My Fall 2020 Bucket List – (Quarantine Edition)

Oct 5, 2020 | Fun Ideas + Things To Do

Now that fall is officially here, I think I’m FINALLY ready to kiss summer goodbye. If you’ve kept up with any of my past blog posts then you’ve probably already realized that I am OBSESSED with making bucket lists. And what better time to make one than at the beginning of a new season? This year, especially, it’s important that we all continue to find things to look forward to and make time for things that make us happy. So, even though the usual fall activities like football games, Friendsgiving get-togethers, and trick-or-treating might not be happening (thanks a lot Covid), there’s still plenty to get excited about and enjoy.

Below is my fall 2020 bucket list, filled with all the fun activities that I’m looking forward to doing during this coziest time of year. I hope it helps you guys get into the autumn spirit as much as it did for me to write it!

 

Get a fall manicure –

Three of my favorite go-to nail colors for fall are:

  1. Light creams/nudes (like Topless and Barefoot by Essie) & (OPI GelColor: Samoan Sand for shellac/gel manicures)
  2. Brown-ish shades (like OPI GelColor: Chocolate Moose)
  3. Black (because duh, it always looks chic)

Also, I’ve seen lots of Instagram photos recently of people rocking the latest nail fad (where you paint each fingernail a different color) and I think I’m becoming a fan. Might have to branch out and try it at some point this fall!

 

Decorate your home for fall –

I love everything interior design and even though I’m definitely still in amateur when it comes to having an “eye for decorating”, I’m slowly getting better at fine-tuning what my specific tastes and styles are. Below, I’ve linked my favorite fall decor finds of the season. Most I’ve purchased myself and are actually the items I’m using to decorate my home with, hopefully to be finished sometime this week!

A few of my top picks: this furry sheepskin throw (it adds so much warmth and texture), these super fun bat wall decals (only $12 on Amazon), and these dried faux floral bunches here, here, and (especially) here.

 

SHOP MY FALL HOME DECOR FINDS:



 

 

Enjoy a seasonal Starbucks drink (or a few hundred of ’em) –

I’m embarrassed to be so “basic” with this one but, you guys, I’m legit OBSESSED with Starbucks’ new seasonal Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew coffee. It’s insanely yummy and has half the calories of their pumpkin spice latte. Try it and thank me later.

 

Bake a few fall-inspired treats –

I’m not typically a fan of baking, but each year when fall rolls around I find myself looking forward to trying out new recipes of those iconic fall treats. On the lineup this year: this banana bread recipe, these pumpkin crumb cake muffins, and (maybe) some apple cider doughnuts. YUM.

 

Go on a fall-themed road trip –

“Fall-themed” meaning somewhere you can really soak up the beautiful fall foliage, enjoy breathing in the fresh crisp air of nature, and experience a few stereotypical fall activities like horseback riding, apple-picking, bonfires, haunted ghost tours, etc. My husband and I actually got a jump-start on this one already. We just finished booking a 10-day road trip to Utah for the end of October and I could not be more stoked.

 

Book a staycation at a nearby cabin –

Check out Airbnb, VRBO, or HomeAway for some of the best accommodation and rental options available in your area. Preferably, somewhere that’s secluded and has an outdoor hot tub. Trust me, it makes for the best kind of getaway.

 

Stock up on ALL the fall-scented candles –

I can’t get enough of all the sugar-y scented candles that are popular in the fall, i.e., anything vanilla, brown sugar, or coffee-scented is my JAM. I also love a good musky/amber scented candle for the fall, as well.

Here are a few favorites of mine:

 

Host a bonfire (& roast s’mores) –

Nothing screams fall like a bonfire, s’mores, cozy knit blankets and some good ol’ fashioned stargazing.

 

Go see a drive-in movie –

Just checked this one off the list with the hubby last weekend. So glad we were able to do it while the evening temps were still warm enough. If you go later in the season, wear layers and bring lots of cozy blankets and pillows to curl up in. We also brought our blow-up air mattress and to use in the back of the trunk for an EXTRA comfortable viewing. Oh, and don’t forget to BYO pizza and drinks.

 

 

Spruce up your wardrobe with a few new fall staples –

I am SO. HERE. for this season’s fashion trends. Gimmie all the 90’s styles, oversized-fits, and chunky knitwear there is. I’ve linked a few of my favorite purchases and wishlist items for this fall in the scroll bar below.

 

SHOP MY FALL WARDROBE WISHLIST:



 

 

Load up on all the best seasonal food items at Trader Joe’s –

God, I love Trader Joe’s. It’s honestly the best grocery store in all of existence. Insanely affordable and has the absolute yummiest food ever. Every season they come out with a new handful of seasonal items that are only available that time of year and fall is easily their biggest, most-popular time. If you need a few recommendations, check out my Trader Joe’s fall food must-haves blog post.

