Fall is many a Minnesotan's favorite season. The overbearing heat and humidity of the summer is over, the mosquitoes are gone, leaving us with bright autumn days, fall colors, festivals and celebrations, days out in the countryside, and more. Here's a guide of things to do in the fall in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the Twin Cities metro area.
Labor Day
Labor Day may be symbolically the end of summer, and the closing day of the
Minnesota State Fair, but don't be sad! There's plenty more fine weather before winter. Here's
what's happening in and around Minneapolis for Labor Day.
Apple Picking
It's almost a necessity to go apple picking, one of the finest of fall traditions, at a local farm. Depending on which farm you choose, it can be a peaceful, or perhaps romantic, day in the county, or a fun-filled family day out. Having a store of apples means that you have supplies for the next rainy day - think of all that baking you can do.
Here's a list of apple orchards near Minneapolis and St. Paul. Apple picking season starts in late August, until late October.
Pumpkin Picking
Pumpkin patches are a must-do if you have children. Pumpkins are ready to pick by late September or early October, and it's so much more fun to ride in a hay wagon to pick your pumpkin, than it is to buy one from the supermarket.
Here's a list of pumpkin patches near Minneapolis and St. Paul. Many pumpkin patches are part of apple orchards, and have lots of extra children's entertainment on site for a full day out.
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival
Eight weekends in September and October, a field in Shakopee is transformed into Olde England for the annual
Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Costumed characters, rides, music, animals, fairies, jesters, jousting, food, fire breathers, snake dancers, and much more, make this appropriate for all ages - children and adults alike have fun at the Renaissance Festival. Admission is around $20, but you could happily spend the whole day here, and all the entertainment is high quality.
Fall Color
Minnesota experiences beautiful fall colors. The colors start to change in northern Minnesota first, in mid September, then the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota follow suit a few weeks later. Fall colors typically peak in mid October. Fall colors are usually the most intense and dramatic in hilly areas, making the North Shore of Minnesota is a classic fall color destination. The St. Croix valley, just to the east of the metro area, is very beautiful too.
Here's some more good places to see fall colors in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and around the Twin Cities.
MEA Weekend
Otherwise known as the long weekend of no-school days in late October. Minnesota's teachers get two days off to attend their union's annual conference, and the kids get two or three days off school. The resulting long weekend means you may need to think of some things to entertain your children - or perhaps you are planning to get out of town?
Here's ideas for things to do here for MEA weekend, and places to go if you want to get out of town.
Halloween
Start your Halloween planning! What will your costume be this year? Halloween events take place all month, with the Zombie Pub Crawl in early October kicking off the Halloween season - thousands of zombies taking over Minneapolis' Cedar Riverside neighborhood. Haunted houses open in October, as do corn mazes, and Halloween events are on the calendar at zoos, museums, parks and attractions. Here's a
guide to all things Halloween in Minneapolis.
Prepare for Winter
Closing on a sad note? I don't think so. Enjoy fall to its fullest, but if you get your house, garden, wardrobe and self in order in good time, then winter will be much more enjoyable - or at least, more bearable.
Getting ready for winter in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
