By: Zoe Rodriguez, 2028

Intro

The fall season is approaching! The leaves are turning orange, you can actually layer your outfits, and the air will be permanently contaminated with pumpkin spice for approximately the next few months. But for all the buzz New England gets around the fall season and all there is to do, it can be overwhelming to weed through all the choices and figure out what you want to fill your afternoon with. This article is here to give you a few ideas as to where to get started planning your schedule this fall!

Seasonal foods:

One of the most exciting things to enjoy during fall are all the novelty items suddenly on restaurant and cafe menus. But there are so many out there that it can be hard to choose from. Here’s some places shelving out whole new lines of fall themed foods to make the choices less overwhelming:

• Eva’s Little Kitchen: Located right here in Bedford, Eva’s is a woman owned and family operated cafe that has a rotating roster of delicious sandwiches to choose from. Some new items include the Cali King, The Bourdain Sandwich, the Seasonal Sweet Danish, and the Labneh Breakfast Box. 
• Trader Joe’s: lots of people live near a T’J, and every year they release a staggering amount of fall-themed goods. This year that includes multiple types of muffins, mocha-latte pretzels, maple flavored popcorn, butternut squash Mac & Cheese, apple pie spread, pumpkin mousse cakes, and way too many to fit in this article. (Another article with all the best ones is here)
• Starbucks: you know the pumpkin spice latte. I know the pumpkin spice latte. I don’t have to tell you about the pumpkin spice latte. Instead some of their other items no one talks about that they also offer are the iced pumpkin chai, pecan oat milk cortado, pumpkin cream cheese muffin, baked apple croissant, Italian sausage egg bites, and the new raccoon cake pop. 

Activities

• Parks / Hiking trails: New England is known for having some of the most beautiful trees and colors during Autumn. If you want help taking full advantage of this, here are a few trails you could take to fully appreciate the gorgeous landscape:

Monument Mountain – a popular and beautiful mountain with roots in Mohican traditions, perfect for people who enjoy rocky uphill hikes. Difficulty: moderate

Middlesex Fells – rather than a single trail, Middlesex is a massive reservation that offers many routes of varying difficulty. They also allow many other activities, like fishing and mountain biking. Difficulty: easy-moderate

Mount Greylock – three hikes all leading up Massachusets highest mountain, showing off beautiful views and a veteran memorial at the top. Difficulty: moderate-challenging 

• Connors Farm: A cornerstone of fall in the public eye is the “farm/countryside” aesthetic. If you’re looking to fill that urge for country-themed fun this year, Connors Farm has got you covered. It’s a farm-themed park that offers a multitude of fun such as apple picking, corn mazes, tractor tours, apple canons, and live farm animals you can feed yourself. At the entrance there’s also a market with freshly grown produce and many seasonal snacks like apple cider donuts and homey sticks. Overall it’s a really fun time if you’re looking for something to kill an afternoon and really enjoy the autumn atmosphere.

• Whale Watching: April through October is the best time to go whale watching in New England, as it’s the migration season for the humpback and gray whales. And if you are interested in seizing the opportunity, a great organization to look to is the New England Aquarium. On top of being dedicated to the conservation and education of the ocean, the New England Aquarium also offers whale watching cruises! Their primary destination is Stillwater Bank Marine Sanctuary, home to many species of whale, including humpbacks, finbacks, and minkes. There will also be naturalists there to aid you with any questions you may have, and help you appreciate the magnificence of these beautiful animals more.

Movie Releases

Everybody loves going to the movies. And I don’t need to tell you why because we’ve all heard the Nicole Kidman monologue (the AMC theaters “we make movies better” woman). Sadly, movie theaters have been struggling to bring people in these last few years after the pandemic. If you want to help support the theater industry this fall, here are some of the most anticipated movies coming out in the following months.

•  Wicked: For Good (fantasy – musical) – Nov. 21

Sequel to the 2024 movie covering the second half of the original broadway musical, directed by Jon. M. Chu, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Synopsis: Elphaba lives in exile in the Ozian forest, while Glinda resides at the palace in Emerald City, reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, she’ll need to reunite with Glinda to transform herself, and all of Oz, for good

• Frankenstein (fantasy – horror) – Nov. 7

An adaptation of the famous novel, directed by Guillermo del Toro, staring Jacob Elori and Oscar Issac. Synopsis: A brilliant but egotistical scientist brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation

• Zootopia 2 (comedy) – Nov. 26

A sequel to the 2016 Disney animated movie, directed/written by Jared Bush and starring Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin. Synopsis: Judy Hopps and her friend, Nick Wilde, team up again to crack a new case, the most perilous and intricate of their careers.

• The Running Man (dystopian) – Nov. 7

A remake of the 1987 adaptation of Steven King’s novel, directed by Edgar Wright and staring Glen Powel. Synopsis: A man joins a game show where contestants, allowed to go anywhere in the world, are pursued by “hunters” hired to kill them.

• Now you See Me: Now you Don’t (crime comedy) – Nov. 14

The third installment in the 2013 series directed by Ruben Fleischer and starring Jesse Eisenberg. Synopsis: A group of magicians attempt to take down a crime ring of diamond smugglers.

• Five nights at Freddies 2 (live action – horror) – Dec. 2

A sequel to the 2023 film adaptation of the popular horror game, directed by Emma Tammi and staring Josh Hutcherson. Synopsis: 1987, after a rather unstable life, Jeremy Fitzgerald found work as a security guard at the new Freddy’s Fazbear Pizzeria, but when he entered there he would realize that not everything there is as it seems.

• Christie (docudrama) – Nov. 7

An indie sports biopic directed by David Michôd and staring Sydney Sweeney. Synopsis: [Christie] Tells the story of Christy Martin, the most successful female boxer of the 90s.