Overwhelmed during midterm season? Take a break from your stresses and indulge in a relaxing Northeastern pastime: picking your own apples. Here are four good farms near New York City for both apple picking and taking that perfect fall Instagram photo.
Masker Orchard $30
45 Ball Road
Warwick, NY
How to get there: Take the NJ Transit bus from Port Authority to Warwick Park & Ride Bus Station.
With 14 varieties of apples ripening throughout the season, you’re guaranteed to find your favorites at Masker Orchards. Forbes dubbed Masker one of New York’s best orchards for its impressive accommodations and festive atmosphere. Besides pony rides, a haunted house and an apple maze, the farm’s best feature is all-you-can-eat apples while you’re picking. For $29.95 per bag, you can take home around 20 pounds of apples for your fall baking needs. The farm store is stocked with delicious apple butter, fresh jams and honey. Before returning to the city with your goods, don’t forget to try their fresh apple pies paired with vanilla ice cream.
Wightman’s Farms $10-$25
1111 Mount Kemble Ave.
Morristown, NJ
How to get there: Take the Morris & Essex line train from Penn Station to Morristown.
Since opening in 1922, Wightman’s Farms has maintained its picturesque orchard and delicious apples. With hayrides, a corn maze, pumpkin slingshots and apple-picking with tote bags, they deliver an unforgettable farm experience for a reasonable $25. If you’d prefer to focus on apple picking alone, each pound of apples is $2.39 with a one-time $7 admission fee (valid for the entirety of October). Wightman’s Farms also offers plenty of pumpkins to decorate your dorm or apartment with.
Hurds Family Farm $8-$25
2187 Route 32
Modena, NY
How to get there: Take the Trailways New York bus from Port Authority to New Paltz, NY, and take a 10 minute Uber to the farm.
Hurds Family Farm is known for its welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff — a breath of fresh air from the city. Come prepared to spend an entire day munching on Golden Delicious apples and sampling freshly baked cider donuts. There are party tents with picnic tables for al fresco dining and a group discount for you and your friends. Their apples are sold by bag size: $8 per small bag and $25 per large bag. This quaint farm’s tasty treats and scenic fields are definitely worth the journey.
After you’ve picked a large portion of apples, you may be wondering what to do with them. Go for a classic and try Tasty’s acclaimed apple pie recipe, shake up your breakfast with an apple Dutch baby pancake or get creative and try Bon Appetit’s savory grilled flatbread with apples, onions and bacon. Enjoy!
A version of this article appears in the Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 print edition. Email Cloris Yang at [email protected].