November is the start of the holiday season and is one of the best months to have some fun! The season kicks off with Thanksgiving and culminates with Christmas. But every day in between, you can find plenty of fun things to do to keep you busy! If you’re looking for fun activities that are not necessarily related to all the holidays, here are 25 things to do in November
November is one of the BUSIEST months of the Year!
1. Enjoy Thanksgiving
Of course, you will celebrate Thanksgiving during the month of November. This will take up a few days during the month as you plan, prepare, and visit with loved ones during this special holiday.
Learn a new way to make the turkey, watch the Thanksgiving parade, and enjoy spending time with your loved ones. If you cannot get together with the family during the holidays, spend time with friends or go to a community Thanksgiving dinner.
Go around the table and have everyone share what they were grateful for this past year. If you are celebrating with kids, make a Thanksgiving tree and fill it with leaves full of gratitude!
2. Do a Gratitude Challenge
Starting on the first of November, participate in a gratitude challenge. You can choose to do this with your family, on social media, or just by yourself. Determine how many things you will write down each day that you are grateful for.
Then, stick with it! It may be challenging, but soon enough, you will see the difference it makes in your life. You might not even want to stop when the month ends! Hopefully, by the end of the month, it will become a habit you will continue for the rest of the year.
3. Finish Your Holiday Shopping
Are you someone who waits until right before Christmas to do all your holiday shopping? This year, try to finish it before the end of November! November is full of many holiday sale days, including Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Small Business Saturday.
At the beginning of the month, make a list of everyone you need to shop for. Then, throughout the month, look for things that you want and grab them. If it is on sale, get it and store it in your closet!
You will find yourself enjoying the holiday season more when you get all your presents bought early on. You won’t be so stressed and will see the next few months with fresh eyes and more joy in your heart.
4. Take Fall Pictures
Depending on where you live, November is full of beautiful fall colors, making it the perfect time for some updated family pictures. The leaves begin to turn orange, red, and brown, and there is beautiful scenery everywhere you go.
Get a photographer and go around your city to capture new memories. You can also take the pictures yourself with a tripod and remote camera button. Choose new areas where you live you have never visited to take your pictures; it would make for a fun adventure!
5. Visit a Pumpkin Patch
If you’re looking for somewhere to spend the day with the family, head to the pumpkin patch! Most people go to visit the farms in September or October, but many are still open in November too! Stroll through the farm and pick up some fresh produce, flowers, or handmade items. You can even grab a few pumpkins and gorges for your fall decor too!
6. Spend the Day at Local Museums
Head to a local museum in November and take in some of the museum’s special exhibits. There are plenty of museums everywhere you go that have new items all the time!
Many museums are now more hands-on, making it a great place to take kids to learn, all the while having fun! From art museums to local history, science, and even national museums, there is something for everyone to enjoy! The museum is the perfect place to go on a cold, rainy day in November.
7. Go on a Hike
Hikes are a great way to explore the great outdoors with your friends or family, and November is a wonderful time of year to do so. The autumn season brings a special kind of beauty to the mountain trails with its golden colors and crisp air.
If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow in November, consider taking a nature walk. This is a great way to explore the great outdoors while learning more about the area’s wildlife and plants.
Before the weather gets too cold, spend as much time as you can outside! Find hikes that fit your level of expertise, or enjoy nature walks around your neighborhood.
8. Go See Santa Claus
There are many places that set up Santa’s shops early in November where you can visit Santa and get some holiday pictures with him. You will have to research in your area to find out when and where Santa is visiting, but it would be nice to get an early start on all your Christmas preparations!
Kids would love to see Santa and give him their Christmas lists early on so they know for sure he received them. It is a fun little activity that usually begins during the last few weeks of November.
9. Sample Some Seasonal Treats from a Local Bakery
If you’re looking for something to do with the family during the holiday season in November, consider visiting a local bakery and tasting some seasonal sweets! Some smaller bakeries will have a variety of new and exciting treats, including gingerbread and candy cane cheesecake.
This is also a great way to support your local small businesses, all the while getting some delicious new baked goods!
10. Explore the National Parks
National parks are wonderful places to explore the great outdoors with the entire family or a group of friends. During the fall season, these parks are still so gorgeous and fun to visit! Many waterfalls are full from the rainfall and are gorgeous to see in person.
