5 Fun Fall Activities in Mississauga

So, it’s fall.

Interestingly enough, I had a conversation with a friend yesterday about whether it’s appropriate to call this time of year “fall” or “autumn.” “Fall,” she said, conjures up images of death — the perishing of the leaves, the barring of the trees, the cold winds that indicate winter is, indeed, coming. “Autumn,” she said, is about the harvest. Since most of us are not farmers (at least I’m not), we can think of autumn as the emergence of culturally-sanctioned gluttony, increased expenditures on knits and excessive phone photography. We’re coasting into the holiday season, staving off the inevitable cold with heavy comfort foods, fashionable knits, leather boots and pumpkin-flavoured everything.

Winter sucks, but fortunately we’re not quite there yet. We can still enjoy the outdoors and seasonally-appropriate food and beverages.

So, here are the top five things to do this fall in Sauga.

5) Purchase a Pumpkin

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Did you know that there are no pumpkin patches in Mississauga? There aren’t. If you want to frolic among oversized orange veggies, you have to go to Milton, Brampton or Caledon to do it. Caledon. While you can’t bring your children to a magical patch of delightful fall fun in the city, you, fortunately, can bring the pumpkins to them. You can also bring them to yourself if you don’t have children but still want to carve a terrifying Jack-o’-lantern, make a hearty puree or bake a delicious pie. Lucky for you, you can get pumpkins — and pumpkin products — almost anywhere. Check out Whole Foods, Mississauga Greenhouses, Longo’s, Food Basics and more.

4) A Fall Foods Cooking Class

Can you cook? No? Neither can I (although my breakfast sandwiches are creative and divine). If you want to learn now to make some comforting fall classes, you’re in luck. You can check out some Home Chef cooking classes at Culinaria Restaurant and take the Foodie Basics: Fall Series courses throughout the month of October. You can actually look at the class schedule here. Classes are around $100.

3) A Fall Hike

The beauty of changing leaves is one of the hallmarks of fall and the impermanence of the colourful trees makes appreciating them all the more crucial.  If you want to grab some gorgeous photos and enjoy crisp air (savor it before it turns frigid), head to the Burnhamthorpe Trail, the Lake Wabukayne Trail, the Sheridan Creek Trail or the Waterfront Trail. You’ll get to see rich red and yellow leaves and feel them crunch beneath your feet while enjoying welcome solitude or excellent company. You’ll also get some refreshing outdoor exercise. Check out trail info here.

2) Put Together a Fun Fall Wardrobe

Both Square One and Erin Mills Town Centre are set to boast a slew of new stores and you can visit a few of them to fashion some chic fall outfits. If you check out Pinterest’s collection of hot fall looks, you’ll see a lot of infinity scarves, shawl sweaters, torn skinny jeans and knee-high boots. The men seem to be enjoying form-fitting long-sleeve pullovers. You can try to replicate some of these looks with pieces from the forthcoming MUJI and Urban Outfitters locations at Square One.

1) A Basic Bitch Pumpkin Spice Latte Tour
*Idea “stolen” from brilliant insauga videographer Demitri Salloum

Mississauga doesn’t have much in the way of indie cafes, but its coffee culture — mainstream though it may be — is strong. Every fall (or at least every fall since, like, 2010) fashion-savvy and image-conscious women and girls (and the easygoing men who love them) have taken sepia-toned Instagram pictures of their wool scarves and pumpkin spice lattes (#psl!). I am one of those women. Sort of. PSLs are basically magic and I’m not afraid to put mine on Instagram. If you want to embrace your first-world lifestyle, hit up your local Starbucks, Second Cup, Whole Foods, Aroma Espresso Bar or Coffee Culture and try all the PSLs. See which one is the tastiest and consult your friends. Do a giggly street-side taste test and be careful not to get any foam on your silky blonde curls. Also, look for seasonal coffee at indie joints like Archtop Café and Dunk’n Dip while you’re at it.