Apple Picking Near Boston - Apple Orchards West of Boston

Lookout Farm has apples, a play area, rides, and animals. Photo courtesy of the MA Office of Tourism

1. Belkin Family Lookout Farm — South Natick

Lookout Farm is one of the oldest continuously working farms in the country, but it's about as modern as any u-pick operation you can find, offering all the bells and whistles. Trains escort you to pick your own peaches, apples, and pumpkins in the fall. Families can also enjoy multiple children’s play areas, and grown-ups might care to sample some of Lookout's hard cider in the taproom on the farm. Reservations are not required, but you can make them online and skip the lines on busier days. The outdoor restaurant on the farm serves sandwiches, flatbread, beer, and hard cider and offers great views and fresh air.

2. Carver Hill Orchard — Stow

Carver has a nice selection of pick-your-own apples, plus a farm store that's stocked with crafts, decorations, fresh cider, cider donuts, chicken pies, fudge, peanut brittle, and cookies. Early McIntosh apples come in during late August, with several varieties rolling in ready throughout September. This is a wonderful, no-frills, genuine New England apple-picking experience.

3. Nashoba Valley Winery — Bolton

Nashoba Valley Winery is known for its award-winning wines, but it also offers a pick-your-own apple experience from late August through early October, featuring a wide selection of antique and lesser-known varieties. While the orchard is focused on the picking experience rather than kids’ activities, families can enjoy a peaceful day among the trees and nearby open spaces.

4. Stowe Farm — Millbury

In addition to several apple varieties and pumpkins for picking, Stowe Farm also offers a petting zoo, pony rides, mechanical bull rides, gemstone mining, and rock wall climbing. Round out your visit by feeding the animals, crunching on a caramel apple, or getting a pulled pork sandwich. U-pick, Kids Corral ($3 admission fee for walking age and up), and the Country Store are open on weekends starting September 10. 

 
Pick some of these great apple orchards near Boston for some kid-friendly fun this fall! Photo courtesy of the MA Office of Tourism

5. Dowse Orchards — Sherborn

Just a short drive from Lookout Farm, Dowse Orchards has been going strong for over 200 years and offers a smaller, more traditional apple-picking experience. On weekends starting in September, families can pick from up to 20 apple varieties. The farm stand is open daily and features seasonal favorites like stone fruits, sweet corn, fresh cider, and more.

6. Honeypot Hill Orchard — Stow

Honeypot's orchards contain about 12 varieties of apples, with different crops in the spotlight as they ripen throughout the season. The orchard offers other activities like hayrides, barnyard animals, and a hedge maze that’s great for kids ages 4 through 11.

7. Davis Farmland — Sterling

While this apple-picking farm is a 1-hour drive from Boston, we are confident it will not disappoint. Plan to spend the day, because along with U-pick apples and pumpkins, this farm also boasts a splash pad, bounce pillow, multiple playgrounds, a tiny play town, an animal feeding area, and more. There’s even a special section where little farmers can hold baby goats. Note: While the farm attractions are open daily, the U-pick area is only open on weekends.

Apple Picking Near Boston - Apple Orchards North of Boston

8. Brooksby Farm — Peabody

Pick your own apples just after the farm's peach season is over (early September), and don't forget to stop by the in-store bakery that offers cider donuts, hot mulled cider, cold cider, and coffee. There are barnyard animals to visit and feed here, too.

Crunch!!! There's nothing tastier than an apple you picked for yourself. Photo courtesy of Cider Hill Farm.

9. Cider Hill Farm — Amesbury

Though it's up by the New Hampshire border (a solid hour north of Boston), many locals feel that Cider Hill is worth the drive. Even if it's only to indulge in their award-winning doughnuts! Find Ginger Gold, Paula Red, Red Free, and Zistar are all ripe for Labor Day weekend picking, with more varieties to come throughout September. The farm hosts food truck pop-ups serving great fare. The kids will be taken in by a giant sandbox, a bee observatory, and "Farmer Glenn's trike yard" playground.

10. Doe Orchards — Harvard

Doe packs a wide variety of apples into 25 acres. Picking begins Labor Day weekend and runs daily through late October.

11. Boston Hill Farm — North Andover

Boston Hill Farm offers pick-your-own apples on fall weekends and welcomes groups and schools on the weekdays from mid-September through the end of October. Apples to pick include McIntosh, Ginger Gold, and Paula Red, but there is also cider doughnuts, live music, ice cream, and a petting farm with chickens, geese, bunnies, goats, sheep, and calves.

