The crunch of leaves under your feet deeply satisfies your desire for fall. Revisiting your Fall jacket for the first time in almost a year sends a chill down your spine. The superior season has come around, and you could not be happier. Not to mention, you get to partake in some of Fall’s best outdoor activities, such as apple picking.
Whether with your family, friends or by yourself, apple picking is something most people love. Not only do you get to feel the thrill of collecting your own food, but you will have some delicious and fresh apples to take home to cook, bake, or snack with! Apple picking on Long Island does not stop at retrieving little bundles of juicy goodness. Many orchards will sell their own apple-based goods such as cider, donuts, pies, and more. Done with picking apples? Stick around for hayrides, corn mazes, playgrounds, and more Fall-Esque games!
Interested in partaking in this activity? We have compiled a list of our favorite apple orchards on Long Island for you. Check them out before the end of the apple-picking season!
Best Apple Picking in Long Island
1.) Richter’s Orchard – Northport, NY
Address: 1 Richters Drive, Northport, NY 11768
Phone: (631) 261-1980
Hours of Operation: Mon through Sat from 9 AM – 5:30 PM and Sun from 10 AM – 5 PM
Stated as “one of the best apple orchards on Long Island,” Richter’s Orchard offers a lot in terms of experience. Between the beautiful drive to the orchard in Northport and the apple trees that line their driveway, this is one of the most authentic apple-picking experiences you can get. They have items for purchase other than the apples and a friendly crew to guide you along. Richter’s is open from August to May.
2.) Harbes Family Farm – Riverhead, NY
Address: 5698 Sound Avenue, Riverhead, NY 11901
Phone: (631) 683 – 8388
Hours of Operation: Mon through Fri from 10 AM – 5 PM and Weekends and Holidays from 9 AM to 6 PM. Closed Tues, Wed, and Thurs.
Harbes is one of our team’s personal favorites. Not only is it a beautiful orchard that immerses you in the fall spirit, but the food they sell is also fantastic. There is nothing like a hot cup of fresh apple cider on a cold day with an apple cider donut on the side. The combination is fantastic, the apples are fantastic, and it is all around a really phenomenal experience. They are famous for their pies, so make sure to pick one up on your way out! Harbes is open for apple picking throughout the month of November.
3.) Lewin Farms – Calverton, NY
Address: 812 Sound Avenue, Calverton, NY 11933
Phone: (631) 929 – 4327
Hours of Operation: Mon through Sun from 9 AM – 4:30 PM.
Throughout our research, Lewin Farms is a name that popped up multiple times. Not only do they offer apple picking, but you can also pick tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and pumpkins/gourds. Apple picking runs until the end of November, and the others vegetables stop around early November, so we recommend calling in advance to double-check. They also have a corn maze that is open on weekends from 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM. The farm offers free parking and no admission fees, so even if you don’t find anything worth your while, it’s still worth a visit.
4.) Milk Pail U-Pick Farm – Water Mill, NY
Address: 50 Horsemill Lane, Water Mill, NY 11976
Phone: (631) 537 – 2565
Hours of Operation: Fri through Sun from 10 AM – 5:30 PM
With various apples to choose from, Milk Pail U-Pick Farm offers a great experience for its customers. You pick your ticket according to how many people you want to enter the orchard and how many pounds of apples you plan on picking. Not only that, but they also have pumpkin and gourd picking. Before you visit, we recommend checking their website to see the types of apples or pumpkins they have available at the farm that day. There is also a Milk Pail Market which you can visit after your picking extravaganza! At this market, they have a plethora of fresh fruits/vegetables for purchase, gifts, drinks/food, flowers, and other wonderful items to bring home. Whereas their apple picking is only open until mid-November, their market is open year-round. So, if you happen to miss out on apple picking, you can still give them a visit!
5.) Mediavilla Orchards – Huntington, NY
Address: 1527 E Jericho Turnpike, Huntington, NY 11743
Phone: (631) 423 – 4794
Hours of Operation: Tues through Sun from 10 AM – 4 PM
If going out east is not ideal for you and you want to stay closer to central Long Island, Mediavilla Orchards is a fantastic option. This spot is family-owned and mainly run by a mother and daughter duo. Not only are the owners friendly, but the deliciousness of apples and other food sold at this stand is apparently impeccable! Although you cannot pick the apples yourself, the apples that they do offer are “just picked” by their team and done so with impressive amounts of quality control. They also sell things like jellies, chestnuts, peaches, pears, and cider. Mediavilla Orchards is cash only, so keep that in mind.
6.) Seven Ponds Orchard – Water Mill, NY
Address: 65 7 Ponds Road, Water Mill, NY 11976
Phone: (631) 726 – 8015
Hours of Operation: Mon through Sun from 9 AM – 6 PM
Seven Ponds Orchard is open until Thanksgiving and offers many fruits/vegetables to pick from. Apples, berries, vegetables, sunflowers, and pumpkins are all usually readily available for purchase. This is yet another place where we recommend calling in advance to assure that they have the item you are interested in because some are seasonal (pumpkins and sunflowers). There is also a farmers market, corn maze, playground, and hayride on site for some extra fun.
Carly is a freelance writer with interest in topics pertaining to lifestyle blogging, social justice, and anything to do with film/media. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a degree in English & Literary studies in hopes to write for a large music publication. When she is not writing, you can find her watching movies, cooking her famous Carbonara, and enjoying time outdoors.