By Expedia, on September 4, 2019

The Best Local Farms for Apple Picking

Fall is one of the year’s most exciting seasons. With the end of summer comes cool, crisp air, mild temperatures and the culinary delights that arrive with the season’s harvest. Whether it’s apple cider donuts or pumpkin pie, fall’s flavor is a central part of its spirit.

Apple picking is a great activity for the whole family. Not only do you end your trip with a bushel of freshly picked apples, but apple orchards have a wide variety of other autumn-based products for you to take home with you. Here we’ve outlined some of the best apple orchards in the country for you to choose for your next fall adventure.

Honey Pot Hill Orchards, Stow, MA

Honey Pot Hill is one of the oldest fruit orchards in the United States. The orchard offers u-pick blueberries, peaches and plums in the summer, but they are most famous for their fall apples and pears. The orchard has twenty different varieties of apples, as well as five varieties of pears.

apple picking
Apple picking in Massachusetts

Other fun activities at the orchards include hay rides, petting zoos, and an annual haunted corn maze that takes place a few days before Halloween.

Applecrest Farm Orchards, Hampton Falls, NH

The oldest continuously operating apple orchard in the United States, Applecrest Farms is an outing your family won’t forget. The farm has u-pick apples, peaches, berries, sweet corn, pumpkins and a variety of different summer and fall vegetables. But fruit picking is only half of a visit to Applecrest.

The farm is also famous for its bakery and traditionally styled creamery. The creamery is one of New England’s oldest and has some of the region’s best ice cream. The bakery provides a range of sweet confectioneries such as the farm’s famous hot cider donuts. Finally, no trip to the farm is complete without a tour of the farm’s two hundred-year old barn.

Solebury Orchards, New Hope, PA

Nestled in the woods of southern Pennsylvania, Solebury Orchards covers eighty acres and offers u-pick pears, apples, plums, apricots and berries. The orchards also have their own market that sells produce directly from the farm. And don’t forget to stop by the farm store for other farm-fresh products like apple butter and jams.

fresh produce apple picking
Market-ready fresh produce

Sky Top Orchard, Flat Rock, NC

The Sky Top Orchard is more than just an orchard for picking some of the best apples in the Carolinas. The orchard also features great mountain views to go with a petting zoo with sheep, goats, cows and peacocks. The bakery also has some of the best cider donuts you’ll ever find as well as the mountain views to make for a perfect fall picnic.

Mercier Orchards, Blue Ridge, GA

An award-winning orchard in Georgia, Mercier Orchards has an entire line of farm-fresh products to go with their u-pick apples. No visit to their orchard is complete without picking up an order of their famous cider donuts and freshly baked pies. For those in the surrounding region, Mercier even offers shipping on their delicious products.

upick peppers
Harvest ready for sale

Apple Jack Orchards, Delano, MN

One of the most famous apple orchards in the Midwest, Apple Jack Orchards also supplies Michigan peaches, blueberries and cherries. The orchard is still family-owned and operated and includes the Old Barn Gift Shop, Apple Pantry Cafe and Bakery and Apple Market. The orchard is also highly accessible, only 25 miles west of downtown Minneapolis.

Mt. View Orchards, Mount Hood, OR

Located in the fertile valleys of the Hood River and Columbia River Gorge, Mt. View Orchards is one of the most important fruit orchards in Western Oregon. The orchards lie in direct view of Mount Hood, making it a popular site for weddings and photography. The orchard is more than just fruit. In addition to apples, peaches and pears, the accompanying corn field and pumpkin patches are full of other autumn treats.

pumpkins for sale
Pumpkin patches are a common feature of local farms

Bellewood Acres, Bellingham, WA

With an apple distillery, cider press, restaurant and u-pick orchards, Bellewood Acres has enough for a day of fun and excitement for the whole family. The orchards have some of the best apples and pears in the Pacific Northwest, while the bakery has plenty of cider donuts and apple cinnamon products to share. Finally, you can’t leave without a visit to the distillery. Here you’ll find the farm’s unique vodka, gin and specially aged brandy.

u-pick apples
U-pick apples ready for harvest

Los Rios Rancho, Oak Glen, CA

Los Rios Rancho is Southern California’s largest apple orchard and one of the state’s oldest. The orchard has been in operation since 1906 and specializes in historic entertainment and traditional farming. The orchard also supplies its own fruit jams, jellies and famous apple cider.