Autumn is almost here so it's time to get my bucket list ready!

Fall is my favorite time of the year.  Now that we have a child, there are so many more activities to attend in the fall!

I don't know if it is like this everywhere, but it seems like there are a lot of things to attend in the fall in our area.  We live fairly close to a few apple orchards & pumpkin patches.  We're also close by to wineries so there are always a lot of grapes around this time of the year.

One of my personal favorite autumn activities has been grape picking.  We go to a great place that has the best concord grapes.  In the past, I have made jelly from the grapes.  This year I'm looking forward to making wine!

Food + Drink

For me, the best part of summer is the food!  There is so much great food in season right now.  I’m loving the fresh watermelon & strawberries!

It would be so fun to go berry picking!  Check out this site to find local berry picking areas!  There are also a ton of roadside stands out there right now.  Just take a drive to the country & follow the homemade signs to find the freshest produce!

Once you’ve picked your berries, it’s time to make them into jam!  Check out my cherry jam post to get the best recipe ever for small batch jam!

Summer is also the time for BBQ’s!  Check out my post about what to bring to a summer potluck for perfect sides to make!  You can even check out my “Potluck Food” Pinterest Board for more ideas!

If you’re into desserts, you can always make my pineapple upside down cake!  It’s guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser!

If drinks are more your thing, check out my 10 drinks to make this summer!  If that’s not enough, check out my “Drinks” Pinterest Board with 1,600+ more ideas!

Fairs + Festivals

Fairs & festivals are so much fun this time of the year!  This site has a good directory of all the fairs & festivals going on!  Also, Facebook & the local newspapers always have the latest on what’s going on in your area!

With the 4th of July coming up, there’s also going to be fireworks!  Doing a quick Google search of “Fireworks near me” yielded tons of results for fireworks displays!

Pools + Beaches

With the weather warming up, it’s time to hit the beach or the pool!

Here are 50+ of the coolest pool floats ever!

Yard Sales

Anyone else in total disbelief that it’s the last day of August?!

How did this happen?

Wasn’t it just yesterday that we were firing up the grill for the first time? Now the local apple orchard is open & I’m all apple cider forever & summer forever at the same time!

Honestly, where does the time go?

Anyway…if you’re like me & not 100% ready to give up on summer just yet, here are 4 last minute activities you can do to soak up the last little bit of summer.

1.  Impromptu BBQ

You know those cookouts that are planned weeks in advance & you have a designated dish that you bring & everything is planned to the max?  Well, this isn’t one of those.  Because you’re tying to savor the last warm nights of summer, this is one of those cookouts where you text some people to come over that night or the next & tell them to bring whatever.  Where it’s not about the food, but about sitting out on the deck in the warmth as long as you can.

2.  Picnic

We’re incredibly lucky to live near some great picnic areas, but having a picnic outside in the yard is always fun too. Something about gathering up some ingredients & eating them outside is a winner for me.

3.  Farmer’s Market/Roadside Stands

Because #omgsobusy, I was unable to make it to any local farmer’s markets this season.  But!  I stopped at a roadside produce stand yesterday!  Roadside stands & farmer’s markets are what summer is all about.  You get a glimpse of what local people are growing in their gardens & it always inspires me to grow my own garden!  The watermelon featured in the pictures was from a roadside stand & it’s absolutely delicious!

4.  Yard Sales

I had to put this one on here because we just had our annual family sale last weekend.  Whether you’re going to or putting one on, yard sales are always a good time.  You never know what you’ll find (usually on the cheap!) & having a yard sale is a chance to get rid of your unwanted stuff & make money at the same time.

What are your favorite last minute things to do to enjoy the end of summer?