A to Z: Your Fall Guide for Family Fun
When the air is crisp, and the leaves begin to turn, you can expect to fill your calendar with all things fall! From festivals to fairs to football and everything in between, here is our A to Z family guide on how to make the most of the upcoming autumn months!
Antiquing – Bet you thought we’d kick it off with apples, didn’t ya? You most definitely should be making apple pie, cider and sauce, but antiquing is fun to do with family or friends. Stories of the past – ghost or otherwise – come to life in the fall. As an ode to history, bring an antique back to life and continue its story.
Boots – Ladies and gents, fall is boot season. Whether it’s fashion forward, over-the-knee riding boots or the kind you would wear to actually ride a horse, boots are a classic fall staple. Shop your local boutiques and clothing stores for all your family’s fall accessories.
Chili Cook-Off – Who doesn’t love a bowl full of soul-satisfying chili? Mark your calendars and bring your appetite to the 31st annual Five Points Chili Cook-Off on November 3rd. It’s a free event (and there is more than just chili) so bring everyone!
Deceased Farm – Calling all lovers of spooks, haunts, and terror! This self-guided haunt is not for the faint of heart (seriously though, it’s not recommended for children under the age of 12), but if you think you can handle a 3-D nightmarish tour and whatever lurks in the cornfields, grab your friends and get tickets to this freakishly fun fall event!
Entertaining – Parties, parties and more parties. Tis the season for gathering together for the ball game watching, hearty meal making, holiday celebrating season. Join us here for our own Halloween Pizza Party on October 31st before trick-or-treating!
Football – It’s football season! Alum or not, South Carolina Gamecocks football is great family fun. Take the kids to a game or invite friends for a backyard tailgate – either way enjoy the comradery (or rivalry) that comes with college football!
Ghost Stories – On an evening with a light chill in the air, grab a flashlight and head to one of our outdoor firepits with your friends. With a sense of spooky adventure, take turns telling ghost stories. South Carolina has a rich history of haunts, and some are closer than you might imagine…
Hay Rides – Perfect for the little ones, pick a weekend to have a farm experience complete with a hay ride, corn maize and pumpkin patch! About 20 minutes away in Lexington, check out Clinton Sease Farm for some good ol’ fashion fall fun!
Make Your Own – Get creative this fall! Collaborate with your kids to make your own Halloween costumes, scarecrows, fall wreathes, candied apples and more. Homemade projects encourage imaginations for both the young and young at heart.
Nature – Choosing to live at the Saluda River Club comes with incredible perks. Your experience with nature is one of them. As autumn approaches, plan to embrace your adventurous spirit outdoors. Walking, running, biking, hiking, kayaking, climbing – whatever you do, be sure to snap selfies along the way!
Pumpkin everything – pumpkin patches, pumpkin carving, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkins on the porch, pumpkins on the mantle, pumpkins everywhere! Clearly fall is not complete without this orange squash.
Runs, Walks, and Rides – Since fall is the season of giving thanks and giving back, participate in a run, walk or ride for a cause. The Pumpkin Run, Turkey Trot, Walk for Life and Famously Hot Pink Half Marathon are just a few local events happening this fall. Lace up those shoes and make strides in your community!
South Carolina State Fair – There’s magic in the air when everyone heads to the state fair! From October 10 – 21, load up on funnel cake, corn dogs, lemonade and cotton candy while riding rides and winning prizes. The fair is fall family fun at its best!
Walking Ghost Tours – South Carolina is grounded in rich history. The trouble is, not all of it stayed in the ground! Pick an evening to do a ghost tour with Old Capital Tours in Columbia, Spirits and Specters of Columbia, or Historic Columbia’s Cemetery Tours. This gives you not only a chance to get in the Halloween spirit, but you’ll also learn some interesting local history.
Zoo – Bring the family to Boo at the Zoo happening October 19-30 at the Riverbanks Zoo! Make the most of family-friendly fun around Halloween with trick-or-treating through the Zoo. Kids will get to experience Frankenstein’s Foam Zone, Spook Safari, Mummy’s Eeky Freaky Dance Party and much more!