After one of the hottest North Carolina summers on record, fall is finally here and we couldn’t be happier! As you swap out your tank tops and shorts for sweaters and leggings, your iced cold brews for steamy pumpkin spice lattes and deck out your house with Halloween decorations, get into the fall spirit with our list of local ways to celebrate fall. Though some of Raleigh’s best autumn events have been canceled this year due to COVID, including the NC State Fair and all the downtown music festivals, there are still plenty of ways to safely enjoy the cooling weather. Here are our top 25 suggestions.
Visit Spring Haven Farm in Chapel Hill for a socially distanced farm visit complete with tractor rides, meet and greets with the animals, a pallet maze and fall-themed eats and drinks. You can also buy tickets to carve pumpkins with goats—they love to nibble on pumpkin flesh as you scoop it out. Schedule a day to visit Wednesday through Sunday. springhaven.farm
Pick up a pumpkin from the State Farmers Market. There are so many shapes, colors and sizes to choose from, meaning you can get completely creative with your carving. ncagr.gov/markets/facilities/markets/raleigh
Using whatever pumpkin seeds you have left, wash off the pulp, dry and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Then bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, tossing the seeds every five minutes to brown evenly.
Take a sweeter route and whip up a homemade pumpkin pie with a baking pumpkin, also available from the State Farmers Market.
Plant a fall garden with help from Logan’s Garden Shop. Vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, beets, kale, Brussels sprouts and potatoes thrive in the fall when temperatures drop below 70 degrees. Logan’s also offers cozy patio furniture for soaking up those cool fall evenings—dinner al fresco, anyone? logantrd.com
Make a day out of pumpkin picking at Page Farms, a family favorite in Raleigh for its you-pick pumpkin patch, corn maze, hay rides and cow train. Bring the kids or let your inner child come out on the haystack slide. The whole experience just screams fall. pagefarmsraleigh.com
If you’re not worried about getting spooked, visit Phillips Farms’ haunted farm in Cary. Four attractions—The Field of Lost Souls, The Rebellion Trail, The Gore House and the Big Top Terror—are designed to haunt you long after you’ve left. For something a little more light-hearted, make your way through the farm’s old-fashioned corn maze or take a wagon ride. phillipsfarmsofcary.com
Build your own local pumpkin spice latte hop and visit Raleigh’s many coffee shops for their unique takes on fall’s favorite drink. On the list: Jubala, Sir Walter Coffee, Benelux and Global Village, among others. If you’re not into pumpkin spice, many of these coffee shops offer other delicious seasonal beverages, too!
Host a socially distanced game day or movie night in your backyard with a 20-foot inflatable screen from Triangle Backyard Cinema. You can stream from Disney+, Hulu, Amazon, Netflix, play a DVD or Blu-Ray, watch the game or the upcoming MMA fight, stream your favorite concert or play your favorite multi-player game. trianglebackyardcinema.com
If you have a kayak or a canoe, take it for a relaxing float through Robertson Millpond Preserve, the only bald cypress blackwater swamp habitat in Wake County. You’ll also find sheltered picnic tables, a quarter-mile boardwalk and walking path and a fishing platform with benches at the preserve. wakegov.com/parks/robertsonmillpond/Pages/default.aspx
Kick off red wine season with a virtual wine tasting at Wine Feed, Raleigh Wine Shop or Seaboard Wine & Tasting Bar. You’ll get to taste your way through various wines and learn how best to pair them with certain foods. Some tastings even come with tasty snacks to enjoy with your wine!
The State Fair may be cancelled this year, but you can still get your hands on all the guilty pleasure goodies you get to indulge in once a year with Grazin’ Gals’ State Fair charcuterie board. It contains cotton candy, caramel apples with bacon from Kandy Apples By K, chocolate-covered marshmallows from Elevated Chocolates, apple cider doughnuts, Carolina Kettle Chips, stuffed buttercream cookies and spiced nuts from Joy Filled Foods. grazingals.com
On rainy fall days, visit Raleigh’s renowned museums, many of which have finally reopened. The Museum of Natural Sciences celebrates women scientists such as Marie Curie in a new exhibition. The Museum of History’s Beach Music exhibit explores the history of beach music in the Carolinas and the NCMA opened several unique exhibitions when it reopened last month. Marbles, the COR Museum and The Gregg are also open.
Take up a new hobby, like embroidery, with the help of the Craft Habit. The locally owned store offers embroidery and cross stitch kits and supplies as well as punch needle kits, an alcohol inks starter kit, a DIY soap kit, terrarium kits and more. On the website you’ll also find embroidery how-to videos with helpful tips and tricks for making your very own designs at home. crafthabitraleigh.com
With pumpkin season comes pumpkin beer season, something that we can all get behind. Make a day out of trying all the pumpkin beers from local breweries. Big Boss Brewing has a Harvest Time pumpkin/yam beer on tap, Sycamore Brewing’s Pumpkin Latte blonde ale is on tap at House of Hops Glenwood and Aviator Brewing Company released a seasonal Pumpkin Beast ale in September.
