Any fun ideas for getting kids excited about foliage?

Here are a few questions we received about tips for getting families outdoors this fall and the answers we provided.

Happy pumpkin picking!

I’m going to try pumpkin picking for the first time with my toddler. Any local places you know of?

There are several options in the weeks leading up to Halloween. Starting tomorrow at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sunday the Queens County Farm Museum will host a pumpkin picking event. The event takes place every weekend till Halloween.

Your child might also enjoy the Haunted Pumpkin Garden (probably not too scary) at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, starting at 10 a.m. this Saturday and Sunday, and open every day until Halloween.

It's also worth checking out Pumpkin Fest, Saturday, October 27 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., where every child gets to take home a free pumpkin.

We want to squeeze in one more camping trip before it gets too cold…do you know of any good sites where we could go biking too?

Though the Park's Department only runs its camping program in the summer you can still camp at Floyd Bennet Field in Brooklyn. Floyd Bennet was the city's first municipal airport and contains fascinating examples of airplane hangar Art Deco architecture. Biking is a great way to reach Floyd Bennet because not only is it very accessible by bike paths, it's also located on the periphery of the city. Getting there by public transportation can take quite a while depending upon where you're coming from. In any case, Floyd Bennet is always worth a visit.

What’s the closest pick-your-own place in/near the city?  Can we get there by public transportation?

Nothing in the city that we know of, however there are a number of options less than an hour’s drive away in New Jersey. Among the closest are Ripple Hill Farm in Basking Ridge and Demarest Farms in Hillsdale. Neither of these are accessible by public transportation. However if you take New Jersey Transit to the Gladstone Station you can visit Alstede Farms in Chester. Chester Limousine (908-879-6666) offers shuttle service to Alstede. It's a ten minute ride and they charge $10.00 for up to 4 persons and $15.00 for up to 8 persons.

There’s no leaving our dog behind (he’s part of the family too!). What’s your top dog-friendly hiking pick?

Inwood Park Trail in upper Manhattan is one very popular destination. A good resource for more hikes is Best Hikes With Dogs: New York City and Beyond by Tammy McCarley.