Now that we’ve checked everything off our Summer Bucket List, it’s time to move to a new season! We’re gearing up for boots, pumpkins, and hot apple cider here at StuartCo, and we’ve been brainstorming ideas on how to best enjoy this beautiful season.
Without further ado, here is our Fall 2016 Bucket List:
#10: Get lost at Sever’s Corn Maze
If you haven’t yet been to the Midwest’s original corn maze, make sure to check this one off your fall bucket list first! Celebrating their 20th anniversary, Sever’s is open every weekend from Sept. 9- Oct. 30. Each year’s maze is a different theme—enjoy a full day of memorable (and challenging!) family fun! Before you go, make sure to print out this coupon, which will save you $1 per member of your group—enough to get an extra ear or two of sweet corn!
#9: Experience Oktoberfest
If we can’t be in Germany for the world’s largest annual beer festival, the Twin Cities is the next best destination! With a large population having German ancestry, we really know how to put on a celebration! Check out one of these popular festivals in our area:
Black Forest Inn Oktoberfest (Sept. 23- Oct. 1)
St. Paul Oktoberfest (Sept. 16-18)
Gasthof Oktoberfest (Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 16- Oct. 8)
#8: Attend a harvest festival
A harvest festival is an annual celebration that occurs around the time of a main harvest—celebrate the beauty of Minnesota’s harvest by attending a festival in our area:
Twin Cities Harvest Festival and Maze (Weekends from Sept. 24- Oct. 30)
Stillwater Harvest Fest (Oct. 8-9)
#7: Take a drive to see the fall colors
The drive on Highway 35 along Lake Pepin is a gorgeous way to see all of the fall colors. Make the little town of Pepin, WI your destination—take a crisp walk along the lake, and then have a delicious lunch at the renowned Harbor View Café. Just make sure to save room for dessert by stopping at the Stockholm Pie and General Store on your way back!
#6: Cheer on the home team!
For sports fans, the fall season is synonymous with football season. With communities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Nebraska, we have many “home teams” to cheer on!
For Minnesota sports fans, this season is extra exciting with the addition of a brand new venue! Check out the new U.S. Bank Stadium and surrounding area by attending a Vikings game and cheering them on to a win! (And if you’re a Heritage Landing or 430 Oak Grove resident, the stadium is just a short bike or bus ride away!)
For Packers fans, there is nothing like an experience at Lambeau Field. Our NorthPointe community is under two hours away, and while our RiverPlace and Washburn on the Park communities are on the other side of the state, they are proud cheeseheads!
Nebraska might not have an NFL team, but Nebraska Cornhuskers football is a tradition in the state—and our Southwest Gables community is just a little over an hour away from the stadium!
No matter which team you’re cheering for, if you’re planning on tailgating in new grounds around the stadium, browse our Pinterest board for a fun appetizer recipe to bring and share!
#5: Partake in Halloween fun
Did you know that the Twin Cities is home to the Halloween Capital of the World? Head north to the suburb of Anoka to experience some frightful fun! Their annual Halloween parade is not to be missed.
And for those folks who prefer to stay south of the river, check out the transformation of Valleyfair into ValleySCARE– but be warned, this is not for those faint of heart! (BONUS if you’re an Eagle Creek Townhomes resident—the amusement park is only three miles away!)
#4: Travel back in time at the Renaissance Festival
Celebrating its 46th season, the Minnesota Renaissance Festival is a long-standing tradition featuring food, music and street entertainment from fairies to gnomes. Open weekends from Aug. 20- Oct. 2, it’s sure to have something for everyone!
#3: Visit an apple orchard…
We’ve been craving hot apple cider since July—and what better way to enjoy than to make it yourself with apples you’ve picked? Take a trip to the Minnetonka Apple Orchard (close to all of our Plymouth communities—Parkside, Stonehill, and Coachman Trails) or Aamodt’s Apple Farm in Stillwater for some fall fun the whole family can participate in!
Need some recipes for all those apples you’ll bring home? Check out our Pinterest board for ideas!
#2:… Or a pumpkin patch!
We can’t let fall pass us by without carving a pumpkin or two!
Barten Pumpkins in New Prague is a popular destination south of the Twin Cities, and admission is FREE!
Get your pumpkins AND your apples at Afton Apple Orchard (just a short drive from our Carver Lake community!) in Hastings.
The Richfield Pumpkin Patch is a daytime destination—it not only has pumpkins, but also hay rides, surrey and bike rentals, a bounce house and mini golf. (And it’s just a pumpkin’s throw away from Genesee Apartments and Townhomes!)
After you pick the perfect pumpkin, make sure to browse our Pinterest board of unique carving ideas (some with no knife required!) that are sure to impress your neighbors.
#1: Curl up by the fire with a good book
After you’ve had your fill of fall adventures, is there anything better than coming home and relaxing by the fire with a good book? If you’re a StuartCo resident, take advantage of our many communities that offer either an indoor or an outdoor fireplace. And if you’re looking for a good read to cozy up with, check out The Wall Street Journal’s list of 10 books to read this fall.
(Pictured, top from left: York Plaza, The View at Long Lake, E Street Flats, 430 Oak Grove, Riverview at Upper Landing, and Remington Cove)
Did we miss something that is a fall must-do for you? Let us know in the comments below!
Get to Know StuartCo 