8 places to go apple picking near Philly, and grab doughnuts and cider, too

Fall has arrived, and for fruit lovers, that means one thing: It’s apple-picking season. After all, with cooler weather setting in, there are plenty of pies to bake and cider to sip.

In the Philly area, there are more than a few orchards where we can grab our own apples for a classic autumnal experience. Whether you’re into the crisp, sweet taste of a Gala apple or the crunchy, tart Granny Smith, you should be able to get your fill.

Here are some great local orchards where you can pick your own apples, and even pick up some apple cider doughnuts or apple pie, if you’ve got a sweet tooth that fruit alone won’t defeat.

This list is in order from closest to furthest from Philly.

This Delco orchard is a must-visit, thanks to the 25 types of apples they grow throughout the season, like Granny Smith, Stayman Winesap, and Macoun.

Don’t miss: Linvilla offers tons of baked goods at their farm market, including fresh-made apple cider doughnuts — a seasonal favorite.

📍 137 W. Knowlton Rd., Media, ↔️ 22 miles from Center City, 🕑 PYO, Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Market, daily, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., 📞 610-876-7116, 🌐 linvilla.com, 📷 @linvillaorchards

This Bucks County orchard has resumed apple picking this fall with their pick-your-own crop of Jonathan, Mutsu, and Golden Delicious apples.

Don’t miss: You can take a free hayride from Styer’s stand to the orchard (or the pumpkin patch) for that classic fall farm feel.

📍 97 Styers Lane, Langhorne, ↔️ 26 miles from Center City, 🕑 Tue.-Sun, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., 📞 215-702-9633, 🌐 styerorchard.com, 📷 @styerorchard

Reservations are required for this Chester County orchard, where pick-your-own apples typically last through early November. This season, expect apples like Mutsu, Fuji, and Ida Red — but it’s best to call ahead to see what is available.

Don’t miss: Highland Orchards’ farm market can satisfy your sweets craving with their beloved apple cider doughnuts, which cost just $1 each.

📍 1000 Marshallton-Thorndale Rd., West Chester, ↔️ 41 miles from Center City, 🕑 Market, Tue.-Fri., 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., PYO fields close 30 minutes before the market, 📞 610-269-3494, 🌐 highlandorchards.net, 📷 @highlandorchardsinc

Located about a mile from their main outpost, Terhune’a pick-your-own apple orchard has Crimson Crisp, Fuji, Gala, and more — and no tickets are required. And through Oct. 31, they’re holding their family fun fall weekends, with pony rides, live music, and more.

Don’t miss: Terhune also features an on-site winery, where you can sample wines made from grapes grown right on the farm. Or, grab an apple cider doughnut from the bakery.

📍 13 Van Kirk Rd., Princeton, N.J., ↔️ 42 miles from Center City, 🕑 PYO, daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m, Store, daily, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Winery, Fri.-Sun., noon-5 p.m. 📞 609-924-2310, 🌐 terhuneorchards.com, 📷 @terhuneorchards

Reservations are required for weekend apple picking at this Bucks County farm, but you can still pick on Thursdays and Fridays without a reservation. They grow about 30 varieties of apples seasonally, according to their website, including Empire, Jonathan, and Crimson Crisp, with other types coming later in October.

Don’t miss: Solebury’s farm market is an apple-lover’s paradise thanks to its applesauce, apple butter, apple chips, fresh cider, apple cider doughnuts, and cider slushies. They’ll even do mail order on some items.

📍 3325 Creamery Rd., New Hope, ↔️ 45 miles from Center City, 🕑 Thur.-Sun, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., 📞 215-297-8079, 🌐 soleburyorchards.com, 📷 @soleburyorchards

Weaver’s Orchard grows a wide selection of apples on some 18,000 apple trees across 35 acres of land, like Crimson Crisp, Golden Delicious, and Jonagold, among others. No reservations are required to pick your own apples, but you will need to use prepaid Weaver’s Orchard containers to hold your haul.

Don’t miss: If the actual apples you pick aren’t enough, check out the market for everything from apple cider doughnuts to apple dumplings, as well as apple cider pressed on-site.

📍40 Fruit Ln., Morgantown, Pa., ↔️ 53 miles from Center City, 🕑 Market, Mon.-Sat., 8 a.m.-7 p.m., PYO, Mon.-Thur., 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Fri., 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Sat., 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. 📞 610-856-7300, 🌐 weaversorchard.com, 📷 @weaversorchard

Apple picking season is expected to run through Nov. 6 this year at Brecknock Orchard. Get out there to pick a variety of apples that includes Golden and Red Delicious, Jonamac, and Cortland before they’re gone. And if veggies are more your thing, they are offering pick-your-own on more than 40 types of pumpkins, squash, and gourds.

Don’t miss: Brecknock’s farm market has tons of homemade items like apple dumplings and pumpkin rolls, plus apple cider and fruit slushies. They even have local delivery and curbside pickup.

📍 390 Orchard Rd., Mohnton, Pa., ↔️ 63 miles from Center City, 🕑 Mon.-Tue., Thur.-Fri., 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Wed. and Sat., 8 a.m.-5 p.m., 📞 717-445-5704, 🌐 brecknockorchard.com, 📷 @brecknockorchard

Take the drive to Lehigh County for a pick-your-own visit to this orchard, where some 30,000 trees offer varieties like Autumn Gala, Cameo, and Rosalee. Each person aged three and up needs to buy at least a quarter-peck bag to enter the orchard, though larger sizes are available, too.

Don’t miss: Grim’s Fall Festival is open weekends through Oct. 31 and includes activities like a corn maze and hayrides.

📍 9875 Schantz Rd., Breinigsville, Pa., ↔️ 68 miles from Center City, 🕑 PYO, daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Bakery, Sat.-Sun., 11 a.m.-6 p.m., 📞 610-841-1417, 🌐 grimsorchard.com 📷 @grimsorchard

This article has been updated since it first published. Steven White contributed to this article.

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