From changing seasons, crisp weather, falling leaves, and beautiful fall foliage the fall season has officially arrived! It is one of the best seasons, bringing beautiful colors and stunning scenery while representing a season of change. There are many things to be done to prepare for or celebrate this season. CNN says, “Fall is the season for all senses. The feel of cooler temperatures after a long summer. A warm, visually pleasing palate of reds, oranges, and browns. The taste of pumpkin spice in everything. The sound of crunching leaves underfoot. The smell of woodsmoke.” Furthermore, there is much to do this season like enjoy the weather and the views, but also to prepare!

With the season comes spending time with family and loved ones. Senior Ryan Welsh says, “A tradition I would say for us is decorating our house for Halloween and making a new prop every year and spending time building up the house again.” He adds that his favorite fall activity he does with his family is hiking, especially around the Snoqualmie Pass area and Mount Rainier. Freshman Collin Tan says that going to pumpkin patches or even skiing if it snows is a family favorite activity during the fall.

Spending time with family during this time is a great way to pass time; However, fall can also be a great time to spend some time with friends and create fun memories. Junior Veronica Maljak says, “Stopping by Bigfoot and Koffee Sutra is a recent highlight of fall I have enjoyed with friends.” Sophomore Ruthie Wang adds, “Usually when I hang out with my friends we always go to a mall, but we occasionally go to a lake and go on a picnic somewhere too.”

Fall is not just a season of beautiful colors but also a time of festivities and spooky seasons with holidays like Halloween as well as Dia de Los Muertos. To get in the mood for the season one should watch scary or fun Halloween movies. Wang says they like to watch the movie “My Neighbor Totoro.” Tan says, “There really is not one movie in particular but I like to watch scary movies near Halloween.” According to data by Cord Cutter News, “The top ten most watched movies during Halloween week are “Hocus Pocus,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Beetlejuice,” “Casper,” “A Quiet Place,” “Poltergeist”(1982), “Zombieland,” “Hereditary,” “Halloween (2018)” and “The Shining.”” Although Halloween has passed, these are still great movies to check out if you want to get in the mood for the season.

One of the ways to enjoy fall is by trying amazing foods as well as recipes that are in season. Tan says that one of his favorite foods to have during this time is warm pies, especially apple and chicken pot pie. Welsh says his favorite fall food is Apple Cider. Maljak says that one of her fall traditions is to bake apple pies from scratch for Thanksgiving. Alyse Ruriani recommends, “Buy in-season food. Beets, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, kale, pumpkin, broths, roasted squash, roots, and sautéed dark leafy greens are all great choices.”

Another way to enjoy the weather outside is to try a fun outdoor activity like hiking. Fall hiking is the best way to see amazing fall leaves while also trying a new trail. According to the Washington Trails Association (WTA), “Liberty, originally named Meaghersville, is a living ghost town. It was the center of a Washington State gold rush in the 1870s and has the look and feel often associated with the term ghost town. There is no formal trail through Liberty, but the open landscape makes it easy to navigate. Since it begins by the roadside, it’s a perfect exploration for all ages and abilities.” Another great hike to try is Mount St. Helens, known as an active volcano. Many people do not know that it is one of the best fall destinations for hiking because its cooler temperatures make fall the ideal time to visit. WTA states, “We recommend a visit to the east side of the Loowit Trail on a clear day in fall, where the bright reds of huckleberry bushes and a range of autumn grasses give this unusual landscape an entirely different character. Do not forget your water and sunscreen, and if you want some spectacular sunrise photos, start early or plan an overnight.”

If you are looking for a fun fall trip to plan, Leavenworth is the perfect place to go. Jacklyn Grambush says, “Leavenworth is an all-around beauty of a town, nestled comfortably in the Cascade Mountains. Even when the leaf colors aren’t changing, it’s worth a visit, but during autumn they even have their own festival. There are various nature trails in the area good for seeing the changing colors, but Blackbird Island is a particularly special patch of natural serenity.”

If you are a lover of the arts and are looking for something to experience this fall, then Shakespeare might be for you. From Oct. 25 to Nov. 20 Seattle Shakespeare will be putting on their production of the Shakespeare classic “Macbeth” at the Center Theatre at Seattle Center. “Directed by ACT Artistic Director John Langs, and featuring Reginald André Jackson and Alexandra Tavares, Macbeth examines how devotion and pride can quickly turn into vanity and murder.”

As much as fall is about enjoying everything the season has to offer it is also good to remember that this is also the time to take care of your health and wellness before Winter arrives. Ruriani says,  “Get your flu shot and yearly check-up. Self-explanatory! No one likes sniffling and aching and sneezing and coughing getting in the way of life.”Additionally, Seraine Page says, “Enjoy the cooler weather outdoors — Now that the cooler weather is here, there is no better time to enjoy the outdoors. Take in the beauty of the changing leaves, the crisp air, and the sounds of nature. In fact, a walk in nature can boost your mood and creativity while also relaxing you.”

There is much to do and much to enjoy this season, the best part is that everyone has something to enjoy and look forward to. Welsh says his favorite thing about fall is the weather and spending time outside because of all the amazing colors. Tan recommends jumping into a pile of leaves or crunching leaves. Wang recommends going outside because the weather is not too hot or too cold. That said, now is the perfect time to go out and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Issaquah and the rest of WA so you can try some new fall activities while you can!