The cool, crisp air is here, which means it’s apple season! As pick-your-own goes, apples are without a doubt the best crop to harvest as a family. You don’t have to worry about the blazing sun or humidity, and kids will love traipsing through the trees at your local orchard. Plus, apple picking is usually accompanied by apple cider, cider doughnuts, and hayrides, which are all things that make autumn the best season in New England.
Another great thing about apple picking is that going to the orchard is just the beginning of the fun. If you’re like most families, you’ll end up with way too many apples. But that’s OK. You can spend the next week making tons of apple-inspired treats! Kids will love working with their favorite babysitter or nanny to make applesauce, apple jelly, and of course, apple pie.
Luckily, we’re surrounded by gorgeous apple orchards. Here are 10 of the best places to go apple picking around Boston.
Cider Hill Farm
Address: 45 Fern Ave., Amesbury, MA 01913
Hours: Pick-your-own open daily, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (when in season)
Phone: 978-388-5525
Fees: A peck (about 10 pounds), $20 for up to four people | A half-bushel (about 20 pounds), $35 for up to six people.
With a name like Cider Hill, this place has to know a thing or two about delicious apples. At the farm, you’ll find numerous trees for picking, an expansive farm store, and plenty to keep the little ones entertained. Kids will love visiting Farmer Glenn’s Trike Yard, where they can peddle around and play in the giant sandbox. When they’re ready to move on, a trip to visit the farm animals or the bee observatory is a perfect option.
Cider Hill Farm makes a point of being family friendly, which is no surprise because it has been family-run since the ‘70s. However, the trees can be a bit far from the parking lot, and it’s all uphill. It’s a good idea to bring a stroller or wagon to keep your little pickers happy during this visit.
Carver Hill Orchard
Address: 101 Brookside Ave., Stow, MA 01775
Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Call ahead for picking conditions.)
Phone: 978-897-6117
Fees: A peck, $25 | A half-bushel, $25
Carver Hill Orchard is about 50 minutes outside Boston, but you’ll feel a world away. The owners of the farm aim to bring you back to how life used to be: a little quieter, a little calmer, and a lot more peaceful. The farm is fairly basic, selling apple cider doughnuts on the weekends and hot dogs, drinks, and apple crisp from a farm stand every day — all of which are perfect for picnicking in the orchards!
This orchard is less busy than some of the competition, which makes it perfect if you’re looking to avoid the crowds that descend on many of the orchards around Boston during weekends in the fall. Here, you’ll feel like you can let the kids run around without losing them in the crowd, and you can really enjoy a calm day of apple picking.
Parlee Farms
Address: 95 Farwell Road, Tyngsborough, MA 01879
Hours: Tuesday – Friday, noon – 4 p.m. | Saturday & Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Orchard Hours)
Phone: 978-649-3854
Fees:
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Weekdays: A peck, $23 for up to four people | A half-bushel, $32 for up to 6 people | Add one additional person, $5 (Only infants excluded from people count.) | No hayrides on weekdays.
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Weekends: A peck, $25 for up to four people | A half-bushel, $35 for up to 6 people | Add one additional person, $5 (Only infants excluded from people count.) | Cost includes hayride to orchard.
Parlee Farms, which is about 45 minutes north of the city, has gained a reputation as a great place for family picking. The farm has over 20 varieties of apples, and your trip to the orchard includes a hayride on weekends, which will probably be your children’s favorite part of the experience. The orchard is a short walk from the farmstand if you’re visiting on weekdays, when they don’t offer hayrides to and from. Hours listed here are weather permitting, and they always encourage you to confirm hours on the day you plan to visit.
Parlee Farms really shines after the picking is finished. The farm is home to “Annie’s Goats in the Trees,” where goats stroll over wooden walkways high above the ground. Of course, the goats are just a small portion of the more than 70 animals that kids can visit in the petting zoo. Dads will love watching kids race on Farmer Mark’s Tractor Training Course, where they can drive small electric tractors. The younger ones will enjoy exploring the Hay Play Area, a kid-sized maze. (Note: Kids must be wearing sneakers to go into the Hay Play Area.)
Honey Pot Hill Orchards
Address: 138 Sudbury Road, Stow, MA 01775
Hours: Pick-your-own open daily, 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Phone: 978-562-5666
Fees: A peck, $18 for up to three people | A half-bushel, $28 for up to five people | Each additional person, $6 | Pick-your-own is cash or check only, but there are ATMs at the farm stand.
Honey Pot Hill Orchards offers so much more than just apple picking. It is truly a fall extravaganza. The farm store sell fruits, vegetables, apple cider, and apple cider doughnuts, which will give you plenty to munch on before you head out into the orchards. As you go in and out, be sure to stop and visit the goats, sheep, chicks, and other farm animals that are kept near the store.
After picking apples, take time to wind your way through one of the three hedge mazes on site. The Big Green Monster Hedge Maze will take you about an hour to complete. (The cost is $11.95 for ages 16 and up, $7.95 for ages 4 to 15, and free for kids under 3.) If your kids aren’t up for that much adventure, try the smaller Mini Monster Hedge Maze ($2 per person on weekdays, and $4 on weekends) or the Tunnel Maze (free with admission to one of the other mazes). If you’ve had enough walking after picking apples, skip the corn maze and head for the hayrides, which are $2 per person. Those extra activities are sure to tire out the kids for the hour-long drive back to Boston.
Russell Orchards
Address: 143 Argilla Road, Ipswich, MA 01938
Hours: Apple picking open daily, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Phone: 978-356-5366
Fees: Note: Pick your own is cash only.