Uncover the City of Oaks’ haunted past on the Raleigh Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour hosted by Tobacco Road Tours. Along the tour, you’ll hear spooky ghost stories, centuries-old folklore passed down from generations and maybe even get a glimpse of some real-life paranormal action. This scary tour is not for the faint of heart!tobaccoroadtours.com/tours/raleigh-haunted-footsteps-ghost-tour
Before it gets too chilly, head out to the NC coast for one last beach trip. Wrightsville Beach is a little over two hours away and the Outer Banks and the Crystal Coast are three hours away. Fall at the coast is beautiful and the prices on rentals are cheaper than in the summer!
Deck out your house in spooky decorations that will scare anyone who happens to drive past. Zest Cafe & Home Art sells both cute and eerie decorations as well as themed tableware for your socially distanced Halloween get-togethers. zestcafehomeart.com
Bend and stretch as the leaves fall around you at one of Raleigh’s outdoor yoga classes. YOGA SOUL•LEC•TIVE, Raleigh Outdoor Yoga, Current Wellness, Midtown Yoga and many other studios have been hosting outdoor classes since the pandemic started.
Enjoy a cozy dinner in with chef Sean Fowler’s Mandolin Farmhouse Meals. The fall menu lineup includes comforting classics such as pot roast, chicken pot pie, New Orleans-style gumbo and chicken and dumplings. Just order online and everything will be delivered right to your door. mandolinraleigh.com/store/catering
With fall weather comes fall baked goods and we couldn’t be more excited about all of the seasonal offerings at local bakeries! Union Special’s produce-filled slices are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner, Yellow Dog Bread’s apple turnover is a fall must-have and you will get addicted to Boulted Bread’s currant and lemon zest scones.
Get in the Halloween spirit with Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre’s Halloween Spook-Fest. There will be trunk-or-treating, a costume contest with prizes awarded for the scariest, most creative and best duo/trio costumes, as well as a car costume contest with prizes awarded to the best decorated vehicle. raleighroaddrivein.com
WEB EXCLUSIVE With the threat of both the flu and the coronavirus looming this season, it’s more important than ever to get a flu shot. While the two diseases are completely different and getting the flu shot hasn’t been proven to reduce your risk of getting coronavirus, health experts say that people coming down the flu—on top of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic—could overburden the health care system, something that was already a problem when case numbers started peaking back in early spring.
In addition to relieving the country’s hospitals, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says that “you really should get a flu shot” every year. Studies by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) showed that during the 2018-2019 flu season, 49% of the U.S. population got the flu vaccine and prevented an estimated 44 million cases of the flu and 3,500 deaths.
Besides not contracting the flu, the CDC lists the following benefits of getting the flu vaccine on their website:
The flu vaccine can reduce the risk of flu-associated hospitalization for children, working age adults and older adults.
The flu vaccine has been shown in several studies to reduce severity of illness in people who get vaccinated but still get sick.
Getting vaccinated yourself may also protect people around you, including those who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness.
When Should You Get the Flu Vaccine?
Dr. Fauci recommends getting the flu shot towards the middle or end of October, saying that if you get it in September, the immunity might wear off come February or March. Flu season typically peaks between December and February, according to the CDC.
How Do Flu Vaccines Work?
Two weeks after getting the flu vaccine, antibodies begin to develop in the body, providing protection against infection with the viruses that are also used to make the vaccine itself. The CDC recommends getting the vaccine each year because a person’s immune protection from vaccination declines over time and because the flu virus changes every year, meaning the vaccine is updated as well. A common misconception is that the flu vaccine will cause flu illness, when in reality any symptoms you may feel after getting the flu shot are the body’s normal immune response to the inactivated virus in the vaccine.
WEB EXCLUSIVE Every Fall, Starbucks brings back their beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte that seemingly everyone goes crazy over. This season, however, we’ve got our eyes on the innovative Fall drink flavors that Raleigh’s locally-owned coffee shops are coming out with, which range from s’mores to maple to salted caramel. And yes, there’s even some elevated pumpkin spice flavors out there too. Ditch the basic stuff and opt for these unique seasonal caffeinated beverages instead.
Like s’mores in a cup, Jubala’s seasonal mocha is made from graham cracker-infused milk (now that’s something you don’t see everyday!), Videri chocolate, smoke and salt Crude Bitters and a house made toasted marshmallow. Works for breakfast or dessert!
Downtown cafe 42 & Lawrence has taken pumpkin spice to the next level with this seasonal latte made with a house made pumpkin syrup, chai, espresso, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cayenne and nutmeg. For chai and coffee fans, it’s the best of both worlds!
If you didn’t think fruit could go in a latte, think again. The underrated early Fall fruit pairs great with ginger in this one-of-a-kind latte from the folks at Black & White Coffee Roasters inside Videri Chocolate Factory.
Think pumpkin spice but with a touch of added sweetness from Charlotte-based Cloister Honey. It’s the combo you never thought you needed but won’t be able to get enough of.
For pumpkin fans who aren’t big on coffee, this is the perfect drink for you. Benelux makes their own chai concentrate with masala chai from Rishi Tea & Botanicals.
