It happened! Seemingly over night the leaves changed and suddenly the Smokies were changing colors…it’s time to bust out the fall things to do list 🎃
Hey friends, many of you know I recently entered my second trimester (so I’m finally feeling good!), which was awesome because it’s just in time for the fall. Fall in Bryson City, NC (and Western North Carolina in general) is our season, people! I totally get it. You may know, I grew up in Miami, FL (so tropical weather year-round) and part of our move here was to live in a place with seasons. If you’re curious to know more about that decision, check out this post on the pros and cons of moving to North Carolina and the story of why we moved here. Anyway, of all the seasons, fall is my favorite!
It may be the basic gal in me, but when I start to see pumpkins widely available in coffee shops, farms and adorning window displays, I get butterflies. I know I know, I’ve come a long way from my cynical college days when I would not muster enthusiasm for the simple things in life.
Fall Things To Do In Bryson City, NC
You may remember, Jaime and I opened our mountain suites here in Bryson City, NC. Our first super scary side hustle together! Opening and running vacation rentals has been a big learning experience for us (a post on those lessons to come later). We learned, for example, late August-early September is a slow time here, but mid-September and well into October (the changing of the leaves) is the season! Our vacation rentals are booked back-to-back and I get it. Our small Smoky Mountain town is at its best now. The town decorates downtown, the weather is a perfect balance between slightly crispy and sunny, and the leaves are changing! Let’s talk about that color…
One of the most obvious (and popular) fall things to do here is observe the lush forests that surround us begin to turn mustard yellow and burgundy. This begins in late September / early October (usually) and you can chase the colors through November depending on what elevation you’re at. The Bryson City Chamber of Commerce put together a nice cheat sheet that summarizes it perfectly!
And now… for my favorite fall things to do. Come with us…
Grab Coffee & People Watch
Is there anything more fall than coffee shop vibes? I’m a writer, so obviously, coffee shops are my jam. Mountain Perks is a lovely little coffee shop in town where the staff wear tie dye shirts and bake deliciously sinful things. It’s also perfectly situated to take a seat outside with a view of the Smoky Mountain Railroad and downtown Bryson City. Read: people watching gold.
As a creative (and human), I love watching people interact, go about their day and discover a new place. It’s the observer in me for sure. It’s also fun to get our coffee to go and take a quick walk through town to check out the fall decoration and window shop displays. Again, I cannot emphasize how great the weather is. Walks clear my mind and help bring me to the present, something I desperately need after being at a computer for 8 hours a day.
*For our longer list of favorite things to do in town to make you feel hygge (a perfect fall and winter cozy, conscious feeling), check out: 4 Things To Do In Bryson City That Will Make You Feel Hygge.
Darnell Farms: Pumpkin Patch & Hay Rides
Darnell Farms is a gorgeous farm surrounded by sweeping views of the Smoky Mountains and a serene river running through it. This is the perfect place for couples and families to picnic, pick up some fresh produce, view their epic pumpkin display, take photos (they have seasonal photo set ups) and go on hay rides. Depending on the season, there’s something you can pick yourself in the fields, like strawberries (kids LOVE this). I can’t wait till our Greene bean arrives because I know they’ll adore Darnell Farms. Recently, they added a ton of outdoor play houses and swing sets for kiddos to enjoy.
Scenic drives through the Smoky Mountains
A MUST of all the fall things to do is take a scenic drive through the Great Smoky Mountains. Really anywhere will do, but we have a few suggestions: The Blue ridge Parkway being one as there are plenty of look offs for photography lovers and easily accessible trails of all levels.
Our drive took us through Cherokee and into the Smoky Mountain National Park (the road will eventually spit you out in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge). We flew our drone while at a look-off point so we could get some epic mountain scenery for our fall things to do youtube video… let’s just say I had a panic it would drop over the mountain but it was well worth it.
Besides hiking and taking photos (either family photos or nature photography for all my photography people out there), this is a great place to have a picnic. We did that last fall, check out how beautiful it was in this video.
