Fall bucket lists: What really happens versus what you see on Pinterest

Take apple picking, for example. Pinterest shows a perfectly dressed family in coordinated flannel, smiling as they gently place apples in a wicker basket. Reality? We head to Hidden Valley Orchards, and within five minutes my kid has taken three bites out of three different apples, tossed them on the ground, and is begging for cider and donuts.

Pumpkin patches on Pinterest look dreamy with hay bales, corn mazes, glowing orange pumpkins lined up in rows. Reality? It’s 85 degrees at Young’s Jersey Dairy. The kids are sweaty. Someone’s crying because the wagon ride is too bumpy, and we go home with the ugliest pumpkin in the field because it was “the one.”

Nine out of 10 times we use Young’s ice cream for backup bribery to get the picture we want for Instagram.

Then there’s baking together. Online moms serve warm, golden pumpkin bread on rustic wooden trays. Reality moms stop by Dorothy Lane Market and grab a Killer Brownie or a pumpkin roll because life’s too short to stress about running out of cinnamon.

But here’s the thing: when you strip away the Pinterest expectations, what’s left is pretty great. Kids who laugh while running through a corn maze.

Donuts eaten on sticky picnic tables. Pumpkins that look like they’ve survived a bar fight but sit proudly on your porch anyway.

Maybe the real fall bucket list isn’t about looking picture perfect. Maybe it’s just about showing up, trying the thing, and laughing through the chaos. If all else fails light a pumpkin spice candle, grab some Mums from Grandma’s Gardens, heat up some frozen waffles, and call it “autumn ambiance.”

If you are like me you will still try to create those picture perfect memories and we are lucky enough to have some great spots to explore here in the Miami Valley this fall. Here are some of our favorites in no particular order:

Hidden Valley Orchards (Lebanon)

A little slice of fall heaven, apple picking, a pumpkin patch, cider slushees, and the smell of fresh donuts in the air. The kids can run wild while you sneak a few pictures with those gorgeous rolling hills in the background.

Kleather’s Pumpkin Patch (Springboro)

This is the spot for pumpkins of every shape and size. Come to pull the wagons full of pumpkins and enjoy the photo ops and leave with homemade baked goods and apple cider slushees. Affordable, simple, and full of small-town charm.

Windmill Farm Market (Springboro)

Known for its legendary “Adventure Hayrides,” Windmill is complete with farm animals, a wooden playground and tons of homemade treats. If you’re looking for the full country-fall experience, this is it.

Young’s Jersey Dairy (Yellow Springs)

A Dayton-area classic. Feed the goats, grab ice cream (yes, even in sweater weather), and let the kids bounce through the barn and corn maze. Their pumpkin patch and seasonal events are worth the trip every year.

Fulton Farms (Troy)

Fresh cider, a pumpkin patch, and a rustic farm market with the best produce around. Their pastries are dangerously good, and the whole place smells like autumn.

Aullwood Audubon (Dayton)

Perfect for a slower day, walking trails with fall leaves crunching underfoot, barns with animals, and a cozy farm market. It’s less crowded than some spots and feels like a hidden gem.

Hills & Dales MetroPark (Kettering)

When the leaves change, this park turns into a fairy tale. It’s perfect for a family hike, collecting colorful leaves, or just letting the kids run and explore. Bonus: the stone tower lookout makes for gorgeous fall photos.