These November activities for adults will help you to squeeze the last bit out of autumn before winter (and the holidays) take over.
November – the month of gratefulness, fall’s last hurrah before winter sets in, and the month that can quickly get away from us with all the pre-holiday fanfare.
So, what are some fun and interesting November activities for adults to get the most joy out of this time of year?
Glad you asked.
November Activities for Adults
Not only is November a special month in its own right, but it also happens to be my birthday month – which is why I’m going to share with you today some great November activities adults can do to truly take it in.
Let’s go!
1. Do a Kindness Challenge for Adults
This could be for all 30 days of November, for just one day, or for anytime in-between.
Hint: it could be fun to do a Thanksgiving lead-up kindness challenge, where you commit a Random Act of Kindness everyday leading up to turkey day.
Some of my favorite kindness challenges for adults include:
- Creating Spaghetti Jars of Hope and passing them out
- Calling customer service to compliment someone (now when does that ever happen?)
- Becoming “Coupon Fairies”
2. Eat through these Gourmet Fall Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Not only are they quick to create, but they’re the perfect cozy food for fall.
Some to check out:
- Autumn Grilled Cheese
- Brie, Fig, and Apple Grilled Cheese
- Pumpkin Grilled Cheese
- Caramelized Apple and Bacon Grilled Cheese
3. Celebrate Day of the Dead by doing some genealogy research
Just a few months after moving to El Paso, TX, my husband and I were on a much-needed date night out…and we literally stumbled upon a Day of the Dead parade in downtown.
What a cool experience!
Maybe you don't have a local Day of the Dead parade or festivities where you are. Instead, take this special holiday as inspiration to research your genealogy. I've got an article here about free genealogy websites, and here's how I took my free genealogy research and created some cheap family projects and heirlooms.
4. Go on a Coffee Shop Date
Deep-autumn is such a great time to bunker down in a cozy coffee shop.
There are so many things you can do on coffee shop dates, that I actually wrote an entire article on them.
Here are a few spoilers, below:
- Do 5-minute mysteries together
- Figure out each other’s Love Language
- Take the Couple’s Staring Challenge
5. Make a Potato Chip Charcuterie Board for the Game
Choose one football game to surprise everyone with a really fun (and totally over-the-top-not-healthy) potato chip charcuterie board.
Some ideas:
Psst: don’t forget these chocolate-dipped chips for dessert!
6. Call Your Buddies Together for a Game of Flag Football
When’s the last time you did a fun, competitive, round of flag football with a group of adults?
I’ll bet it’s been a while (at least if you’re anything like us).
November is a great month for this.
You can even get a flag football set, to make everything official. Here are more fall games for adults.
Psst: for some inspiration, or to watch before/after, check out Friends Season 3, Episode 9.
7. Set Up a Friendly Turkey Bowling Competition
I’m not talking about buying extra frozen turkeys and hurling them down a lane. Instead, check out these free printables to create a really funny and unique Thanksgiving experience for adults.
8. Create Blessing Bags to Hand Out
Snag these free printables, and stuff some paper lunch bags filled with blessings for others.
The Dating Divas have lots of great ideas for what to include with these.
This could become a fun, small family Thanksgiving traditions.
9. Participate in NaNoWriMo
Have you ever heard of NaNoWriMo?
It happens every November, and challenges anyone to write an entire novel in the month of November (it stands for National Novel Writing Month).
I’ve always been pretty fascinated with it, but I’ve never participated. This might be the year! The goal is to finish 50,000 words, and I could do that with blog posts instead of a book (mind is thinking through this…).
10. Complete an At-Home Volunteer Activity
Did you know there are umpteen numbers of ways you can volunteer from the comfort of your own home?
Since we’re in the month of gratefulness, you can use this time to choose a volunteer from home service projects, and complete it.
Stuff like:
- Baking lasagna for a neighborhood family in need
- Writing encouraging letters to women with breast cancer
- Clipping coupons to help military families stretch their money
- Etc.
11. Fire up the Fire Pit to Watch a Night Sky Event
Fall is prime star-gazing time, since the night is longer and the days are shorter.
While the pros would likely not light a fire in a fire pit to catch the night sky events (the campfire affects your night vision), it certainly adds to the viewing pleasure for the rest of us.
Pick a night sky event here for the month of November, and plan something fun for it.
12. Make Pumpkin Adult Drinks to Enjoy
There are so many fun pumpkin-spiced adult drinks to try, and November is a great month to do it.
Like the:
13. Research Fun and Delicious Ways You’ll Use Your Leftovers
A little prep goes a long way – why not take a few minutes to figure out how you’ll use your Thanksgiving leftovers to create yummy new meals and snacks this month?
A few on my to-try list:
- Turkey Cranberry Sliders
- Cranberry Baked Brie
- Stuffing Frittata
- Leftover Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
- Turkey Stuffing Roll Ups with Gravy
Print your chosen ones out and get the other ingredients you’ll need before Thanksgiving hits (look at you, all prepped and ready to go!).
Here's more Thanksgiving activities for adults.
14. Find a Heated Restaurant Patio
Some restaurants and even bars are great about having those huge heaters out on the patios so that we all can enjoy the outdoors still in the chilly autumn.
Ask around or make a few phone calls and see which restaurant you can meet up with friends out on the patio.
Take in the fresh autumn air.
15. Start a Sourdough Starter Project
We’re all indoors more in November, and there’s nothing better than the smell of fresh bread wafting through a home.
I say this is a project because sourdough starter is “wild yeast” you’re growing and “feeding” over a series of days to keep alive.
Psst: No special equipment needed with the recipe linked to above. And if you get really into things? Check out The Sourdough School.
16. Visit an Outdoor Art Light Installation
Take advantage of the early night hours this November, and find an outside art light installation near you.
Bonus points if you bring some hot chocolate, hot cider, or other fall beverage in a thermos.
Hint: google “outdoor art light installation near me”.
17. Start Your Annual Reflection
It might sound weird to start your end-of-year reflection of the past 11 months, especially when there’s still a whole month (plus some change) left.
But, hear me out on this one.
Because the holidays and end-of-year hit so fast, and it just seems like there’s not the time to do it between Thanksgiving, Christmas, then the New Year.
About two years ago, I started doing my business planning for the next year in November. And while it felt awkward and weird at first, I soon realized the brilliance behind the idea (not my own, FYI – I take part in Amber’s annual Planathon each year).
Not only does this help me go into the holiday season feeling much more put together, but it even helps me to make the most out of the last weeks of the year – because I’ve re-centered around what I wanted to do for this year, and get a bit more focused.
Amanda L Grossman
Latest posts by Amanda L Grossman (see all)
- 5 Surprising Ways to Cut Household Costs (Saved us over $1,412!) - March 11, 2024
- The No Spend Challenge Guide (Money Game-Changing Tool) - January 31, 2024
- 47 Seasonal Jobs in Alaska with Housing (Hiring for this Summer) - December 1, 2023
