my body and then reapply as needed. Find a face and body sunscreen you like and use it year-round!
Host get-togethers
I know you made plans with at least another family in your life to hang out this summer that never actually happened. Don’t worry, I did too! The good news is that you can still have that get-together, just in the Fall.
The problem with hosting a get-together in the summer is that there are so many other activities scheduled, especially on the weekends, that it makes it hard to find a mutually agreeable time for everyone involved. Barring the holidays and any youth sports that may dominate some families’ weekends, it’s usually easier to find a date that works in the Fall. So, don’t be shy! Add hosting a get-together on your list of summer things to keep doing this Fall.
What to serve?
Football season is a great built-in reason to host a get-together in the Fall, even if you don’t actually plan to watch the game. I have a whole list of kid-friendly game day food from which you can choose. They are all crowd pleasers and easy to make. My personal preference would be pretzel bites with cheese sauce, BBQ chicken or pork sandwiches, cole slaw, and potato chips with a pan of brownies for dessert. Easy and delicious!
Make s’mores
Look, s’mores are delicious 365 days of the year. They don’t have to be consumed in the summer months only. In fact, I’d much rather build a fire in the Fall for roasting marshmallows than in the summer. The weather is usually more appropriate for a roaring fire in the backyard in October than in August. Don’t give up on s’mores now that it’s Fall, add making them to your list of summer things to do in the Fall!
How to make them?
I’m sure most of us have made s’mores in our life, but here’s what you’ll need:
Graham crackers
Chocolate bars
Marshmallows (the big ones)
Toast the marshmallow and sandwich it, with a piece of chocolate, between graham cracker squares.
If you want to jazz up your s’mores, you can always swap the plain old Hershey bar for a Reese’s cup. Now you’re living!
Go to the farmer’s market
As I said in my Spring Bucket List post, my kids love the farmer’s market. My son really does get sad when it’s over for the year. But that time has not yet come. We will soak up the last few weeks of our local farmer’s market and I hope you will too!
What to buy?
Of course, seasonal produce is the star of any local farmer’s market, and there isn’t a shortage of good produce in the Fall. We love to buy fresh apples from the local orchard’s stall at our farmer’s market, but apples aren’t the only thing in season. Pears, winter squash, brussels sprouts, and potatoes are other favorite items to snatch up at your local farmer’s market in the Fall. Don’t forget the purveyors of prepared food! We have a hummus place that makes the most incredible pita chips, and those certainly work all year round. The farmer’s market is definitely on my list of summer things to do in the Fall.
Go camping
I must admit, I am not a camping girlie. I cannot fathom going camping, in any season. In fact, the last time I went camping was the coldest night my tiny Florida town had seen in a long time. We were all huddled up trying to survive off one another’s body heat. But if you are a camping girlie and you typically think only of summer as camping time, I urge you to think about going in the Fall.
When to go?
Don’t pick the coldest night of the decade. With that in mind, you’re probably fine well into Fall, depending on where you are located. Might I suggest bringing layers in case the temperature is either much colder or much warmer than you anticipate?
Eat ice cream
My 2-year-old is in her ice cream era. Just the other night she was very proud of herself for eating all her dinner and starting excitedly shouting, “I want ICE CREAM” in that sweet little 2-year-old voice of hers. It’s hard to say no when they’re that cute.
When to eat it?
Not only is it perfectly acceptable to eat ice cream at home straight from the freezer during the Fall, it’s also still a fun family activity to head to your local ice cream shop for a cone (or a cup for those of you with toddlers).
Read a beach read
I’ve been super into reading lately. It has always been my #1 low-effort hobby, but lately I can’t seem to get enough. I read four whole books in the month of August, which is a record for me after having kids. A fair few of the books I’ve been reading can be classified as beach reads – light, fast, and immensely entertaining. They’re just nice escapes from a real life filled with diapers and kids fighting. And guess what? I don’t have to stop reading beach reads in the Fall and neither do you. They’re still wonderful escapes from the daily grind, no matter the season. Join me in adding read a beach read to your list of summer things to keep doing this Fall!
What to read?
Here are some of my favorite light-hearted beach reads that I’ve read recently:
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand
The Chicken Sisters by K.J. Dell’Antonia
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Dine al fresco
One of my favorite things to do when the weather is nice is to eat outside. It just feels fun. And, bonus(!) the change of scenery can even make your kids eat a better meal. This activity for sure merits inclusion on the list of summer things to keep doing this Fall!
Where to eat?
This is an easy one to accomplish at home, with very little effort and at a moment’s notice. It’s also fun to go out to eat and dine outside. Most restaurants with outdoor dining keep their patios open through most of the Fall, so this remains an option for a little bit. And if you live in Florida, it’s finally cool enough to eat outside in the Fall, either at home or at a restaurant.
I hope you can work some of these fun summer activities into your Fall. What summer things are you planning to keep doing this Fall? Let us know down below or over on Instagram @sarainseason.