There’s a new season upon us, and with it comes a multitude of autumnal activities to take advantage of. The culture staff recommends how to spend your next weekend.
Go to a corn maze — Maggie Swanborn
A classic fall activity is to visit a pumpkin patch, but make sure to go to one with a corn maze to make it a whole-day event.
Although there are many farms and pumpkin patches in the area, I recommend visiting Whitcomb’s Land of Pumpkins and Corn Maze. Located in Williston, this farm is the perfect place to spend a Saturday. There is a four-acre corn maze and plenty of pumpkins, gourds and squash to take home.
If you are looking for more of a challenge, or to get lost for a few hours, check out the Great Vermont Maze in Danville, Vermont.
This 24-acre corn maze is the largest in New England. The main maze is full of bridges and tunnels, but there’s also a smaller, more scenic maze, as well as friendly goats and an indoor hide-and-seek maze.
Binge-watch the “Twilight” and “Harry Potter” series on a rainy day — Maya Surrenti
As beautiful as Vermont’s fall foliage is, the fall weather can be rainy, chilly and a little bit dreary.
Don’t feel bad about losing time outside on the rainier days. Instead, curl up in your dorm and watch some of the best fall movie series—yeah, I’m biased.
My roommate and I watch the “Twilight” series every fall. There is nothing I like more than to transport myself to rainy Washington and lose myself in a world of vampires and werewolves.
I beg of you to not criticize the actual quality of the movies; if you tend to view films with a critical lens, watch “Harry Potter” instead.
“Harry Potter” is my other favorite fall series. Hogwarts seems so cozy when Voldemort’s not on the loose. I find the earlier movies to be more relaxing, but you could make a day of it and watch the whole series at once.
Buy some apple cider, apple cider donuts and popcorn, and have a movie night with your friends.
Go out and about — Carolyn Kelly
An ideal fall weekend in my book would consist of a café visit, spending time outside and a fun night out or a cozy night in.
We’ve got all of these things right at our fingertips around Burlington, and they could each be a sweet reward for getting another week of college down.
Look no further than Church Street for a choice selection of unique cafés and enjoy spending an hour or two there, whether you are accompanied by a date, a friend or your books.
If you don’t have a car for a hiking getaway like me and can’t hitch a ride, getting some fresh air by the waterfront with some friends on a picnic blanket more than suffices for getting outside.
As for the evenings, to each their own with respect to how you’d like to wrap up the week.
If I need to shake off the week, dancing at DJ Taka’s set at Radio Bean is the perfect option. If I need to restore my energy though, there’s no need to go out and about. Instead, I’ll curl up with a cup of tea and a movie.
Apple picking and donut eating — Peyton Paquette
It’s hard to choose between the feeling of the cool breeze that comes with apple picking on an autumn day and the delicious, mouthwatering taste of a cider donut, so why not do both?
For one of your fall weekends, I would absolutely recommend taking a trip to Shelburne Orchards. The beautiful scenery and breathtaking amount of apple trees may be enough to satisfy your thirst for fall, but they are just the start to your awesome autumn weekend.
As you arrive at the orchards, you’ll get the choice of pre-picked or pick-your-own apples.
For those who choose to pick their own apples, you get a wide variety to choose from including McIntosh, Fuji and Gala. No matter what apples you pick, you’re sure to get that fresh, Vermont-grown taste.
After you finish your daily workout of picking apples—let’s admit that it’s harder than it looks— you get to go inside their barn and enjoy some warm donuts and a nice, refreshing glass of apple cider.
Shelburne Orchards is an absolute must-stop shop for your apple picking, donut eating and cider drinking needs this fall.
Spend your weekend in the woods — Grace Wang
If you have spent any extended period of time in this lovely state we call home, you might know that the next six months are filled with rain, snow, ice and gray clouds.
During this somber, sunless period, I find myself gasping for fresh air. While skiing and other winter sports are a great way to get outside, I know I’ll soon miss the feeling of my worries melting away under lush green trees.
If you are wondering what to do with your last few nice weekends, I have an answer. Find a couple of your closest friends, pack a bag with some essentials and a cozy sleeping bag and take your pick of the mountains that surround us to find a home on for a night or two.
I know the idea of committing to be essentially off the grid for a weekend can be FOMO-inducing, but I promise, you’ll have plenty of opportunities for nights out the rest of the year. Take advantage of what’s available now.
The sun is setting on the lovely long days we’ve grown accustomed to, and the natural world is calling to you one last time. Pick up.
Baking — Agnes Shales
We all need a little sweet treat sometimes. Take some time for yourself or with friends this weekend and bake it yourself.
It’s the season of apples, pumpkins and more, so you can easily be in-season while indulging a little and feeling productive. There’s nothing like whipping up a pie to turn a seemingly random Saturday into a fall extravaganza.
For fall desserts, I recommend apple blondies, pumpkin cream cheese cookies or even committing to a pie. If you are looking for something more basic though, brownies or chocolate chip cookies never fail to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Enjoy your creation with your friends, roommates or cuddled up with a good movie or book.
