Louisiana’s weather is notoriously unpredictable. Summer is long and hot. Winter is wet and bone-chilling. Fall is the best of all for spending time outside, with a few breezy, sunny and barely humid days. These activities will keep the outdoor fun going for the whole family, whether it’s a by-week for the LSU Tigers or a day with weather too wonderfully uncharacteristic to waste indoors.

Corn Maze at Burden

The highly anticipated Corn Maze at Burden, pictured here, is back and guaranteed to sell out again this year. Spend two fun-filled hours meandering through the corn maze and sunflower fields or traversing a hay mountain. Pumpkins aren’t the only orange fruit ripe for picking in autumn. (Yes, they’re a fruit!) Snack on a scrumptious satsuma while perusing the pumpkin patch or trying out the gargantuan games. For dates and tickets, visit lsu.edu/botanic-gardens

Mrs. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch

As the seasons change, so does the harvest at Mrs. Heather’s Farm in Hammond. She grows strawberries in the spring and pumpkins in the fall. But over the years, Mrs. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch has grown into a fall wonderland offering plenty of activities and space to explore. Through November 8, families are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy a day of rolling down the hill, winding through the nature trail or hay maze and learning how pumpkins grow. Kids can milk a cow, meet cartoon characters and ride the merry-go-round, too. thfarms.com

Protect Your Pumpkins Pop-Up

Perhaps the only thing more exciting than pumpkins is pink pumpkins. Add in the element of surprise, and you’ve got one of Baton Rouge’s favorite fall events: the Baton Rouge General’s annual Protect Your Pumpkins Pop-Up. With no warning, the city wakes up one day in October to thousands of pink pumpkins sprinkled in patches at all three BRG campuses as part of the hospital’s breast cancer awareness campaign promoting annual mammograms for women 40 and over. Keep your eyes and ears perked to secure your free pink pumpkin and enjoy the inflatables and photo ops at the BRG Bluebonnet location. brgeneral.org

Fifolet Halloween Parade

Of course there’s going to be a parade. It’s the most Louisiana way to celebrate the season. The Fifolet Halloween Parade will roll through downtown on Saturday, October 26, hosted by 10/31 Consortium and led by the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, which will collect non-perishable food donations as the parade rolls. You won’t see any plastic beads, but bring a bag for individually wrapped candies along with homemade crafts and upcycled items tossed by float riders. 1031consortium.com

Benny’s Haunted Car Wash

Halloween is right around the corner. What better way to get in the spirit than going to a haunted car wash? Benny’s 4th Annual Haunted Car Wash will take place October 18th and 19th from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. at the Siegen location. The first hour of the car wash is kid-friendly, so if you don’t want to spook your kids too much, get there early. All proceeds benefit Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital and tickets are available online or on-site at the car wash. www.bennyscarwash.com