15 Ideas for Outdoorsy Fall Dates with Beautiful Autumn Vibes
Autumn is made for love.
The brisk chill in the air invites you to cozy up with your adventure buddy. Transforming leaves paint the trees in a tapestry of red. Drizzly raindrops encourage you to share your umbrella and warm up with a fluffy blanket and steaming mug of tea after an adventure. It’s not quite hibernation season—it’s time to get outside and delight in the colours, flavours and adventures of fall.
Here are 15 outdoorsy fall dates to make the most of this cozy season.
Get Lost in a Corn Maze
From coast to coast to coast, you’ll find fields converted into fun and scary corn mazes for young lovers and active families alike. The largest corn maze in Canada can be found in Ontario, but there are many themed mazes across the country. For a true fright, visit Maan Farm’s HAUNTED. The legacy of Agatha Unseen lives on in what’s been dubbed the scariest corn maze in Canada—but it’s a ton of fun, too. This year, choose from “phobia rooms” such as arachnophobia—if you dare. It’s the perfect place to visit around Halloween.
Go Apple Picking
For a super sweet date with a tasty crunch, go apple picking. Most farms will have a set price per basket or pounds. There might be different varieties of apples or other fruit to choose from. Grab a pumpkin spice latte or fresh apple cidre and spend the afternoon selecting the best, ripest apples right from the tree. Once you’re back home, you can bake a delicious apple pie or cinnamon apple cake together. Try blindfolded baking—one person wears a blindfold; the other helps by giving instructions—it’s a fun way to build trust and communication.
Have a Campfire
Fall is the perfect time to book a camping trip: less crowds, barely any bugs and no fire bans. After the summer rush resides and campfire bans expire, you can have a log-burning fire in the stillness of evening. Listen to the crackle of wood and look up at the starry night sky. Tell ghost stories around the flickering flames and cuddle up closer to your date. Romantic! Just don’t forget to fully extinguish your fire before heading home.
Take the Cranberry Plunge
I’ve tried cold plunging before—but this autumn, I took a cranberry plunge for the first time at Hopcott Farms. To introduce the community to the farmers who make the food they consume, the family at the farm offers unique tours. Starting with a hayride to the bog, you’ll learn the history and process of growing and harvesting cranberries, then don chest-high waders and splash into the flooded bog. It’s a beautiful, relaxing scene; you’ll stay dry as you wander through the bright berries and pose for an adorable photo op. To finish the experience, sip a cranberry drink and take home your own bag of fresh cranberries.
Visit a Pumpkin Patch
Is there anything more quintessential fall than picking pumpkins together? Pumpkin patches have long been popular for families with young kids, but thanks to the rise of cutesy Instagram pictures, flocks of girlfriends and couples are posing in the fields. Have a gourd-geous time exploring the farm and field and snap some photos for your future family album. Pick out your pumpkin for your Halloween creation, and then…
Carve Pumpkins at a Park
Bring your pumpkin to a park and carve a masterpiece. Forget those dollar store tools that always break—bring your outdoor knives by OLFA to impress your date. Bring a picnic or whittle some sticks into roasting spears, start a fire and toast some marshmallows for s’mores. This might be the perfect autumn date—especially when you both clean everything up and Leave No Trace. Swoon.
Cycle Beneath Fall Foliage
Before storing your bicycle away for the winter season, go for a bike ride beneath autumn leaves. Whether you cycle for three kilometres or 30, enjoy being outside in the crisp, fresh, fall air. For the ultimate first date, rent a two-person bicycle. Tandem biking is an excellent choice for couples who want to try something new and active. Whoever prefers to be in control should take the front seat. They will be the captain or pilot, controlling the steering, gears and brakes. The person in the rear is called the stoker, and they bring the pedal power. Together, you’ll learn to pedal in sync during this fun fall adventure.
Hike Under Colourful Trees
Larches, maples and dogwoods are just some of the deciduous trees that transform Canada’s city streets, rural areas and hiking trails in autumn. For golden conifers, head to the Canadian Rockies in Western Canada. Find gorgeous red maples in Quebec and grab a can of pure maple syrup while you’re at it. Explore the Acadian Coast in New Brunswick for brightly coloured peat bogs that create a mesmerizing scarlet blanket. Basically anywhere you hike from September to November, you’ll see signs of the season changing—prepare for wild weather conditions and make a plan B.
Paddle to See Autumn Leaves
Before the lakes and rivers you love to adventure on freeze, set out for one last gentle paddle. Choose a familiar, easy route and inspect it beforehand, as autumn can mean colder weather and dangerous conditions. Pack a picnic and dock on a sandy shoreline partway through your journey for the ultimate autumn date. We recommend packing cheese, crackers, deli meat, apples, cookies and a warm beverage like coffee or tea. Dress in layers, wear waterproof gloves and a PFD, and always leave a trip plan.
Take a Hayride
Feel like a farmer on a traditional hayride through the fields. Taves Family Farm in Abbotsford is one of our favourite for a cute fall date day, not in the least because of the plentiful attractions and activities—and the hayride that will take you to each one. Hop on and off at an apple orchard, corn maze, pumpkin patch and more. If you can’t find a hayride, find a hayfield to admire in the setting sun or take pictures of as the northern lights dance above.
Book a Cozy Cabin Getaway
Autumn is the perfect time to escape to a cabin in a forest, beside the ocean or in the mountains. It’s the Goldilocks time of year: not too hot, not too cold. The crowds are minimal, shoulder season prices are much more affordable, and most fun events (like farmer’s markets) haven’t shuttered for the winter season. We highly recommend staying at Sir Cedric’s Cedar Treehouse, located just over the border in Washington. The cozy, spacious and whimsical treehouse is hand-built around a majestic living cedar tree. You’ll feel like one of the elves in Lord of the Rings.
Walk to See Halloween Decorations
Every Christmas when I was growing up, my family would drive around looking at other house’s holiday decorations, lights and blow-up Santas in our neighbourhood. Take an autumn twist on this tradition and turn it into a date—head to an area known for the extravagant haunted houses and terrifying decor. Stroll beneath the falling leaves, spotting unique pumpkin carvings and gory lawn ornaments. It’s sure to be a frightening good time!
Go Horseback Riding
In summer, the extreme heat affects most of the country; autumn can be a much more enjoyable time to get outside and adventure—for both humans and animals. Go horseback riding this autumn, and bring along your loved one(s). Many ranches, stables and equestrian centres offer trail rides for beginners. You might even get to brush and tack up the horse, which is a great experience. Atop your mighty steed, you can survey the wonderous world of crimson leaves around you—and see how your date handles the reins.
Go Birdwatching
Autumn is a fantastic time for a birdwatching double date. Many species will be heading south for warmer climates leading into winter, so you can watch them take flight across the country. In Ontario, you can spot small birds like vireos, warblers and thrushes. Waterfowl, raptors and gulls will be present in Manitoba. In the Yukon, watch for geese, swans and ducks. Ready to start your birding journey? Here’s what you need to know about being a beginner.
Visit a Farmer’s Market
Most farmer’s markets roll over from summer to fall, and some continue to pop up all winter long. Depending on where you live, you might discover an autumn-themed festival, event or market. Once you find a local shindig, bring your date to select seasonal squash, oyster mushrooms and cruciferous vegetables—then you can plan to cook together. Surprise them with a fresh bouquet of dahlias or sunflowers to keep your love blooming.
What about geocaching?