October in Florida is a little different from October up north. We may not get the leaves changing colors, but when the mornings start to feel a little cooler and the evenings don’t feel like walking through a sauna, you know fall has arrived. For my family, that shift in the weather is the perfect invitation to get outside together.
An Invitation to Get Outside Together
As a dad of three girls—Parker, Charlie and baby Maxine—I notice how much better everyone’s mood is when we can get outside without the blazing summer heat chasing us back indoors. A simple walk after dinner or a Saturday morning spent outside becomes something special. The girls love racing each other through the front yard, climbing the neighbors’ play set or seeing if you can find the funniest shaped cloud. For Kristen and me, those little moments are reminders that exercise doesn’t have to be structured or complicated—sometimes it’s just about moving together and enjoying the fresh air.
Making Family Fitness a Tradition
One of the things I love about Lakeland is how many opportunities we have to make family fitness a tradition this time of year:
- Lake Hollingsworth Walks – A classic. It’s about three miles all the way around, perfect for walking, biking, or scootering with the kids. The girls love spotting ducks, rabbits and otters on the walk, then sometimes we go sit on the Lakeland Country Club docks to look for fish.
- Circle B Bar Reserve – Cooler weather makes this one ideal. Parker and Charlie love looking for alligators, turtles, and birds. It’s part fitness part scavenger hunt. Worst case, we end up walking around in the cool weather naming the trees.
- Pumpkin Patches & Fall Festivals – There are plenty of pumpkin patches and fall festivals going on in Lakeland, so keep an eye out and plan on picking up a few pumpkins to add to your front porch.
- Farmers Market – The Lakeland Farmers Market starts up on Saturdays in the fall. Local food and craft vendors make it fun to walk around and find something to bring back home.
Some of Our Favorite Moments Happen Right in the Driveway
Not everything has to be a big outing. Some of our favorite moments happen right in the driveway or backyard. Chalk obstacle courses, neighborhood bike races, Charlie learning to ride without training wheels. Maxine even gets in on the action in her stroller.
They’ll Remember the Moments, Not the Miles
The beauty of these family traditions is that they don’t just keep us active—they give us stories to look back on. The girls may not remember exactly how many miles we walked around Lake Hollingsworth, but they will remember chasing each other down the path or holding hands with Mom on a breezy evening. This fall, I’m looking forward to more of these joyful moments—outside, together, right here in Lakeland.
October 2025
