Sweater weather is upon us. It’s the time of year for haunted houses, apple picking, watching leaves turn colors, dropping to the ground, and jumping into giant leaf piles (5). There are also plenty of attractions around Southern Minnesota to entertain yourself with. Go get scared through the Haunted Mazes at ValleyScare in Shakopee (3) or check out the fall landscape at Minneopa State Park in Mankato (1).

If you don’t want to go very far, carve out some pumpkins to turn into jack-o-lanterns (6), pick up the ingredients necessary to make hot apple cider from the recipe (7), or gather your student organization to host one last bonfire with s’mores before winter (2).

If you are looking for a creative adventure, go on a halloween costume hunt. If you don’t have any ideas, cut out the papers dolls (4) and dress them up to gather inspiration. Something should spark a creative idea and lead you on a hunt for costumes at Goodwill, Wal-Mart, Halloween Express, or any other thrift store.

There are endless possibilities of what you can do this fall, and this is a short list of some ideas to get you started.  If you stick close to the Saint Peter area, there is much to discover about this beautiful time of year.

Apple Cider Recipe:

 Ingredients:

64 ounces bottled Apple cider

3 cinnamon sticks

1 teaspoon whole allspice

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1/3 cup brown sugar

Instructions:

In a large pot, combine apple cider and cinnamon sticks. Wrap allspice and cloves in a cheesecloth and add to pot. Stir in brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and keep warm. When you are finished, throw the cheesecloth of spices away. Enjoy!

Makes 8 servings.