The Best Outdoor Fall Activities for Older Adults

The first morning you reach for a jacket can change what sounds appealing that afternoon. A walk feels good after the summer heat, and a drive to the apple orchard suddenly seems worth making. Fall brings back outings that were easy to put off when every day felt warm.

It also moves quickly. The best color may last only a week, and migrating birds will keep going with or without an audience. If you’ve been waiting for a reason to get outside or gather friends around the table, this is a good one. Here are some ways to enjoy the season while it’s here.

Hike or Bike

As the leaves change, going for a hike or bike ride is a great way to take in the fall colors. If a hike sounds too daunting, go out for an easy walk around neighborhood parks and trails. If you are up for a hike, trails are often rated from easy to hard, allowing you to pick a route that best suits your sightseeing goals and stamina level.

If biking is your preference, fall is a perfect time to hit the road. Cooler temperatures make it possible to pedal a little farther than otherwise comfortable on a hot summer day. If you have the option of a weekday ride, you’ll avoid the weekend crowds and might have the bike path to yourself as you take in spectacular scenery in a quiet and secluded atmosphere.

Whether you’re hiking or biking, remember to bring water to hydrate. Also, check the forecast to make sure you’re dressed for whatever weather is out there. Footwear is especially important for hikers.

Ensure you have hiking shoes, boots, or running shoes with good support to avoid falls and sore feet. Perhaps even consider using a walking stick, which can help to maintain balance over rough terrain.

Go to a Pumpkin Patch and Orchard

Pumpkin patches are in full swing in the fall, with mountains of orange spheres to select from for your Halloween decorations. Apple orchards are at their peak as well, typically with multiple varieties of ripe fruit available. These destinations usually offer far more than simply a place to purchase the bounty of their harvest.

Orchards and pumpkin patches often feature hayrides, cornfield mazes, seasonal beverages like cider, and pies and other pastries for purchase. If you’re looking for a fall activity with grandchildren, you can't go wrong with a pumpkin patch. When you return home with your haul, gather some friends for a friendly pumpkin carving competition accompanied by drinks, snacks, and caramel apples for dessert.

Cook With Seasonal Produce

Fall means harvest time, so grocery stores and farmers’ markets are bursting with an abundance of seasonal produce. Why not schedule a dinner with friends and prepare a feast of fall specialties?

Here’s an example for a festive autumn menu:

Appetizer - Crostini with goat cheese, sliced pear, honey, and toasted walnuts.

First course - Roasted butternut squash soup

Main course - Herb-roasted pork tenderloin with an apple-cider pan sauce

Sides - Roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and maple; wild rice with mushrooms, onions, and herbs.

Dessert - Apple crisp with vanilla ice cream.

Other options include braised beef short ribs or roasted veggies like carrots, squash, cauliflower, or potatoes. Looking for more ideas? An online search will yield a ton of festive autumn meal alternatives.

Winterize Your Garden

Every year, yards and gardens need to be prepared for their long winter sleep. Pull the last of the weeds, trim back dead branches on trees and bushes, and sweep any walkways or paths. In the vegetable garden, add cleared-out dead plant material to the compost pile and cover the area with dead leaves or hay to protect the soil from the harshness of winter. Fall is also the ideal time to plant the bulbs that will pop up in the spring.

As you are preparing your garden, you can also do some basic house care. Consider clearing out gutters after leaves have fallen to prevent clogs that might cause roof damage. If you’re in a cold climate, disconnect and drain garden hoses to prevent any remaining water from freezing and cracking the hoses. Turn off and drain waterlines to outside spigots to prevent them from freezing. Check that outdoor lights are working and put away any garden decorations that can be damaged by the freeze-and-thaw cycle.

Visit a Winery or Brewery

Early fall is a great time to visit the outdoor patio of your favorite winery or brewery. Enjoy a beverage outdoors with friends on a sunny, cool day as everyone takes in the season's beautiful colors and scents. Many establishments feature unique fall-themed drinks. Breweries are especially inventive when it comes to adding flavors and spices to make their familiar brews into something novel and interesting.

Take a Late Season Vacation

Fall is an ideal time for a vacation for several reasons.

• With children back in school, popular destinations are often less crowded.
• Rates for accommodations often drop after the summer high season.
• Autumn colors make the scenery especially beautiful.
• Cooler temperatures and lack of pesky insects make outdoor activities more comfortable.

When planning your trip, research the typical weather patterns for your destination. You may need to pack both warm- and cool-weather clothing to account for greater temperature variation than in the summer. Also, fall marks the start of the rainy season in some locations, so be prepared with the proper rain gear.

Go on a Bird Watching Adventure

Autumn migration is a wonderful time to enjoy bird watching. You’ll often see more species than usual because of a wide variety of birds passing through on their way to their wintering grounds. To get the most out of your experience, here are a few tips:

Get out early - The first few hours after sunrise are generally best for songbirds, which may be actively feeding after their overnight migration flights.

Watch the weather: After a cool night, following a passing cold front that kicks up north or northwest winds, you may notice an influx of migrants.

Look for food rather than individual birds - In fall, search for berry-producing shrubs, fruiting trees, seed heads, and areas with lots of insects where migrating birds can find abundant food.

Visit lakes and wetlands – Later in the fall, birding shifts toward migrating ducks, geese, grebes, and other waterbirds.

Learn fall plumage - Some birds look quite different from how they did during spring migration. Bring your favorite bird books for identification.

Listen - Fall migrants aren't singing as much as they do in spring, but they make frequent contact and flight calls. A handy way to identify unfamiliar bird sounds is to use apps like Merlin, the free bird ID app developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Pick the outing you’ve been talking about and put it on the calendar. A farm visit may take some planning, while a walk along your usual trail can happen whenever you have an open hour. Both give you a chance to see what this part of the year is like where you live. If you come home with produce, invite someone over to help cook it. If you find a place you like, make a note to return. Give yourself time to enjoy the day before you start thinking about the next thing on your schedule.

Seasonal produce, festival tickets, travel gear, and supplies for a backyard gathering can all help you make the most of fall. The Visa Signature Credit Card offers a convenient way to pay while providing valuable card benefits.