15 Things To Do in Fall That Don't Cost a Lot of Money

Are you looking for budget-friendly fun activities with friends, family, or solo this fall? These are some great things to do in the fall that don't cost a lot of money.

Photo byJakob OwensonUnsplash

1. Go Hiking in Local Parks

Going hiking is an excellent activity to do whether you are looking for an activity to do solo or in a group. It is a recreational activity and a great way to see nature, exercise your body, refresh your mind, and have endless conversations with your company.

Hiking is also an opportunity to forget your stressors and focus on the vibrant nature you do not see daily.

Find hiking trails in local parks near you, plan a date, and get your hiking gear, water, and snacks ready.

While on the trail, take breaks to take in nature, take some photos for memories, snacks, and water.

If you already have the hiking gear you need, hiking can be free or cost you a few bucks, depending on whether the local park requires you to pay entry fees or if you need to drive to the park.

2. Have a Picnic in the Park

A picnic is budget-friendly for dates, solo fun, or catching up with friends and family. To make your picnics even more interesting, go for serene spots near the pond or lake in the park. The calmness it offers will make the whole time a lot more worth it.

All you will need for a picnic is a mat or blanket, a picnic basket, and some eating utensils. You do not have to buy these for just this specific use. If you do not have a picnic blanket, use what you already have in the house.

If you are having a solo picnic, you want to go for fruits and homemade snacks to make it budget-friendly. If it is a group picnic, it will be more affordable if everyone chipped in and brought their snacks. This way, everyone gets to have fun and enjoy each other’s company without spending too much money

3. Visit a Pumpkin Patch

If you are looking for a budget-friendly activity for your family, consider visiting a pumpkin patch.

You can enjoy hay rides, corn mazes, pumpkin picking, treats, and games with your company. You will also get to take photos for your memories.

It is a hands-on activity that is good for you and your children.

The farm pumpkins cost can be as low as $0.3 and as high as $15 for the massive pumpkins. The farms also have pumpkin carving kits and LED tea lights you can buy, but they are usually very cheap. Tag your family and friends along and enjoy the ultimate fall activity.

4. Host a Movie Night at Home

A movie night at home is an excellent opportunity to catch up on the films your folks have been discussing or on new releases that have been trending. It is an excellent way to spend your Friday evenings with friends or family.

A movie night at home can be as good as free, depending on where you watch it. For instance, if you are binge-watching your Netflix list, your monthly subscription will be the only cost you will have.

You could also borrow free movies from your library or take out the rented ones cheaply.

5. Go Apple Picking

Visiting an apple orchard near you and engaging in apple picking is an exciting activity that will win a great spot in your list of best memories. It is on everyone’s fall bucket list; that tells you how much fun you could have in the orchards.

The best time for apple picking is mid-June to mid-November, depending on the variety.

Start by finding orchards near you, read their requirements and rules, and then check out their charges. You then want to call the orchard to find out more details. If you are bringing children, you want to ask whether food is allowed and if the place is child-friendly.

Think of bringing your basket to collect the apples in. If the farm has different varieties, be sure to get your hands on all of them.

Since apple picking can go down as a core memory, take as many photos as possible.

When you return home with the apples, try out different recipes and crafts.

Entry into apple orchards costs approximately $5 per person, and each bag of apples picked could go for around $15, depending on the variety and location.

6. Take a Scenic Drive To Enjoy Fall Foliage

Fall foliage is always a site to behold. You can plan a road trip with friends to admire colorful leaf changes.

The internet has a lot of suggestions for the best places to see fall foliage around the US. You could find a destination near you and drive to or by it for the scenic views. Find the best time for the best views, plan your drive, and then go out and enjoy.

Such road trips have so much to offer. Besides enjoying fantastic views, you get to be out in nature, catch up with your road trip buddies, or escape the hustle and bustle of big cities.

7. Have a Bonfire or Campfire in Your Backyard

With temperatures gradually shifting from warm to cool, creating a bonfire or campfire in your backyard would be a fantastic activity to do.

You can do many activities to make your bonfire more exciting. For instance, you could catch up with your friends, play card or board games, stargaze, turn the bonfire into a grill, listen to different playlists, sit in a circle and play the telephone game, or do a movie night using a bed sheet and projector.

