Happy Monday my loves! Can you believe we’re already two weeks into September?!! Like, I feel like if I blink it’s going to be time for Thanksgiving. Which is why, I’m bringing you my Michigan Fall Bucket List a little bit earlier than I normally would! I can’t be the only one that thinks the weeks are flying by, so why not give you some extra time to make the most of fall?
I mean… the trees here are ALREADY starting to change colors and it’s already sweater weather.
If you ask me, there is no better place in this world to celebrate this amazing season than Michigan. It’s the perfect place to pick apples, enjoy the crisp air, see leaves changing colors, and watch some serious football. Here’s a list of my favorite fall activities in the Mitten State!
Michigan Fall Bucket List 2017
- Do that thing you meant to do this summer but never got a change to. You know how you meant to go visit that really pretty lighthouse? Or wanted to stop and shop in Fishtown but never made it? Let me tell you a little secret… September is the PERFECT month to finish those summertime plans. The tourists are gone until October when they come for the Fall Foliage, so it’ll just be you and the locals. The shops all have crazy good deals as they’re trying to clear out inventory before closing up shop, and you can do anything you want without having to wait for a billion other people to finish doing it first.
- Visit the Apple Orchard. Is it really fall if you don’t go apple picking? Or if not apple picking, at least buy a Bushel and a Peck and an Apple Cider slush! There are literally HUNDREDS of orchards in Michigan. But the very best ones are ones with Cider Mills attached!
Apple Cider Slush from Kapnick Orchards, Britton MI - Eat your heart out at a Cider Mill. Grab a taste of fall at your favorite local Cider Mill. We LOVE grabbing Cider and Donuts and sitting outside on beautiful fall days.
Yates Cider Mill easily has some of the best cider and donuts in the state! It’s small, and doesn’t have all the other activities happening at it. But it’s worth a trip for the seriously delicious treats! - Spend a weekend Up North. A weekend in Northern Michigan is ALWAYS a good idea. And if you ask me, fall is synonymous with cozy. And nothing is cozier than renting a cabin Up North, lighting a fire in the fire place, and snuggling up with those you love most after a day of adventures. I promise you, a weekend away in NoMi is good for the soul.
Dirt road strolls near Glen Arbor, MI - Hit up a Farmer’s Market. Most people think of Farmer’s Markets as a summer time thing, but there are pretty amazing Fall Farmer’s Markets too! One of my favorite is part of the Eastern Market in Detroit.
Mums at Eastern Market, Detroit MI - Take a hike! Hiking in the fall is the absolute best! It’s never too hot, and Mother Nature makes sure the scenery is lookin’ it’s best with sprinkles of Fall Foliage everywhere. Plus, trails are a lot less crowded when October rolls around!
Sleeping Bear Dunes, Empire MI - Drink. Everyone knows Michigan is the place to go for wine tours and craft beer. Our local Northern Michigan wineries are the perfect place to stop and stretch your legs while out on a Color Tour. I mean, what’s fall without a glass of wine in your hand to Cheers to the changing seasons? And if you don’t like wine (me!)… don’t you worry. Michigan’s craft beer scene is pretty much perfect. We celebrate craft beer with festivals all Autumn, and let’s be honest. There is no cozier place to snuggle in for a long afternoon of drinking and good food than our super cute pubs.
Short’s Brewing, Bellaire MI - Play in a corn maze. Nothing makes you feel like a kid again like getting lost in a corn maze with the one you love. Just promise me you’ll grab yourselves a map because some of our Michigan Corn Mazes are absolutely huge! Like this world record holder in Dundee. And while you’re there, stock up on everything you need to…
LOL not even close to finding my way out! - Celebrate Opening Day. And no… not of baseball season. Opening day of Rifle Season is a big deal in Michigan. Guys, where I’m from, you get the day off of school because everyone goes out hunting. Nope. I’m not joking. While I’m not a hunter, (I can’t stand the thought of shooting a deer!), most of my family is. So I like to celebrate by making a sweet treat for my favorite hunters. They like to have it in their deer blinds, and well, I like to bake. So it all works out!
