Happy Fall, y’all!

I don’t know about anyone else’s feelings, but I’m ready for cooler weather and outdoor adventures where I don’t feel like I’m breathing through a straw because of the stifling August heat and humidity. 

Wednesday marked the turn of the season from those last few hot, dog-days of Georgia summer. While the weather has yet to turn cool for us, it doesn’t mean we can’t (and shouldn’t) celebrate the coming of the harvest season as the days get shorter and the nights get cooler in the Northern Hemisphere.

Here’s a to-do list of things we put together of (mostly) outdoor activities to help you get into the spirit this season.

And no, none of these activities involve consuming anything pumpkin spice flavored. 😉

Visit a Pumpkin Patch (and carve a Jack-o-Lantern!)

While you’re taking that trip to the mountains this Autumn, don’t forget to stop and pick up some pumpkins along the way. You’re going to need them for carving on Halloween! Or to decorate your front porch alongside a bunch of mums. You do you!

Luckily, our little corner of NWGA is home to a surprising amount of fruit orchards and pumpkin patches to visit. 

Who doesn’t love picking out pumpkins in the Fall? Whether it be for carving, making into a pie, or using as decoration, fresh pumpkins from the farm are the ultimate Autumn decoration. Luckily for us, there are at least 20 pumpkin patches around the state. 

Did you know there’s a pumpkin patch closer to home than in the mountains?

The Pumpkin Patch Farm in Adairsville, GA, opens in October and welcomes visitors every weekend of the month from 10 AM to 5 PM. 

For those interested, the farm also welcomes field trips during the weekdays in October by appointment only. For more details, check out their website

website link: https://pumpkinpatchfarm.net/Directions.php

Burt’s Pumpkin Farm

Located in Dawsonville, Burt’s Pumpkin Farm provides seasonal visitors with thousands of pumpkins to pick and choose from. They also offer Indian corn, gourds, and other Autumn decorations.

Enjoy hay rides, as well as jams, jellies, pumpkin breads, and pies. Burt’s Farm is open daily from September 1 to November 15.  website: https://www.burtsfarm.com/

Take a Road Trip Through the Mountains

Take a weekend getaway in your car. Leave the windows down so you can inhale the crisp mountain air. Before we take the risk of sounding like a travel brochure, sometimes all you really need to decompress is a mini road trip, and the mountain drives in Georgia are breathtaking when the leaves change.

We recently read about the Dragon Eyes road trip thanks to the Explore Georgia page here, which is in total a 77-mile stretch over the mountains.

The winding trek boasts an impressive 715 curves in total, two loops, and six gaps. It’s certainly a road trip we’ve got on our map for this season after the leaves have started to turn.   

Bake Something Warm and Comforting

To be honest, I couldn’t wait to go to the apple orchards to grab a peck to cook with. I *had* to grab a couple pounds from the grocery store this week, because I’m planning on making some fresh apple butter this weekend. 

In addition to that, the warm seasonal treats you can make are nearly endless in Autumn. Apple crumbles, pumpkin pies, cinnamon bread, or even regular sandwich bread! It’s cheaper than store bought and *much* better.

You’ll never want bread from the grocery store again, trust me.  

Go Apple Picking

Did you know that there are over 20 apple orchards in Georgia alone? More than half of them are nestled away in Ellijay, but there are a few scattered in other areas of the state. They all offer huge selections of various types and flavors of apples during the Fall season. 

B.J. Reece Orchards

B.J. Reece Orchards is one among many in Ellijay, but it stands out above the rest as a personal family favorite. The orchards are family owned and operated, and offer apple picking through the months of September and October.

Throughout the rest of the year, however, the family also cultivates peaches, nectarines, and Asian pears. If anything else, head to this spot for made from scratch bakery items that can’t be beat. 

They have fried pies of every flavor: if classic apple isn’t your thing, they also offer flavors such as peach, strawberry, cream cheese, and even coconut. 

Take advantage of their full market selection and pick up some fresh seasonal veggies, and don’t forget to pick up a dozen apple cider doughnuts before you leave!

website: http://www.reeceorchards.com/

In addition to checking out the orchards of Ellijay, head to the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds in October for two weekends of non-stop apple-themed fun at the annual Georgia Apple Festival.

This event features a classic auto show, arts and crafts, a 5k road race, an apple festival parade, and more. Details for the two-weekend event can be found on their website: https://www.georgiaapplefestival.org/information.aspx

Go to  Football Game

— Pick your favorite local team, or splurge on tickets for College Game Day!

Either way, cool Friday nights are perfect for enjoying an outdoor game. 

Go to a Fall Festival

The  Georgia Mountain Fall Festival is one of the biggest events in the mountains during October, as it is reportedly “The Country Music Capital of Georgia”.

The festival takes place at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee, Georgia, which is a little over 2 hours’ drive from Cedartown, and features 9 days worth of arts and crafts, live demonstrations, food, entertainment, and of course, live country music with shows in the afternoon and evening each day.

A single-day pass into the festival is priced at just $12 a ticket, with free parking and free admission to the concerts. Open hours are from 10 AM to 6 PM. Dates for the festival begin on October 8 and continue through October 16.

For more details, visit the website: https://georgiamountainfairgrounds.com/localevents/fallfest

Locally, you’ve got the fall festival planned for downtown Cedartown on November 6. Check back for plans for a later November festival in Rockmart.

Build a Bonfire

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Get outside and build a fire on chilly nights. Grab a bag of marshmallows and a pack of king-sized Hershey’s bars, along with a box of graham crackers. You know the drill from here.

Spend the night indulging in the warm fire with sticky marshmallow fingers (and don’t forget the wine or beer if that’s your thing!) and some rich, homemade hot chocolate. 

You’ll be glad you did it! 

Visit a Haunted House (or Haunted Hay Ride)

I know what you might be thinking: this one’s mostly for the kids, right? No. You’re wrong. Haunted houses are incredibly entertaining for kids of all ages.

Some of these crews put on spectacular shows night after night for groups of people for hours, and all their hard work can’t go unappreciated during the season. 

Take a Hike

There are plenty of hiking trails to enjoy throughout our corner of Georgia, but here’s a specific list of atlantatrails.org’s favorite Fall hikes for more information. Getting out into nature is known to help you decompress and relax.

If that sounds like something you desperately need this season, why not throw on that dusty hiking gear and take a walk?

There are also plenty of other useful resources listed on their website to help to navigate and map out any accessible trails in the state. https://www.atlantatrails.com/georgia-hikes-fall-leaf-color-change/

Whether you take part in these activities or go out and find your own, we’d love to hear about your adventures this season!

Send your favorite Fall photos in to Polk Today, and we’ll feature them in a future post.

Stay safe during your travels and have fun!