Need help deciding what to do around Spartanburg during your down time? Here is a list of 10 fun things that are even more fun in a group.1. Pumpkin patches. Pumpkins are more than just for jack-o-lanterns and Halloween, they are great for making tasty treats. With Thanksgiving approaching, a homemade pumpkin pie is a great way to kick off the holiday. Pumpkin patches nearby, such as Hughey Farms in Boiling Springs, provide a great deal of cheap pumpkins, which you can easily bake to impress the family when you go home. So just waste the day away hunting for that one perfect pumpkin; bring friends as well to make it a group event.2. The Biltmore. The Biltmore Estate is a beautiful place to visit for some site seeing during the fall. Nestled in the mountainous region of Asheville, the Biltmore Estate is the largest privately owned home in America. Although there is a fee to come visit, it is worth the price to explore the hundred-year-old house and walk the 40,000-acre grounds filled with gardens.

3. Visit the mountains. Many people may think that the mountains are a boring place to visit, but during the fall that is far from the truth. If you are the type of person who likes to go site seeing and take in the beauty of nature, the mountains (especially the Boone area) are a wonderful place to visit in the fall. With the changing of the leaves, one look down the side of a mountain will reveal a gorgeous landscape painted with the colors of fall. The mountains are a wonderful way to escape the bustling city.

4. Corn mazes. Corn mazes are another fun activity. Many farms have to wait until late fall to harvest the corn they have planted and to kill time until then, many turn their fields into assortments of mazes for entertainment. Corn mazes are a great way to run around with your friends, getting lost and just enjoying being outside. Some farms with mazes, like Nivens Apple Farm in Moore, offer nice warm beverages for when you take a break and can just sit down and enjoy the day.

5. Turkey Day Run. The Turkey Day Run is held every year on Thanksgiving Day and is a 5k race/walk for charity. Families, groups of friends and even individuals can sign up to run or walk the race to help raise money for local charities in need. Although running a 5k may not seem like fun, running it with your friends on this day can be quite the experience. After the run there are plenty of games and events for entertainment and all participants receive free food and drink. It is a great way to spend Thanksgiving Day by not only being with family, but by giving back as well.

6. Volunteer work. This fall, why not spend time helping out those in need? Visit the local soup kitchen or a local nursing home and spend your time there. It can be fun if you get into it and not only will you make a difference in someone’s life, but you will also come to appreciate what you have.

7. Spend the day baking. It’s a simple idea, but spending the day baking creates quality-bonding time and leaves lot of delicious treats to snack on.

8. Spend time with family. Thanksgiving break will soon be here and as tempting as it seems to remain on campus and just relax, it would be better to take that time and spend it with loved ones and family. You have five days of break coming up that you can use to go home and visit your family. Plan a Wofford themed party for your family when you go visit. Take photos and share them on the OG&B Facebook page.

9. Sports in the park. Playing some kind of sport in the park is another fun and simple thing to do this fall. As the weather cools, it’s easier to be outside playing something and not over heating in the process. Your pick up game could turn into a memory that you’ll be talking about for years.

10. Christmas shopping. Let’s face it, even though Thanksgiving isn’t even here yet, Christmas looms right around the corner. The whole reason Christmas shopping is seen as a hassle is because many people go during the couple of weeks before Christmas day for last minute, stressful shopping. So why not spend a day or so this month to get that shopping out of the way? If you go with a friend or family member it can be a worthwhile moment.

— Ayrton Menjivar