By: Marissa Fraire – 2nd Year – Global Health
One of my favorite seasons in Georgia is Fall. Sweater weather, leaves changing color, and of course, pumpkin everything!!! Below you will find some fun Fall activities to do in Atlanta and around Georgia.
Apple Orchards:
Fall starts early in Georgia, especially when it comes to picking apples, so why not go to the Apple Capital of Georgia in Gilmer County. There you will find almost a dozen of apple orchards where you can pick apples right off the trees, and enjoy the view of the North Georgia mountains!
R & A Orchards is one of the best orchards in the area if you simply just want to pick apples. They have a bakery that makes different apple pastries and apple cider donuts (100% Recommend!!!!). In case you need lunch, there is also a restaurant on site. In their store, you can buy bundles of apples, vegetables, jams, and apple cider. If you have a favorite type of apple, their website provides with a tool for harvest dates on their apples.
BJ Reece Orchards is another orchard that you can visit. It is the only one that has apple picking on the weekdays. This is an orchard that has other activities besides apple picking. There is a petting farm, zip line, cow milking, corn maze, and many more activities. You can also bring your furry friends to this orchard!
Ellijay, a town in Gilmer county, also hosts the annual Georgia Apple Festival. Entry is $5 for adults and children under 10 are free. This year it is held, October 14 & 15 and 21 & 22, 2017. There will be over 300 vendors, a parade, and an antique car show.
Pumpkin Patches:
My all-time favorite pumpkin patch is Burt’s Farm in Dawsonville, Ga. From Atlanta, is it a little over an hour drive away, so this would be fun carpool activity with friends! There is free parking and admission. You will find pumpkins in all shapes and sizes. They also have a two mile hay ride for $6 that will show you around their pumpkin patch, and you can even catch a glimpse of Amicalola Falls (Georgia’s tallest water fall). If you’re craving pumpkin treats, their country store has you covered. They offer a variety of pumpkin treats like pumpkin pie and pumpkin spice rolls.
Randy’s Pumpkin Patch is in Lawrenceville, GA about 45 minutes away from Emory University. There is zip line, petting zoo and inflatable maze. Parking and entry is free. This a good option if you’re looking to not travel too far out of Atlanta.
There are so many fall activities here in Georgia. Stone Mountain has a Pumpkin Festival from Friday- Sunday from September 29 to October 29. If you like scarier fall activities, there are plenty of haunted houses around Atlanta like Netherworld that you should try out.
Whatever you choose, go out and enjoy the cool weather, take in the beautiful scenery, and eat your favorite fall treats!
Rollins Student Ambassadors 