A Fall Bucket List for the Connecticut Mom (2014)

 

School is starting and Bruiser, Sparkles, and Boo will soon be heading off to preschool (These babies can’t be starting preschool, right?)

Soon the air will turn crisp and fall will officially be here.

Though we will miss summer, the fall is such an amazing season in Connecticut that we look forward to it each year!

A new season, for us, also means that it is time to start planning some fun new adventures with our kids!  Whether it be daily outings with our youngest, signing up for kids classes, or planning weekend family fun we know there are a lot of wonderful places to visit and we wanted to get some of our favorites on our calendars now.

Of course we couldn’t do our fall planning and not share those details with our readers!  And almost all of these outings are baby-friendly, so new moms (and dads!) don’t have to miss out on all the fall fun.

So we once again found 50 of our favorite outings and created a handy-dandy list just for you. Check out the details below and be sure to share with us your favorite fall destination (Just leave a comment on this post. Have we told you how much we love comments?)

So without further ado, below is a list of our 50 favorite fall outings (in no particular order):

• Make your way through the corn maze, eat some cider donuts, and pick some apples at Lyman Orchards in Middlefield. (The maze is open August 30th – November 2nd) 
• Take a hayride and then let the little ones explore the antique fire truck, mini-corn maze, and play area at Brown’s Harvest in Windsor. (Weekends beginning September 27th, though some activities available during the week) 
• Feed the goats, take a hayride, and bounce in the giant pumpkin bounce house at Riverview Farm’s Fall Festival at Robb’s Farm in Glastonbury. (Scheduled to open weekends beginning September 12th) 
• Indulge in the carnival rides and apple fritters at the Southington Apple Harvest Festival.  (October 3rd -5th and October 10th -12th) 
• Load up the munchkins for a spooky stroll down Wetherfield’s Main Street for the 19th annual Scarecrows on Main Street.  (Event is FREE and runs September 27th – October 26th) Then head around the corner for some playground time at Mikey’s Place Playground. 
• Enjoy the water views while the kids play at Clinton’s Town Beach playground. (FREE after Labor Day) 
• Follow-up your playground trip with some fall wardrobe shopping at Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets in Clinton.
• Take a break from the outdoors at Gym Kids, a drop-in program at the Elmwood Community Center in West Hartford. (Runs October 10th – December 19th)
• Sing and dance at the Tots and Tunes drop-in library program at the Farmington Library. (Runs Tuesday evenings beginning September 9th and Friday mornings beginning September 12th, FREE) or check out one of the many library class offerings around the state.
• Explore the world of art from a kid’s perspective at the The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts.
• Get your little one’s creative juices flowing by signing up for a class at The Little Green Tambourine Creative Arts Studio in Canton. (Fall class schedule is available now and classes begin September 8th)
• Bring your baby along to your next workout at Baby Boot Camp in Canton or Stroller Strides in West Hartford.
• Plan a day trip to New York City and include a visit to the Central Park Zoo.
• Enjoy the beauty of fall on the Connecticut River by taking a ride on either the Rocky Hill/Glastonbury or Chester/Hadlyme ferries. (Both ferries operate through November 30, 2014)
• Take in the scenic views while the kids burn off some energy at the Simsbury Farms playground in Simsbury.
• Don’t fret about the weather and have a great time “jiggling a jelly” at the indoor Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk.
• Take a Sunday drive to visit Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Massachusetts and enjoy a break at their brunch buffet at the Oliver Wight Tavern. (Sunday brunch is FREE for kids ages 3 and under; $5.95 for kids 12 and under)
• Enjoy weekday fall fun at Foster Family Farm in South Windsor complete with a hayride, playscapes, animals, and my son’s favorite — the pedal carts.  (Open weekends in September and every day in October) 
• Collect sticks, rocks, and bugs on the Westmoor Park walking trail in West Hartford. 
• Take a hay ride and pick the perfect pumpkin at the Pickin’ Patch in Avon.  (Hayrides run weekends starting September 27th and running through the end of October.  Also running October 13th) 
• Get your little one ready for preschool with a Together Time class at The School for Young Children in West Hartford. (Begins September 16th)