Last year Trev helped me bake apple hand pies. - Bake a family recipe. Fall is my favorite time to step into the kitchen and bake something yummy! My favorite family recipes are all the ones that I pull out when the weather starts to get colder. From pies to muffins, soups to chili and everything in between, if it seems like a food that will warm you from the inside out, you know I’m going to make it!
My dad’s chili con carne is to DIE for. Check out the recipe above. - Take a color tour. Michigan Fall Foliage is absolutely breathtaking. My favorite place to see the fall leaves is the Leelanau Peninsula. But, if you’re looking for some place a little bit closer than Michigan’s Pinky, you can find out more information on color tours across the state here!
Leelanau Peninsula, Fall 2016 - See a game at the Big House. Sorry Sparty! But NOTHING beats a game in Ann Arbor. The Big House has a capacity of 100,000+, and there isn’t a bad seat in the place. It’s something you have to see at least once in your life!
Go Blue! Ann Arbor, MI - Cheer on your Lions. I know… they probably will just disappoint you. BUT YOU CAN’T GIVE UP ON YOUR TEAM.
Ford Field got some remodeling done in the off season this year. - Head to the pumpkin patch. You can’t celebrate Halloween without a pumpkin! There are so many fun pumpkin patches around our state. So pick a day and head out to the country. The fresh air is good for you, and the pumpkins will be straight off the vine!
Gust Brother’s Pumpkin Farm, Ottawa Lake MI - Spend a weekend at ArtPrize. ArtPrize is one of the COOLEST events that happens every September. I did a quick post on ArtPrize last year, that you can check out here! But I have to say, reading about it just doesn’t do it justice. Plan a day to head to Grand Rapids and enjoy as much of it as you can! Learn more about this year’s ArtPrize here.
You know I think Grand Rapids is Michigan’s best city anyways. But it’s even better when it’s covered in Art every September! - Get Some Beach Time. No… I don’t mean laying out in your swimwear. But a warm Fall day is perfect for a beach walk with your pups, some rock hunting or catching a sunset. Pssst. I’ve got a secret for you… Fall Sunsets are just as pretty as Summer ones!
My pups and I love having the whole beach to ourselves! - Enjoy a fall festival. Get your Star’s Hallow on and celebrate the Harvest with a fun fall festival. Find a festival that sounds fun to you here. From Oktoberfest celebrations to Pumpkin and Scarecrow festivals, it’s safe to say that there is a little bit of something for everyone!
Doesn’t this sign just scream Stars Hallow to you?! - Visit Frankenmuth. If you’ve been with me from the start you KNOW I love Frankenmuth most in the Fall! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Frankenmuth is an incredible place to visit anytime of year, but Fall is my favorite! It’s a little bit less crowded than in the summer, but there are so many festivities going on every weekend! While you’re there, eat at Frankenmuth Brewery… their pizza is to die for. And so is their beer! I did an entire post about our annual Fall trips to Frankenmuth. Read about them here.
Eeek just seeing this covered bridge is getting me so excited to head to Frankenmuth next month! - Have a fire. My family and I are HUGE believers in sitting around the fire on fall evenings, and you should be too.
The best bonfires are the ones you have after cheering on your team all day. - Celebrate! Fall brings TWO fantastic holidays… Talk like a Pirate Day and CD Player day. Wait… you mean those aren’t your favorite fall holidays? HAHA JK MINE EITHER. You know I’m talking about Halloween and Thanksgiving! Ugh… just typing this has me longing for my Grandpa’s homemade stuffing. (Get the recipe for the best stuffing ever here! It doesn’t have any of the icky stuff in it.)
I hope you all have a wonderful Monday. I’m pumped for the BIP finale tonight! And the dinner that’s in the crock pot just waiting for Trev and I to get home!! I’m back tomorrow… we’re setting sail and if you have little ones, I promise you won’t want to miss it!
Xx.
Savannah
Savannah Said It 
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