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Apple Picking in New Jersey: Best Apple Orchards for Apple Picking with Kids

It's not fall in New Jersey without a trip to one of these apple-picking orchards. Photo by Rose Gordon Sala

8/27/23 - By Rachel Sokol

Fall is on the horizon, and in the Garden State, that means it's time to go apple picking. No matter where you live in New Jersey, there's bound to be a pick-your-own farm nearby. In addition to apple picking, many local farms also offer awesome seasonal activities like corn mazes, hayrides, and petting zoos.

So, grab a few baskets and head out to one of these great New Jersey apple orchards and farms.

For more great things to do in autumn, check out our story on NJ's best fall day trips and much more in our Fall Fun Guide for New Jersey Kids.

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Note: Please contact the orchards before heading out to confirm hours and available amenities. Many orchards are small, family-run establishments that can close suddenly. Weekday hours are often limited and vary greatly. Also, leave animals at home, or you may be asked to leave apple-free.

Where To Go Apple Picking in Northern New Jersey

1. Demarest Farms – Hillsdale

This popular farm boasts 14 varieties of pick-your-own apples. Apple picking is permitted on Saturdays and Sundays beginning in early September. The $8 per-person entrance fee gets you playground access and time with the farm animals; pay an additional fee for a bag to hold all the apples you can pick. Children under 2 are FREE! Stop in the farm store for treats like ice cream and apple cider doughnuts. The 2023 picking season opens September 2, 2023, and online reservations are required. Tickets for specific time slots must be purchased in advance; in-person tickets will not be sold, and hayrides will be available this year on Saturdays and Sundays.

2. Alstede Farms – Chester

Talk about agritainment: In addition to being open for daily apple picking, the farm offers special attractions like an evergreen maze, corn maze, hayrides, and a giant hay pyramid every single day—not just on weekends. The farm does charge an admission fee (which includes a hayride), and certain activities like pony rides and the moon bounce house are not included. Keep in mind the farm tends to get very crowded on peak fall weekends.

Each mile-high apple pie is made with 5+ pounds of apples at Mackey's Orchard.

3. Mackey's Orchard – Belvidere

Mackey's Orchard offers apple pickers a 15-minute hayride with scenic views of the apple-picking orchard located behind the farm. You must take the hayride to the apples and there is a $3 fee. The orchard charges by bag for pick-your-own apples. There’s also a playground and a full apple bakery that offers apple cider doughnuts, dumplings, and more, including mile-high apple pies. And don't forget the homemade ice cream! Mackey’s grows more than 100 varieties of apples that ripen between September and November. Pick-your-own is offered on weekends in September and October. Owner Holly Mackey advises visitors to call or check the Facebook page before coming—because Garden State residents know how wonky the Jersey weather can be.

4. Sun High Orchards – Randolph

Kids love visiting the animals at this farm. A variety of apples, including Cortland, Macintosh, Honeycrisp, and Empire, are sold by the pound, so grab only what you want to buy. Apple picking will be held on weekdays only in 2023, and the season starts in September. Cap off the day with a trip to the farm stand for some homemade ice cream.

5. Wightman Farms – Morristown

Heads up: A per-person membership is required to enter this orchard, but it grants you access all season long. Then you pay for what you pick. Though Wightman Farms grows 29 varieties of apples for picking, the farm is far more than just a pick-your-own destination. On weekends, enjoy attractions like hayrides, a giant corn maze, the pumpkin slingshot, a hay bale maze, a labyrinth, a paver maze, and a picnic area. All run Labor Day weekend through the end of October. Before leaving, try some freshly squeezed apple cider, pressed from apples picked right at the farm. Apple picking is permitted on Saturdays and Sundays.

Where To Go Apple Picking in Central New Jersey

6. Battleview Orchards – Freehold

Battleview Orchards, a family-owned and operated farm, invites you to pick your own apples beginning at the end of August. Enjoy a family hayride on the weekends beginning in late September. Battleview is also known for its adorable Country Market & Bakery, which features a variety of treats, including its popular apple pie.

