5 Free Fall Activities Across the US To Save You Big Money

Fall is a season that’s full of fun flavors, big holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving and often temperate weather across much of the U.S. In fact, fall is Americans’ favorite season, according to a Morning Consult survey.

However, it can be easy to overspend during this season. Maybe you’re going all out on back-to-school wardrobes, taking a long trip to see your favorite football team play or simply buying up every pumpkin-flavored item you can find. 

The good news is that you can still have a fun fall while enjoying many free or low-cost activities across the U.S. We’ve compiled some examples.

Also looking for popular fall vacation spots? Here are travel destinations known for their fall foliage.

Across much of the U.S., autumn is a time when leaves turn beautiful shades of colors like orange, red and yellow and you can make a fun day out of it. For example, in Washington, D.C., you can visit the U.S. National Arboretum for free and soak in the fall foliage. Or you could visit your local state park, pack some PB&J sandwiches and spend the day hiking and admiring the changing leaves.

Even many warmer parts of the U.S. experience fall foliage, as part of the color-changing process is based on longer nights, not just cooler temperatures.

You don’t have to just consume pumpkin-flavored food and drinks to get in the fall spirit. You can also attend a free pumpkin festival in many cities and towns across the U.S., where you can see things like intricate pumpkin carvings, hear live music and enjoy other family-friendly activities. Sure, you might spend a little bit of money enjoying a treat at the festival, but you don’t have to and even if you do, that can be a very affordable activity.One example of a free pumpkin festival to see is the Circleville Pumpkin Show in Ohio, which has the slogan “The Greatest Free Show on Earth.” The festival takes place October 16 to 19 this year and is full of sights and sounds, ranging from band performances to an arts and crafts contest, to a display of the world’s largest pumpkin pie.

Volunteering is a great activity to do any time of year, but it can be particularly nice to help others enjoy a Thanksgiving meal by volunteering at a local food bank or similar organization. You can socialize with other members of your community and give back without having to spend money. 

Search for volunteer opportunities near you through the websites of organizations like Feeding America or local nonprofits.

Fall is a big season for parades, such as high school homecoming parades, Halloween parades and Thanksgiving parades. Odds are, there’s a fun, free parade in your area this season that you can attend and parades often have other free or low-cost activities happening at the same time, like face painting for kids or demonstrations from local fire departments.

You can search your city or town’s website for a calendar of events to find a parade or see if you can find any good ones in your area by asking for recommendations on sites like Facebook or Reddit.

Lastly, back-to-school season doesn’t always have to mean shelling out a lot of money to learn. You can often find free or low-cost classes for adults to take at local community colleges, community centers or you can find a free online course through a site like Coursera. 

Not only can this be a fun way to expand your knowledge, but you could even turn it into a money-making opportunity, such as by learning new skills that help with your next job search or side hustle.