Summer is now over and the season is changing. It is safe to say fall is one of my favorite times of year. Most of us anxiously await the cooler days and leaves changing but what is there to do when the pool closes and it’s no longer tanning weather? Fall is full of new and exciting day trips to make with your friends and family. Below are just five ideas to help with the slower weekends and to make your fall season one to remember.

1. Fall Festival or State Fair

The best part of visiting a fall festival or state fair is the price. It is an affordable trip that can easily be one of your favorite traditions and memories to carry out. They offer a variety of rides and games suitable for people of all ages. There is truly something for everyone to enjoy. There is no better way to get into the fall spirit than sharing a funnel cake or riding the Ferris wheel. And do not forget to try something fried – from Twinkies to Oreos!

2. Movie Night

Once the calendar hits October, it is time to break out the traditional Halloween movies. The options are endless. From classics, such as "Beetlejuice" and "Casper," to childhood favorites including "Hocus Pocus" and the Halloweentown series, it is a night of fun for everyone. Grab the popcorn and make Pillsbury’s seasonal sugar cookies and settle in for the night.

3. Bonfires

Nothing shouts “fall” more than making s’mores around a bonfire with your best friends. On one of the cooler nights coming up, take some blankets outside and build a fire. Share scary ghost stories or favorite summer memories.

4. Apple Picking

What’s not to love about dressing up in comfortable layers, picking out the best apples, and going home and making a pie or cider? It sounds like the perfect day to me. Apple picking is available in places all over. Find the one nearest to you and make a day trip of it. If it’s nearby, take a bike ride or walk there to fully enjoy the colors changing around you and crisp fall air.

5. Pumpkin Patch

Spend the day with your friends or family and pick out the best pumpkin of them all. Bring it home and carve it or paint it. Be creative! Have fun and decorate it in any way you wish. Then, take an artsy fall photo shoot to document the day. A final tip is to save the seeds for roasting – they’re delicious!

If you are anything like me, you dread the end of summer. The painful realization of going back to class and studying sounds like such a chore. But, once fall begins to roll around, you easily become super excited.

There are so many events that take place in fall and it could not be any more beautiful outside! If you want to make this season one to remember, check off each of these items on a fall bucket list. Take a break from studying for that midterm. You will not regret it.