The Best Weekend Apple Picking Orchards for Brooklyn Families

Summer has come to a close and apple picking is in full gear for 2021. With school starting and many kids reverting back to in-person learning, what better way to spend your weekend than by heading to one of these farms to pick fresh apples? Pick crisp apples and make classic apple cider, pie and more. Although apple picking is a favorite fall activity for many families, we are still battling COVID, which means certain restrictions might still be in place. Make sure to check the farm’s website before visiting and review its safety guidelines.

Demarest Farms
244 Wiermus Road, Hillsdale, NJ 07642
201-666-0472

Step foot in the orchards and start picking delicious apples for your seasonal pies, ciders and more. Some of their tasty apples include Cameo, Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Mutsu (Crispin), Red Delicious, Snap Dragon and Zestar. $7 per person (age 2 and over), which includes free parking and entrance to the apple orchard. You must make a reservation for a date and time to visit the farm. Strollers must be left at home.

Hillview Farms
223 Meyersville Road, Gillette, NJ
908-647-0957

Make the trip to Hillview Farms to pick seasonal apples. You can’t go wrong with the classic red apple, but make sure to take home a few other delicious options, such as Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Jonathan, Macoun, McIntosh and Stayman/Winesap. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (field closed to the public at 5 p.m.), daily.

Dr. Davies Farm
306 NY-304, Congers, NY 10920
845-268-7020

Warm apple pie days are here! Visit Dr. Davies Farm to pick apples for all your delicious fall desserts. You will be able to pick from 4,000 trees, with 20 different varieties of apples, spanning over 55 acres. Bring the whole family, even the dog, for a great outing that everyone will enjoy for the fall season. At this time, masks are not required for vaccinated guests and reservations are strongly suggested since walk-in slots are limited. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily.

Riamede Farm
122 Oakdale Road, Chester, NJ 07930
908-879-5353

With 40 types of apples, Riamede Farm has opened its apple picking! Get a taste of their ripening apples, or check out their other varieties as they begin to ripen over the course of the fall season. Farm Passes are required for entry and should be purchased prior to arrival. Open 9 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., daily.

Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard
130 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem, NY 10560
914-485-1210

Be part of the excitement at Harvest Moon for their biggest time of the year. This family-owned and operated apple orchard is welcoming its main harvest with a variety of delicious apples. Bring the family to visit the orchards as well as their farm store that has meats and dairy products. Store and orchard open Friday – Sunday for apple picking by reservation only from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The store will be open Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. through 6 p.m.

Stuart’s Fruit Farm
62 Granite Springs Road, Granite Springs, NY 10527
914-245-2784

Since 1828, Stuart’s Fruit Farm has been a proud family-operated farm. This fall season, bring your family along for the beginning of the apple-picking season where there will be an array of apples to choose from. Masks do not have to be worn in the orchard but are required in all facility buildings. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily.

Alstede Farms
1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester, NJ 07930
908-879-7189

Alstede Farms invites your family to pick their crisp, seasonal apples for the fall season. Kids will be thrilled to see and learn how food grows as they pick their own for a healthy snack. Bring home this delicious fruit for making traditional homemade apple pie, cider and delightful pastries. Choose from over 50 different varieties. Don’t forget to check out the other fun activities offered on the farm, such as the tractor-drawn wagon ride, seeing the sunflower field and more. Tickets must be purchased online, in advance, utilizing time slots. Tickets become available 24 hours in advance.

Apple Ridge Orchards
101 Jessup Road, Warwick, NY 10990
845-987-7717

Kick off the fall season by visiting a scenic and rustic pick-your-own farm. Just 60 miles from New York City, you can pick from a variety of 20 different apples throughout the Hudson and Warwick Valley. Have a fun and educational experience as you spend time at the orchards picking. They even have dwarf trees that little ones can reach! Face coverings are required and strollers are not allowed. Open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and all holidays.

Lawrence Farms Orchards
306 Frozen Ridge Road, Newburgh, NY 12550
845-562-4268

Take a drive to Lawrence Farms Orchards and make it a family day out. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the farm and have a blast picking a variety of apples such as Ginger Gold, Zestar, Ozark Gold and Gala. Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily. Admission is $5 per person, children under two years old are free. Season passes are available.

