Family Fitness Traditions in the Fall

October in Florida is a little different than 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.

Getting Outside as a Family

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 neighbor’s playset or seeing who 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.

Family Fitness Around Lakeland

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. Sometimes we’ll sit on the Lakeland Country Club docks afterward and 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 and Fall Festivals — There are plenty of pumpkin patches and fall festivals around Lakeland, so keep an eye out and plan on picking up a few pumpkins to add to the front porch.
• Lakeland Farmers Market — The farmers market starts up on Saturdays in the fall. Local food and craft vendors make it fun to walk around, explore and find something to bring back home.

The Best Traditions Can Be Simple

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 and Charlie learning to ride without training wheels all count. Maxine even gets in on the action in her stroller.

The beauty of these family traditions is that they don’t just keep us active—they give us stories to look back on.

Making Memories Along the Way

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 2026