100 Ideas for Your Fall Bucket List

Fall is in the air, my friends. If you don’t know this about me, let me let you in on a secret: this is my absolute favorite time of year. I start anticipating the fall season in mid-July and I’m basically unstoppable. All I can think about is cozy sweaters and boots Gilmore Girls and crisp breezes and pumpkin-y snacks. The cooler the weather gets, the better my mood is. So, it should come as no surprise to you that our fall bucket list is probably my favorite one to put together all year long!

Bucket lists are a really fun (and really simple!) way to make the changing of the seasons feel special. I love having a little list taped up on our fridge of things we want to do to fully embrace the season. It helps us be present, celebrate the moment we’re in, and have some family fun together.

A few months back I shared a big list of things to add to your summer bucket list, so I felt like it was only appropriate to create one for the fall, too!

How to Use the Fall Bucket List

Keep in mind – this little list shouldn’t feel like a “to do” list. You shouldn’t stress about getting everything ton or put a ton of pressure on yourself. Instead, you should use it as inspiration for when you have an afternoon or weekend available for some seasonal fun. You can pick and choose what you actually want to do, and it should feel fun – not overwhelming!

I recommend gathering your favorite ideas from the list and adding them to your calendar. By planning ahead a little you can be sure to get everything you want done! Plus, it’ll give you something really fun to look forward to.

Fall Bucket List Ideas

If you’re looking for inspiration for how to really soak up the fall, I’ve got you covered. Here are 100 fall activities to add to your fall bucket list this year. Be sure to scroll to the end for a printable version of the ultimate fall bucket list. You can tape it on the fridge and see how many things you can do!

• Jump in a pile of leaves.
• Carve a pumpkin.
• Spend some time baking new treats together (bonus points if they’re pumpkin-flavored!).
• Visit a local orchard to pick apples.
• Go to a pumpkin patch.
• Make chili and have a movie night.
• Make a list of Halloween movies to watch together.
• Visit a fall festival and drink some warm apple cider.
• Pick out your Halloween costume.
• Roast pumpkin seeds.
• Have a pumpkin carving contest.
• Visit a haunted house.
• Gather up some food for a food bank.
• Take a road trip to find the prettiest fall foliage in your area.
• Have a Harry Potter movie marathon,
• Go on a hayride.
• Cheer on your favorite football team.
• Have some hot chocolate.
• Watch some scary movies together.
• Go shopping for fall decor.
• Visit a farmer’s market and try something new.
• Light a fall candle.
• Go to some local football games.
• Make caramel apples.
• Go on a nature walk and find some leaves to save.
• Go on a family hike.
• Make pumpkin bread.
• Go through a corn maze.
• Sip a pumpkin spice latte.
• Or, try to DIY your own PSL at home!
• Bake an apple pie.
• Try your hand at knitting and knit a scarf for yourself.
• Make some fall-themed crafts with your kids.
• Make a list of cozy recipes to try this fall.
• Paint your nails a fall color.
• Try a fall DIY project like a DIY fall wreath, or a paper bag leaf garland.
• Prep your Thanksgiving menu
• Do a fall themed puzzle (bonus points if you frame it!)
• Make homemade applesauce.
• Read a spooky book (I recommend this one or this one. Or, of course, my favorite of all time.)

• Buy a new outfit to celebrate the start of sweater weather.
• Make homemade cinnamon rolls.
• Have a fall picnic.
• Invite some guests over for a game night with a fall-inspired menu.
• Clean out your closet (fall is always a good time for a fresh start!).
• Watch all of the fall and Thanksgiving episodes of your favorite show (Gilmore Girls is my go-to!)
• Make a fall playlist.
• Have homemade soup.
• Boil a fall simmer pot.
• Visit a drive-in movie.
• Have a fall-inspired family photo shoot (even if it’s a DIY one!)
• Make a Halloween-inspired charcuterie board!
• Wear Halloween pajamas with your family.
• Enjoy the cooler weather with a coffee and a stroll through a local park.
• Go trick or treating.
• Decorate your front porch for fall.
• Go camping.
• Go for a long scenic bike ride.
• Have a family game night.
• Buy a new fall mug.
• Plant an autumn garden.
• Start a gratitude journal.
• Send someone you love a letter in the mail, just because.
• Decorate your home for fall (see my fall decor tips here!)
• Tell a ghost story.
• Throw a Friendsgiving.
• Go tailgating.
• Begin to prep for the holiday season (stash away some gifts now – it’s the perfect time!).
• Take your Christmas card photo.
• Go on a weekend staycation.
• Snuggle up under a cozy blanket to read together.
• Start a family gratitude practice in November (see our gratitude tree here).
• Make homemade fall potpurri.
• Go bobbing for apples.
• Volunteer at a local nursing home or shelter.
• Go for a wine tasting.
• Host a potluck with your neighbors.
• Gather the most beautiful fall leaves and make bookmarks or a scrapbook.
• Throw a Halloween party.
• Make a Halloween-inspired playlist.

• Have a bonfire and roast s’mores.
• Take a photography walk and capture the beauty of the season.
• Start reading a new book series aloud with your kids (Harry Potter is a classic, but we also love A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Magic Misfits.)
• Try a new seasonal beer or cocktail.
• Do a local ghost tour.
• Visit a local art gallery.
• Visit a botanical garden to see how things change for the fall season.
• Explore a new town near you. Bonus points if you find one with fall activities!
• Make a fall-themed scrapbook with your kids.
• Visit a local library and check out some fall-themed books.
• Attend a craft fair – maybe even do some Christmas shopping!
• Have a pie-making contest with your family (or a cookie decorating contest, or a homemade bread contest – anything to get you creating fall treats together!).
• Go stargazing on a cool night.
• Try a new fall workout – outdoors, preferably!
• Go to a local music festival or outdoor concert.
• Write down some fall quotes that make you feel cozy and post them somewhere you can see them.
• Make a Halloween-specific bucket list (see below for mine!)
• Roast marshmallows.
• Purchase some fall flowers at the grocery store.
• Buy some gourds to decorate your table for fall.

Printable Fall Bucket List

If you don’t want to go through the process of making your own bucket list from my ideas above, I took the liberty of making you a printable version! It has 25 of the ideas above, and it’s a good standard fall bucket list that would be perfect for families. There’s also a blank version, as well as a blank Halloween bucket list.

There are so many fun ways to celebrate the fall season, hopefully this gets you inspired!