50+ fall bucket list ideas you can come back to year after year

A woman's hands hold a folded back, spiral-bound notebook with a fall bucket list written on the page facing upward; the list is decorated with fall leaves cut out of orange, red and yellow construction paper.

Fall is the season of anticipation. When it starts, so many holidays are on the horizon and, whether they’re celebrated for the sake of faith, love, fun or all the above, they bring us closer to everything and everyone that matters most.

Because it’s such a wonderful season, there can be a lot of pressure to maximize the fall experience. Many fall bucket lists sound amazing but impossible to complete in one season unless you have infinite time, money and energy. Pushing yourself to try to do everything can really step on the autumn magic. That’s why we put together a fall bucket list that can be used over the course of a lifetime!

Whether you want to create an experience, make memories or express some creativity, you’ll find multiple ideas below. Just pick whichever ones are the best fit for you!

Inspired? Create and share by tagging @HallmarkStores.

Fall bucket list ideas for couples  

Fall is hands down one of the most romantic times of year. Borrowing jackets and sharing warm drinks is way cuter than spring allergies. Here are some fall bucket list ideas for you and your special someone.

  • Go for a golden-hour stroll. The changing leaves are gorgeous in every light, but there’s something extra lovely about catching them right before sunset.
  • Set up an extra-cozy cuddle space. Light some candles, get out the good blankets and settle in for snuggles. If you’re inside, open a window to let in the chilly fresh air. If you have an outdoor space, set yourselves up with extra sweaters, blankets and a thermos or insulated tumbler of something warm and yummy. You can use this time to catch up, watch a fall rom-com or do your own things like read or play video games on handheld consoles. (Parallel play for the win!)
  • Make a fall craft together. You could make festive gifts for each other and for other loved ones in your lives. Or, if you’re living together, you can make something sweet and seasonal for your shared home. Some craft ideas: candle-making, pumpkin-decorating or leaf or flower gathering and pressing.
  • See the autumn stars. Some constellations are seasonal! You can bundle up and go stargazing to see which ones are visible in your area. There are lots of apps to help you locate and identify them. You can also take in the Harvest Moon (the full moon that happens closest to the autumnal equinox) and the Hunter’s Moon (the first full moon after the Harvest Moon).
  • Prepare a romantic dinner for two—and don’t forget dessert! If you love cooking together (or for each other), we have so many delicious fall recipes to festive up that act of love. If cooking isn’t it for y’all, gather some premade, fall-themed goodies from your favorite local bakeries and grocery stores instead.

 

Other ideas:

  • Paint each other’s nails in some classic fall colors.
  • Pick out a new candle together. We ALWAYS have some amazing fall scents.
  • Go wine-tasting or brewery-touring.
  • Harvest pinecones for home decor or crafts.
  • Make a fall playlist together. See our Spotify playlists for some inspo!
  • Knit, sew or buy matching scarves.
  • Create a fall-flavored signature couple’s cocktail. Or just make one!
  • Share some of your favorite fall traditions and memories from childhood and revisit those activities together as a couple.
  • Light up the firepit or go to a place that has one on the first chilly night.
A fall bucket list from Hallmark Channel that includes programming callouts for their all-new movies and series episodes in Fall 2024.

Fall bucket list ideas for families  

Fall has some romantic elements, but there’s something about it that connects to other kinds of love. It’s so cozy and homey—like how our favorite family members can make us feel. 🥰 And there are endless fun fall activities for families to do together!

  • Have an autumn baking or cooking day. Get the family bakers/cooks together to whip up some delicious fall-themed goodness. If your family likes a little competition, you can even make it a bake-off/cook-off or add a decorating contest. Too much food at the end? Assemble and deliver food baskets to neighbors!
  • Get the fur babies excited about fall, too. You and your family can bake or buy pet-safe treats, set up the most adorable fall photoshoot EVER or take a special autumn hike and make an exception this one time for muddy paws.
  • Encourage everyone to lean in to play. Whether it’s jumping into leaf piles, playing Ghosts in the Graveyard, eating a s’more with reckless abandon or trying a horror-themed board game or RPG, playing is such an important part of creating joyful memories. It’s not just for kids!
  • Get those binoculars and go birding. The fall migration is the perfect time to see some birds—particularly ducks and geese. Birdwatching is a lovely, mindful way to spend some time in nature and perfect for families on the less talk-y side who still want to spend time together. You can even download apps that help with bird identification.
  • Check out some local history. You and the fam can take local cemetery tours, visit an allegedly haunted place or just learn normal stuff at local museums and landmarks.

 

Other ideas:

  • Explore nearby small towns for some irresistible quaintness and the chance to support local businesses. Plus, they could have some unique gifts to stock up on! Holiday shopping done early? Yes, please!
  • Go to a farmer’s market for some fresh fall fruits and veggies. Try to use your produce right away so you get it at its freshest.
  • Go to an orchard and pick your own fresh produce. Fall is the perfect time to pick apples, pears and pumpkins.
  • Make fall gratitude jars for the family to drop in all the little things they find themselves appreciating throughout the season. You can read them all at Thanksgiving or the end of the season. Or do one of these family gratitude crafts!
  • Participate in (or lead) a fall food drive and donate to a food pantry.
  • Create a family mantra for the season. It could be silly, earnest or a little bit of both.
  • Draw names for an early Secret Santa shopping excursion.

