Fall is in the air. Picking the perfect apple is a fall staple, and there are plenty of spots within driving distance from Charlotte where the tradition is already underway. Here are 10 orchards within two hours of Charlotte where you can pick your own apples.
Apple Hill Orchard @ 2075 Pleasant Hill Avenue, Morganton, NC 28655. This orchard has a cider mill, a country store, educational tours, group tours and a bakery. Stock up on cider and sweets (including apple cider donuts) before you leave. The bakery and U-pick are open. You must reserve a pass prior to going. They are open Monday-Saturday, 9AM-6PM.
Blueberry Thrill Farm @ 6938 Eaglesfield Road, Gibsonville, NC 27249. The farm is a second-generation family-owned-farm that started in 1982. They offer a variety of pick-your-own and pre-picked fruit and flowers. Come relax in the country and enjoy gathering your own produce on the farm. They are currently closed for the summer picking season. They fall dates have not been determined yet but will be open on select Saturdays during the fall season.
Carrigan Farms @ 1261 Oakridge Farm Highway, Mooresville, NC 28115. Apple picking is Tuesday, September 3rd through September 22nd. Their tractor-drawn apple orchard hayrides take you through rows of short apple trees that are easy to pick. Reservations are required and cost $15 per person.
Jeter Mountain Farm @ 1126 Jeter Mountain Road, Hendersonville, NC 28739. Find over 25 varieties of apples at this farm’s U-pick orchard located minutes from downtown historic Hendersonville. When you arrive at the farm, a tractor-pulled wagon will take your family around the farm so that you can hop off where you want at the orchard. The last wagon heads to the field at 3:30PM each open day. Plan your visit ahead of time by checking their website for hours of operation and fruit availability as they vary.
Millstone Creek Orchards @ 506 Crossroads Church Road, Ramseur, NC 27316. On Saturdays, a $18.95 ticket gets you access to the orchard, a bag of U-pick apples, apple and cider tastings, a hayride and a four-ounce apple cider slushie. Check their website for hours of operation, fruit availability and pricing.
Perry-Lowe Orchard @ 8741 North Carolina 16, Moravian Falls, NC 28654. U-pick opening weekend is August 31st and September 1st. Reservations are required and you can make them online. A tractor ride through the orchard is included with the $2 admission. They are open Monday-Saturday 8AM-5PM.
Sky Top Orchard @1193 Pinnacle Mountain Road, Zirconia, NC 28731. Sky Top is a gorgeous mountaintop orchard where you can pick apples, bring a picnic, meet farm animals and relax with your friends and family. They have apple cider donuts and tons of apple-related goods you can purchase and take home, like apple butter, jams, fudge and cider. The U-pick season has begun. Check out which varieties are available here.
Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard @ 170 Stepp Orchard Drive, Hendersonville, NC 28792. Make a day of apple picking, hayrides, a corn maze and more, all with beautiful mountain views. You can find a full breakdown of all the apple varieties (and possible uses) here. The U-pick season has begun.
The Orchard at Altapass @ 1025 Orchard Road, Spruce Pine, NC 28777. They have an entire trail map for you to use if you want to bring a little more adventure to your day of apple picking. The orchard boasts more than 20 varieties of apples. It also hosts events with live music regularly. U-pick tours happen every hour, on the hour 10AM-4PM, Wednesday-Sunday. Make sure to check out guidelines here.
Windy Hill Orchard and Cider Mill @ 1860 Black Highway, York, SC 29745. About an hour from Charlotte, Windy Hill is a destination for apple picking. After you fill your basket, reward yourself with a well-earned flight of hard cider and apple donuts. The farm stand is open for to-go purchases and The Cider Bar has hard cider ready for drinking. U-pick season starts in early September (reservations only).
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