October is at an end, but it’s still the beginning of autumn, so what are the best things to do this season in New England?
Professor Joshua Choma says that he and his family usually go to Smithfield to pick apples when they are in season.
“We’ll either go to different farms throughout the state if they still have pumpkins or look at Christmas decorations for winter,” Choma said.
Besides this, his wife’s family also comes down to his house to celebrate Thanksgiving at his house.
Leah Fay, a first-year at the University of Rhode Island studying communications and film media, usually gets together with her family and watches football on Sundays. Also, for Thanksgiving, eating with family and watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
Holly Riddle, a freelance lifestyle and business journalist and contributor to Territory Supply, a website that shows the best places to visit in Rhode Island, states that the Newport Cliff Walk is a 3.5-mile walk and offers historic, gorgeous, moody and autumn ocean views.
“The easy 3.5-mile jaunt takes you past the town’s Gilded Age mansions and breathtaking sights that are to die for,” Riddle said. “It’s a must-do if you’re staying in Newport, especially if you manage to get there at sunset.”
Chris Waldeck, a first-year at URI studying criminology and criminal justice, said that in the fall, he goes up from Providence to a farm to go apple picking.
“I’d also take walks around Providence to admire the scenery,” Waldeck said.
To continue, Waldeck added that he goes to his dad’s parents house for Thanksgiving to spend quality time together.
John Almy, another first-year at URI studying journalism, doesn’t have many family fall traditions. Instead, he spends a lot of time playing basketball in his driveway. Sometimes he’ll play with friends or by himself. At Thanksgiving, he either goes to a family member’s house, like at his aunt’s last year or hosts it at his house.
Since apple picking is so popular this season, Kristi Palma, a culture writer for Boston.com, a newspaper, found four of the best apple orchards in New England. According to her, they are Honey Pot Hill Orchards, Applecrest Farm Orchards, Poverty Lane Orchards and Shelburne Orchards.
For Honey Pot Hill in Stow, Massachusetts, Palma says that this farm is gorgeous, with 186 acres of various apple varieties, plus hayrides and hedge mazes. They also have great hot cider and caramel apples to enjoy after picking.
At Applecrest in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, not only do they have apples, but you can shop for produce and plants as well as eat homemade ice cream at their creamery.
In Poverty Lane in Lebanon, New Hampshire, Palma said that “visiting there is like a trip back in time” because operations haven’t changed in 60 years. There are many rare and uncommon apple varieties too.
Finally, Palma says that at Shelburne Orchards in Shelburne, Vermont, the cider donuts are a fall favorite, according to the publication.
Whether you’re new or a full-time New Englander, there are so many things to do up north, this makes New England one of the best places to be this time of year.