The Best Place to Go Apple Picking in Every State
Consider this your (apple) bucket list. From family-fun farms to orchards growing the juiciest heirloom apples, these are the best places to go apple picking in every state across the country.
Alabama: Crow Mountain Orchard, Fackler
The apples from Alabama’s largest fruit-growing operation are some of the prettiest in the state. Their bold red hue comes courtesy of the orchard’s high elevation on top of Crow Mountain, and the warm days and cool nights. If you’re really hungry, snag the massive 20-ounce green Pippin variety in late August.
Alaska: Clair’s Cultivations, Fairbanks
Everyone told Clair Lemmers that growing apples in Alaska was impossible. He proved them wrong. The farmer started Clair’s Cultivations in the 1980s and the orchard now produces over 6,000 pounds of apples each year. You can pick your own or look for the juicy fruits in local grocery stores and at farmer’s markets in the Fairbanks area.
Arizona: Apple Annie’s, Wilcox
You know it’s officially Fall when My-Oh-My Apple Pie Weekend rolls around at this Arizona orchard. The annual event, held at the beginning of apple season in September, kicks off with an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast (with apple pie syrup of course) and features wagon rides, a corn maze, and apple picking galore. Read the story of how apple pie came to be—and why it’s America’s favorite dessert.
Arkansas: Cox Berry Farm, Clarksville
Sitting atop Red Lick Mountain, Cox Berry Farm has been family-owned and run for three generations over 40 years—so you can be sure they know how to grow a good apple. The fruit is available in a handful of varieties including the tart Arkansas Black and can be picked from early September to late October.
California: Willowbrook Apple Farm, Oak Glen
Willowbrook Apple Farm is more than just a place to pick apples—you can also press your own cider, play with farm animals, or take a fall family photo on one of their vintage tractors. And after you pick a peck of the 100-year old Stayman Winesap apples in the orchard, fuel up with treats like caramel apples and gooey apple hand pies.
Colorado: Ya Ya Farm, Longmont
Reservations are required to pick apples at Ya Ya Farm. And be warned, they usually sell out all the spots by August! What’s so special about the Colorado orchard? They use natural, organic methods to grow a signature heirloom apple variety you can’t find anywhere else. You can even adopt an apple tree—your $50 fee pays for everything from fertilizing to harvesting.
Connecticut: Lyman Orchards, Middlefield
Deep in the Connecticut River Valley, you’ll stumble upon Lyman Orchards, 1,100 acres of sprawling farmland. Fill your basket with flavorful eco-certified apples (grown sustainably with minimal chemicals), then grab a slice of their award-winning Hi-Top Apple Pie made from scratch in the Apple Barrel, the farm’s market which sells tons of fresh-baked goodies.
Delaware: Fifer Orchards, Camden Wyoming
On Saturdays at Fifer Orchards, you can hop on the back of a tractor and be toted out to the orchard for all the apple picking your heart desires. Just make sure you leave Fido at home—the farm has a strict “no pets” policy for safety and health reasons. Don’t miss these 38 stunning photos of fall across America.
Florida: U-Pick Citrus, Fort Myers
Sadly, there aren’t any places in Florida where you can pick your own apples. So instead, go harvest the “apple of the South”—the orange! At U-Pick Citrus, fill a five-gallon bucket with juicy oranges for just $13, a third of which will be donated to charity. Prime citrus season is November to April so plan accordingly.
Georgia: Hillcrest Orchards, Ellijay
Forget the corn maze: This fall we’re all about the apple tree maze at Hillcrest Orchards. Once (or rather, if) you find your way out of the hundreds of trees, go pick your own apples. Parents will love the smaller dwarf apple trees so that the little ones can pick fruit themselves without having to be hoisted onto the shoulders. Your back will thank you.