The trees might not be changing color, and it might not be brisk enough for sweaters yet, but make no mistake: fall is finally here. To help you get the most you possibly can out of this autumn season, here’s a list of ideas for how to spend the next months before the holiday season kicks off.

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1. All things pumpkin
What says fall more than visiting a pumpkin patch? Whether you’re there purely for photo ops or to pick out a pumpkin, there’s no better way to spend the afternoon. Check out the pumpkin patches at Nature Discovery Center or Dewberry Farm to immerse yourself in that fall feeling. If you end up going home with a pumpkin (or two), make sure to carve them up in time for Halloween! Jack-o-lantern carving competitions between friends and family are always fun, and they’ll make for outstanding decoration when Halloween rolls around, especially with candles lighting up the middle.
2. Delicious drinks and desserts
If the basic Starbucks girl in you is begging to be unleashed, take a quick trip to indulge in a creamy pumpkin spice latte. If you’re not the biggest fan of the PSL, the masterminds behind the Starbucks fall menu have come up with other fall-flavored items like the Iced Apple Crisp Oat Milk Shaken Espresso and Pecan Crunch Oat Milk Latte, reviewed here. If coffee’s just not hitting the spot and you’re feeling the urge to bake that arrives with the colder months, there are endless arrays of fall-themed desserts you can whip up for friends and family alike. The possibilities are infinite: apple cider donuts, snickerdoodles, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, apple cinnamon bread, churros, caramel apples. Familiar favorites also include apple, pecan and pumpkin pies. Fans of homemade sweet treats should also consider cozying up with steaming glasses of apple cider or mugs of hot chocolate, complete with those addictive mini marshmallows that somehow run out way faster than anticipated.
3. Couch potato vibes
If you’re not up for a big outing and prefer to make a person-shaped dent in your couch (we’ve all been there), just reach for your remote. Cozy up with a thick blanket, fuzzy socks or some salted caramel popcorn to accompany any of the “Little Women” movies or that “Gilmore Girls” marathon you’ve been dreaming about. If that’s too feel-good and mellow for you, get yourself in that Halloween mindset by switching on some Halloween classics like “Hocus Pocus” or “Ghostbusters” or venturing to the theaters to see “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” after rewatching the first one. If you want to level it up a bit, count down the days to the spookiest night of the year by watching “The Shining,” “The Sixth Sense” or “Scream.”
4. Explore the Houston Zoo
Unless you’re one of those staunch believers in the separation of fall and the holiday season, you’re sure to enjoy the festivities going on at the Houston Zoo, including Zoo Boo and Zoo Lights. Zoo Boo is a Halloween-themed program lasting until Oct. 31, with activities like exploring Ghost Town, visiting glowing pumpkins and eating s’mores as you make your way through the zoo. The Zoo Lights, starting Nov. 22, are a dazzling display of beautiful lights at night complete with options for s’mores and hot chocolate to warm up chilly evenings.
5. Go camping, s’mores
We all know Houston in the summer doesn’t exactly lend itself to enjoying the outdoors, so take advantage of the crisp fall months while you can. Bring some food, a blanket and a couple of friends to any of Houston’s plentiful parks, Evelyn’s Park, Eleanor Tinsley Park or Hermann Park, and picnic it up. If you’re up for long hours on the road, try taking a camping trip with friends or family to places like Big Bend National Park or Brazos Bend State Park without fear of sweating through the night. Or if you have a firepit lying around your backyard, get a group together and make s’mores while telling scary fireside stories.
6. Shopping spree
If your heart feels light but your wallet a little heavy, try lightening the load with a fall-themed shopping spree. Stock up on cute sweaters and boots, even though you’ll sadly be able to wear them only a few months out of the sweltering Houston calendar. Fill your house with scented candles (snickerdoodle, pumpkin chai, apple cider) and diffusers to let that homey autumn feeling fill up your rooms. While you’re at the store, grab as many fuzzy blankets and pillows as possible, because there’s no such thing as too many blankets.

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There are so many autumn-themed things to do in Houston, so don’t spend the next month curled up in front of your fireplace! Enjoy the semi-crisp October weather as long as it can possibly last and experience all the pumpkin-flavored happiness Houston has to offer.