Fall bucket list ideas for kids  

There’s nothing like seeing kids get into the fall spirit! This list should offer something that fits multiple moods that the littles, tweens, teens AND parents might be in on any given day. All activities can be aged down or up as needed.

  • Try on your wildlife biologist hats. Each season brings different wildlife, so find out what flora and fauna thrive in your area during fall, then find ways to see and celebrate them. It’s a great way to get everyone outside and in touch with nature. You can even create a fall nature scavenger hunt. If it’s close to Thanksgiving, you can make this adorable turkey centerpiece with the treasures you find!
  • Do some kid-friendly fall crafts. If some of the previously mentioned crafts sound a little intense, there is a world of other options. Some outdoor crafts: pasting gathered leaves to decorative jars using Mod Podge or glue, stringing leaves together to make fall garland, using leaves to make cut-paper art and carving pumpkins. Some indoor crafts: folding paper stars in fall colors, making sock pumpkins and painting wooden mushrooms or pinecones.
  • Celebrate fall stories. You could build a blanket fort and do a story time with some beloved fall kids books (Big Pumpkin, anyone?), literally tell some scary stories in the dark or even attend a Story Time event at your local library. This is also a great time to talk about the stories of your community and to learn about all the people and celebrations in it. See what cultural events are open to the community.
  • Check out a local pumpkin patch to hit the classics. Many patches have a lot of favorite fall activities all on one property. Go for a hayride, get lost in a corn maze and maybe even brave your way through a haunted house. This is a great option if you need to pack a lot of fall celebration into a shorter period of time, and patches typically do a great job with accommodating kids.
  • Introduce some timeless fall treats. You can make it personal by making and sharing family favorites together, with bonus points for using hand-me-down recipes, or you can get adventurous with it. Pick a category (candy, popcorn, bread, cookies, etc.) and try as many new fall recipes for each as you can. Then everyone can pick their favorites, and you have a baking list started for next year.

 

Other ideas:

  • Encourage and help kids to do some helpful fall chores for the neighbors. You can help them rake leaves or even arrange a neighborhood leaf-raking party.
  • Of course, you must then jump in the leaves. It’s nondebatable.
  • Bob for apples.
  • Find the pumpkins nobody else wants and try going pumpkin bowling. Small pieces of firewood make great pin stand-ins.
  • Sign up for a local walkathon together. Fall is a very popular time for walks and races, and they often benefit a good cause.
  • Visit the nearest zoo. You’ll hopefully see some cute animals playing with—and chowing down on—pumpkins.
  • Go for a family bike ride.
  • Decorate Halloween candy buckets for trick-or-treating. Or make these cute Halloween treat boxes for friends!

Fall bucket list ideas for friends  

Last, but certainly not least, we have our fall bucket list for friends! Partners and family can’t hog you the whole season. You need fun fall time with your people before too many people are swamped with family holidays. 

  • Throw a cozy fall party with a fun food theme. Maybe it’s a coloring party with warm drinks and hot dips, a sip-and-paint night with a variety of soups or a game night with every pumpkin-spice-flavored grocery store item you can find.
  • Have a multi-day celebration. See if any nearby pumpkin patches or cider mills are going to hold weekend events or stay the weekend in a place with a very cute fall-themed downtown. If the fall themes aren’t showing up on their own, bring them! There are renaissance fairs and music festivals in fall that would pair perfectly with pumpkin beer and some costumes.
  • Go thrifting and antiquing. Add more pieces to your fall layering wardrobe or collect pieces for your Halloween costume! Also, October gives every old object way more haunt potential, so it’s the perfect time to start gathering décor for any Halloween parties. (But if you don’t feel like thrifting all your party decor, we’ve got you covered.)
  • See a fall show or movie. Some movie theaters run classic horror movies, event venues have fall- and Halloween-themed shows and seeing The Rocky Horror Picture Show is an annual tradition for lots of folks. If a show in public doesn’t appeal to you, you can always do an at-home screening, ideally with a projector and some outdoor blankets.
  • Get your body moving. Axe-throwing, archery, line dancing—these are all great active group activities you can do indoors. For some movement outdoors, look for beautiful hiking areas, walking trails and/or parks nearby. If you’re wanting to avoid too many other people, kayaking and canoeing are great options.

 

Other ideas:

  • Tailgate!
  • Host a Loaf & Learn—where everyone learns how to make one type of bread, then teaches everyone else. Then, obviously, everyone eats all the delicious bread.
  • Make homemade mulled cider, pumpkin-spice lattes and hot cocoa. Booze optional.
  • Do a pumpkin-spice latte crawl and find your favorite.
  • Write gratitude cards or letters to the friends you may not get to see in person this season.
  • Start (or restart) a book club.

 

It’s time to get to checking off some list items! But remember, making the most of the season doesn’t mean making yourself try to do everything all at once. Slow down and have fun with your loved ones. But don’t forget to tag Hallmark if you make any social posts—we’d love to see you and yours in top-tier fall spirit!

 

Want more cozy fall ideas? Keep clicking!