12 Fall Date Ideas To Cozy Up With Your S.O.

1. Pumpkin Picking: Could we even call this a list of fall date suggestions if we didn't put a trip to the pumpkin patch at the top of the list? Grab your partner, put on your coziest flannel, and go get yourselves the perfect pumpkin. For a more than ideal date, find a local patch that offers spiked cider — or, at the very least, the best hot chocolate around!

2. Volunteering at a Food Bank: With temperatures dropping and the holidays ahead, more people are taking to shelters and seeking support from resources like soup kitchens and food banks than ever. You and your significant other can make a real difference by spending a weekend morning serving others at one of these facilities. What a great memory to share together, too!

3. Travel Planning: Your amazing summer vacation might already feel like a distant memory, so why not get started on dreaming up the next one? Set aside time on the calendar for some bucket-list-style travel brainstorming with bae, supplemented with a bottle of wine and some takeout. If summer feels too unapproachable, consider a cozy fall getaway, complete with seasonal shopping and dining.

4. Making Pottery:Doesn't the start of the new season make you feel like you need to be eating your soup and drinking your tea out of a set of beautifully rustic handmade pottery? It certainly makes us feel that way. You and your S.O. can sign up for a pottery class at a local studio to start the process of sculpting your own plates, bowls, and mugs. Start to finish, this will probably take a few weeks, so it creates opportunities for plenty of date nights.

5. Cider Tasting: Before the PSL (thanks, Starbucks), the most autumnal beverage in the game was cider. Give this drink the credit it deserves by spending an afternoon tasting different varieties at a restaurant or brewery. Can't find a local tasting venue? That's okay. Instead, you could commit to drinking cider together every time it's on a menu for the rest of the season. Think of it as one long, extended tasting.

6. Local Walking Tour: The chaos of summer is behind you, and you finally have a little extra time to stop and explore the place you call home. Do a little Googling to see what kinds of historical, food, or other landmark tours are available in nearby neighborhoods. You'll learn more about where you live, and probably take some fun pics along the way!

7. Hanging by the Fire: Sometimes, all it takes to dial up the atmosphere for a night in is lighting a fire. If you don't have a fireplace or a fire pit, find a video of a roaring fire online — this onewill do the trick. If you're feeling particularly splurge-y, you could even spend a weekend at a cabin or boutique hotel where you'll have your own fire to keep the two of you warm.

8. Checking Out Halloween Decorations: *Plenty* of people tour holiday lights in December, but not everyone pays enough attention to the spooky decor that people set up in October. After decorating your own space, lace up your walking shoes, pour a travel mug full of hot apple cider (or maybe something a little... saucier!), and take to nearby neighborhoods to see who all is getting into the Halloween spirit!

9. Apple Picking: The only thing that says fall almost as much as picking pumpkins is, well, picking apples! You'll miss these juicy local treats when they're no longer in season, so, go get your hands dirty and stock up at a nearby farm. Schedule a fun post-picking dinner to extend the experience.

10. Baking a Pie: Grab those apples you picked, and make good use of them. There are so many delicious seasonal pies you can learn to make, and it's way more fun to do it with your partner by your side. (Everybody deserves a good sous-chef.) Yum!

11. Take a Hike: Venture out with your adventure buddy for a hike this fall! Hikes are the best date of all. Whether you like to take it easy or prefer more moderate trails, getting outside provides the perfect opportunity to talk, take pics, and soak in the natural beauty – all without distraction.

12. Shop for Fall Decor: Because who can't resist a new set of ceramic ghost figures or a cozy cable knit pillow? Take to the stores you love, partner in hand, and get ready to fill your cart ahead of the season.