10 Things to Do in Fall: Rory Gilmore’s Guide to Fall

Have you ever found yourself craving what it would be like to live in a small town, making your way down to a quaint book store, drinking a hot chai latte while you listen to your favorite music, or walking down the street with the apricot-colored leaves crunching under you as you walk? If you have, this ultimate guide to a Rory Gilmore fall is for you. 

First things first, get into the largest, most oversized turtleneck sweater and let’s get into it. If you have TikTok and are a regular user, you probably have seen the TikToks that romanticize fall, flashing photos of golden leaves with Ugg slippers in the bottom of the frame alongside photos of coffees and pumpkins, while the song  “Lovers Rock”  by TV Girl plays over them. A TikToker under the name @onlyselfcare, makes many of these fall TikToks. They say, “Mostly I make them for inspiration and motivation.” Another TikTok user under the name of @rorygilmoresfav said that they enjoy making these type of TikToks, because fall is their favorite season: “I wish it could be fall all year if I am going to be honest.” It’s about replicating what we see on social media and TV and wanting to make it a reality. If you haven’t seen these videos, pretend you have. We have all seen them and saved them for inspiration but never actually experienced that cozy harvest season till this year. 

Besides getting coffee at Luke’s, what screams Rory Gilmore more than the show? This harvest season starts off strong with the perfect activity. Begin by putting cozy blankets and pillows all over your couch, bed, or wherever you typically watch movies. Then, light a chai or cinnamon candle to fill the room with notes of cardamom, ginger, cloves, and vanilla. Invite friends or family over and assemble a tray of pumpkin-themed snacks, preferably from Trader Joe’s. Boil water for tea, or your preferred choice of drink. Get into matching pjs, bring the snacks out, and press play on the first episodes of “Gilmore Girls.” You have now completed the first venture of this bucket list. 

 If Rory Gilmore could have one and one thing only for the rest of her life it would be coffee. So let’s go and get some: get into a cozy fit, put some lip gloss on, walk over to the local coffee shop, and bring some homework, books, or your phone for music. Once you arrive, order a drink or some food. Then, take a place in the corner, get your book or work out, enjoy the fall memories, and the leaves falling outside the window.

One of the best ways to see beautiful views of fall is hiking. It might not seem like a fun way to spend your day, but it’s worth all the time once you get to stand at the top of a mountain and see hundreds of orange trees covering vast valleys. Get into some sporty clothes and drive over to a popular trail. Begin to warm up, soaking up the crunching leaves and cold breezes. Before you know it you will be on the top of a mountain, the sun will be setting and the color of the trees will amaze you. Consider this activity for fall, invite some friends or family, and go on and enjoy the outdoors. 

When you think of autumn, you probably think of Halloween, and one of the biggest parts of Halloween is carving pumpkins. Not only the action of carving but the adventure of getting one. Go to your local farm that sells pumpkins. The owners are always super kind and helpful, and will take you on the tractor to give you a tour of the farm and get you to the pumpkin patch. Don’t skip the hot apple cider or hot chocolate! As you find your perfect pumpkin, enjoy the crisp air and the view of the pumpkins cascading down the farm.

 If you loved going to the pumpkin patch, and want a little more time at the farms, time for you to head over to a corn maze. You’ll probably find one at your local farm and it will be a blast into the spooky season, but make sure to dress for cold weather. Make your way through the corn maze, and once you are done it’s time for a timed challenge. Before you know it, the sun will be setting and the views will be beautiful. You can take goofy photos and get popcorn and drinks in the picture area. Speaking of spooky season, those who enjoy a little scare should check out haunted houses this year. It’s such a fun experience if you like jumpscares and laughs. It’s a must for scary lovers; when else do you get to experience the thrills of Halloween? 

 A timeless activity is s’more making. Some would say this is only a camping tradition, but why not do it year-round? Imagine the night falling, stars lighting up the sky, and the fire making a swirl of deep reds and oranges. This will require wood, a small fire pit, ingredients for s’mores, and thin sticks for roasting marshmallows. Go ahead by starting the fire (you may need a helping hand). As soon as the fire begins to roar, lay out the graham crackers and chocolate. The best and most crucial part is roasting marshmallows, picking up whatever type of marshmallows and starting to toast, giving it around 3 minutes and taking it off, putting it between two graham crackers, and repeat.

Here’s another activity that involves food. If you’re not a regular baker don’t be threatened, it’s not about making something fancy, it’s about the vibes of baking with friends or family. Some sweets you could attempt to bake are: cinnamon rolls, ginger snap cookies, pumpkin loaf, and chocolate banana bread. Baking doesn’t need to be stressful, play some music and bake without being a perfectionist. The best part hasn’t even come till you take the baked goods out of the oven and get to eat them with a cup of tea. This is an easy way to make it feel like it’s super fall.

If you’re not into baking, be a cook! Something similar to baking is fall cooking. Host a small dinner party, and cook some autumn-inspired dishes. There are hundreds of recipes you could discover and love. Like pumpkin pasta with an autumn-inspired fig salad, a steak dinner, squash soups with fresh rolls, and so many more. The best part of hosting a party is the decorations, experimenting with different plates and fun utensils. Hang lights around where you will be eating and put small pumpkins or squash on the dinner table. Add colorful candles and placemats to elevate the look. Once people come over, begin to cook, and let the smells of delicious food take over. 

The last and most ultimate Rory Gilmore autumn-inspired activity is going to a diner. We talked about doing some baking and cooking, but why not treat yourself to a good old-fashioned burger and fries like Rory and Lorelai Gilmore do in every episode? Nothing beats getting done with the day, walking over in the chilly weather for a warm hot dinner, and getting served a big juicy burger with an abundant amount of fries. Drinking it with a large cup of coffee and letting the conversations and the laughs of joy take this season off its feet. 

There are so many ways to spend your time this year, use this bucket list to add some spice into this upcoming season. Try it out with friends and family, or just by yourself.