It’s finally hoodies and jeans weather — the perfect time of year. But in snowy Syracuse, it won’t last long. So, take advantage of the fall season while you still can.
— Compiled by The Daily Orange feature staff

Take a hike

On a crisp fall day, throw on a pair of boots, grab a sweatshirt and go for a hike. The Onondaga Lake Park has a number of different trails to walk through, and if you’re looking for something even closer, try walking around the quarry on South Campus.

Tune in

If you feel like staying inside, cuddle up under a blanket with hot chocolate and watch some fall TV premieres. There are season premiers of “The Walking Dead” on AMC (Oct. 13) and “Supernatural” on the CW (Oct. 8), and new series to start like “Sean Saves the World” on NBC (Oct. 3) and “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland” on ABC (Oct. 10).

Fine wine

For those looking for something a little more sophisticated, try one of the wine tours that run through the Finger Lakes. Make a reservation to ride a wine trolley that runs up and down Lakes Cayuga and Seneca. Reservations are about $45 per person with an additional $3-$5 tasting fee, depending on the winery.

Picking pumpkins

First step: pick a pumpkin. Visit Pumpkins at the Hollow, which has more than 15 acres of pumpkins. Next, carve your pumpkin, but save the seeds. You can roast them, toast them or make pumpkin seed brittle with them. If you aren’t a fan of scooping out slimy goop, paint the outside instead.

Seasonal flicks

Catch up on your favorite Halloween movies to fully embrace fall. If you’re a horror film fanatic, watch “Halloween,” “Friday the 13th” or “The Exorcist.” But if you scream like a little girl during scary movies, opt for tamer classics like “Hocus Pocus” or “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

Catching fire

As night falls and the temperature drops, enjoy the brisk autumn nights with a bonfire. Huddle around the fire, wrap up in scarves and coats and bring your hot chocolate. But no bonfire is complete without s’mores. For an even more indulgent treat, swap graham crackers for chocolate chip cookies.

Oktoberfest

Germany is halfway around the world, so celebrate a pseudo-Oktoberfest right here in Syracuse. Grab your friends, some hard ciders and pumpkin ales, German sausages and giant pretzels and dance the polka in your lederhosen. Or, check out the Great Syracuse Oktoberfest this Sunday in Liverpool, N.Y.

All things apples

Head to Beak & Skiff Apple Orchard and do some apple picking in the autumn sunshine. Then, haul them home and conjure up some treats. Bake pie, or, if you’re feeling less ambitious, do some apple decorating — cover them in chocolate, chewy caramel, or hard candy and enjoy. It’s fruit, so it’s healthy, right?

Home makeover

You’re at school, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do seasonal decorating. Put out some fake pumpkins or hang some skeletons. Or, con your parents into sending you candy by reminiscing about the good ‘ole days. At the very least, buy yourself an apple-scented plug-in air freshener.

Haunted getaways

The Syracuse area is chock-full of haunted attractions — so many that the website Scarycuse.com was created to list them. From hayrides to corn mazes, shock-seekers are sure to find their fill of eerie entertainment. Don’t know where to start? Orange After Dark offers trips to Fright Nights at the Fair just before Halloween.

Published on October 2, 2013 at 1:52 am