Parlee Farms dwarf apple trees yield big, juicy apples and loads of fun with pint-sized electric tractors.

12. Parlee Farms — Tyngsboro

Parlee Farms grows apples on dwarf trees, which makes it easy for kids to pick their own. The season kicks off in early September, and on weekends and fall holidays, a hayride to the orchard is included with the purchase of an apple bag. Families can also stop by the farm stand to watch apple cider donuts being made, visit Annie’s Animal Barns, and let little ones dig around in the 2,500sqft sandbox. Bonus, they have accessible and family restrooms, plus a handwashing station to clean up after visiting the animals.

13. Russell Orchards — Ipswich

Picking opens in September, depending on how early in the month the crops are ripe. If stars are aligned, you might even be able to squeeze in one last day trip to the beach while you're in the area picking apples. Cash-only PYO apples are available daily, while hayrides are offered on weekends, and live cider pressing happens only on Saturdays. Kids can see the farm animals in the barnyard, too.

There's a "secret" orchard at Smolak Farm. Photo by Sarah Jordan Photography/Courtesy of Smolak Farm

14. Smolak Farm — North Andover

After their berries and summer stone fruits are picked over, Smolak Farm offers plenty of varieties of apples for plucking later in September, across several demarcated orchards. Don't miss the private (secret) orchard nestled behind their Old Standard orchard. During fall weekends, enjoy the Children's Festival Area: Hop on a hay wagon ride or linger longer at a playground and petting farm.

15. Carlson Orchards — Harvard

Carlson Orchards boasts more than 14 varieties of apples to pick, from McIntosh and Cortland to Braeburn, Fuji, and Granny Smith. Consult the orchard's growing season calendar to see when your favorites are expected to make for ripe apple picking. Don't leave without a steaming-hot helping of their to-die-for apple crisp with whipped cream.

There are hayrides, tons of farm-themed kids activities, and apple picking at Connors Farm.

16. Connors Farm — Danvers

This farm not only offers apple picking but also has a popular corn maze and hayrides. Connors Farm also features a large play area with unique games, giant jumping pillows, a farm stand, food vendors, and more. This year, the farm also features a brand-new "Bee Happy" corn maze and a Bounce Back pass for discounted admission for a second visit.

17. Westward Orchards — Harvard

Apples are available for picking starting Labor Day through early October. Enjoy live bluegrass jam sessions every Sunday. Starting in September, you can also hop on a wagon ride to the farm's pumpkin patch to pick up your Halloween Jack-o-Lantern.

18. Shelburne Farm — Acton

Not only does this farm have plenty of apples, but kids will also get a kick out of picking out pumpkins. On the weekends, a $5 pass gets children (and their parents) into the hay and tractor play areas and Great Pumpkin Bounce House for after-picking fun. Families can also enjoy hayride tours of the orchard for the full experience.

19. Berlin Orchards — Berlin

Berlin Orchards is a hidden gem that families love for its relaxed atmosphere and wagon rides out to the orchards. Warm cider donuts and cider slushies are a must, and kids will have fun exploring the rows of dwarf trees, which make apple picking easy for little hands. This no-frills, family-run orchard offers a cozy, traditional New England experience.

20. Tougas Family Farm — Northborough

Tougas is a true family destination with plenty to do before and after apple picking. Kids can climb on the playground, feed goats and farm animals, or cool off with ice cream from the farm store. Parents will love the fresh cider, bakery treats, and picnic areas. With 30 Varieties of pick-your-own apples on over 40,000 trees, Tougas is as much a day out as it is an orchard visit.

21. Park Hill Orchard — Easthampton

Park Hill pairs apple picking with an outdoor art adventure. Families can follow the orchard’s sculpture trail, winding past large-scale art installations while enjoying views of the Holyoke Range. Nearly 50 varieties of apples are grown here, and live music events add to the festive vibe. It’s a longer drive from Boston, but the unique mix of art, nature, and apples makes it a special fall day trip.

Apple Festivals Near Boston 2025

22. Applefest Family Day — Sudbury

Saturday, September 20, 2025

23. Boxford Apple Festival - Boxford

Saturday, September 20, 2025

24. Annual Applefest at Wachusett Mountain — Princeton

Weekends, Octoiber 18 & 19 and October 25 & 26, 2025

Looking for more pick-your-own farms? The Mass Department of Agricultural Resources has an interactive map where you can select your location and generate a list of locations. Give it a try and let us know if you discover a great spot for apple picking near Boston with kids.

Originally published September 2013. Updated 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. 2025

 All photos courtesy of the farms and orchards.