 

Go for a fall foliage drive or hike –

If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere where you can enjoy the astonishingly beautiful changing leaf colors, then try and get out at least once for a fall foliage drive (or hike) to really soak in the beauty of it all. Plus, it makes for some gorgeous photo ops as well.

 

Have a scary movie marathon –

This past Sunday, hubby and I did nothing but watch scary movies ALL DAY LONG. Grab some popcorn and a bottle of red wine from the store and snuggle up for scary movie marathon before the season is over. Here was our movie lineup:

–Antebellum = Really good movie, and not THAT scary, if you don’t love scary stuff.

–The Silencing = I think this was my favorite of the bunch.

–The Clovehitch Killer = About a boy who thinks his dad is the town serial killer.

–The Rental = Least favorite movie of the bunch, but if you like your classic “I Know What You Did Last Summer” kind of thriller, then you’ll like this one.

–The Lodge = Probably the scariest of the movies we watched, major psychological thriller.

–You Should Have Left = Another psychological thriller that was moderately scary.

 

Family photoshoot for Xmas card photos –

I really wanted to schedule a photoshoot session with a local Denver photographer, but with time running out on the colorful leaves-changing season, I think I might attempt to take photos myself with our tripod. If you’re short on extra money this season, you could easily take your own Christmas card photos with an iPhone camera.

 

Get outside (while it’s still warm enough to do so) –

Go for a bike ride, a run, or even an evening walk outdoors. Just try to breathe in as much fresh air as you can while the weather still allows for that sort of thing.

 

Cozy up by a fire with a good book –

I can’t wait to read all the new mystery novels and thrillers this season. Here are a few of my favorite recent reads:

-The Wives

-Behind Closed Doors

-The Couple Next Door

-The Woman in Cabin 10

-The Girl on the Train

 

Tailgate for a football game in your own backyard/driveway –

Since we can’t tailgate at an actual football game, bring the football tailgate home to your own backyard. If you have a projector, you could watch the game on the “big screen” outside and invite friends and family over for all the yummy appetizers and game day food while still practicing social distancing. I’ve linked the world’s BEST and EASIEST dip recipe for football season here. You won’t be disappointed. It’s SO GOOD.

 

 

Start a gratitude journal –

I say I’m going to do this every year around this time, and I always end up falling off after a few days. This year I ordered a few of these moleskin notebooks (which I love) from Amazon and intend to dedicate 10 minutes before bedtime to writing a list of things I was thankful for that day in my gratitude journal.

 

Shop Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sales –

This is always the best time to shop for Christmas gifts in my opinion. Also, if you’re looking to make any big ticket purchases, (like a new mattress, like we are), then this is also a great time to score awesome sales on those kinds of items to make them more affordable.

 

Go horseback riding or ATVing –

I absolutely LOVE horseback riding. I think it’s so much fun. ATV-ing can also be a blast (as long as it’s in a safe flat-ish area). Seriously, my ATV flipped over and fell off a cliff (& almost took me with it) the last time I tried driving one in the mountains, so exercise CAUTION with those things!

 

Visit a Hot Springs –

There are a ton of fun outdoor hot springs in Colorado, but I’m most looking forward to going to Mystic Hot Springs while we’re in Utah. It looks so fun and the scenery looks beautiful. If you don’t live near any hot springs, an outdoor hot tub in the cool, crisp fall air can be just as fun.

 

Find a new tv series to binge-watch –

The level of anticipation I have for the Bachelorette to start airing again is HIGH. I will definitely be spending my Monday nights fully engrossed in the new season, airing on October 13th.

A few more binge-worthy tv show faves of mine: Schitt’s Creek (I just started this one last week), What We Do in the Shadows (it’s hilarious and perfect for this time of year), & Love Island (my latest guilty reality tv show pleasure).

 

Go on a haunted hayride/outdoor haunted house –

I actually would LOVE to do a real ghost tour (my sister and I are both weirdly into “ghost stuff”) but haunted hayrides can be fun too, or really any outdoor haunted attraction. Why do I enjoy scaring myself so much?

 

Visit a local pumpkin patch festival –

The PERFECT outdoor fall activity, especially if you have children. I used to be a full-time nanny and LOVED taking the kiddos to all the most fun pumpkin patch festivals in the area. Don’t forget to find the BEST pumpkin in the patch to bring home to carve and/or decorate your front porch with.

 

Take a train ride through the mountains –

Hoping to do this when my in-laws come and visit in a couple weeks. It’s also really beautiful to do after the first snow of the season when everything is covered in white.

 

Get out and VOTE! –

Last, but certainly not least, don’t forget to get out and VOTE this fall 2020 season (or mail in your ballot). It’s SO important.

 

Well, I hope you guys enjoyed reading through my fall 2020 bucket list, and hopefully you found a few ideas to add to your own seasonal plans. Feel free to leave me a comment below if you have any other recommendations you think I should add to mine! As always, thank you for stopping by to read!

 

XOXO,

Kenzie