This is your classic apple and pumpkin picking experience. Having been around since 1891, the farm, now run by the practiced hands of fourth- and fifth-generation Davies, runs like a well-oiled machine. Admission is $17 cash per person, and if you don’t know where to start with the over 5,000 trees and 27 different apple varieties on the farm, the website has a “Meet Our Apples” page where each is identified with a well-lit picture, name, ripening timeline, and flavor profile. If you’d like to enjoy even more fruits from the farm but not your own labor, the brewery arm, Red Barn Cidery, produces a host of its own ciders, local beers, and nonalcoholic options.
Location: 82 Four Corners Rd., Warwick, NY (About one hour and 45 minutes away from NYC by car)
If you’ve ever wanted to live inside a Bob Ross painting, this is the orchard for you. At Apple Dave’s, visitors are backgrounded by the farm’s own lake against sweeping views of the northern Appalachian Mountains. Meandering walking trails through the trees and the on-site store filled with fresh produce and charming Halloween decor provide casual yet engaging activities for a fun day out with the family. But for the 21+ crowd, the distillery offers Apple Jacks, Shawangunk wines, and cocktails enhanced with the farm’s produce amongst the usual suspects of local beers and ciders.
Location: 62 Granite Springs Rd, Granite Springs, NY (About 90 minutes away from NYC by car)
Beyond their orchards, Stuart’s is also home to a Christmas tree farm and bakery which churns out irresistible cider donuts and fresh-baked pies. The farm also does not charge entrance and parking fees, meaning visitors are only charged for what they pick and purchase at the store. But this is definitely one of those trips where the journey getting there is just as worth it as the destination—driving through Granite Springs, visitors get to experience Westchester at its autumnal best as the mountains pass by in a montage of gold and orange.
Location: 2 S Mountain Rd, Pomona, NY (About 80 minutes away from NYC by car; two hours by train)
These orchards in the quaint town of Pomona are the ideal weekend day trip out of the city. In addition to sampling some of the newest and coolest apple varieties on the market (who wouldn’t want to take a bite out of a Ludacrisp?), the bakery offers everything from timeless apple pies to peanut butter custard pies that are begging to be your next holiday dinner centerpiece. While there’s enough to occupy your Saturday and Sunday afternoons, the farm also has a strong presence at local farmers’ markets such as Bronxville, Riverdale, and White Plains.
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Location: 155 N Ohioville Rd, New Paltz, NY (About two hours away from NYC by car)