• Take a wagon ride to pick delicious apples, then sample some favorite fall treats at the Hungry Harvester snack bar at Belltown Hill Orchards in Glastonbury. (Hungry Harvester is open every weekend (and Columbus Day and Labor Day) from August 30th – October 26th) 
• Enjoy giant turkey legs, loaded baked potatoes, bizarre deep fried creations, rides, animals, and butter carvings at The Big E in Springfield, Massachusetts or visit one of the other fairs and festivals happening in and around our state. (Big E runs September 12th-28th) 
• Explore carnival rides, a petting zoo, a craft fair, indulgent snack stands, live music and more at the 40th annual Glastonbury Apple Harvest Festival. (October 17th-19th) 
• Get the wee ones gussied up and head for the Halloween Stroll in Blue Back Square/West Hartford Center for a store-to-store trick-or-treating event that includes live music and other kids’ activities. (October 25th, FREE)
• Meet the pumpkinheads and explore their town, frolic in the hay maze, and bounce along on “The Ride” at the totally non-scary, family-friendly Halloween celebration at Pumpkintown USA in East Hampton.  (September 20th through Halloween) 
• Find food, music, tractor-pulled hayrides, pumpkins, pick-your-own apples, a corn maze, and more at Rose’s Berry Farm Fall Festival in Glastonbury. (Weekends from late September to late October. Check here for 2014 schedule updates when they become available.) 
• Experience the unique horse-drawn wagon ride, pick some apples, and let your little one get “lost” in the FREE hay maze at Scott’s Orchard Fall Festival in Glastonbury. (Apple and Harvest Festivals run September 27th & 28th and October 11th, 12th, 13th, 2014; Wagon ride weekends only and hay maze open daily from mid-September to October 13th.) 
• Make your fall grocery shopping trips to the entertaining Stew Leonard’s in Newington and have even more fun with their Fall Hay Maze. (Daily in October, FREE)
• Spend an enchanted day at the Wee Faerie Village at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme. This year’s theme is “Wee Faerie Village in a Steampunk’d Wonderland” (Runs October 3rd to November 2nd, 2014. Don’t be late 🙂
• Take a day trip to New Haven for dinosaurs, picnics, and sweet treats, and enjoy the fall foliage along the way. 
• Bring the little ones to the Saturday morning Art Start drop-in class at the New Britain Museum of American Art (then stay to create in the Art Lab and browse the galleries–admission is included in the class fee!).
• Sing, dance, and play instruments with your little one at a Music Together class.
• Enjoy seasonal homemade ice cream flavors (like cinnamon caramel swirl and pumpkin–yummmm) and beautiful fall views at the UConn Dairy Bar and Animal Barns in Storrs.
• Drop in for Saturday morning storytimes at the South Windsor Public Library, then head over to the South Windsor Farmers’ Market (runs through October 18th) for seasonal offerings and FREE kids’ activities.
• Beat the chilly weather with outdoor fun indoors at TimberGyms in Newington.
• Visit the Zedonk (and other friendly animals) at Ray of Light Farm in East Haddam.
• Take part in the fall tradition of enjoying apple fritters, cider, and the FREE petting zoo at the historic Old Cider Mill in Glastonbury. (September & October)
• Warm up with a yummy breakfast at The Sloppy Waffle in Newington.
• Check out the new, FREE Fun with Friends class on Friday mornings at the Shirley Reaback Early Childhood Education Center in Glastonbury.
• Take your littlest sports fans out for family-friendly food with a side of football at Buffalo Wild Wings in Manchester.
• Conquer the corn maze, wander through the hay maze, and pick your own apples (or just pick up some apple pies) at Bishop’s Orchards in Guilford. (Corn Maze Open Weekends in mid-September through October at 526 New England Road. Hay Maze open daily from mid-September through October at Farm Market location at 1355 Boston Post Road.)
• Enjoy a fall day at Mill Woods Park in Wethersfield where you can picnic in the park, visit the Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center, and play at the Mill Woods Park Playground.
• While the older kids are in school, have a Preschool Playdate at Bounce U in Rocky Hill.
• Got pumpkins? After all these fall festivals, we know you do! Stay in one day and get crafty with our annual roundup of no-carve pumpkin decorating ideas.

So there you have it, our favorite fall outings for 2014!

What is on your bucket list for this fall?  Please let us (and all the moms and dads reading this post) know by leaving a comment below.

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• 4D Vision Gym – A vision training center located in Cromwell, CT where Dr. Juanita Collier, MS, OD and her staff show members how to utilize Vision Therapy to correct visual issues and make learning and playing easier and more fun.
• Imagine Studio – Under the direction of Karla Kress-Boyle, opening this fall at 97 South Street is West Hartford’s only Creative Arts Studio. Focusing on building imagination and self confidence, our wonderful staff will be sharing their talents in Dance, Art, Music, Yoga and Theater programming.
• The Independent Day School – Located on a rural campus in Middlefield, CT this private pre-school, elementary and middle school serves families from over 20 communities.
• Mandell JCC – The Mandell JCC, Zachs Campus, 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT., welcomes and serves families and individuals of all ages, stages, backgrounds and faiths. Our fitness, wellness and recreation, arts and culture, camp, early childhood education programs, classes, clubs and services are open to all. You Belong Here!

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