Fall is arguably one of the best seasons, but as Austenites, we only get a small glimpse of it. On those few days in October and November when we do have cool, 60 degree weather and aren’t forced to wear shorts and sandals while the rest of the county is wearing boots and scarves, there aren’t many people wasting it in indoors. Lucky for us, Austin boasts tons of free and exciting things to do this time of year so you and all your friends can go do something together and pretend it’s colder than it really is.

To match the spooky Halloween time of year, Austin Ghost Tours will take you on a tour around Austin to explore its paranormal past. There are three different kind of tours, a walking tour where a guide takes you from place to place on foot that lasts about an hour and a half, an investigation tour where you team up with ghost specialists and learn about ghosts, spirits, angels and demons, and a trolley tour where you spend about 90 minutes on a historic Austin trolley as you pass by the most haunted places in Austin. Ticket prices range from $20 all the way up $65 depending on the type of tour. Tickets can be purchased at www.austinghosttours.com.

Not quite as spooky, but just as much fun is Sweet Berry Farms ‘Fall Festival of Fun. ’ Just a short drive away from Austin in Marble Falls, Sweet Berry Farm offers tons of fall themed activities that everyone can enjoy. Activities include stuff your own scarecrow, hay rides, face painting and the ‘Texas hay field maze.’  Although there are no berries in season, they offer things like pumpkin painting and pumpkin ice cream, which is supposed to be out of this world, to match the fall season. All of their attractions are open until Nov. 11 and there is no entrance fee.

Another festival happening right outside of Austin is the Wurstfest in New Braunfels Nov. 2-11. This festival highlights the strong German background Texas boasts with sausages, polka, lederhosen and carnival rides for every age. General admission is $8 plus more if you want to play games or go on rides and parking is usually $5 with a very short walk.

With the weather cooling down, everything outside is getting a little greener and time outdoors can be enjoyed without sweating. Zilker Park, a long time Austin favorite, and their botanical garden are exploding with butterflies and all the colors of fall, a must see at this time of the year. However for the best view of Austin, Mt. Bonnell is the place to be at this time of year. With a 360 degree view of Austin and Lake Austin, this is the best place to catch sunsets or even have a picnic, and is well worth the 100 stair climb to the top.