Barton Orchards
63 Apple Tree Lane, Poughquag, NY 12570
845-227-2306

Switch up your typical weekend plans and take a family car ride to Barton Orchards. These apples are known for being the best in the area with over 120 acres of apple trees to pick from. Apple picking starts here from the middle of August through November. As we move through the fall season, a variety of different apples will be available for picking, such as Early Golds in August, Jona Macs in September, and Ida Reds in October. And, to make sure that you have the freshest apples, Barton’s Orchards rotates picking areas around the farm. In order to pick apples, you must purchase a Barton apple bag that day. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays to Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, from August through November.

Masker Orchards
45 Ball Road, Warwick, NY 10990
845-986-1058

Masker Orchards is a go-to for family-friendly apple picking in the Hudson Valley region (you can even bring the dog). Drive right to the trees with your family and then get lost in the massive orchard picking a variety of apples (picking poles are also available) and taking in the views and foliage. With 14 varieties of apples ripening throughout the season at Masker Orchards, you’re sure to find all of your family’s favorites — and to help make sure of this, they put together an approximate ripening guide. Admission, parking and bags are free and apples are $29.95 per bag (but you can eat all the apples you wish as you pick for free). Apple picking season goes into early November. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily.

Fishkill Farms
9 Fishkill Farm Road, Hopewell Junction, NY 12533
845-897-4377

Fishkill Farms has been part of the Morgenthau family for over 100 years and invites your family for the apple picking season. This 270-acre apple orchard offers a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the year that you can pick. Socially distant picking is available by reservation only, so be sure to check their website before visiting. Stop by for their apple season in the months of September and October. Open 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Tuesdays to Sundays, by reservation only.

Apple Dave’s Orchards
82 4 Corners Road, Warwick, NY 10990
845-772-1242

Start your picking at Apple Dave’s Orchards and take home a variety of apples like McIntosh, Cortland, Honeycrisp, Gala, Empire, Jonagold, Rome Beauty, Red Delicious, Macoun, Fuji and Golden Delicious apples. You can also visit their farm store where they have fresh-pressed apple cider, apple donuts, pies, flowers and seasonal items. Apple Dave’s Orchard has acres upon acres perfect for socially distanced picking.

Harbes Family Farm
715 Sound Ave, Mattituck, NY 11952
631-298-0800

The star attraction at the 78-acre Harbes Family Farm is the breathtakingly beautiful apple orchard. Featuring 27 different varieties, the orchard uses an innovative trellis system to grow apples that are within reach of even the smallest of hands. Prices vary from $10 per person for the Early Bird Special (a three-pound bag) to the $22 per person Apple Lovers Big Bag Special (a 12-pound bag). On weekends and holidays, they offer pig races, singing hayride tours, and hosted interactive activities. Plus, Harbes Barnyard Adventure (a paid admission area of Harbes Family Farm) has eight acres of family-friendly attractions where you can discover farm animals and chicken and bee observatories as well as enjoy the Gnome Hedge Maze, trike track, Jumbo Jumpers, sports zone and so much more.

Bishop’s Orchards
1355 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT 06437
203-453-2338

Bishop’s Orchards takes pride in growing the highest quality fruits to enjoy year after year from their family to yours. They grow over 20 varieties of apples that suit all your needs for cooking, gifts, or a quick snack on the go. At their pick-your-own locations, they offer eight-quart bags for $22 and half-bushel bags for $40. Bishop’s Orchards also has an ice cream stand, featuring delicious flavors, sundaes, ice cream sandwiches and their specialty, the Bishop’s Blitz.

Hank’s PumpkinTown
240 Montauk Hwy, Water Mill, NY 11976
631-726-4667

Hank’s PumpkinTown in Water Mill, N.Y., is well-known to families for its amazing apple picking and over 30 acres of fall family fun. It costs $25 to pick one peck (about 10 pounds of apples), and after you’ve had your fill of picking, wander over to the wooden playground, maze park, face painting and gem mining. The Market has yummy, freshly baked pies, cookies, cupcakes, candy apples and the ever-popular cider donuts.

Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in New York Family. Click here to see the original story.

Related Stories

• Head Out Into the Fresh Air and Pick Some Apples at These 8 Long Island Farms
• 5 Pick-Your-Own New York Orchards to Satisfy Your Fall Apple Craving
• Fill Up Your Baskets at 8 Long Island Pick-Your-Own Orchards

Email tips@brownstoner.com with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.