Ok this has now become MORE than five fall family day trip, but we really liked the alliteration! Check out your local newspapers for more ideas in your area and write to us with ideas!

#1 - Corn Mazes
My kids and I have been doing these for years. Each of us brings along a few friends, thus adding to the excitement. For corn maze novices, a commercial corn maze takes about an hour to navigate. Large crowds can divide into teams and, if you get lost, there is usually a helper or two located on a high deck above the maze. Admission fees run about $5 and up. Group rates are often available. Oh, and yes, there are outdoor spot-a-pots as well. Bring water and a camera into the maze. You will need both. To get you started here are some informative Web sites with corn maze locations throughout the U.S. as well as a few in Canada. http://cornmazes.com/ http://www.cornfieldmaze.com/ http://www.roanokecornmaze.com/ (Indiana only)

#2 - Apple Picking & Farm Festivals
Picking apples every fall is a family tradition with us. It's fun, it's a healthy food, and apples picked fresh from the tree stay crisp for 2-3 weeks if refrigerated. Remember to bring your camera; apple orchards are very photogenic places. Check your local newspaper for pick-your-own apple orchards or do a Web search. Try www.google.com or other search engines. Some helpful search phrases are: "apple picking New York" or "apple picking Hudson valley. I can personally recommend two orchards in New Jersey that have excellent Web sites: http://www.johnsonsfarm.com/pages/groupfarmtours.html (South Jersey) http://www.terhuneorchards.com/ (Central Jersey)
I also recommend Conti Farms in South Jersey but I could not find a Web site for them.

#3-Amusement Parks
The crowds have gone, the waiting lines are short or non-existent, and often, the prices are reduced for the fall. If you live near a major theme park or even a small "down home" amusement park, this is a fine time to be a kid for a day with your children. Some Six Flags parks offer both an animal park and an amusement park, making a great combination fun day.

International Association of Amusement Parks http://www.iaapa.org/
http://users.stargate.net/~rollocst/amuse.html
http://www.SixFlags.com
http://themeparks.about.com/

#4- Renaissance Fairs
Although all the suggestions mentioned in this newsletter are great for kids of all ages, Renaissance Fairs are particularly fun for teen-agers. They are all day events and include activities such as brief presentations from a Shakespeare play and medieval jousting contests (employees only). The "actors" stroll about in period costume, frequently including passer-bys in their raucous activities. You can try your skill at the medieval slingshot or crossbow. Admission discounts are often awarded to those who arrive in costume. For a worldwide listing of Renaissance Fairs check out this Web site: http://www.faires.com

#5 Paintball

Paintball is the world's fastest growing outdoor participation sport and autumn is a great time to play it. Paintball is a combination of childhood "hide and seek" and "tag," but more sophisticated and challenging. Men and women are on equal footing as it is more a game of brains than brawn. To find your local paintball center, do a Web search with the word "paintball" and your home state or hometown. To learn more about the sport, visit this informative Web site: http://www.paintballdepot.com/

#6 Visit a Local Business

Why not get a small group of family-oriented friends together and visit a local business on a weekend? Businesses are often open on a Saturday morning. Call the local manager and arrange for a tour while they are open or just after they close. Examples are a local regional airport, a shipyard or a manufacturing or processing plant. For little kids it could be as simple as a trip to your local Home Depot. Think of all the things you could learn with a private tour!

#7 Animal Parks

The fall is a wonderful time to visit zoos and animal parks. The summer heat is gone and the animals are more active. What better place for an outing with your kids? Here are a couple of Web sites:

* http://w3.gorge.net/cannon/zoo.html http://family.go.com/travel/activities/feature/famf0700best/famf0700be st.html
And for our readers in the UK: http://www.uksafari.com/animalparks/

* Out of Africa - Located in Fountain Hills, Arizona, just outside of Phoenix, this "big cat" park is unique in the world. Check out this Web site for more information: http://www.desertusa.com/mag00/oct/stories/out.html
* Hawk Mountain Sanctuary - Located in Kempton, Pa, outside of Philadelphia, this is the world's first and currently the leading research center for hawks, eagles and falcons. Visit the Web site at: www.hawkmountain.org.
* Six Flags Great Adventure - Located in Jackson, NJ, this amusement park offers one of the best animal viewing parks in the nation. Visit: http://www.sixflags.com/parks/wildsafari/home.asp
* San Diego Wild Animal Park - Located in sunny California, this fabulous animal park has an excellent Web site: http://www.sandiegozoo.org

#8 Haunted Halloween Hayrides and Houses

It is that time of year again! Toasted marshmallows, funny costumes, lots of laughs and screams too. My daughter loves doing this every year. We found a few Web sites that can help you find a hayride or haunted house near you. http://HauntedHouse.com Listings in US & Canada
http://ScreamSeekers.com Listings in the US

#9 Pumpkin Chuckin'

Featured on the Discovery Channel, the great Pumpkin Chunkin Competition is held in Sussex County, Delaware each November and attracts over 50 teams and 30,000 spectators. The event has become so popular it is now second only to the NASCAR race, held in nearby Dover Downs. This year's event will be held October 31 through November 2.

The competition is fairly simple: fire a pumpkin with a minimum weight of 8 pounds the furthest distance possible. Any contraption can be used to fire the pumpkin as long as it does not use explosives, and the pumpkin must be intact when it crosses the finish line. Some of the firing contraptions have to be seen to be believed. For further information check out the official Web site: www.punkinchunkin.com.

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