9 Things to Do in Fullerton This Fall

A fall morning in Fullerton could include a little browsing at the community yard sale or a closer look at the orchids at the Wednesday farmers’ market. Some outings are worth leaving a little extra time for. And if making something sounds more appealing than shopping, Hunt Branch has a craft hour for grown-ups, too.

1. Browse the community yard sale

The Community Yard Sale would be our invitation to a friend who enjoys looking at things as much as buying them. Browsing together gives you plenty to talk about, even when your tastes turn out to be very different.

Admission is free at Independence Park on October 3, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. An early start makes sense if you’re going to shop. For a leisurely browse, there’s a whole morning to work with.

2. Leave a little room for Pup-toberfest

Fullerton has a fall event called Pup-toberfest, which is already a fairly persuasive name for the dog people. October 10 is the date to keep in mind.

The city has announced the date, with the location and hours still to come. This is one to keep penciled in rather than plan the whole day around yet.

3. Get distracted at the Wednesday farmers market

The Wednesday Certified Farmers’ Market brings plants and orchids alongside fruit, vegetables, honey, nuts, and other food, so there’s a reason to wander even if the grocery list is short.

We like this for someone with a free weekday morning who would enjoy choosing produce in person. The market runs Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Independence Park, 801 W. Valencia Drive.

4. Wander the Arboretum at your own pace

Twenty-six acres of plants is plenty of reason to leave an afternoon loose. At the Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Cal State Fullerton, you can take a self-guided walk and spend your time on whichever parts interest you. With no tour group to follow, you and a friend can linger where you like.

Individuals don’t need a reservation for a self-guided visit. Groups of five or more are encouraged to reserve. The garden is at 1900 Associated Road, with regular hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a $5 suggested donation per person. It observes CSUF holiday closures.

5. Let a garden guide explain what you are seeing

We can enjoy a plant without knowing its name. We’d still like someone to tell us why it belongs here. The Arboretum’s public nature tours are the option for that kind of curiosity, with a guide and a seasonal subject to follow.

October’s tours focus on perennials, while November turns to the deciduous woodland. Tours begin at the Nature Center at 10 a.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. Reservations are recommended. A person starting to take an interest in gardening would have a reason to choose this visit over an unstructured walk.

6. Spend part of Saturday at Hunt Game Day

Game Day at Hunt Branch sounds appealing when you’d rather have something to play than another place to shop. A game gives the conversation somewhere to start.

It runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month, which falls on October 17 and November 21.

7. Take the Panorama Trail for the views

Sometimes we’d rather get up a hill. The Panorama Trail has views over Fullerton, Brea, and Orange County, giving this outing a reason to appeal even to someone who usually prefers a garden stroll.

The trail is rated moderate and extends 1.52 miles between Brea Boulevard and Bastanchury Road. That is the trail’s length, not a loop distance. A return walk adds to it, so this is the more active choice among the walks here.

8. Catch up along the Juanita Cooke trail

The Juanita Cooke Greenbelt and Trail is rated easy and runs 2.79 miles, connecting the Laguna Lake Park area near Hermosa Drive and Santa Rosa Place with the area near Berkeley Avenue and Harbor Boulevard.

The easy rating makes this our pick over Panorama for a gentler walk. You can walk a shorter stretch and turn back, allowing for the return distance.

9. Make something at Hunt Branch

A scheduled craft hour can be a good excuse to give your hands something to do. We’d happily choose the Hunt Branch craft programs for an afternoon when making something sounds appealing but coming up with the whole activity does not.

Adult Craft Hour meets on the first Thursday of the month from 3 to 4 p.m. Crafternoons, for children and families, run on the second and fourth Thursdays at the same time. There is no Crafternoon on November 26.

A quick way to narrow it down

For someone who likes to make things, our first invitation would be Adult Craft Hour. We’d choose the October 3 yard sale for a morning of browsing, with the Wednesday market as another possibility if that Saturday is already spoken for.

Pup-toberfest shares October 10 with the month’s first Arboretum nature tour. The tour has a 10 a.m. start; Pup-toberfest’s hours are still to come. We’d leave those as separate possibilities until the dog event’s schedule is announced.