Autumn Bucket List: A.K.A. all the fall things to do
Here’s where my process-driven brain shows. I love a damn list. I really do. Not only because it supports me remembering things for creative projects, our mountain airbnb rentals and my day job…. but I make lists of all kinds. If I’m in a personal jam, I make a list of possible solutions (intentionally timed to see just how out-of-the-box I can get). I make seasonal “bucket lists” for things I hope to accomplish before a season is over. I HATE the feeling of a season ending and knowing I didn’t get to experience something I love about it.
So, we made an Autumn Bucket List with all the fall things to do (including the above outdoor activities) but also some at-home activities that help us experience fall in a cozy way together. By the way, this list isn’t meant to make us feel bad if we don’t get to it all. That’s not the point, but I do think if you write these things down, you’ll get to more than if you hadn’t. So it’s a fun list… not something meant to make you feel like you failed if you couldn’t get to it ALL this year.
Ps. This is a free template courtesy of A Beautiful Mess Blog, feel free to download it here for yourself!
Film a Fall Things To Do Video (A New Creative Project)
So the video that prompted this post idea was on my Autumn Bucket List! Experimenting with video is a passion of mine, so I wanted to include it. If you have a passion that can be tough to get to, I recommend adding something to the list. I’ve spoken a bit about it in this post, but clearly I love writing, which is solitary. So I’ve really enjoyed the collaboration aspect of shooting a video because I get to do something creative with Jaime.
Apple Pie (Seasonal Pie)
I love a seasonal pie. Last year, during The Artist’s Way, I took up baking as a fun hobby all to myself. This is a challenge for me sometimes. I will share more about the importance of having hobbies as an adult in the future. For me, that means something that isn’t a “content idea.” Being creatively expressive is an awesome life. Truly. I feel joy making stuff and sharing it. However, sometimes it can suck the fun out of things.
For me, baking is simply for the joy. I don’t post recipes and I’m not a food blogger… and this year, I left “apple pie” that vague a line item because I wanted to enjoy it but I wasn’t sure I’d be up for baking it (pies take a while!). In the end, I had an apple pie craving and Jaime ran to the grocery to pick one up… and that’s FINE. I wasn’t attached to having baked it myself… I enjoyed my fall pie!
Make a Fall Photo Album
Another hobby I discovered I LOVE is making seasonal photo albums. These are meant to capture a small window in time. It’s important for me that it’s not a printed version of a curated instagram feed. It began as a fun creative activity for me to snap photos of what everyday life actually looks like. I want to remember those moments as they are: messy, unfiltered and un-staged.
It’s no big deal to include some of my favorite shots that may have made it on a thumbnail or blog post, but I try to stagger those among mostly REAL LIFE photos. These photo albums are smaller too, so it’s not something elaborate. It’s doable in an afternoon sitting and won’t take up a ton of space. They’re fun coffee table books or even as gifts to family or friends!
Celebrate Halloween
I haven’t been a “halloween person” in a long time. As a kid, I loved it. As a college student and early twenty something, there were plenty of fun parties. But once I got over it, my mid-late twenties and early thirties have not been prime halloween years. This year, however, I was struck with the spirit! Where we live is not situated in a walkable neighborhood, so unfortunately, staying home to give candy to trick or treaters is out. However, I did buy myself a halloween t-shirt and maybe I’ll make something festive, like last year’s halloween charcuterie board. The little ghosts where super easy and delicious. I may keep this one for next year and go all out with decor. We kept it more fall-themed this year.
And that’s all. I hope this inspired you to get excited for fall and gave you some great ideas for booking a fall mountain getaway 😉 Our suites are on airbnb and VRBO if you need ideas on where to stay:
Airbnb: Soaker tub suite w/ mountain views & cozy suite 1/2 mile to town
VRBO: Bigger suite with tub & cozy apartment w/ chic decor
Until next time!
c.