This creamy cappuccino tastes like Fall in a cup, what with spices like nutmeg and cinnamon mixed with creamy condensed milk and espresso. Also on The Optimist’s seasonal menu is a maple pecan latte, “Autumn Orchard” with iced coffee, apple cider and nutmeg, and “‘Merican Pie” with espresso, maple syrup, “Lindsay” Crude Bitters and milk.
Calling all fans of carrot cake! This latte is the ideal way to get your fix when you can’t get your hands on an entire cake. BREW makes the latte with a house made spiced carrot sauce, espresso and your choice of milk.
Along with goodies like pumpkin muffins and apple cider muffins, Global Village is serving up Fall drinks like salted caramel lattes (the perfect combo of salty and sweet), caramel apple cider and pumpkin spice lattes and chai lattes.
As one of Raleigh’s newest coffee shops, Idle Hour really outdid themselves with their maple ginger latte. Sweet maple syrup is balanced with the zest of ginger to offer a unique sip every time.
WEB EXCLUSIVE The October issue of Raleigh Magazine will be on stands around town and delivered to your doors and mailboxes in just a few days! If you can’t wait until then, here’s a quick look at some of the stories we have in store.
A Place to Smile About
Everyone in Raleigh knows Maggie Kane, the hard working NC State alumna behind the city’s only pay-what-you-can cafe A Place at the Table. In this piece, freelance journalist Jenn Rice shines light on APATT’s executive chef Andrew Gravens, who is responsible for the cafe’s delightful sandwiches, biscuits, salads and pastries that are beloved by all—no matter their economic status.
The City is Moving
Since Wake County’s Transit Plan got off the ground in 2016, more than $13 million in new or modified services have been implemented in the southeast and northwest portions of Raleigh and in neighboring municipalities. This includes more e-scooters (with increased monitoring and regulations), Citrix Cycle‘s bike share system, greenway bike connector lanes, and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridors.
25 Fall Things to Do
We don’t know about you, but we couldn’t be happier that fall is finally here! In this issue, we round up 25 fun fall-themed things to do around the Triangle, from carving pumpkins from the State Farmers Market to planting a fall garden with the help of Logan’s Garden Shop to taking a virtual wine class through one of Raleigh’s many wine stores. There’s something for everyone to take part in, no matter what you’re interests are.
Facing Closure
A survey from advocacy group Shop Local Raleigh showed that out of 200 locally owned businesses, 75 percent of them who responded thought that local leadership—the mayor and city council—didn’t have “the best interests of Raleigh’s small business community in mind.” After COVID closures and protests following the death of George Floyd, Raleigh’s small business owners are struggling and demand more from those who are running the city.
A Family Affair
When local independently-owned caterers Donovan’s Dish, Catering Works, Ladyfingers Caterers and PoshNosh found themselves in a bind once COVID forced people and companies to cancel parties, weddings, conferences and other large-scale events, they used their resources and know-how to pivot to offering family style meals people could easily order, pick up, or have delivered contact-free.
WEB EXCLUSIVE Now that it’s no longer 100 degrees outside, its the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the many parks and nature areas we’re so lucky to have in the area. The temperatures dropped to an ideal 75 degrees just in time to enjoy Triangle Land Conservancy‘s (TLC) new Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve which opened to the public on September 21.
“We are so excited to finally open this beautiful preserve and we can’t wait to have the community visit,” said TLC Executive Director Sandy Sweitzer. “Especially during this pandemic and time of physical distancing, we’re thrilled to provide one more outdoor oasis that people can safely enjoy.”
The Triangle Land Conservancy’s eighth nature preserve, Williamson Preserve’s 405 acres features nine miles of walking, running and biking trails in both Wake and Johnston counties that connect to the Neuse River Greenway. TLC purchased the land in 2013 from Bailey and Sarah Williamson’s daughters, which has been in their family for more than 225 years. Their wish was for TLC to conserve the land rather than have it developed.
Photo by Land Ltd
At Williamson Preserve, TLC is also placing a large focus on using sustainable, regenerative methods. They’ve partnered with Zebulon-based Newbold Farms LLC to raise grass-fed cattle on the property and with NC State’s Center for Environmental Farming Systems, Wake County and others to bring more farmers to the preserve, with the goal of eventually offering fresh produce for purchase.
TLC is also working with the UNC Community Histories Workshop to share more about the history of the preserve, its land and the Williamson family, as well as information on the Tuscarora Tribe, plantation and tobacco farming, and Black rural land ownership in the area through signage at the preserve.
“It’s important to acknowledge that land ownership—even TLC’s—is rooted in systematic racism,” said Sweitzer. “This community, like most in North Carolina, has a complicated past. TLC hopes that as a public nature preserve all members of our community will be able to safely get out and explore and enjoy this site.”
Photo by Land Ltd
Williamson Preserve’s trails can be accessed via the Neuse River Greenway or at the parking lot at 4409 Mial Plantation Road in Raleigh. The closest Neuse River Greenway access parking lot is 6090 Mial Plantation Road, Raleigh NC 27610.
