6 Fall Activities We're Googling Right Now

Google Trends looked at some of the top fall activities people are googling right now.

Here are a few that are trending:

1. Fall Rock Painting Ideas

Rock painting has become a go to creative pastime over the last few years. Most people use smooth river rocks and acrylic paints or markers, but you can always experiment with different supplies. 

If there’s a local park or beach where you get rocks from, make sure you check local laws or rules for the park before loading up. If you can’t find any good rocks in nature, you can check out landscaping or craft stores. 

Once you have your rocks, clean them with a vegetable brush like a potato. Let them dry fully and then get painting!   

2. Corn Maze Near Me 

Now that fall is here, everyone is looking for local corn and hay mazes to check out with family or on a date. If you're looking for mazes and other fun fall activities, be sure to check out: 

Chappell Farms: Enjoy farm animals, a corn maze, pumpkin picking, magic shows and more at Chappell’s Farms’ Fall Festival in Barrie. 

Rounds Ranch: Check out tractor rides, pumpkin picking, fun pumpkin games, sack races and more at Pumpkin Mania in Elmvale. 

Hewitt’s Fun Farm: Hewitt’s Fun Farm is fall ready with wagon rides, pumpkin picking, animals, obstacle courses, scavenger hunts, mazes and more. 

Drysdale’s Tree Farm: In Egbert, you’ll find Drysdale’s Haunted Harvest Village complete with frightful fun, pumpkins, wagon rides, marshmallow roasting and more. 

3. Easy Pumpkin Carving

Pumpkin carving is a fall staple. If you’re looking for some easy carving ideas, consider a classic jack-o-lantern or drilling holes into the pumpkin for a polka dot effect. Some also like to use a clay loop tool or chisel to scrape a design onto the pumpkin instead of fully carving it. 

Just remember, no matter how easy the pattern is, a carved pumpkin usually only lasts a week, so don’t get started too early if you hope to have it for Halloween. 

If carving a real pumpkin really isn’t your thing (or you don’t want to worry about your masterpiece rotting) , you can buy fake carving pumpkins or paint your pumpkin instead. 

4.  Apple Picking Near Me 

Pumpkin (and pumpkin spice) may be all the rage this time of year but we can’t forget about another fall classic … the apple. 

There’s nothing like biting into a fresh juicy apple. And then, of course, there are all the great things you can do with them. Apple pie, apple cider and candied apples are just some of the many fall classics. 

If you want to pick your own apples, there are lots of great orchards in the area. Barrie Hill Farms and Homestead Orchards are both close to Barrie. There are also some great orchards out towards Collingwood, such as Kennedy Orchard. 

5.  Haunted Hay Ride Near Me 

“Haunted hay ride near me” and “haunted houses near me” are two very popular fall activities this time of year. And the good news is there are lots of options in and around Simoce County. 

Drysdale’s Haunted Harvest Village has a Haunted Wagon Ride that runs day and night. The day ride is geared more towards families and those looking for something a bit less scary. 

Haunted Hollows Scream Park, which is in East Gwillimbury, is touted as one of the best Halloween attractions in the area. Here you can follow twisted trails into the forest where you will come face to face with your deepest fears. There are many different areas including The Swamp, Chainsaw Alley, The Butcher Shop and more. 

Discovery Harbour in Penetang also host Pumpkin Inferno each year with a magical outdoor exhibit of hand carved pumpkins. But they also have a haunted walk through the Grim Reaper’s Grove, a haunted display in the original Officer Quarters and a Haunted Ship. 

6. Fall Colour Map

This time of year, people are looking up maps that show when and where to see the leaves change. 

Living in Simcoe County, we are surrounded by beautiful forests and parks where you can go to take in the fall colours. Some of the most popular stops are: 

• Sunnidale Park & Arboretum 
• Copeland Forest 
• Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre 
• Copeland Forest 
• Blue Mountain

RELATED: More great places to see fall colours in Simcoe County …