October Fun from Mary J. Murphy

October Fun

in Bethesda

and beyond

October 2011

Once October hits, hayrides, leaf-pile jumping and pumpkin picking compete with those weekend soccer games. For loads of fall family fun, we've rounded up the best ways to savor every second of this crisp and colorful month!

Let's start with pumpkin picking and all the festivals that accompany it. Mayne's Tree Farm in Frederick is a low-key, workin pumpkin patch g family farm that comes alive every October with hayrides to a pumpkin patch, a corn maze, a pumpkin sling shot, scarecrow making and a moon bounce. Butler's Orchard offers barnyard buddies, giant slides and a rubber ducky derby, and Homestead Farm offers animals, apples, pumpkins and lots of room to run. Cox Farms offers the CORNundrum Corn Maze in addition to slides, swings, tunnels and goats! Now who would go buy a boring pumpkin at the grocery store when such fun awaits?

beer steins Mochten Sie Bier in dem Fall zu trinken? Well, then, let's find you a good Oktoberfest so you can do just that! Blobs Park is a drive (it's in Jesssup) but is considered Maryland's first Oktoberfest. Otherwise, you can try the celebrations in Frederick, Germantown, the Kentlands or Reston, VA.

Ladies, ladies, ladies. Whether you were lunch for a hungry baby or a hot date for a hunky man, those boobs have always gotten attention. Now, YOU pay attention, missy. It's Breast Cancer Awareness month, and your awareness could be the difference between - literally - life and death. So call your doctor, schedule that mammogram, and take yourself out for a latté for being so responsible.

Need to seal t 1.087378640776699 hat drafty window before it gets chilly, or thinking you want to patch your lawn with some grass seed? Well, hold that thought - Mary Murphy is sending some savings your way. Look for her fall postcard in the mail (or print it here) and you'll find coupons worth good old-fashioned cash at some of her favorite retailers. Grab the postcard and save up to $20 at Strosniders and American Plant Food. Happy fall!

sugarloaf vinyard I know it's hard to take Sugarloaf Mountain seriously if you're an authentic outdoorsy person. But the rest of us think it's a lovely spring or fall hike with the kids and the dog, and the Sugarloaf Mountain vineyard next to the mountain offers a seasonal smorgasbord this time of year. You can hear live music, join in a grape stomping contest (now who wouldn't find that fun?) or peruse a local farmer's market. And, ahem, you can usually find a little sip of wine there, too.

gillys logo

On October 8, Gilly's Craft Beer and Fine Wine in Rockville will put a local spin on Oktoberfest with seasonal draft beer and wine offerings. They'll also have beer and wine tastings throughout the month, so take a look at the website if you're interested.

haunted DC statue What do Lafayette Square Park, the old Hay-Adams Hotel and the Building Museum all have in common? Yes, yes, I know the obvious answer, but it's October, for heaven's sake, so the correct answer is that they're all haunted! If you feel like getting really creeped out, join any one of a number of haunted walking tours and SKULL-k (get it?) around downtown D.C. looking for elusive ghosts as you get into the Halloween "spirit" (get it again?).

Whether you have little ghosts and goblins who enjoy a gentle "Boo!" or larger monsters who like to get their pants scar boo2 ed off, our area offers lots of chances to have some Halloween fun. Boo at the Zoo is a must for little costumed characters who love the easy booth-style trick-or-treating and the occasional surprises that pop up. If you like thrills and chills, head to the Fright Fest at Six Flags America or the Halloween Haunt at Kings Dominion. And if you're feeling really, really brave, try Markoff's Spooky Hollow on the grounds of Valley Mill Camp. Seriously. I dare you.

If you drive fast you can miss the beauty of fall. If you walk slowly you don't see enough of it. The solution? Hop on your bike! This area has many fantastic paved bike paths that welcome everything from unicycles to tricycle bike trail

s and Big Wheel bikes. Two close-by favorites are the Capital Crescent Trail, which runs all the way up to Silver Spring (crushed gravel) or down to Georgetown (paved) and the Bethesda Trolley Trail, which, when taken at lunch time, conveniently ends right at Whole Foods Market. More options include the 184-mile C&O Towpath and the 20-mile Rock Creek Hiker/Biker Trail. If you want an incredibly scenic bike route, be sure to check out the Mount Vernon Trail, which offers stunning views of the monuments and the Potomac River.

jogging If a car is too fast, walking is too slow and you don't own a bike, lace up your running shoes and hit some local trails. Many excellent routes are right around the corner. If you're looking for some friends to join you (hint hint, single readers), try meeting up with a group.

October is a great month for runners in DC! We love the cool temperatures, the leaves crunching under our feet and the exhilaration of finishing a toug army run kids h race. We also love the chance to share our running with our kids. While the Army Ten Miler is sold out for runners, there are still spots left in a Youth Run after the race on October 9. Parents are welcome to run with the kids in the 100m race and it's a very festive atmosphere for them. The Marine Corps Marathon (sold out for adult runners) also offers a Fun Run on October 29. Both options are patriotic and offer healthy fun for kids.

meditation

If you have a teen, you know the kind of pressure kids are under during the school year. The Mindfulness Center is offering an antidote: Meditation and Stress Relief for Teens. These hour-long classes (which do have a $20 fee) begin on October 4 and run through November. This introduction to meditation focuses on stress management and provides tools for relaxation, concentration and enhanced academic performance.

Swirly J logo MJM