Alright y'all!!! In honor of my favorite holiday coming up this week and the sad fact that I won't be home to celebrate with the fam in Texas, I thought I'd share some happiness with my favorite fall tradition here in California!
As I explained in my Fall To-Do List, traditions are the real reason Autumn is my favorite season and last year some friends and I started a new one that has quickly grown to be my favorite thing about fall in Cali! About 1 hour and 45 minutes west of LA is a lovely little town called Yucaipa that's quietly tucked up away in the mountains. Although there are MANY different farms and places to visit in Yucaipa, we stumbled onto Riley's Farm last year and we couldn't have found a more perfect place for our little day trip. There are things to do and see all year round at this place, but we love coming here for the pumpkin patch and apple picking! Unfortunately, we forgot that unlike LA, Yucaipa actually has a fall, so by mid-November (when we went) it was actually COLD which meant the pumpkin patch/apple picking season was over :( But never fear, there were still PLENTY of things for us to do and see!
As I explained in my Fall To-Do List, traditions are the real reason Autumn is my favorite season and last year some friends and I started a new one that has quickly grown to be my favorite thing about fall in Cali! About 1 hour and 45 minutes west of LA is a lovely little town called Yucaipa that's quietly tucked up away in the mountains. Although there are MANY different farms and places to visit in Yucaipa, we stumbled onto Riley's Farm last year and we couldn't have found a more perfect place for our little day trip. There are things to do and see all year round at this place, but we love coming here for the pumpkin patch and apple picking! Unfortunately, we forgot that unlike LA, Yucaipa actually has a fall, so by mid-November (when we went) it was actually COLD which meant the pumpkin patch/apple picking season was over :( But never fear, there were still PLENTY of things for us to do and see!
^^^Waiting for a table is a lot less sad when you've got the cutest little yellow tree on the planet to sit under^^^
Everyone at Riley's Farm is dressed in colonial period clothes and even the activities are like taking a step back in time! Plus the food. OH MY SWEET GOODNESS THE FOOD. They normally have 2 different restaurants, and the one we were most excited about (because the thought of that chicken has had our mouths watering for a year) was closed because of a wedding. So we tried the Publick House, and oh boy it did not disappoint. It was hard to take pictures inside because they literally only had old-timey candle lanterns lighting up the place, but it was a fun time nonetheless!!
After lunch (y'all I'm still dreaming about those mashed potatoes) we did a little exploring! There is so so so sooooo much to see here but because of the wedding, we really were only allowed in the lower part of the farm. So you can imagine what this baby is like in full swing! But we were happy just walkin around, catchin up, shootin some arrows, throwin some tomahawks....
^^^Even with the HOURS I've spent watching Arrow and The Hunger Games I am still NOT a skilled archer....
Step 1: Have a waaaaaaaaay too-into-his-character guy show you the "proper" tomahawk throwing technique
Step 2: Use said tomahawk throwing technique
Step 3: Completelyyyyy miss the target... Can you find the tomahawk?? (HINT: look directly above my head)
^^^Having a "The hills are aliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive" moment. Sound of Music 4eva!
And finally the real reason we drove 91 miles.... PIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So so thankful for sweet friends and a fun annual tradition. I'm already looking forward to going back next year!! Hope everyone can find something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!!