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8 Best Apple Orchards in Upstate NY Featured Image

8 Best Apple Orchards in Upstate NY

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Fall is here, and what better way to embrace the season than to engage all your senses at an apple orchard in Upstate New York? Apple picking, corn mazes, and farm stores await your presence—and taste buds! 

You can access it all a short drive from a Red Cottage home. We’ve curated many properties in the region intertwine just enough with nature to give you crisp, peaceful mornings with stellar views—along with all the amenities and luxuries you need to relax Upstate. 

Lucky for us, New York State has absolutely no shortage of spots to pick apples. Many of the orchards on our list also have on-site farm markets, pumpkin patches, cider mills, tasting rooms, and more to complement the fresh apples you’ll pick. 

Here are eight must visit apple orchards to add to your Upstate NY itinerary.

1. Samascott Orchards

Photo Credit: Phil via Flickr CC2.0

This beloved “Pick Your Own” orchard will take you to the charming village of Kinderhook, known for its numerous artisan shops and quaint eateries. Samascott Orchards is a family-owned and operated orchard that traces its roots back to the early 1900s. Originally a dairy farm, it now boasts over 200 acres of orchards. 

After you’ve filled your crate with Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Cortland, Rome, R.I. Greening, & Idared apples, head over to the hand-pressed cidery and try one of the bespoke flavors like pear or apple-strawberry. The farm store is also a great spot to load up on farm fresh eggs, homemade “hard ice cream,” and cider donuts made from scratch at their on-site bakery. Finally, toss your crate of farm fresh goods in the back of one of their four-person pedal bikes available for rent and tour the rest of the orchard in country style. 

2. Fishkill Farms

Founded in 1913, the 100 year old Fishkill Farms started as a veggie and dairy farm. Today, the family farm sells tens of thousands of apples, with about half of their orchards organic. Certain varieties of apples become available for picking after October, but you’ll find many types of apples year-round, like Ambrosias, Galas, Red and Golden Delicious, and McIntoshes. They are also known for having the best apple cider donuts around.

And if the kiddos get bored? Check out the on-site corn maze for a reasonable $5 per person. Before you return to your rental, be sure to pick up some ready-made meals, hot apple cider, or baked goods from the farm store. Admission is free—all you need to pay for is the apples, but double-check if you’re going with a big group. 

3. Indian Ladder Farms

Photo Credit: Roger Stump via Flickr CC2.0

How would you like to squeeze in apple picking, a Biergarten outing, and farm animal visits all into one afternoon? You can make that happen with a quick trip to Indian Ladder Farms. Apple picking lasts from September till the end of October, and visitors can pick from delectable, tart Rome apples, sweet Mutsus, crisp Galas, and more, depending on the time they visit. 

They’re also well-known for their delicious pizza. Try to go early to make the most of this fabulous farm and its offerings before the crowds arrive. 

4. Stone Ridge Orchard

Photo Credit: Stone Ridge Orchard

Stone Ridge Orchard brings 200 years of farming experience to today’s upstate NY locals and vacationers. Their apple trees deliver fabulously juicy Staymans, Mcintoshes, Cortlands, and Golden Delicious apples in the fall season. Don’t expect them to find more in the back—when they’re out, they’re out, though that simply reflects their business’s organic, homegrown nature. 

And if you’re celebrating a family milestone? You can rent out the farm bar onsite for private events filled with cider tastings, cocktails, and homebrewed beer. 

5. Soons Orchards

Photo Credit: Soons Orchards ~ Farm Market & Apple Orchards

Soons Orchards brings nearly 60 years of apple harvest excellence to the region. They offer U-Pick apples, pumpkins, and peaches in the fall season, attracting tons of crowds each weekend. 

Browse through 700-foot-long rows of apple trees to select some of the finest Arlets, Tsugarus, Honeycrisps, Empires, and many more apple varieties. While apple picking lasts till late October, you can always purchase fresh, on-site apple cider until May – you can make that a hard cider with alcohol at the on-site Tap Room. Enjoy crisp ciders, beer, whiskey, and wine, along with homemade meals for every foodie to unwind after a long afternoon of apple picking. 

6. Majestic Farm

Photo Credit: Majestic Farm

Majestic Farm is a family-friendly source of organic apples and meats. Visitors can revel in roaming peacock sightings and visit the farm animals like chickens, pigs, and cows raised and harvested humanely for some of the region’s most healthy, organic agricultural products. 

You can enjoy the on-site farmers market and purchase fresh, grass-fed meats and more from them to show your support of local orchards. 

7. Apple Dave’s Orchards

Photo Credit: Adrienne Luis via Flickr CC2.0

Set on an impressive hill that offers uninterrupted views of a tranquil lake, Apple Dave’s Orchards is a great destination for honeymoon couples and friends alike. While they offer some of the area’s most crisp and juicy apples, they don’t have as many kid-friendly activities like corn mazes as some of the other orchards do. 

Crunch in comfort with this farm’s sustainable Cornell Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, which allow the farm to produce apples with as few man-made materials as possible. And once you’re done all your picking? Meander over to the farm distillery for a comforting hot toddy or a unique apple wine variety—you deserve it. 

Admission to the orchard costs $5, and apple bags cost $25—the best part? They’re open seven days a week, unlike some of the other orchards on our list that are only open on the weekends.

8. Barton Orchards

Photo Credit: Jessica Van Wormer via Flickr CC2.0

Barton Orchards stands out for its plentiful car shows, festivals, and family-friendly events that run all the way from late August to fall and beyond. Take your pick (literally) of Ida Reds, Mutsus, Cameos, Suncrisps, Snap Dragons, and Red and Golden Delicious apples any day of the week—and don’t forget to grab a pumpkin, too! 

This family-owned orchard spans over 175 acres and even hosts a multitude of attractions and activities like a petting zoo, hay rides, live music, tap room, and kids’ fun park. Don’t forget to snag a bottle of apple cider, maple syrup, jams, or honey from the farm store onsite.

Enjoy Apple Picking with Red Cottage 

Whether you’re after fresh, organic apples, family-friendly activities, or peaceful views of the fall foliage, upstate NY apple orchards do not disappoint. Luckily, each of our rentals are only a short drive away from an apple orchard. 

After you’ve picked your bushel and had your fair share of apple cider, retreat back to your comfortable abode away from home and indulge in our plush beds, inviting living spaces, on-site hot tubs, or pools, depending on your rental. Book your upstate NY getaway today!

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