Image source: Merlina McGovern
I’ve been reading about traffic jams leading into Salem, Massachusetts, and multiple rescues of ill-prepared leaf-peepers in the New Hampshire mountains. To me, this all feels to be the result of influencers swamping social media with picturesque videos of fall activities. As they sip their PSLs (pumpkin spiced lattes) with their perfectly manicured nails and step through gorgeous fall foliage, you begin to feel the pull to visit these gorgeous places. If an influencer has millions of followers, well, that pull is magnified, and suddenly these picturesque places become swamped with visitors.
A witchy tourist place like Salem has always been a hot spot for fall visitors. Living close to the area, I know that the best times to visit are before and after the October madness, when the city, according to the article I linked to above, can get close to 100,000 visitors around Halloween, all vying for around 4,000 public parking spots. Yikes.
And the masses of humanity trying to see the beauty of fall foliage can often forget that people live in these mountains and woods as they park on private roads to capture the perfect photo for their Instagram feed.
For me, I just love walking around my very own neighborhood in suburban Boston. When the brilliant vermillion and gold leaves wave in the wind against cerulean skies, I’m not elbowing my way through crowds to witness these seasonal beauties. I’m just looking outside my own window or walking through my own park.
As I go for walks in my neighborhood, I listen to spooky podcasts, like Thirteen (where you can listen to my scary short story, “The Most Dangerous Side Hustle.”) and No Sleep. Their scary stories are the perfect accompaniment for my walks through blustery winds and falling leaves.
This past weekend, my family and I drove to a small local farm where we visited their PYO pumpkin field. Now, this field was more like LYO (lift your own) since the pumpkins were already picked and placed for your convenience in a dirt patch, but it was the joy of visiting a local farm and eating pumpkin whoopie pies that had me smiling with happiness at the fall vibes without all of the social media crowds.
Because my daughter participates in the high school crew team, we also bundled up and spent hours alongside Lake Quinsigamond for her regatta championship. We wore our fuzzy hats and pulled on our mittens against the cold fall rain as we cheered our teams as they rowed down the lake toward the finish line.
And, to top this beautiful fall weekend off, I spent multiple days making a delicious slow-cooker beef stew to eat alongside homemade bread fresh from the bread maker.
For me, I didn’t need to race out to crowded fall tourist attractions. The fall activities that I find to be the most energizing are the ones where I can be with my family and relax as the season starts to bundle up around me in preparation for the encroaching darkness of winter.
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