If you cannot go to a National Park close to where you live, find a local park to visit and explore. Take a walk around the trails, have a picnic on the grass, and just enjoy the falling leaves and cool air.
11. Catch an Art Show at a Local Gallery
Local galleries frequently hold art shows during the fall season. Take a walk through them and enjoy the new artwork you see. This is another great way to support your local community, especially if you see a new art piece to grab as a present for Christmas or for your own home!
12. Enjoy a Drive-In Movie
Is there a drive-in movie theater near you where you can go enjoy an outdoor movie? These are so much fun and are perfect to go to during the month of November. You get to enjoy a whole new experience of watching a movie outside, all the while staying in your nice, warm car.
Make it a date night activity, or go enjoy a drive-in movie with your friend’s group. Either way, you are in for a fun adventure!
13. Go to a Concert or Theater Performance
If you’re looking for a new way to spend time with your friends and family this month, consider visiting a local music venue, theater performance, or arts center. Many towns and cities host live music events and theater performances throughout November.
Local schools should also have some theater performances in November as it is close to the end of the semester. Consider going to support the kids as they learn how to act and be on stage in front of a live audience!
14. Grab Some Books to Read from the Library
Snuggle up with a nice book during the month of November! Head over to your local library and find some new books you’ve been wanting to read. This is the perfect month to read as many books as possible before the rush of the Christmas season.
The weather is nice and cool during the month of November, so grab a book, a hot cup of tea, and a fuzzy blanket and enjoy!
15. Watch Holiday Movies
What better way to start the holidays than with those fun seasonal movies? Have a holiday movie marathon and watch one of the winter rom-coms every night of the month or catch up on all the other fun holiday movies.
16. Deep Clean Your House
While most people like to deep clean during the Spring, November is the perfect time to clean and declutter your house. Clear out all the children’s toys to prepare for the new ones coming after Santa comes to your home.
Go through everyone’s clothes as you get out all the winter clothing. This will also help you know what new clothes everyone in your family needs for the coming months!
17. Can Some Fruit and Veggies
Stock up on all the fruits and vegetables from your local farmers, grab some glass jars, and can all the fruit for the cold season! It is super easy and does not require special ingredients. Make some homemade apple sauce, can some green beans, and so much more!
18. Host a Food Drive
Anyone can host a food drive, and it would go a long way for those in your community! So many go without a Thanksgiving meal which is so sad. This year, find some families in your church or community who are struggling and put together a Thanksgiving kit for them!
If putting something together is too much, many grocery stores will already have the option to provide a meal for someone in need that you can easily buy with your other groceries!
19. Do Some Fun DIY Crafts
If you are on a strict budget for the holiday season, why not make some of your own gifts this year? There are plenty of fun DIY crafts that you can make for the entire family! You can also make your own holiday decorations with these crafts too!
20. Visit the Zoo
Take a trip to the zoo closest to you and enjoy seeing the animals during the month of November. While you may need to dress warmly, it will still be tons of fun! Lots of zoos will start putting out Christmas lights and other decorations during this month, making it for a super fun visit.
21. Volunteer at a Food Bank
During these holiday months, the food bank is busier than ever before and needs all the help it can get. What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas than by serving others and being grateful that you have the means to help?
22. Visit the Elderly
Many of the people in the elderly homes don’t get many visitors at all, and it is especially hard on them during the holidays. It would mean the world to them for you to stop by and visit with them, even if you don’t know them!
You can also send cards, flowers, and treats to let them know someone is thinking about them too.
23. Start a New Hobby
When all else fails, try something new! If you are bored and don’t know what to do during November, maybe it is time for a new hobby anyway! Learn how to make something, bake a new delicious treat, or try out running. There is always time to learn something new and have fun!
24. Go to Your Community Center
There are so many fun indoor activities at your community center, it is a great place to visit in November! Go for a swim, play some laser tag, go bowling, and so much more. You can do just about any sport which will help you stay warm during those cold days too!
25. Go to a Spa
One of the best things to do in November is to relax and treat yourself. The holiday season is hard enough as it is, but if you don’t take care of yourself, you will get sick and be more stressed out.
So, go to the spa, get a facial or a massage, and simply relax!
November is full of activities no matter what temperature it is outside and where in the world you live! These 25 things to do in November will keep you busy and having fun all month long while you wait for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
