The holidays approach as visions of Christmas gifts, supply chain problems, Thanksgiving travel, early Hanukkah planning, and more all fight for real estate in the forefront of our minds this November. So the things we are loving this month are an interesting mix of new items we’re stocking up on for the holidays, new entertainment that will keep everyone from toddlers to Grandpa entranced at Thanksgiving gatherings, and a couple of products that just make life easier. Read on to find out what the Mommy Poppins editors are obsessed with this month.

Summer Shakespeare is the norm and as summer passes into fall, much of our outdoor theater also fades away. However, that's not the case at Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum in the Forest of Topanga (I know it’s a canyon, but it reminds me of the Forest of Arden!). Here Shakespearean actors tread the boards (and Shakespeare's fairies flit through the trees) into November. The annual production of A Midsummer Night's Dream is perfect for even young kids—there were kids as young as two in the audience when we saw it—running a tight 80 minutes, with plenty of singing, slapstick, and even animals. Read on to discover why everyone from tots to teens delights in this production filled with mistaken identities, naughty fairies, unrequited love, and an Amazon queen.

It’s easy to buy into the notion that Los Angeles doesn’t have seasons. LA’s pendulum only swings from summer heat to a more temperate 70ish as fall falls. But that doesn’t mean Angelenos don’t look forward to fall activities and autumn adventures! Fall means we can start to do the things that it was too hot for in the summer (like hiking, camping, and taking trips to the desert) while still hitting the beach. We can even get our fill of fall fun like fall festivals, apple picking, pumpkin patching, and foliage seeking.

Without further ado, here are over 35 fabulous fall activities near Los Angeles. For more seasonal fun, be sure to bookmark our Fall Fun Guide.