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Weekdays: Pick-your-own apples, $1.95/lb. + $3 per person entry fee for ages 2+
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Weekends: Pick-your-own apples, $20 for 10-lb. bag for up to 4 people (hayride included)
At Russell Orchards — right near the ocean and only 2 miles from famous Crane Beach — you can pick apples while enjoying the salt air. That’s not the only thing that makes this orchard unique. It’s also a winery, and during the fall, you can taste wine and hard apple ciders made on-site. The wine tasting room is open Friday through Sunday from noon to 5:30 p.m.
If you’re coming for the apples, you won’t be disappointed. The orchard is right near the farm entrance, so this is a great destination for little ones who can’t walk too far. After you’re done picking, kids will love feeding the barnyard animals, which include everything from horses to peacocks. Russell Orchards is about a 50-minute drive from Boston.
Smolak Farms
Address: 315 S. Bradford St., North Andover, MA 01845
Hours: Orchards open daily (weather & crop permitting), 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Last admission at 4:15 p.m.)
Phone: 978-682-6332
Fees: A peck bag, $25 | A half-bushel bag, $40 (basket, $45) | Admission to Children’s Festival, $15 per child (adults & kids under 2, free)
Smolak Farms — about 40 minutes north of Boston — offers every fall activity you could want, including apple picking, face painting, a corn maze, and hayrides. It’s no wonder this is a popular spot for families from all over Massachusetts. Apple picking is open every day, but a weekday excursion will offer you the charm of the farm without the crowds.
However, the farm really comes to life during the weekend Harvest Festivals. Although it sounds like a formal event, the Harvest Festivals are just a way for Smolak Farms to pack some extra fun onto the farm each weekend. This includes the the Children’s Festival, where your kids can ride a train, visit the playground and petting zoo, and much more. The Alice in Wonderland-themed corn maze is also open on weekends only. With all that going on, it’s no surprise that Smolak Farms gets very busy. So be prepared to deal with crowds!
Lookout Farm
Address: 89 Pleasant St. S., Natick, MA 01760
Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Phone: 508-651-1539
Fees:
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Weekdays: Admission ages 2+, $12 (under 2, free)
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Weekends: Admission adults, $16 | Kids, $14 (under 2, free)
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Fruit bags: Small, $14 | Medium, $22 | Large, $36 (Free admission weekdays, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., for 1 person with purchase of 1 bag)
Lookout Farm in Natick has been operating since 1650 — an impressive amount of time. The Belkin family (husband and wife duo Steve and Joan) purchased the farm in 2005 and have made it into a family destination. The farm charges admission to get in, but there is plenty to do that makes it worth the money.
The farm’s website says weekday admission includes “train rides, farm-themed play area, farm animals, children’s caterpillar ride, farm maze, hay pyramid, Imagination Playground blocks, moon bounces and more!” And on Saturday and Sunday, admission includes “children’s face painting and hayrides (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.) In the Children’s Play Area you can find Pony rides, delicious BBQ and homemade gelato available for an additional cost.”
Ride to one of the apple orchards on one of the signature trains that snake through the farm property. When you’re done, hop on a 20-minute hayride. You’ll see more of the property and learn about the farm’s history.
Carlson Orchards
Address: 115 Oak Hill Road, Harvard, MA 01451
Hours: Open daily, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Phone: 978-456-3916
Fees: A peck, $19 | A half-bushel, $29
Carlson Orchards is a second-generation family operation and a 120-acre working farm. These people know all there is to know about apples, with more than 14 varieties on hand. While the well-known staples like Macs and Granny Smiths are available, there are also more rare varieties, like Jonagolds (a hybrid of Jonathan and Golden Delicious that is both sweet and tart) and the Northern Spy, which is perfect for use in cooking.
At Carlson Orchards, the focus is on the fruit rather than rides or other attractions, so this orchard tends to be a bit quieter than some other options and thus great for smaller kids or little ones who might get overwhelmed in a crowd. The food, however, is to die for. Be sure to try the apple crisp on-site and take some apple jam back home with you.
Berlin Orchards
Address: 115 Oak Hill Road, Harvard, MA 01451
Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Phone: 978-838-2400
Fees:
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Weekends: A peck, $25 | A half-bushel, $35 | Haywagon ride to and from orchard included.
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Weekdays: A peck, $20 | A half-bushel, $30 | No haywagon rides on weekdays.
Berlin Orchards has a sweet atmosphere and a focus on family fun. The farm has been growing apples for 50 years and continues to provide a calm, throwback atmosphere. There aren’t any bounce houses or rides (other than the weekend haywagon that takes you to the trees), but kids will love seeing the animals or pretending in the playhouses that are perfectly sized for toddler fun.
On the weekends, pony rides and face painting are available. If you visit during the week, the farm will be quieter, but there will be no haywagon operating, so be sure to bring a stroller or wagon for tired little ones and heavy bags of apples. Berlin Orchards is about 45 minutes outside of Boston.
Dowse Orchards
Address: 98 N. Main St., Sherborn, MA 01770
Hours: Saturday & Sunday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Phone: 508-653-2639
Fees: A half-peck, $16
Dowse Orchards has been growing apples for more than 200 years, so you can be assured a great crop. The orchard in Sherborn is just over 30 minutes from Boston, so the ride is simple and easy for even the most unhappy passengers. Once you arrive at the farm, you’ll be able to chose from more than 20 varieties of apples grown over 50 acres of trees. Pretty amazing!
Compared with some other area farms, Dowse Orchards is old-fashioned. There is no huge playground or colorful festivals — just a simple farm stand and plenty of trees. This is a great option if you want a quieter day of picking where you can really focus on simple fun.
What’s your favorite place to pick apples around Boston? Let us know in the comments below!
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