Hi everyone! My name is Morgan Lamendola, and I am a senior at Clarskon. I’m here to help you find some cool activities around the area.
Fall has arrived, and you might be wondering what there is to do for fun in the North Country this time of year, so I have come up with the perfect fall activities list for you! From apple picking, pumpkin patches and corn mazes, you’ll never be bored this fall (and you definitely won’t run out of apples).
Fobare’s Fruits, located just 20 minutes outside of Canton,- in Rensselaer Falls, is the perfect spot to pick some apples (or raspberries) and hang out with your friends. They have so many different types of apples and rows of apple trees that you will never know where to start. You will never have to worry about not finding good apples there though as there are plenty to go around! On top of their vast variety of apples they also have a pumpkin patch where you can pick your own pumpkin. There is a hay ride that goes around the farm every 15 minutes to show you around and drop you off at different spots as well! If you are into some spookier activities as Halloween approaches, they have a corn maze and also do “Fright Night at Fobares” that you can attend. They have a store where they sell lots of goodies and I highly recommend trying an apple cider slushie, it is delicious!
Goodwin’s Orchard is the closest orchard to us located right off of 11B, 10 minutes outside of Potsdam. They have a wide variety of apples, pumpkins and gourds to choose from! Although Goodwin’s does not have a corn maze, they do have a farm stand that sells local produce. And if you are looking to satisfy your craving for freshly picked apples then Goodwin’s is the place to go!
Canton Apples is only 15 minutes away from us here at Clarkson. They have tons of apple trees to choose from. This is a smaller, more private orchard if you are looking to go somewhere less busy.
Last, but not least of the apple orchards around here is Kaneb Orchards in Massena, which is about a 40 minute drive. They have an orchard store that sells fresh cider, cider donuts, cider slushies, cookies, muffins, and more. They are a “no pick” orchard, however, but you can buy their apples from this store too.
Fall fun does not just stop there, if you are interested in more spooky and adrenaline pumping fall activities, you better keep reading. Potsdam Fright Fest is coming up at the end of October, located right in downtown Potsdam. Market Street will be blocked off for the event. This is more of a family friendly event but there will be pumpkin carving contests as well as haunted houses.
Potsdam also has a haunted infirmary that is open during Halloween weekend. The infirmary is one of the scariest haunted houses you can go to around the Potsdam area so you definitely will not want to miss out!
If you do not feel like walking through a haunted house, you can also take a haunted hayride. This is a bit further away but would make for a great trip with friends for some fall fun. The Tri-Town Haunted Hayride is about 40 minutes away in the town of Brasher Falls. While at 5 p.m. rides are great for little kids who do not want to be as scared, the real scary rides begin at dusk for all of those who love the Halloween vibe!
The North Country is also known for the stunning fall foliage we have! We have some of the brightest and most colorful leaves as fall approaches. Whether you’re taking a road trip or going on a walk or hike, you will not want to miss out these beautiful views.
One great place to see the leaves change is at Tupper Lake. Taking a walk on their Wild Walk above the tree line will produce stunning visuals of all of the changing trees you can see in the Adirondack Park. You can drive up the five-mile road in Lake Placid as well to see some stunning views and enjoy the fall foliage, the road closes October 9th and it is $15 per car, but it’s a view you will not want to miss out on.
For more local views though I highly recommend taking a walk through Bayside Cemetery. There are trails right behind the Riverside apartments on campus to walk the Raquette River all the way over to the cemetery. This is one of my favorite walks in the fall because of all the changing leaves and the water. You can also walk the other side of the Raquette River in Ives Park downtown to get a different view!
If you want to do some traveling to our favorite neighbor in the north, you will not be disappointed. Fall in the Canadian cities is absolutely stunning as the cities decorate and celebrate the changing of the seasons. During my study abroad last semester we went to Ottawa, Quebec, Toronto and Montreal, and our trip to Quebec was during peak fall season. This was the most beautiful city I have ever been in for fall and if you love the fall season and aesthetics as much as me, this place will be your own personal heaven! Any of these cities would be beautiful to visit in the fall, especially Toronto or Niagara falls!
These pictures are by the Maison Historique Chevalier in Quebec City, I believe my professor and guide referred to this part of the city as the Lower Town. This part of the city is actually so much lower than the rest of Quebec that they offer a funicular to bring you down or back up! On top of how pretty it is here during the fall there will be plenty of fall activities for you to enjoy in any of the cities!