Peak apple harvest season in Virginia occurs between September and October, making a visit to an orchard the perfect fall activity for the whole family.
With orchards spread throughout the commonwealth, there are plenty of opportunities to engage in the cherished fall tradition of apple-picking. Plus, some orchards sell delicious autumnal treats, like apple pies and apple cider donuts, that will have your mouth watering.
Here’s your guide to 12 orchards in Virginia that are well worth the visit.
Northern Virginia
Great Country Farms
Location: 34345 Snickersville Turnpike, Bluemont, VA 20135
Saying that Great Country Farms is a great place to go for fall treats and a good time is an understatement.
The expansive 400-acre Blue Ridge Mountain farm offers pick-your-own apple and pumpkin experiences. Apples are only available through September, while pumpkins can be picked through the end of October.
After loading up on produce, go for a wagon ride, check out the corn bin and antique tractors, pet the friendly farm animals, or make your way through the challenging mazes.
The farm also offers a range of fall events, including Family Flashlight Corn Maze Nights on Sept. 19 and 26 and LOCO Cider Fest on Nov. 14.
On your way out, stop by the market for fresh apple cider donuts and some pumpkin butter to take home with you.
Mackintosh Fruit Farm
Location: 1608 Russell Rd., Berryville, VA 22611
Mackintosh Fruit Farm, a family-owned and operated establishment, has been a Northern Shenandoah Valley mainstay for the past 30 years. It’s where locals turn to for sustainably grown produce.
Consider visiting the farm for some apple-picking, as well as pumpkins and fall squash, before heading to The Cider Room for a glass or two of some locally made hard cider. Opt for a flight so you can sample them all.
If you go on Sept. 26 or Oct. 24, consider joining the line dancing event, which is sure to be a blast.
Western Virginia
Williams Orchard
Location: 5175 West Lee Hwy., Wytheville, VA 24382
Owned and operated by the same family for over 70 years, Williams Orchard has mature trees that produce plenty of tasty apple varieties (although you can’t pick your own here). You can also find corn, pumpkins, and gourds at the orchard.
On weekends in October, the orchard holds a Pumpkin Festival that features tractor-drawn hayrides, a corn maze, and a mini maze for children.
Showalter’s Orchard & Greenhouse
Location: 17768 Honeyville Rd., Timberville, VA 22853
Head to Showalter’s Orchard & Greenhouse, which has been a family operation since 1965, for a pick-your-own apples experience. With over 30 varieties, the picking season closes in early November with the pink lady variety.
Be sure to try some of the cider and hard cider in the expansive tasting room in the heart of the orchard. The cider pairs nicely with the freshly baked apple cider donuts.
Ikenberry Orchards
Location: 2557 Roanoke Rd., Daleville, VA 24083
Stop by Ikenberry Orchards for a wide range of pre-picked apples. The orchards have been owned and operated by four generations of the same family, so apple growing is in their blood.
While you’re there, pick up a pumpkin to take home to carve while enjoying some Ikenberry cider. The apple butter also makes for a perfect holiday gift.
Marker-Miller Orchards Farm Market
Location: 3035 Cedar Creek Grade, Winchester, VA 22602
Marker-Miller Orchards Farm Market consists of 325 acres of apples, with ripening occurring from August through November. The family that operates the orchard has been working the land since 1908, so they know what it takes to grow a good apple.
The apple varieties available in the market include gala, golden supreme, ginger gold, premier honeycrisp, sweet mia, and gold fyre. You can select your apples from large bins straight from the orchards (note that due to freezing temperatures during the spring, the orchard lost most of its apple crop and is therefore unable to offer U-Pick in 2026).
Be sure to pick up some apple baked goods, like apple cider donuts, apple cider donut holes, apple dumplings, turnovers, and apple cakes.
While you shop, let your kids frolic through the playground that features everything from a climbing wall and jungle gym to a large ship and castle.
Central Virginia
Graves’ Mountain Farm
Location: 205 Graves Mountain Ln., Syria, VA 22743
The first three weekends in October are ideal for visiting Graves’ Mountain Farm because of the Apple Harvest Festival. The festival features a range of entertainment, food, drink, and shopping options.
Stay entertained by listening to live bluegrass music, going for a horseback or hayride, petting farm animals, or wandering through the hay maze.
Festival food ranges from apple pies and apple butter donuts to Brunswick stew and homemade ice cream. Wash it down with some Graves Mountain apple wine or hard apple cider.
Do some early holiday shopping from more than 70 crafters and vendors on site. Don’t forget to take some apples home with you; the farm offers 17 varieties.
Carter Mountain Orchard
Location: 1435 Carter Mountain Trl., Charlottesville, VA 22902
Carter Mountain Orchard offers U-Pick apples with views of the picturesque valley surrounding Charlottesville. Apple picking season runs from mid-August through November, with seven varieties of apples available.
After picking apples on a crisp autumn morning, stop by the country store and bakery for some hot cider and an apple cider donut. Pick up a jar of cinnamon apple sauce to take home with you.
Silver Creek and Seamans’ Orchards
Location: 5529 Crabtree Falls Hwy., Tyro, VA 22976
This fall, head to Silver Creek and Seamans’ Orchards, which has been around since 1950.
The orchards are only offering pick-your-own experiences on select dates this fall because frost impacted growth earlier in the season. Gala, early fuji, and honey crisp are the varieties of apples currently available. Be sure to also pick up a gallon of cider to take home.
Mark your calendar for the first and third Saturdays of October for the Apple Butter Makin’ Festival, which features apples, cider, pumpkins, a corn maze, crafters, live music, clowns, and lots of apple butter.
The pumpkin patch and corn maze are open throughout October.
Saunders Brothers Orchard & Farm Museum
Location: 2717 Tye Brook Hwy., Piney River, VA 22964
Saunders Brothers Orchard & Farm Museum dates back to 1915, when five brothers started harvesting apples, rabbits, and tobacco. Today, the 160-acre orchard is still going strong, specializing in apples, peaches, and pears.
Check the website to see which varieties are ripe before you visit, and stop by the market to pick up some apple butter or some peach preserves before you head back home.
Note that this orchard doesn’t offer U-Pick.
Gross Orchard
Location: 6817 Wheats Valley Rd., Bedford, VA 24523
Offering picturesque views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains, Gross Orchard is an excellent spot for picking your own apples. Located near Peaks of Otter, the site is ideal for fruit trees because there is less frost and the soil offers plenty of nutrients. That’s why the Gross family has been growing fruit here for nearly 100 years.
If you’d prefer to keep it simple, you can visit the country store for pre-picked baskets of apples and various other authentic old-fashioned mountain foods, like cider, apple butter, and preserves.
You can explore the 100-acre orchard while picking your apples or by going for a hayride.
Coastal Virginia
Cullipher Farm
Location: 772 Princess Anne Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23457
Although most of the commonwealth’s orchards are located more inland, Cullipher Farm proves that apples grow in all corners of Virginia. The Cullipher family has been farming in the region for nearly 200 years. Today, they offer sustainably grown fresh produce, like apples that you can pick on your own.
The apple harvest season runs through the middle of October, with pumpkins being available for picking from mid-September through early November.
The 9-acre corn maze is a can’t-miss feature of the farm. It features a new theme each year.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
