APPLE/PUMPKIN PICKING
Find fresh air, pretty trees, apple cider doughnuts, hay rides and agritainment at farms not too far from the city. Also our guide to urban pumpkin patches.
General tips:
🍎 Be prepared for lots of walking in uneven, possibly muddy terrain. Think boots, layers and baby carriers instead of strollers.
🍎 Bring cash, lots of it. Most farms don't take credit cards and all the food and activities add up quickly. If you're just there for the apples, make sure your kids know that in advance.
🍎 Call or check the farm's website to confirm apples (sometimes they are picked out) and activities are available.
🎧 Some great podcasts for the drive.
Westchster/Hudson Valley
LONG ISLAND
New Jersey
U-Pick Sunflowers & Blueberries
ManalapanTake a tractor to gorgeous fields of sunflowers with 10 hidden photo ops and pick your own sunflowers and zinnias ($2.50/stem, cash only). Eight varieties of blueberries & raspberries available for a limited time ($6/pound, clamshells provided).
Enjoy fresh squeezed lemonade and shaved ices and food from a cart and store and feed goats and chickens in a shady picnic area. Activities include tractor rides, animal feeding and a paintball gallery.
Be prepared for heat, dirt and bees. Bring a bucket of water to transport your sunflowers home (and lots to drink).
Alstede Farms
Chester🍎 This spacious family farm hosts pick your own apples
🎃 Also choose your own pumpkins and sunflowers.
🌽 Traverse a giant fruit-themed corn maze with produce facts posted at points along the way and a Blooming Giants Sunflower Trail.
🚜 Activities include scenic tractor-drawn wagon rides, wagon train rides for kids, and a bounce house. Visit with farm animals and take pony rides ($17.99 for 1 bounce house, pony ride & wagon train ride).
🍩 Freshly baked pies and cider donuts, fresh pressed apple cider and homemade seasonal ice cream available, plus wine tasting provided by Tomasello Winery.
🎟 Reserve timed tickets in advance online.
🚙 Approx. 1 hour drive from mid-Manhattan.
🚂 2 hours train ride (NY Penn Station to Gladstone Station)with transfer; free Alstede Farms Courtesy Coach from train station on weekends.
Terhune Orchards
Princeton🍎 Pick-your-own apples at a winery/farm near Princeton.
🎃 Pumpkins also available.
🌽 Explore a sunflower trail and corn stalk maze.
🚜 Also find pony rides, barnyard animals, a Hay Bale Maze, pumpkin painting, pedal tractors, duck races and more. Enjoy live music from local musicians (12-4 pm). Walk through a life-size story book adventure, filled with the wonder of life cycles, crops, ground beneath our feet and much more brought to life.
🍩 Shop for farm fresh produce, baked goods, Terhune wine, pies and cider, apple cider slush and donuts. Pick up picnic bags of homemade lunch delights, fresh apple cider and pie.
🎟 Advance online ticket purchase required. Pumpkins, food, pony rides not included.
🚙 Approximately 1.5 hrs drive from Manhattan.
Happy Day Farm Fall Festival
Manalapan🎃 Choose from a large variety of gourds in Pumpkinville and enter a pumpkin house. No apples to pick but plenty else to keep kids busy.
🌽 Explore a 10-acre corn maze. Look for Maize-O-Poly squares to scan with a phone and play a digital game (text and GPS hints available).
🚜 Over 35 games, activities and attractions including a giant fun slide, pig racing, feeding zoo, lots of fun photo ops and much more (all included with admission). Additional fees for the pumpkin blaster, corn cannon and pumpkins.
🍩 Pizza, cheese steaks, fries, hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken tenders, gyros, zeppoles, fried oreos, apple fritters, funnel cakes, fresh squeezed lemonade & more available for purchase.
🎟 Tickets must be purchased in advance online for Friday-Sunday and on the farm for Monday-Thursday (only pumpkin picking, minion corn maze, zinnias and pumpkinville). Purchases within the farm are cash only.
🧻Nursing stations, wash stations and porta-potties available throughout the farm.
The parking field is huge; make sure you head to the main fair area for admission before walking (or riding a tractor) to Pumpkinville on the other side.
🚙 Approximately 1.5 hrs drive from Manhattan.