It’s hard to believe summer is almost gone. Are you ready for autumn? I’m not! But there are a few things that I love about the changing of the seasons.

For one, the chilly, crisp fall mornings are nice. Makes me want to start drinking hot coffee and tea again. Also, all those fall-themed foods: apple pie, slow cooker chili, roasted acorn squash, pumpkin muffins. Okay, there actually are a lot of things I love about autumn but it’s always hard to say goodbye to long, sunny days, beach picnics, flip flops and tank tops, and dining al fresco.

We’ve put together a little end of summer/beginning of fall to-do list for you so you make sure you soak up the last bits of the warm weather while also makings sure you don’t miss some of the fall activities that are best done when it’s not too cold out.

1. Farmer’s Markets

It won’t be long before outdoor farmer’s markets come to an end so be sure to get to a few and pick up some locally grown produce and homemade food products. Once you try fresh, produce from local farms, you won’t want to go back to shopping at grocery stores. There’s also something about knowing that you’re helping to keep support a local farm or business. The Westerly Farmer’s Market is on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. until Oct. 13 behind 85 Main Street at the end of Commerce Street. The Stonington Village Farmer’s Market is on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 noon through October at the town docks.

2. Pick Your Own Pumpkins

Halloween will be here before you know it so you might as well start thinking about where to go pick out a pumpkin or three! Manfredi Farms at 1 Sweet Corn Lane in Westerly does pick-your-own pumpkins starting in mid-September through the end of October but be sure to call ahead of time to make sure. If you’re interested in picking apples for applesauce or apple pie, the closest orchard is Holmberg Orchard in Gales Ferry.

3. Drive-in Movies

It might be a bit chilly but the drive-in movies at Wuskenau Town Beach on Atlantic Ave. will continue on Friday nights through mid-October. The movies start at 8 p.m. but the gates open at 6:30 p.m. so you could bring a picnic dinner to enjoy beforehand. The schedule through the rest of the season includes Grease, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Forrest Gump and Ghostbusters along with a few others. Don’t miss out! There’s not too many places where you can go see family favorites or a cult classic at a drive-in movie theater.

4. Hikes/Walks

The weather is perfect right to get in a hike at one of the Westerly Land Trust properties or even just a nice walk on the beach. In a few weeks, once the foliage starts changing a bit, I’d highly recommend driving out to Lantern Hill in North Stonington for a great walk/climb with a fabulous view of foliage at the top.

Happy end of summer, soon-to-be autumn! It’s always a bummer when the sun starts going down earlier so we’ve got to take advantage of the sunshine and warmer temperatures! May your days be filled with cozy flannel shirts, hot apple cider, pumpkin pie, and all things autumnal!