Fall is my favorite time of the year. The changing leaves, brisk temperature and the crisp air change the hot humid pace from the summer. Things feel like they slow down–the sun sets earlier making it easier to settle into a rhythm. The same shift happens in food, the seasonal veggies shift into a warmer and rich taste. Fall is fun, not just because of the weather and the food but because of the holidays. While some people just decorate for the sake of fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving bring up more decorations. Whether you celebrate or not it’s interesting to see all of the decorations and experience the blissful mood it puts people into. Fall is also an incredible time to see sports, with the end of the baseball season and the start of the football season there are plenty of professional and school games to attend.
To best experience the turning of the leaves I recommend going on a walk. The Twin Cities have many different places to experience the colors. Some of my favorites happen to be St. Anthony main, any of the lakes and through neighborhoods. As a frequent lake person, I am biased towards the lakes. The beautiful colors are accented by the blues of the water and the reflections off of it. Some of the lakes such as Lake of the Isles and Bde Maka Ska have a good view of the skyline. When I walk these lakes in the fall I feel like the whole city is changing to fit into the season. In contrast to walking around a picturesque lake, walking through neighborhoods is a nice way to avoid potentially having to hop in a car. Though neighborhoods aren’t always fun, I find the fall to be the best time to do it. People decorate seasonally and for the holidays and the colors from the leaves frame the houses. I always feel like I’m on a movie set. Another spot I recommend walking around is St. Anthony Main. It’s a road located along the Mississippi river. There’s a super cute city feel and the restaurants along the street all have little fairy lights up making it best in the evening. There’s an option to walk down by the river or continue walking along the street. There’s lots of variety so it won’t get boring.
Seasonal foods make season changes so worth it. From cool cucumber salads and corn soups into heavier caesars and squash soups. Every year I know fall is upon us when coffee shops like Rustica start selling their pumpkin spice lattes and the patios start filling up with the temperature becoming bearable. Other than being a great place to walk around St. Anthony Main has many great restaurants to stop and grab a bite. Aster Cafe and Jefe allow for a super cool patio experience. I would eat along the river just to watch the photoshoots and weddings that frequently happen. Some of my favorite things to eat in the fall are seasonal soups and salads and chicken. The fall soups are my favorite, they are rich and neutral with a tinge of sweetness if done right, top them with some walnuts and cream and it’s perfect. The salads transition away from strawberries to pears and apples, I prefer this as it means there will most likely be nuts in the salad making it heavier. Chicken at restaurants will transition to a heavier accompaniment, the light veggies underneath the chicken will turn into potatoes and farro. I recommend eating at Spoon and Stable and the Kenwood for seasonal chicken and soups. Many other restaurants that make everything in house have similar things on their menus because of the seasonal constraints. Overall, the fall foods are superb and on another level than the light summery foods.
Even as someone who doesn’t love football and baseball I still find going to games as super fun. The energy of the people around you and the crappy food makes it really fun. I personally love being in super energetic crowds, it brings up my own energy and takes me into a different world. Though it can be expensive, I recommend going to a game of any level. Twins tickets are very cheap right now and if that doesn’t work out there are the St. Paul Saints and even school sports. The season is packed with sports and I don’t recommend missing it.
All and all, fall is a season to take advantage of. Fall is fleeting and though it may be a busy season, it’s packed with the best activities Minnesota can offer. On a budget or not there’s plenty to do. Don’t miss out on the season and exercise balance by getting out and about. From just walking around to going to sports games, fall has a wide variety of activities to fit your needs.
