To help you ease into the Autumn season, our family at Cantera apartments in El Paso is sharing some of their top ideas on what to do during the fall months in Texas. 
Want to know how to pick out the perfect pumpkin and where the best spots are for leaf peeping this fall? Read on!

How To Pick Out A Perfect Pumpkin
Throughout our colorful city, you don't have to drive far to find a pumpkin patch when you live in El Paso, you will find plenty of places to pile the kids in the car to go on a road trip for the day to hunt for the perfect pumpkin!  

Beth El Pumpkin Patch
La Union Maze
El Paso’s Farmland
Mesilla Valley Maze

So, how do you pick out the perfect pumpkin? It depends on the purpose. If you have plans to host a pumpkin carving party, focus on the large, uniform shapes; they are best for carving creative creatures. And here's an excellent tip to keep your artistry looking healthy well into the fall season: wipe the fruit off with bleach and water.
Here's the general rule for the perfect pumpkin pie: the smaller and heavier, the better. While picking out pumpkins, be sure to get a few squashes to make one of the richest and most delicious recipes for  Squash Soup from HowSweetEats.com.
Speaking of yummy and fun ideas, why not throw a party? It's a perfect time to get the neighbors together before the snow flies. No need to spend time doing it yourself. Make it a potluck by the pool for a perfect way to start the season.

Go Leaf Peeping Near El Paso!
Fall is the perfect time to take a road trip to see the changing of the colors. And when one lives in El Paso, the concept provides the perfect opportunity to pack up the kids and take a road trip or short vacation.  
Here are three of our favorite places to take in the grandeur of the fall season.

Ruidoso  
If you have never wandered through the ghost town of Ruidoso, October couldn’t be a better time to do so.  Although you may not see any ghosts, we promise you will see some of the most spectacular colors of Mother Nature.  From town, make time to drive north on Pinto Canyon Road into the Chinati Mountains. For a sneak preview, watch the colors unfold on this Instagram post. 

Cloudcroft 
This quiet village is surrounded by the Lincoln National Forest, where the colors of fall are perfect for picture taking right now!  We like to make this trip a weekend escape and bring our mountain bikes and fishing gear to complement our leaf-peeping adventure.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park 
As the home to eight of the ten highest peaks in Texas, Guadalupe Mountain National Park provides an abundance of opportunities to seek out the colors of the season. Depending on how long and far you might want to hike or bike, there are excellent vantage points from which to view the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert landscape and colorful sights.
Speaking of which, did you know that those vivid leaf colors are actually hidden from us throughout the summer months? As the sunlight decreases and the colder temps arrive, chlorophyll production in the leaves begins to slow down and reveal the true brilliant reds, golds, and classic deep orange colors of fall.