Hayrides, apple orchards, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and cider mills
Fall has almost arrived, and with it comes many exciting activities including hayrides, apple orchards, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and cider mills. If you’re in northern Virginia and looking to have your most fun fall yet, we have you covered with this roundup of places you must visit.
Hayrides
Krop’s Crops
Location: Great Falls
If you’re having trouble getting excited about fall, a visit to Krop’s Crops is sure to bring the autumn vibes back into your life. “We have hayrides to the pumpkin patch, Winchester apples, fresh-pressed apple cider, fall squash and gourds, harvest and Halloween decorations, farm animals and a corn bin to play in,” the website for this seasonal 22-acre farm reads.
Hayrides are offered from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on weekends in October.
Cox Farms
Location: Centreville
Photo courtesy of Cox Farms
Cox Farms has held an action-packed fall festival for the whole family every year since 1985, with a hayride tradition that goes back even further to 1979.
“This 20-minute wagon ride pulled by an antique tractor is an adventure as you visit our aliens, jungle, old west town and enchanted barn,” the farm’s website reads.
While at the festival, explore the winding Cornundrum maze, which is filled with pirates, caves, jungles, and other surprises. Then sample some locally grown apples and cider from Marker Miller Orchards and Rinker Orchards. Which brings us to our next autumnal idea…
Apple Orchards
Stribling Orchard
Location: Markham
Stribling Orchard has a rich history, with some of its 2,500 apple trees dating back to the early 1930s. During apple season, the orchard has nearly two dozen varieties available for picking, including Ginger Gold, Lodi, Gala, and Honeycrisp.
“Relax, bring a picnic, and enjoy our breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains,” the orchard’s website reads. “Come see our historic buildings, visit our many farm animals, and pick some of Virginia’s finest fruit.”
Pumpkins can also be found at the orchard, be they heirlooms, jack-o’-lantern, or inside pie.
Valley View Farm
Location: Delaplane
Photo courtesy of Valley View Farm
Visit Valley View Farm in September and October for a pick-your-own apple orchard experience that features a slew of varieties. Wait until October to visit when the pumpkins are ripe so you can take a couple home with you to carve. Or you can hit Valley View for your apples and visit one of the below venues later for a pumpkin.
Pumpkin Patches
Wegmeyer Farms
Location: Hamilton
Wegmeyer Farms opens its pumpkin patch on Sept. 24. You’ll find more than 50 varieties of pumpkins in the patch, including the traditional jack-o’-lantern and heirlooms. The pumpkins are grown using no-till practices, which are implemented for conservation purposes but also allow for clean, well-rounded pumpkins and a mud-free picking environment.
Green Truck Farm
Location: Markham
Green Truck Farm is described as being “just 50 minutes from the Beltway in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.” Visit the farm from September through October to pick your own pumpkins as well as winter squash, which despite its name is harvested in autumn.
Great Country Farms
Location: Bluemont
Situated on 400 acres, Great Country Farms has been a working family farm since 1993. “We welcome you to visit our farm, create some memories and begin your farm adventure as part of our family farm,” the website states.
The family divides up the farm’s fall schedule with the apple harvest occurring from Sept. 1-30 and the pumpkin harvest taking place from Oct. 1-31. Be sure to buy a ticket before showing up.
Yankey Farms
Location: Bristow
Yankey Farms is your one-stop shop for all things fall. In addition to having a multi-acre pumpkin patch where you can pick the pumpkins right from the spot where they were grown beginning in late September, it also offers a number of other treasured fall activities.
“You can come out and pick the perfect pumpkin, get lost in our corn maze, take a hayride, visit with our farm animals, take a trip on the cow trail, and play in the kids play area,” the website reads.
Corn Mazes
Belvedere Plantation
Location: Fredericksburg
Belvedere Plantation has 25 fall-related activities to keep you and your kids busy. You’ll surely enjoy wandering through the Great Adventure Maize Maze, which has only grown more impressive since Belvedere’s first maze in 1997.
You can also take a wagon ride to the pumpkin patch, where the perfect pumpkin is waiting to be taken home and carved into a jack-o’-lantern.
Cider Mills
Henway Hard Cider Company
Location: Bluemont
Photo courtesy of Henway Hard Cider Company
Henway Hard Cider Company launched in 2019. “Seasonality and sense of place are our focus,” the company writes on its website. “As we incorporate orchard fruits, like plums and cherries, and berries like black raspberries and strawberries, we hope you feel a connection to our orchards and fields with every sip of our hard cider.”
Some of the featured ciders include the Spring Spice, an off-dry cider flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove with a hint of lemon; and The Peach, an off-dry cider that is light and refreshing with notes of delicate peach flavors and white blossom.
While at the cidery, check out the fourth annual Adult Corn Maze that runs on Fridays and Saturdays from Oct. 13-28. The maze will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Zurschmeide family farm and will include bonfires, live music, cider, and snacks.
Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery
Location: Middleburg
Photo courtesy of Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery
Visit The Cider Barn at Mt. Defiance Cidery & Distillery for some refreshing cider. “We’ve been producing artisan cider since 2014, with the goal of honoring the tradition behind American cider making,” Mt. Defiance’s website reads.
Some of the ciders on tap include Farmhouse Style Hard Cider, Old Volstead’s Homemade Cider, and General’s Reserve Hard Cider. Food trucks are onsite on weekends.
