Fall break – the light at the end of the tunnel that is after midterms. Only thing is, it’s only 2 days long, 4 if you include the weekend. For many of us who call Nashville or Knoxville home, we go home for that extended weekend, but for those who are from out of state, or country, it’s not practical to go home for the break. So, here are a few things you can do in Cookeville (and the surrounding areas) over fall break
1) Go hiking!
There are dozens of state parks and natural areas around Cookeville waiting on you to explore them. One of the most popular, Cummins Falls, is just a 15-minute drive from campus. There’s a small, local creek with a little waterfall north of Cookeville towards Algood called Waterloo that is a favorite spot of mine as well. Or, if you’re feeling more adventurous, Rock Island State Park is about a 35-minute drive south of campus and it is my most favorite place on the planet. It is home to Twin Falls, two 80 foot waterfalls side by side that were accidentally created when the Caney Fork River was dammed.
2) Go visit a hunted house!
Grab some friends and road trip out to Lenior City! Dead Man’s Farm is about an hour and a half East from campus, and I went last year with some friends and it was fantastic! Or, an hour and a half West will get you to Nashville. I’m from Nashville so I’ve been to most of the haunted houses in town and my personal favorite is Death Row. However, be warned, it took my group over an hour to get through it, so keep that in mind.
3) Pick pumpkins!
It’s pumpkin season, y’all! Fall is my favorite season because the weather is beautiful and there are pumpkins everywhere, and I love it! While you can just go down to the Walmart on Jefferson and get a beaten up pumpkin out of a cardboard bin, it’s way more fun to pick your own! Autumn Acres is in Crossville, TN which is about 30 minutes from campus. General Admission is $10 and includes admission to the 12-acre corn maze, as well as a hayride around the farm which stops in the pumpkin patch, as well as many, many other things! Pumpkins are $5 a-piece.
4) Netflix
If all else fails, Netflix will always be your friend. Have a movie night with friends! Netflix’s horror film collection is pretty good, plus this month they added a “Halloween Picks” section! Horror not your thing? No worries – Goosebumps is on Netflix too! Get that popcorn popping and grab the candy corn.
