Long summer days may be behind us, but that doesn't mean you
have to say good-bye to outdoor adventure. Whether you're taking
the whole family on a day trip or a special someone on an impromptu
date, apple-picking can provide bushels of fun for kids of all
ages. We get to the core of this classic autumn ritual along with a
pick of the crop.
Applewood
Orchards
Warwick, N.Y.
If filling your basket with 10 kinds of fresh, juicy apples isn't
enough of a draw, maybe sipping apple wine from an award-winning
winery will tip the scales. Applewood Orchards (left), just an hour
and a half north of the real Big Apple, has everything you can
imagine for a deliciously satisfying fall-filled day. Take a wagon
ride, explore the pumpkin patch and stock up on homemade
jellies.
Weston's Antique Apples
New Berlin, Wis.
Get ready for an orchard experience like no other. This farm
prides itself on heirloom apples, varieties that are no longer
grown anywhere else on Earth. Choose from over 100 varieties, some
with quirky names like the honey-sweet Pitmaston Pineapple, the
licorice-flavored Sops of Wine or the delicate Strawberry Chenango,
which tastes like a rose.
Washington Apple Country Tours
Cashmere, Wash.
The Evergreen State produces more apples, from Golden Delicious to
Pink Lady, than any other state and supplies over two-thirds of the
fresh-eating apples in the country. So why limit yourself to one
farm? Apple Country Tours dispatches trained guides to show you a
wide range of orchards. Explore Wenatchee Valley, the Apple Capital
of the World, with excursions covering any fall activity you can
think of, from hay rides to sunset dinners and, of course,
apple-picking.
Willowbrook Apple
Farm
Oak Glen, Calif.
Spend the day collecting Stayman Winesap apples on a family-owned,
century-old orchard just over an hour and a half east of Los
Angeles. Then turn your treasures into fresh cider in their
old-fashioned cider press (right). No wonder they call it the
Golden State.
Reece Apple House
Ellijay, Ga.
Georgia may be the Peach State, but Ellijay, nestled in the
Appalachian Mountains, is giving the fuzzy fruit a run for its
money. Something about the cool mountain air gives this region's
apples their extraordinary flavor. Pick your own all week long and
on weekends enjoy a petting zoo, free music and even shoot an apple
cannon for some wacky family fun.
What's your favorite kind of apple or apple recipe, and
why? Tell us in the comments below.