Bonfires take little time and effort to plan. With a few friends or family on board, you only need to get activities ready. Often, the needed items are things you already have, such as a fire pit. Things you may need to buy include firewood and drinks.

8. Attend Community Fall Festivals

Since the weather is getting cooler, you should take fall festivals as your last opportunity to have fun outdoors. When winter finally hits, outdoor activities take the backstage, so you should engage in community fall festivals as your last shot.

Some of the best community fall festivals to watch include neighborhood Halloween parties, trunk or treat, Oktoberfest, and Around The World set-ups.

Find out about your community’s festivals from social media communities. You can then plan to attend solo or with friends. These festivals are a great chance to have fun for free or at low costs and get a chance to meet and interact with new people.

9. Try DIY Autumn Crafts

If you are hands-on, Fall is an excellent time to show off your skills. You could hand-make Halloween costumes for yourself, family and friends. Many people spend so much on Halloween accessories, decor, and costumes, so this will be a fun and money-saving activity.

You could also start hand-making Christmas gifts for your family in advance.

Another good idea would be to do autumn crafts with kids, such as fall leaf lanterns, fall leaf wreaths, pumpkin pie playdough, and school projects.

10. Organize a Potluck Dinner With Friends

Instead of going out to eat, consider having a potluck dinner with friends. While eating out is fun with friends, it can cost a lot of money. If you still want to have the same good time with friends, organize a potluck dinner with friends.

You can go with themes and have people tag along with different dishes while sticking to the theme.

Alternatively, you could have one person bring dessert and another bring drinks, appetizers, and the main meal.

This will remain budget-friendly while allowing you to break the monotony of your daily menu.

11. Explore Farmers’ Markets

Break your pattern of staying indoors by visiting a farmer’s market near you. To begin with, the farmers market is just a nice place to be. The ambiance and the sight of fresh produce feel heavenly. You will also get the opportunity to interact with farmers and learn how they grow their produce.

Some farmers' markets play music and have stalls for street food that you could try. You could also visit the farmer’s market as an opportunity to get fruits and vegetables at lower prices.

12. Go for a Bike Ride on Nature Trails

Find nature trails near your city and go biking. Biking is a great activity to enjoy nature alone or in the company of your friends.

If you love biking, you want to do it as much as possible when it is still fall. Doing it on nature trails may be less fruitful during the wet season.

Biking is as good as a free activity if you already have a bike and safety gear. You can join a group of bikers in your city to find events and the best biking trails near you.

You will get to explore and try your skills on new trails and meet and connect with a community of other bikers.

13. Visit a Local Museum or Art Gallery

A local museum or an art gallery is a fun yet relaxed way to have fun. It gives you a chance to connect with culture, history, and art. If you want to connect with different perspectives and see life from a different point of view, this is the activity to do.

You should start by checking the free days of your museum and art gallery. Take advantage of these free days and visit.

There are so many ways you can make your local museum visits. For instance, you can join guided tours, take it as a history or culture lesson, or do some photography.

14. Have a Cozy Reading Day at Home

With a lot of distractions keeping people from reading, taking a day off to focus on trying to read would be a great thing to do.

You probably have books that have been sitting on your shelves for so long or something on your to-be-read list that you have not gotten a chance to start.

Plan a day off to get some reading done. Clear all distractions out of the way to help you entirely focus. For instance, you can switch your phone off or ensure you have no pending work.

You can then get your snacks and drinks ready and indulge in that book you have been meaning to read for so long.

15. Participate in Charity Walks or Runs

Charity walks and runs allow you to get out on an excellent course. Besides, they give you a great chance to exercise, meet new people, and participate in community events.

Keep in touch with your neighborhood and community for upcoming charity walks and marathons you can participate in. A search on the internet could also help you get some significant events to participate in.

A good thing about charity walks is that you can choose to participate in courses that interest you. For instance, if you are interested in healthcare, you could participate in non-profit charity walks that involve healthcare workers. If you are interested in human rights, you can participate in activism walks targeting groups you are interested in.

There is no better way to have fun and feel fulfilled than to participate in noble courses you are interested in.

Read More:

• 12 Frugal Hacks That Make All The Difference
• 12 Items Frugal People Proudly Exclude from Their Shopping List
• 23 Side Hustles You Never Considered That Make More Than Your 9 to 5