Fall is here! Here are 10 ways to embrace the seasonal spirit in Salinas

Manasa Gogineni, Salinas Californian
Updated ·4 min read

Fall is upon us! The autumnal equinox, which marks the end of summer, took place Saturday, Sept. 23. The word "equinox" comes from the Latin words "aequus" and "nox," which mean to "equal or even" and "night," respectively.

It's also the start of sweater weather and fall-inspired events. Here are a couple of ideas to get into the autumn spirit in and near Salinas.

Thee Krew’s Patch in E. Salinas, photographed on Oct. 24, 2020.
Thee Krew’s Patch in E. Salinas, photographed on Oct. 24, 2020.

1. Carve a Jack-O-Lantern

Stretch your muscles and grab some old newspapers (hopefully The Californian...)! It's finally pumpkin-carving season. There are a bunch of pumpkin patches around Salinas, but a local favorite is Borchard Farms, which claims to be the "Home of Giant Pumpkins." Borchard Farms will remain open until Halloween, so be sure to stop by and grab a pumpkin to make a Giant Jack-o-Lantern!

A young boy dressed as a chameleon holds his jack-o-lantern as he makes his way to the 2019 downtown Trick-or-Treat event in Salinas, Calif, on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019.
A young boy dressed as a chameleon holds his jack-o-lantern as he makes his way to the 2019 downtown Trick-or-Treat event in Salinas, Calif, on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019.

2. Make your way through a corn maze

Borchard Farms also offers a 5-acre corn maze, which is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For an added layer of difficulty, try navigating it at night -- cell phone lights are encouraged!

3. Grab a pumpkin-spiced coffee

It's been #PSL season at Starbucks for over a month now, but Salinas offers ton of delicious (and often healthier) alternatives across its small businesses. Here is a comprehensive guide to finding seasonal drinks in Salinas.

A barista prepares a hot coffee. June 5, 2019.
A barista prepares a hot coffee. June 5, 2019.

4. Race through the fall foilage

The leaves are just about to start changing colors, and fall foilage is expected to peak in Salinas after mid-October. Keep an eye out for crunchy leaves in stunning shades of red, yellow and orange to step on while walking around town, or consider signing up for the Monterey Bay Half Marathon on Nov. 12 -- the course takes runners through all kinds of autumn-toned local scenery.

5. Browse seasonal goodies at the Oldtown Farmer's Market

The Salinas Oldtown Farmer's Market is open year-round from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays! Swing by to check out seasonal produce like apples, cranberries, pumpkins and squash.

6. Visit the Steinbeck House

John Steinbeck's boyhood home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It also has a restaurant that serves lunch on Tuesday to Saturday each week.

On Oct. 31, the Steinbeck House is summoning guests to a reservations-required "Ghost Lunch", during which ghost stories about the building will be shared.

And there are plenty of these stories. Steinbeck himself was a believer. “The house in Salinas is pretty haunted now,” he wrote to a friend in a letter dated from 1962. “I see things walking at night that it is not good to see.”

A sign welcoming guests to The Steinbeck House is seen right when you walk into the home in Salinas, Calif., on Wednesday, March 24, 2021.
A sign welcoming guests to The Steinbeck House is seen right when you walk into the home in Salinas, Calif., on Wednesday, March 24, 2021.

7. Ghost-hunt at a haunted lighthouse

If you're up for a drive, take a ghost-hunting excursion. Legend has it that the Point Sur Light Station might be a haven for lost souls who perished along the Central Coast. The Point Piños Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse on the U.S. west coast, is also said to be haunted -- by Emily Fish, one of the lighthouse's keepers that worked there around the turn of the 20th century. Both lighthouses are open for tours.

8. Go apple-picking

It's apple season! Gizdich Ranch in Watsonville is open on weekdays for apple-picking. Clearview Orchards, also in Watsonville, has organic apples up for grabs, along with fresh apple juice and delicious apple turnovers -- Clearview is open on both Saturdays and Sundays through the end of October.

If you have any extras, try your hand at making these apple cinnamon pop tarts or vegan caramel apples.

9. Spruce up your place with seasonal decor

A rainy weekend morning is the perfect time for fall crafts. With wine corks, felt, hot glue, a paintbrush, twine and scissors you can create cinnamon stick candles. Or gather a bunch of wine corks, paint them orange, and stack them to create a pumpkin sculpture.

Kerri's Co-Op Chicks on 345 Main St. is also filled to the brim with fall-forward decorations right now, from pumpkins to autumnal wreaths to holiday signage and more.

A young girl holds a pumpkin that she decorated during the Fall Family Farm Day at ALBA farms in Salinas on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019.
A young girl holds a pumpkin that she decorated during the Fall Family Farm Day at ALBA farms in Salinas on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019.

10. Check out local festivals

Salinas is no stranger to celebrating fall. Two good options are the California Rodeo's annual Fall Round Up Festival taking place from Oct. 12 to 15, complete with a carnival, pumpkin patch, live music and games. Brew-N-Krew's Dia de los Muertos celebrations with sugar skull decorating is something to look forward to on Nov. 4 and 5.

Salinas Sports Complex displays banner promoting 2022 Fall Round Up event in Salinas, Calif.
Salinas Sports Complex displays banner promoting 2022 Fall Round Up event in Salinas, Calif.

This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Fall is here! Here are 10 ways to embrace the seasonal spirit in Salinas