There’s nothing to get you in the autumn spirit quite like picking apples. Whether it’s a fun way to spend a Saturday with your kids, an excuse to hang out with your friends or the key to making that perfect apple pie, going to an orchard to pick your own apples is a beloved tradition. Apple picking season typically starts in late August and extends into late October.
Here are some picks from the Delaware Valley.
Linvilla Orchards
137 W. Knowlton Road, Media, PA 19063
Prospective apple pickers are spoiled for choice at Linvilla Orchards during the fall season. There are more than 30 different varieties of apples available for picking, from common varieties like Red Delicious and Granny Smith to lesser-known types like the Firestorm Honeycrisp and Stayman Winesap.
There’s plenty of other fun things to do on the farm as well once you’re done picking apples. The orchard’s bakery is famous for its pies, which have been made fresh every day for more than 50 years. Visitors can also meet and interact with farm animals or play on the Playland Playground, which is perfect for children. There are also several notable seasonal events, like the Apple Festival in September and Pumpkinland in late September through early November.
Highland Orchards
1000 Marshallton-Thorndale Road, West Chester, PA 19380
Highland Orchards has been family-owned and run for more than 80 years and offers a picturesque, rural environment less than an hour away from Philadelphia. The orchards are home to 31 apple varieties, as well as other pick-your-own crops like peaches and strawberries during the rest of the year.
Make sure to stop by the bakery when you visit and try one of its apple cider donuts, which are proclaimed to be the “best in Philly.” On weekends, the farm offers hayrides through the orchards at an additional cost as well as a beer garden. For a limited time during the fall, Highland Orchards has an iconic corn maze to explore, and buckets of apples can be purchased for visitors to fire out of the farm’s apple cannons.
Thousand Acre Farm
260 Reedy Point Road, Middletown, DE 19709
Thousand Acre Farm is a well-known wedding venue, but it also has an apple orchard with pick-your-own apples, pumpkins and sunflowers available in the summer and fall. There are nine apple varieties available for picking, and the farm itself is a beautiful place to spend the day and take photos. It’s also very easy for kids to pick their own apples, as its orchard is made up of dwarf trees that are easier to reach.
If you’re having a wedding at Thousand Acre Farm during the fall, you can even have apples picked for guests as favors or include apple picking as part of your event experience! It’s a memorable addition to any event.
thousandacrefarm.com/apple-orchard
Hill Creek Farms
1631 State Highway 45, Mullica Hill, NJ 08062
Hill Creek Farms offers several crops to choose from for prospective pickers, including eggplants, peppers, pumpkins, sunflowers and, of course, apples. There are nine varieties available throughout the season, and they’re used to make the apple cider donuts sold in the farm’s bakery.
There are also plenty of fun attractions for kids at this farm, including hayrides, barrel train rides, a playground and moon bounce and even a “gem mining company” where kids can pan for pretty stones. While the kids are busy, adults can stop for a bite at the Loft Cafe or the Auburn Road Wine Garden, or browse exhibits from local artists at the Harvest House.
Johnson’s Corner Farm
133 Church Road, Medford, NJ 08055
Johnson’s Corner Farm self-identifies as “South Jersey’s #1 home for apple picking,” according to the farm’s website, and the fall season attracts many visitors to pick their own apples and pumpkins. There is a different apple variety available for picking every week from September to November, so visitors will rarely get the same apple-picking experience twice.
The farm’s Discovery Barnyard and Animal Farm is a fun place for kids to go go-karting, cool off in one of the splash pads or meet farm animals. There’s even a Little Farmers Class where toddlers can learn about nature and life on the farm. During the fall, Johnson’s Corner holds harvest festivals every weekend with live music, a corn maze to explore and plenty of pick-your-own opportunities.
