Ah, fall activities. There is nothing quite like those first few weeks of back-to-school season when we homeschoolers get our crowd-free outings back! The excitement of good parking spots and shorter lines doesn’t have to wear off after September, though. Fall is a great season for taking advantage of lots of fun activities.

Here are 8 fun fall activities that can easily be turned educational.

Agua Caliente

A mid-week camping getaway is a great way to have some fun and learn about desert creatures. This campground has natural hot spring pools, and is home to all sorts of wildlife. Bats visit the pools at dusk, bighorn sheep occasionally make an appearance, and you can fall asleep to the sound of frogs. But stay up a little later and you just might hear the yips of coyotes in the distance. Time your trip with a meteor shower and you’ve basically struck gold!

Apple Picking

Julian is a great spot to visit for mid-week apple picking. Kids get to run through the apple fields and pick their own apples off the trees. Just be sure to check the schedule to find out which weekdays they’re open, and go early as crops can get picked over quickly. Before you leave, step back in time with a stroll through the Julian graveyard.

Tide Pools

Admittedly, tide pools don’t tend to get so overcrowded. But the closer we draw to winter, the better the low tides. Keep an eye on the tide charts to find the best times and days to visit. Negative tides will make for the most exposed sea life. Don’t forget your bucket to collect and observe ocean creatures.

Oma’s Family Farm

A family favorite, Oma’s Family Farm is a wonderfully fun place to visit each fall. There are tons of fun areas to play and the tractor ride/cow tour is always exciting and educational. You might even get to see a newborn calf! Weekday visits make for easy parking and no lines.

The Beach

What’s better than September in San Diego for homeschoolers? With the tourists gone home and locals back to school, we get the beach nearly to ourselves. Thanks to our usually warm September temperatures, it’s truly the best month for sand, sun, and water fun. Try digging holes in different areas and see how long it takes to strike water.

Picnic in a Park

As temperatures cool, mid-week picnics in the park are a delightful treat. Thanks to schools being back in session you’ll be sure to find better parking. Bring along a book to read aloud or maybe a game and call it a (homeschool) day!

Visit the Zoo + Museums

September is a great month for all those educational field trips you’ve been wanting to take. You’re sure to find less lines and crowds this month. However, come Kids Free October (and then all the holidays) crowds will pick up again soon. Squeeze those visits in now!

Hiking

Cooler temperatures bring about more comfortable hiking, and San Diego is FULL of amazing hikes. Stick to the coast in early fall while the weather is still on the warmer side. But as the days cool off east county holds a plethora of gems waiting to be discovered. Don’t forget your plant identification book or app – you’ll want to know how to spot the difference between poison oak and wild blackberry.

Happy Fall, Ya’ll! Which of these fall activities will you try?