Pumpkin spice is in the air and seemingly everywhere! The leaves are changing, and autumn and Halloween decorations can be found more and more in stores around us. For some of us, we greet these changes with glee, and for others—those of us who live for the sun, the sand, and the water, we might be feeling a little blue that our season is passing.

Don't let the changing seasons and temperatures get you down! The beach during the fall, whether you live in an area that experiences winter or year-round sun, can still be a wonderful and fun place to have a party! Embrace the riot of fall colors and spooky fun Halloween celebrations entirely with our creative fall beach party ideas to keep your fun in the sun going no matter what time of year it may be.

Fall Bonfire Beach Celebration Check your city's bonfire rules or get a permit.

Before planning your epic beach bonfire, of course, you need to make sure you can have a bonfire on the beach! Bonfire season usually runs from November to February, though the times can vary according to city permit variance. Check your area's beach website or the recreation department to ensure you know when bonfire season starts and how to get yourself a bonfire permit. Some city and beach websites will allow you to apply for a license on a first-come, first-serve basis via a website. You may also be asked for a security deposit.

Once you've gone over your beach bonfire rules and have been granted your bonfire permit, it's time to plan the fall party of the season!

Plan for a cool night

While a fire is gorgeous to be around at any time, it's less comfortable gathering around one when it's hot out. A crisp, cool autumn night is the perfect time for a beautiful bonfire. Pack and bring a few extra blankets at hand and ensure you have plenty of wood to keep the fire going and your guests ultra-comfy.

Cozy Party Favors

Bonfires and campfires are just the perfect things to create beautiful memories with friends and family. One of the best ideas to help create memories is by creating a simple and cozy bonfire party favor. Get your guests involved by handing invites out using scented pinecone fire starters that they can bring to the bonfire to add a lovely, woodsy scent. You could also hand out cute personalized paper bags filled with fall-flavored snacks and candies or create DIY fun fall invitations beforehand. Little personalized gifts like s'mores or apple-scented hand sanitizers, or even customized mugs can be a great hit too.

Make the Food Easy

Make it easy on yourself if you're responsible for the food by creating a build-your-own-bar. Prepare a menu that your friends and guests can decide to put together or roast over the fire themselves. Many of us love to indulge in our love of salty, crunchy foods while socializing. If you've never heard of a Frito pie bar, this may be the perfect thing for a beach bonfire party! Order several bags of chili cheese Fritos, and then offer your guests toppings for them to place into their bags along with utensils if they want to transform the bag into a plate. Some toppings you can include for a Frito Pie bar are:

  • Chili, homemade or canned
  • Chopped onion
  • Chopped tomato
  • Jalapenos
  • Shredded cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Queso
  • Peperoncini rings

Of course, one of the most uncomplicated and most classic bonfire food is the hot dog. All you need is the buns, weiners, something to hold the weiners over the fire, and any condiments for guests too.

Easy Fall Beverages

Eating that delicious Frito pie can drum up a need for a thirst quencher. Before you stock your cooler with some grown-up drinks, it's essential to make sure that the beach you are having your bonfire on will allow alcoholic beverages before choosing the drink menu. Once you know whether or not you can or can't bring certain drinks, you can begin to plan what to pack!

Non-Alcoholic Fall Themed Drinks The classics: Hot apple cider, hot chocolate. Or try: Apple pie Punch
  • 4 cups apple cider
  • 1 cup pear nectar
  • 3 cups ginger ale
  • 1 diced apple

Combine the cider, pear nectar, and ginger ale into a travel-safe pitcher, toss in the apples, and enjoy on the beach!

Alcoholic Themed Drinks Pumpkin Pie Moscow Mule
  • 5 oz vanilla vodka
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 4 oz ginger beer
  • 1 whole star anise or 1 cinnamon stick for garnish (optional.)
  • 1 heaping tablespoon of pumpkin butter

The above recipe is for 1 drink. Adjust as needed for more than one. Add the vanilla vodka, pumpkin butter, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well, strain into a copper mug with ice, and top with ginger beer. Add the garnish.

S'mores

It's not a bonfire beach party without the s'mores. Graham crackers, chocolate, and toasted marshmallows are absolute classics that everyone loves. But why not put your own twist on this classic and make it unique? Spice it up by using different flavored Graham crackers like chocolate, honey, cinnamon, apple, and more. Switch it up entirely by using ginger or molasses cookies and experiment with varying flavors of marshmallows as well.

Seating

You can always ask your guests to bring beach chairs they are most comfortable sitting in, while you can carry a few extra lawn chairs. If you are lucky enough to have a vehicle and access to them, however, the good ol' hay bale is a wonderfully traditional easy autumn seating choice and can be used in many ways after! Just make sure not to leave them at the beach.

This fall, don't let summer's passing give you the blues! A beach is a beautiful place for all seasons and perfect for all sorts of creative and fantastic ideas to keep you enjoying the water. When it comes to creating a festive and unforgettable bonfire party, we hope our fall beach bonfire ideas spark your inspiration.