Top Us Apple-picking Orchards: From New Hampshire’s Applecrest To California’s Los Rios Rancho & Beyond

Published on September 8, 2025

Autumn’s presence successful America intends crisp air, rosy cheeks, and baskets brimming pinch freshly picked apples. Top U.S. apple-picking orchards go seasonal destinations wherever families, nutrient lovers, and travelers alike merge nether apple-laden branches. Whether you’re drawn to nan historical charm of New Hampshire’s Applecrest Farm, nan festival-style ambiance of Massachusetts’ Honey Pot Hill Orchards, aliases nan mountain-framed beauty of California’s Los Rios Rancho, each orchard offers its ain spirit of fall. These apple-picking destinations weave together tradition, tourism, and section agriculture—mixing orchard tours pinch caller cider, hayrides, aliases scenic hikes. In this article, we’ll item six standout orchards crossed nan country, blending cultivation practice and tourism entreaty successful locations specified arsenic New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, Maine, and more. Whether you’re searching for family nosy aliases a picturesque farm-to-table retreat, these apical U.S. apple-picking orchards present a delicious sensation of autumn.

Applecrest Farm Orchards – Hampton Falls, New Hampshire

Applecrest Farm is celebrated arsenic New Hampshire’s oldest continuously operating orchard, pinch complete 40,000 bushels produced annually and much than 40 pome varieties. The workplace offers a portion of Americana pinch its historical barn, pick-your-own apples, and a workplace marketplace stocked pinch pome butter, caller produce, and homemade treats. Its position arsenic a practice tract makes it a standout destination for autumn travelers.

Honey Pot Hill Orchards – Stow, Massachusetts

Operating since 1926, this orchard adjacent Boston brings together pome picking, hedge mazes, hayrides, and pumpkin patches connected its 186 acres. Visitors tin walk a afloat time exploring pome varieties and nan celebrated “Big Green Monster” maze, each capped disconnected by a beloved bakery serving cider donuts and baked goods. Its longstanding history and family-friendly charm make Honey Pot Hill a autumn must-see.

Los Rios Rancho – Oak Glen, California

Nestled successful nan mountains adjacent Los Angeles, this century-old orchard (since 1906) invites visitors to prime apples crossed 11 varieties betwixt August and November. With on-site eateries offering pome strudel and savory specials, play visitors tin subordinate packing location tours, bask unrecorded performances, and moreover property their ain cider—combining scenic beauty pinch agritourism zest.

Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards – LaFayette, New York

Founded successful 1911 and steeped successful Finger Lakes charm, this 400-acre orchard cultivates hundreds of thousands of pome trees crossed much than 20 varieties—including Cornell-developed favorites. Beyond picking, visitors are greeted pinch postcard-perfect foliage, unrecorded music, and a historical tasting room offering difficult ciders and apple-based treats.

Sky Top Orchard – Flat Rock, North Carolina

Located successful nan Blue Ridge Mountains since 1967, Sky Top sprawls crossed 125 acres and offers complete 2 twelve pome types. Visitors prime apples from July to October, research scenic hayrides, and indulge successful kettle maize and pome cider slushies, enjoying some upland views and orchard allure.

Mercier Orchards – Blue Ridge, Georgia

A family-run orchard since 1943, Mercier combines pome picking pinch section flavors. U-pick events tally from early August done October, alongside a café, market, cidery, and winery. The blend of Southern hospitality and farm-fresh experiences makes this a standout for agritourism visitors.

Travel & Tourism Context

Apple picking isn’t conscionable astir nan harvest—it’s a celebrated autumn contented that fuels section economies and showcases location harvest calendars. The USDA notes that manual picking remains captious owed to delicate consequence handling needs, powering some tourism and farming livelihoods. In important apple-producing states for illustration Washington, nan farms are not conscionable orchards; they are surviving history making love backmost generations and evolving pinch modern practices.