2025 Best Orchards for Apple Picking in Georgia
It’s apple season! Pick your own crisp, juicy apples and enjoy family-friendly extras at one of these orchards. Expect to pay around $10 per half-peck of apples. Be sure to check with the apple orchard on availability before you go.
Red Apple Barn
The orchard’s $11.95 admission fee includes picking one apple, a tractor ride to the orchard, farm tour, games, cider, flowers and a doughnut. Enjoy the kids’ playground, and stop in the farm market, which sells everything from fried pies to peanut brittle. The pumpkin patch is expected to open in late September. Additional apples cost $6-$34. Aug. 23-Oct. 30. Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sun. 1-4 p.m.
B.J. Reece Orchard
Crimson Crisp, Rome Beauty and Gala are just a few of the apple varieties available to pick; apple picking bags are $10-$40. Farm fun includes the slide, petting farm, wagon ride, pig races, rubber duck races and more, with the pricing from $8-$26. Grab an apple cider donut or fried pie at the Market & Bakery before heading home. Aug. 23-Oct. 31. Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sun. 1-6 p.m.
R & A Orchards
This farm planted its first apple trees more than 70 years ago and today has more than 60 acres of trees, including Winesap, Ginger Golden and Jona Gold. The market is open daily from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m., and u-pick apples, u-pick flowers and farm tours are available on weekends. Aug. 30-Oct. 26.
Hillcrest Orchards
The orchard’s farm market and bakery opens on Aug. 30, along with the petting farm, jumping pillows, wagon ride and playgrounds. Their Apple Pickin’ Jubilees occur on weekends in Sept.-Oct. and cost $22; visitors can pick from several tasty varieties, including Granny Smith and Goldrush. Attractions include the apple tree maze, wagon rides, farm activities and games. Aug. 30-Nov. 30.
Hillside Orchard
Visit during the fall season for the corn maze themed around “Mountain Music,” picking pumpkins and taking a train ride or hayride. Pick your own apples, and shop their market for pumpkins, sweet potato fried pies and more. Opening mid.-Sept.
Mercier Orchards
Take a tractor ride through this 300+ acre orchard of seasonal fruits and veggies. Check their website to see what u-pick varieties of apples are available. Pick up pecan chicken salad, pimento cheese, loaded potato salad, jams, jellies, preserves, apple butter, fried pies and more in the market. Admission is $12 and includes a container. Through Oct.
Aaron Family Orchards
Shop for a variety of apples, including Gala, Detroit Red, Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith and more, along with apple cider vinegar, pumpkin butter, muscadine jelly, salsas and ciders. Families will love the petting farm, a pumpkin patch and u-pick sunflowers and zinnias ($10 per cup). Through Oct.
Events:
Big Red Apple Festival in Downtown Cornelia
This festival features hayrides, fresh apples, train rides, axe throwing, cornhole, live entertainment and more. Sept. 20.
Georgia Apple Festival in Ellijay
Ellijay is known for being apple country and this fall festival celebrates their prized fruit with a parade and apple-themed activities. Oct. 11-12 and 18-19.
