Apple picking is the quintessential fall activity in the Northeast. In addition to picture-perfect apple orchards, most farms offer tasty seasonal treats and family-friendly activities like corn mazes, pumpkin patches, petting zoos, and pony rides. Plus, wine and hard cider tastings for the adults!
To help you plan your perfect autumn outing, we've highlighted some of the best places to go apple picking near NYC. All within two hours of the Big Apple, these picturesque farms and orchards make the perfect day trip for locals and tourists alike. Don't forget to swing by the farm store on your way home for apple cider, donuts, freshly-baked pies, and seasonal produce.
Where to Go Apple Picking Near NYC
Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm
Yorktown Heights
Established in 1916, Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm have celebrated over a hundred years of harvest in the suburbs of New York City. From August to mid-December, visitors can pick their own apples, pumpkin, and peaches. Come back during the holidays for Choose-n-Cut Christmas trees too! You'll want to double-check the farm's Harvest Calendar before visiting to see what Pick-Your-Own items are currently in-season.
Once you've worked up an appetite in the orchard, head to one of three farm markets on-site for fresh pressed apple cider, baked goods, and gifts. Explore the corn maze with the kids, or visit the White Hill Vineyard for wine tasting in the former bottling plant for Wilkens Apple Cider.
1335 White Hill Rd, Yorktown Heights, NY
Distance from NYC: 1 hour
Fishkill Farms
East Fishkill
The most fun way to combat climate change in New York? Going organic apple picking at Fishkill Farms! The 279-acre apple orchard and vegetable farm have remained in the Morgenthau family for over 100 years, nourishing the surrounding community with organic vegetables and eco-certified fruits. Can't make it to the Pick-Your-Own apple orchard? Join Fishkill Farms' CSA program or visit their stand at farmer's markets around the Hudson Valley and New York City.
Visitors can pick their own peas and strawberries in the spring and return for apples, pears, and pumpkins in the fall. Come on a Saturday morning for a yoga session overlooking the orchard hosted by RedTail Power Yoga. Once you've finished picking your favorite apple varieties, kick back with a charcuterie board and a flight of estate-grown and wild-fermented Treasury Cider.
9 Fishkill Farm Road, Hopewell JCT, NY
Distance from NYC: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Harbes Orchard
Riverhead
Harbes Orchard is home to 78 acres of family-friendly apple picking, fun activities, and tasty fall treats. The orchard uses an innovative trellis system to grow more fruit low enough for kids to reach. Apple varieties include crowd-pleasers like Aztec Rose Fuji, Suncrisp, Enterprise, Albemarle, Pippin, Crimson Topaz, Pink Lady, and Gold Rush.
In addition to the Pinterest-perfect apple orchard, a 9-acre pumpkin patch and corn maze make the ideal backdrop for seasonal family photos. But no trip to Harbes Orchard is complete without a box of their signature apple cider doughnuts for the car ride home, and the cinnamon sugar-covered treats themselves are worth the trip.
After you have picked apples and got your farm goodies, be sure to visit the 40 animals! From chicken to sheep and pig, Harbes Orchard is perfect for families! No petting zoo.
5698 Sound Ave, Riverhead, NY
Distance from NYC: 2 hours
Dr. Davies Farm
Congers
True apple enthusiasts should head to Dr. Davies Farm, home to over 5,000 apple trees and 27 different varieties of apples spanning 65 acres. Located less than an hour from the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple, the picturesque New York farm has been used as a set for numerous movies, TV shows, commercials, and Saturday Night Live skits.
Book a reservation for speedy entry or stop by any day of the week between 10 AM and 4 PM. The family-run farm is dog-friendly, so bring along your pooch for a few unforgettable seasonal photos. Swing by the farm stand for fresh produce, homemade treats, and decorative gourds for your holiday table.
306 Rt 304 Congers, NY
Distance from NYC: 45 minutes
Rose Hill Farm
Red Hook
Rose Hill Farm is a historic, family-owned farm established in 1798. Located in the Hudson Valley, its 114 acres of picturesque farmland are grown using holistic orchard management practices. Throughout the harvest season, visitors can support local agriculture by picking their own cherries, blueberries, plums, apricots, nectarines, peaches, and apples.
When you're finished apple picking, refuel with naturally-fermented ciders and wine in the taproom, freshly-baked treats at the Donut Shack, or seasonal produce at the Farmstand. Check the farm's events calendar to schedule your visit around fun food pop-ups, live music, and yoga classes in the orchard.
19 Rose Hill Farm, Red Hook, NY
Distance from NYC: 2 hours
Wickham's Fruit Farm
Cutchogue, Long Island
Start a new fall tradition with a visit to Wickham's Fruit Farm. The historic bicentennial farm dates back to the 1600s, making it one of the oldest and largest farms on the North Fork. Today, much of the farm's 300 acres are protected by Suffolk County's Farmland Preservation program, so they can be enjoyed by generations of apple pickers to come.
Wickham's Fruit Farm prides itself on growing the finest-quality fruit in the region. In addition to pick-your-own apples and pumpkins in the fall, visitors can harvest strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, and peaches during their respective harvest seasons. Set against the sparkling waters of the Peconic Bay, the farm provides some of the region's best scenery too. Stop by the honey bee observation hive and historic cider press to complete your visit.
28700 Route 25, Cutchogue, NY
Distance from NYC: 2 hours
Alstede Farms
Alstede Farms offer the perfect escape from the big city. The family farm's pick-your-own fields and orchards are open nearly year-round. Visitors can harvest strawberries and peas in late spring, tomatoes, peaches, sunflowers, beans, and berries during peak summer, and apples, pumpkins, corn, and potatoes during the fall.
Once you've had your fill of apple picking, round out your fall visit with a corn maze, sunflower trail, and scenic hay wagon rides. The friendly farm animals are a guaranteed kid-pleaser, while a wine and hard cider tasting by Tomasello Winery is sure to be a hit with the adults. Take home a pint of homemade ice cream to scoop on top of your next freshly-baked apple pie.
1 Alstede Farms Ln, Chester, NJ
Distance from NYC: 1 hour
Harvest Moon Farm and Orchard
North Salem
There's no better place to make fall memories than Harvest Moon Farm and Orchard. The family-owned and operated apple orchard offers apple and pumpkin picking seven days a week— along with live country music, delicious apple cider donuts, and farm-pressed Hardscrabble Cider. Come back during the holiday season to see the orchard transformed into an Enchanted Forest filled with over 750,000 LUMAGICA lights.
Enjoy panoramic views of the Hudson Valley on a scenic wagon ride through the hillside orchard before taking home farm-fresh eggs, pasture-raised meats, and local dairy from the farm store. Fruits and vegetables are grown using environmentally-conscious integrated pest management techniques and are available through a 13- or 18-week CSA program.
130 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem, NY 10560
Distance from NYC: 1 hour
Apple Picking Season Near NY
Apple picking season typically starts in late September or early October to November.
Tips
- For families with young kids, look for an orchard with dwarf apple trees. They will make picking easy for kids.
- Call ahead to confirm hours. Many orchards are small and family-run establishments, and they can close unexpectedly.
- Leave your dog at home. Many orchards don't allow dogs on site.
- Depending on the apple variety, visit the farm website and learn any tips or techniques to help you pick apples.
