[Feature] Fall Activities in NJ/NY

Autumn, Fall, whatever you call it, it's my most favorite season of the year. Sure, it might have to do with the fact that I was born and raised in the Garden State, but nothing is more awesome than seeing the beautiful Fall foliage, with all of its vivid colours of red, orange, yellow, and brown.

Besides nestling in a nice comfy chair, wearing pj's and your favorite college hoodie, and reading your favorite book whilst sipping on some hot chocolate, there are vast Fall activities that make the season feel especially awesome.

So get out your jackets and accessorize with that pretty scarf that you just bought - it's time for some Fall fun!

Six Flags: Fright Fest
Sure, you might say that you're too old for roller coasters (or you're afraid of heights?), or too old for the park in general (too many youths running around, I know that feeling) .. but Six Flags is pretty much at its best during Fright Fest. It might be the inner child in me who LOVES Halloween and being secretly intrigued by all things deemed "spooky," but the overall atmosphere of Six Flags during Fright Fest is pretty darn fun. From their red color-dyed fountain, to the random costumed employees (the dude with the chainsaw usually gets REALLY into it) .. it's fun to just go with a group of friends and walk around and see the different, Halloween-themed booths and attractions at "the Northeast's Biggest Halloween Party."

Apple Picking in NJ/NY
For as long as I can remember, Fall always meant apple-picking with the Park family. I remember long car rides, then reaching a fairly agricultural area in Jersey, armed with ladders, barrels, and those weird tools to help you reach apples all the way at the top of the tree. It felt a little bit like child labor, especially because the grownups were encouraging my cousins, siblings, and me to fill as many bags as apples as possible. Our reward? Apples, apple cider, and picking out our very own pumpkin from the pumpkin patch.
Now, I find myself having that urge to go load up to go drag some people out for a scenic drive to the countryside, to go pick us some apples! (Also, yay for baking apple pies with them!)

Drive-In Movie Theater
This is one event that I have been dying to do. I've always loved the idea of drive-in theaters, and was very disheartened to find the old drive-in theater on 303 to be replaced by an agricultural depot (why, oh why, would you still keep up the old sign for the drive-in theater, though??).
Anyway, drive-in theaters are awesome, especially because they're pretty much dying out in our neck of the woods. The closest theater I can find is in Warwick, which is pretty much an hour drive away; but nonetheless, I definitely plan to see a double feature at a drive-in theater!

Go OUT
As mentioned earlier, Fall is all about enjoying the foliage and general splendor of the crisp weather before it gets too cold. And the basic theme behind all of the Fall activities mentioned is to just go out! Go on a weekend road trip with friends to upstate NY, Canada - whatever floats your boat. Go hiking along the trails in Bear Mountain, or just go through a drive to visit the more agricultural aspect of New Jersey. Flea markets are also pretty cool to hit up (I got my old, 1950's typewriter down at Englishtown, NJ for $25!), and you also see a lot of other cute, little roadside stores along the way, too!

So go out, go for a drive, pick some apples, be a kid again with Halloween-festivities .. just go and enjoy the weather!