These 12 Places for Apple Picking in the US Will Have You Feeling All the Fall Vibes
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Every fall, farms across the US open up for apple picking. From small family-run apple orchards to large fruit producers, you’ll find the perfect space to collect the best fruit of autumn.
Who doesn’t love finding the perfect, ripe, juicy apple on a tree? In many parts of the US, you can visit an orchard, grab a basket, and go to town.
You’ll find several memorable orchards with beautiful scenery and delicious apples from the east to west coasts and the Great Lakes. Below are the 12 best places for apple picking in the US.
King Orchards, Kewadin, Michigan
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The west coast of Michigan straddles the perfect fruit-growing zone. Here, Lake Michigan’s winds cool off the land in the summer and warm it up in the winter. For apples, this is truly a Goldilocks climate.
King Orchards is one of the country’s best places to pick apples. For $25 a peck bag, you can hand-select Honeycrisp, Gala, and McIntosh apples while appreciating the beautiful rolling hills of rural Michigan.
When you’re done, you can try the farm’s other fruits, like cherries, peaches, and stone fruits, or their famously delicious apple pies. The region surrounding King Orchards makes the perfect fall road trip, so grab all the apples you can for fuel.
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Honey Pot Hill Orchards, Stow, Massachusetts
The sprawling orchards of Honey Pot Hill are like walking into a postcard. You’ll find apple varieties, including Ginger Gold, Red Gravenstein, Akane, Fuji, and Sansa, growing throughout the property.
Grab a basket and admire the natural surroundings and beautiful fruit when you visit. There are hedge mazes and even hay rides to keep the whole family entertained.
Before you leave, don’t forget to order their famous hot cider, freshly made from the orchard’s apples. Then, take a drive through Stow’s beautiful rural countryside. It doesn’t get more American than this.
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Fishkill Farms, Hopewell Junction, New York
Hopewell Junction’s Fishkill Farms is a long way from the big city rat race people think of when they think of New York. At just over an hour and a half from the Big Apple, Fishkill Farms is the place of all places to pick New York apples in a tranquil environment.
You’ll be able to pick juicy and delicious apples from the orchard. Then, enjoy live music and activities for the whole family, like wagon rides.
If you love cider, Fishkill Farms’ fresh-pressed ciders are like nothing else on earth. They even have a 21 and older cider bar for their fermented hard ciders. When you’re done, you can take home their beloved jams and pies before hitting the road.
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Demarest Farms, Hillsdale, New Jersey
New Jersey is the perfect place for ending a rural drive through nature at an orchard. Well, most of it, at least. At Demarest Farms, you can grab some of the state’s tastiest apples yourself, just over an hour from New York City.
Most people don’t realize how much country charm New Jersey has. From rural farms to sprawling orchards, the Garden State’s moniker is well-earned.
At Demarest Farms, you can take your time selecting your apples. Then, visit their market and even sample homemade warm apple pies. The orchard also hosts some killer Halloween parties.
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Mercier Orchards, Blue Ridge, Georgia
The beautiful mountains and hills of Blue Ridge, Georgia, are known for producing amazing fruit. Mercier Orchards is a place where time stands still, and the apples are as good as the vibes.
Come for apple picking every autumn. You can select the best-tasting apples while taking in the countryside charms of the orchard.
Afterwards, grab a few bottles of Mercier’s homemade hard apple cider and wine. Its the only winemaking orchard in Georgia. If you want to sample the ciders and wines, pay a visit to Mercier’s tasting room on-site.
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Poverty Lane Orchards, Lebanon, New Hampshire
There’s something nostalgic about picking apples. From timeless stories to apple-themed foods our grandparents talked about, the apple is at the heart of classic America.
At Poverty Lane Orchards, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The orchard started back in the 1950s and has continued to grow some of the best apples in the country. They also make some of the best hard cider at their cidery, Farnum Hill Ciders.
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When you arrive, you can grab a basket, pick your apples, and roam through the beautiful space. Families can take part in tractor rides through the orchard and the surrounding woods, which begin to turn bright colors into autumn.
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Shelburne Orchards, Shelburne, Vermont
Vermont is a state brimming with apple orchards, and Shelburne Orchards may be one of the best orchards in the state for picking fruit. This lakeside orchard is full of beautiful fruit and fun, family-friendly vibes.
Come here to enjoy apple-picking your favorite Gala, Golden Delicious, and McIntosh apples. If you get hungry for more than just apples along the way, you can grab some of their popular cider donuts and gorge yourself silly under the trees while admiring the killer view of Lake Champlain.
In the fall, the orchard puts on exciting kid-friendly events like hay rides, live music, and special pumpkin carving. If you come in late September to the middle of October, you can get to experience the leaves changing colors in one of the most famous fall color destinations on the planet.
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Apple Dave’s Orchards & Distillery, Warwick, New York
An hour and a half from New York City is the beloved Apple Dave’s Orchards & Distillery. This regional treasure hosts apple picking and tons of fun activities throughout the fall.
You can grab a dozen varieties of apples while enjoying the quiet orchard. Then, make your way to the orchard’s in-house distillery to try artisanal apple brandies and specialty cocktails.
To make the experience even more fun, they offer live music throughout the weekends. Locals and visitors come for apple picking, stay for the live music, and stay even longer for the hay rides and cider donuts. Did we say they have cocktails?
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Vala’s Pumpkin Patch & Apple Orchard, Gretna, Nebraska
Vala’s offers fun apple picking and one of the year’s most popular festivals in the Gretna region. The Cider and Sunflower Festival is where fall produce is celebrated with rides, activities, and live music.
Throughout the event, you can hop on a tractor ride or take a tour of the orchard. During the event, the orchard pours its artisanal hard ciders while guests can release butterflies into the sunflower fields.
If you come hungry, you’ll be in for a treat. There are special pies, homemade fudge, and candied apples to satisfy your sweet tooth. Not that you needed another reason to go.
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Swans Trail Farms, Snohomish, Washington
If you want super fun activities while picking apples, then Swans Trail Farms is the place to be. Over 4,000 apple trees are growing in the massive orchard, making apple picking an adventure.
The orchard opens for festivities on September 14 for their apple picking and Harvest Festival. You can enjoy hayrides, a petting zoo, duck races, and even choose a pumpkin to bring home.
After picking apples and enjoying the festivities, don’t miss taking time to enjoy the town of Snohomish. This charming riverside community is full of fall activities and charming locally run storefronts.
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Weston’s Antique Apples, New Berlin, Wisconsin
New Berlin, Wisconsin, is a tranquil Midwestern town just a short drive west of Milwaukee. If you’re looking for a retreat that feels like you’ve stepped back in time, this is it.
The charming orchard grows 30 different varieties of apples along with other fruit. The orchard offers volunteer picking, where you pick a bushel and take home two pounds.
You can take part in a historical tour of the orchard from 1935. There are over 100 varieties, some rarely grown anywhere else. Many date back to the Great Depression and earlier. Their Old Church apple trees are the only ones left in the world.
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Mt View Orchards, Mount Hood, Oregon
Oregon is more than just overpriced coffee shops and pinot noir, a lot more. It has apples, too! Grown on some of the most beautiful agricultural land in the country. You can even see Mt Hood in the distance.
Mt View Orchards features 125 varieties to choose from, one of the best selections in the US. Plus, they have a full farm where they grow vegetables and other fruit.
Connected is a winery and brewery that pours for thirsty guests who come for apple picking and live entertainment. Come and enjoy live music, cider donuts, and tractor rides around the farm. Oh, and yes, they have pinot noir too!
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