Best Apple Orchard

Bountiful farm markets and trees heavy with ripe fruit await you in our list of orchards below. We've found some of the best you-pick spots with dozens of varieties, family activities like corn mazes and fall favorites like hayrides. For a more sophisticated experience, check out the orchards with on-site wineries and bistros. Prefer for someone else to do the picking? Several places on this list exclusively harvest and stock their markets so you can still find the perfect Pink Lady without trekking through the trees.

These 10 apple orchards were selected by our featured panelists and contributors and voted on by readers as the best of the best.

1. Parlee Farms—Tyngsboro, MA

From late August through October, Parlee Farms opens its orchards for apple picking. On weekends, you can snag a seat for a hayride, which will take you to the best trees for that time of the season. Once your basket is full, head back to the Farmstand and feel your mouth start to water as you watch workers dust the hot apple cider donuts with cinnamon and sugar.

2. Royal Oak Farm Orchard—Harvard, IL

With 20,000 apple trees producing 30 different types of fruit, Royal Oak Farm Orchard is sure to have your go-to apple. In addition to its abundance of produce, this orchard boasts the country's only apple tree maze that winds along one and a half miles and offers picking, activity areas, a climbing tower and games.

3. Apple Hill Orchard & Cider Mill—Morganton, NC

Located in the beautiful foothills of Western North Carolina, this family-owned orchard has been growing apples since 1955. With over 20 varieties of apples that ripen throughout the season, you can pick your favorite of the bunch right off the tree or purchase them by the pound in the Farm Market. Don't forget to grab a gallon of their refreshing cider or a cider slushy on your way out.

4. R and A Orchards—Ellijay, GA

What began as a few apple trees in the 1940s is now the 160-acre R and A Orchards, located in the scenic mountains of North Georgia. Each fall, visitors come to pick some of the 38 varieties of apples and shop in the bakery, which sells 18 different kinds of fried pies. This farm is open year-round and even offers tours during apple blossom season (typically spring).

5. Oregon Heritage Farms—Hillsboro, OR

Set in the rolling green hills of the Willamette Valley, Oregon Heritage Farms provides a beautiful backdrop for your apple adventure. The farm store, housed in an old milking parlor, is stocked with freshly picked apples and baked goods like apple cider donuts. Whether you opt for the slushy or hot option, you must sample the apple cider before you go.

6. Milburn Orchards—Elkton, MD

At over 120 years old, Milburn Orchards is an autumn staple for local apple lovers. Labor Day weekend kicks off its Fall Festival, which changes themes each weekend to keep the fun fresh. Plan to spend the whole day at this farm, picking Royal Galas and Crimson Crisps, traipsing through the corn maze and joyriding on hay while a tractor journeys through the fields.

7. Carter Mountain Orchard—Charlottesville, VA

Featuring lush views of the valleys below, Carter Mountain Orchard is a scenic spot for your annual apple picking. The owners of the orchard, the Chiles family, have been growing fruit for five generations, and in 2021, they introduced their own wine label. So, now, you can grab a bottle of their Petit Manseng to enjoy alongside your apples.

8. Los Rios Rancho—Oak Glen, CA

The largest and oldest apple farm in SoCal, Los Rios Rancho, has been in business since 1906 and is passionate about keeping its history alive. In addition to apple picking, where you can select from over 30 organically grown traditional and heirloom varieties, it hosts the Farm Fair. This living history experience offers a chance to see what life was like for pioneer families in the 1800s.

9. Kercher's Sunrise Orchards—Goshen, IN

With a history dating back to the 1920s, Kercher's Sunrise Orchards knows a lot about growing delicious apples on its 600 acres of land. Beginning each September, visitors are welcomed into the 19 acres dedicated to apple trees for you-pick season, and because of all the field space, guests can also purchase ears of corn, pumpkins, squash and more, which are all grown at Kercher's.

10. Knob Creek Orchards—Lawndale, NC

A sweet family-owned business, Knob Creek Orchards features a charming roadside store. Fill your bag full of varieties like Fujis and Granny Smiths, and then head to the creamery to indulge in the treat Knob Creek is really known for—its homemade ice cream. Take your homemade waffle cone to the porch to sit in a rocking chair or swing while you look out over the strawberry fields.

About Newsweek Readers' Choice Awards

Our nominees are editorially driven with contributions from a panel of travel experts. The final list is determined by Newsweek editors. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For more details, read our terms and conditions. For any questions, please see our FAQs or email us at readerschoice@newsweek.com.

Our Featured Panelists

Ava Roxanne Stritt is a top authority on luxury travel and is called the most influential person in the world regarding spa travel. Followers of @SpaTravelGal will tell you she is responsible for transforming the idea of a spa day into a wellness adventure! Her passion for unique experiences has carried her around the world from "taking the waters" in Europe's thermal spas to hiking waterfalls in the rainforests of Ecuador for a massage surrounded by hummingbirds. She is the founder of Spa Travel Gal and a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and Wellness Tourism Association.

Julie Bielenberg is a Colorado-based writer producing over 75 pieces a year for outlets such as AAA, Family Vacationist, Rachel Ray in Season, Spoke + Blossom, USA Today, Vail Daily and numerous others. She has been the State's #1 agritourism for ten consecutive years and is always in search of field, farm, forest and forage. Julie has three children and two pandemic pooches and is married to an avid outdoorsman. Follow her on Instagram.

For more than 20 years, Karon Warren has traveled the globe, searching for adventure, unique personalities and a new perspective on the world to share in her travel content. Her work appears in USA Today's 10Best, Family Vacation Critic, US News & World Report and many more outlets. Karon also is the author of 100 Things to Do in the North Georgia Mountains Before You Die from Reedy Press. Karon lives near Atlanta in the North Georgia mountains with her family, where they enjoy such outdoor recreation as hiking, geocaching and biking. You can follow her on Instagram at @karonwarren.

Kurt Jacobson is a freelance food and travel writer from Baltimore, Maryland. He loves taking his dog Sophie along to test pet-friendly lodging, restaurants, and activities. His favorite destinations are Kennett Square, PA; Maryland's Eastern Shore; Colorado; New Zealand; Japan and Alaska. Kurt's 600+ articles appear in many websites and magazines. Read about his adventures at http://www.tasteoftravel2.com.

Newsweek contributors speak from a variety of backgrounds and offer expertise in a wide range of subject areas.