Giamarese Farm offers apple picking from August through Columbus Day
Enjoy non-GMO apples at Giamarese Farm and Orchards.

7. Giamarese Farm and Orchards – East Brunswick

Enjoy apple picking at Giamarese Farm starting Labor Day weekend. All of the apples grown at the farm are non-GMO. Hayrides are available during the farm's Fall Harvest Weekends, which also feature pony rides and a corn maze. The farm is open 7 days a week starting in October. Follow the farm on Facebook for current news.

8.. Eastmont Orchards – Colts Neck

Eastmont Orchards has been growing apples since 1923. The farm, which is open daily, offers 19 different types of apples. Admission is FREE and you pay for what you pick. Pricing is by the pound, and payment is cash or checks only. Apple picking season starts in late August. Call ahead or check out their Facebook page to see which apples are available.

girls picking apples at Johnson's Corner Farm
Make it a family affair at Johnson's Corner Farm.

9. VonThun Farms – South Brunswick and Washington

VonThun Farms offers apple picking from mid-September through the end of October. Apple trees at the farm are dwarf trees that grow very close to the ground, making picking easy for kids. Fall Festival Weekends are Saturdays and Sundays starting September 16, 2023, and include a corn maze, an inflatable obstacle course, hayrides, face painting, pony rides, and a pumpkin blaster.

Enjoy an apple cider doughnut during your apple picking trip to Johnson's COrner Farm
Apple cider doughnuts are surely one of fall's top delights.

10. Krowicki's Farm Markets & Greenhouse – New Egypt

Bring your own bags or bushels to collect apples at this small farm, which is open 7 days a week from 9am-5pm. Don't forget to stop by the farm market for other fresh produce and baked goods. Krowicki's visitors can also take advantage of the corn maze and pumpkin patch from the end of September through October.

11. Terhune Orchards – Princeton

Beginning in September, Terhune Orchard's pick-your-own-farm on Van Kirk Road, just around the block from its home farm, is open every day. Sold by weight, the farm's apples are juicy, crisp, and delicious. They are available for picking starting in mid-August. Enjoy the Fall Family Fun Weekends beginning in September.

Where To Go Apple Picking in Southern New Jersey

12. Johnson's Corner Farm – Medford

Apple picking at Johnson's Corner Farm begins in early September when the Fuji apples ripen. Nine additional apple varieties are ready for picking throughout September and October, including Red Delicious and Granny Smith. Apple-picking hayrides begin in September, and the farm's popular Fall Festival Weekends include live music, a corn maze, moon bounce, and a food tent. Its animal farm and discovery barnyard (tickets required) are also fun to visit, and the farm market sells freshly baked pies, caramel apples, and cider donuts. Stop at one of the ice cream windows for an apple cider slush or some pumpkin ice cream. Be sure to buy tickets online in advance.

13. H ill Creek Farm – Mullica Hill

This festive farm does things a little differently and requires you to watch an educational film and get a U-Pick certification before they let you loose on the three separate apple orchards that feature Jonagold, Fuji, and Cameo apples. By growing dwarf trees that are lower to the ground, apple picking at this farm is more fun for their smaller patrons (and a break for parents' backs). Hill Creek Farm offers so much more than just apple picking, including hayrides, barrel train rides, a playground featuring a giant fire engine and a sandbox, gem mining, and even a rubber ducky race. Be sure to stop by the farm stand to taste a few apple cider donuts. And for adults, there is a wine garden on site. Apple picking opens on Saturday, September 2, 2023, and runs through Monday, November 6, 2023.

14. Duffield's Farm & Market – Sewell

Fall is prime season for pick-your-own apples at Duffield's Farm. This family-friendly farm offers hayrides through the countryside, warm apple cider donuts, a deli, and even a food truck festival. Call or check the Facebook page for crop availability. Closed Sundays.

For more South Jersey places to pick check out the apple orchards recommended by our Philadelphia Mommy Poppins team.

This article was first published in September 2009 and is updated every year.

Unless otherwise noted, photos courtesy of the farms.