9 Healthy (and Cheap!) Fall Date Ideas in Philadelphia

These affordable, wellness-centric activities will help you and your boo make the most out of fall in Philly.

We rounded up nine fun, healthy, and affordable date ideas to plan this fall in Philly. / Photograph courtesy of FCM Hospitality / Morgan’s Pier

Fall is in full swing, which means (1) it’s still warm enough to enjoy outdoor festivities and (2) you and your S.O. might need some date ideas that have total autumnal vibes. Below, *fall* in love with these nine local activities that are fun and budget-friendly, plus good for your overall wellness.

Enjoy all things pumpkin.

Pumpkin picking is a quintessential fall activity, and fortunately, the Philly-area is home to a bunch of pumpkin farms and patches. Once you’ve decided which one piques your interest most (we’ve rounded up a list here!), grab your best flannel and lace up your boots for a full day of fall festivities. Take a hayride, pick pumpkins, get lost in a corn maze, and eat apple cider donuts, of course. Some of the farms — like Linvilla Orchards and Shady Brook Farm — are hosting epic fall festivals, while Milky Way Farm in Chester Springs features an on-site creamery where you can enjoy homemade ice cream. Prices vary.

Get artsy.

If you don’t want to travel outside of the city for pumpkin-centric activities, head to Morgan’s Pier for their annual Fall Fest, happening through October 28th. Every day, pick a pumpkin from the on-site patch, then snag a carving kit to make a stoop-worthy creation ($5 to $10). Or, for $15, paint a pumpkin at Boktoberfest, which happens from 5 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday in October on the South Philly rooftop. $5-$15 per person.

Maybe you’ve had enough of pumpkins, but still want to flex your creative muscle. Sign up for an embroidery class with Sippin’ & Stitchin’. They’re running seasonally inspired workshops in Philly and South Jersey, with more to be announced. The two-hour classes are beginner-friendly, and include an embroidery kit, all materials, and guided instruction. $40-$60 per person.

Find zen together.

If you’re the kind of pair that needs some R&R, opt for sound-bath meditation at Formation Sauna + Wellness. Happening monthly from 6 to 7:30 p.m., the session focuses on centering and grounding oneself, and features guided journaling. There’s also recurring slow-flow yoga, as well as an event featuring yin yoga, breath work, sound bath, and hypnosis. From $30 per person.

Go on a mystery adventure.

Guess Where Trips, the company that sends people on surprise road trips across the country, recently launched four new Philly-area itineraries: covered bridges and baked goods, a spooky adventure, and excursions hitting towns along rivers and those with fairytale-like gardens and sculpture parks. Each of the local trips see you driving no more than 160 miles round-trip, and take approximately six to eight hours to complete (shorter or longer depending on how long you stay at each stop). This date idea is pricier than the others included in this guide, but for a whole day of pre-determined exploring and fun, we couldn’t resist mentioning. $65 total.

Take advantage of spooky strolls …

Venture into Old City for a historic, but macabre, walking tour through and around the Betsy Ross House. The spooky twilight tours run every half hour from 6 to 9 p.m. on October 13th, 14th, 20th, 21st, 27th, and 28th. $12 per person.

Spooky mini golf at Franklin Square / Photograph by ICI Image Works

… and ghoulish golf

Test your putting skills at Franklin Square for a spooky round of mini golf — the course is donning cobwebs, skeletons, and other Halloween-esque decor during the month of October. Mini golf is open nightly from 6 to 9 p.m. and costs $15 per person. Pro tip: Opt for the “Spooky Twosome Package” for admission to the twilight tour from the Betsy Rose House and a round of golf at a discounted rate of $25.

Hit one of the area’s many fall festivals.

An aspect of wellness that often gets lost in the conversation is social health. What better way to support your community relationships than hitting a fall festival in your — or a surrounding — neighborhood? Find our list here, or check out a personal favorite like Hortulus Farm’s harvest festival. Pay for what you buy.

Become detectives!

Test your sleuthing skills during one of the several murder mystery shows at Red Rum Theater. The venue at 6th and Walnut streets is putting on everything from a Golden Girls-themed whodunnit to the improv Whose Crime Is It Anyway? From $20 per person.