Every Fall there’s an excitement in the air. There’s gratitude because the hot summer months are coming to an end and the weather starts to cool off. I personally dread the signs of fall because I am not a fan of winter. The season itself is great but the cold winter months depress me. Mostly because in New Hampshire, winter seems to last forever. However, New England in the fall is beautiful! So let’s explore NH and see what is going on!

Fall is here and with that, besides the cooler temperatures come the beautiful colors. The leaves in New Hampshire turn beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow. We have what’s called Leaf Peeper season here. This is where we get visitors from out of town who come to see the peak colors of the foliage. The colors are breathtaking!

With fall comes the opportunity to do things that aren’t available to us in other seasons. Therefore, I’ve compiled my Fall New England Bucket List. I hope you can take advantage of some of these things where you live. But even better, come to our beautiful state and explore NH.

Let’s Explore NH!

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Enjoy a pumpkin spice coffee

I’m not a super fan of this flavor but its always good for that first taste of the season, especially if there’s whipped cream on top. It seems as though everything is pumpkin spiced this time of year. I found a great list of pumpkin spice everything that you might enjoy. What a great way to start my fall fun fest.

Decorate for fall

I have recently started prettying things up around my home so that it reflects the colors of the season. I just love stocking up on all of the materials we need. You can find some fabulous fall decorations this time of year that are perfect for perking up your home. But I’ll have to be a bit more creative with my decorating since I’m on my own, in my empty nest, this year.

Go to the county fair to kick start your October bucket list

In our neck of the woods, the best fair is The Sandwich Fair. Located in Center Sandwich, New Hampshire. An annual visit to this fair has been a family tradition for as long as I can remember. Our favorite part is the food, the craft barn, and the tractor pulls, but mostly the food.

Apples, apples, apples!

First, we need to go apple picking. My legs are not sturdy enough on the uneven ground for me to pick them myself so I have to be careful. There are a ton of great apple recipes for everything from apple pie, apple crisp, dinner with apples, breakfast with apples, you name it, you can find it. You can even include your kids when creating your fabulous apple recipes. There is nothing like homemade apple butter on homemade bread. Yum!

Go to a pumpkin patch

Even though my kids are grown, we still like to carve pumpkins. I absolutely love the new patterns that are available. Gone are the days of two triangles for eyes and crooked teeth. Picking a pumpkin from a patch is far more exciting than grabbing one out of the big box at the local grocery store. Am I right? The local farm has a great pumpkin patch that is a cool explore NH attraction in the area.

Go leaf peeping in the New England mountains

Yes, I have leaves in my own yard with all sorts of wonderful colors, but here in New England, there are many scenic drives I can take to become my own special kind of leaf peeper. One of our famous local drives is through the Kancamangus Highway. According to their website, The Kancamagus Highway is a 34.5 mile scenic drive along NH’s Rt. 112 in Northern New Hampshire that is well known as one of the best Fall Foliage viewing areas in the country. It takes you right through the White Mountain National Forest. It’s breathtaking! Take a trip and explore New Hampshire with this great bucket list of ideas for the fall. #newhampshire #travelideas Click To Tweet

What better way to work through your fall bucketlist ideas, than to start Christmas shopping

I pride myself in having my Christmas shopping done long before the last minute rush. By Black Friday, I am typically done shopping when the Black Friday weekend is over. I never buy anything at regular price and I love to space my shopping out so it’s not a financial burden. My Christmas list is already started for this year.

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Host Thanksgiving dinner for friends and family

This is a regular event at the Wallace household. I used to absolutely love cooking a huge meal for everyone. For most people, it’s a stressful event, but it never was for me or my husband and kids. However, now without my hands, I can only help Mike in the kitchen. Do you have all the necessities that you’ll need for Thanksgiving yet?

Go to the Laconia pumpkin festival

The Laconia pumpkin festival is something that we’ve never been to. It’s a street festival with food and craft vendors. According to their website, they have a carved pumpkin tower that is at least 3 stories tall, rides, and a car show, among many other events. It’s a great way to spend the day.

Check out the Mt Washington Auto Road

This is something we’ve been wanting to do for a long time, but I’ve been afraid to try. Mount Washington is the highest mountain in the northeast, scaling 6,288 feet. According to their website, it is a 7.6 mile ascent on a steep, narrow 12% graded road without guardrails. I know that it’s a little frightening, but the views on a clear day are breathtaking. I’d say it’s worth every mile.

The Mount Washington Cog Railway

If you’re not interested in taking your car to the summit of Mt. Washington, the Cog Railway is another fabulous option. This is a 3-hour round-trip scenic train ride to the top of the mountain. The 360 degree views include surrounding areas including 5 states, Canada and the Atlantic Ocean and make a great fall bucket list idea. I can’t wait to try this ride too. What a great way to explore NH!

Plant flower bulbs

Every year in my October bucket list, I love to add more tulip and daffodil bulbs to my garden. It’s frustrating to me that it takes years to fill in to where I’m completely satisfied with my perennial gardens, but I’m gaining on it. Even though he’s not a fan, I’m so thankful that my husband is willing to humor me with my love of flowers.

Beef up on your gratitude

In my personal opinion, I believe that you should have gratitude all year long, every day in fact. But with November being the season of Thanksgiving, take some time to give thanks for all of your blessings. If you like pretty things, like I do, there are some really great gratitude journals available. Simply write down what you’re thankful for each day. If you need some prompters, check out Gratitude from A to Z:. Things to be Thankful for.

You can grab your free 7-day digital gratitude journal right here as well. Print and go to create or start building your gratitude habit today.

I think this year I’m really looking forward to the fall season. I have a plan now, so I’m excited. You may also be interested in visiting a local New Hampshire attraction, Castle in the Clouds, which has some incredible fall scenic views. I would be interested to hear what types of things you are looking forward to during the next few months.

As always, please leave your comments, tweet, pin, and share. Your feedback and sharing are always welcome. Happy Fall!!!

What are your favorite fall bucket list ideas that leave you feeling uplifted and motivated to have a truly inspiring day?