Crisp fall air begs for crisp fall apples. While the apples in the stores are good there’s nothing like the fruit and the fun at the orchard. There are lots of nearby options for a core experience following Johnny Appleseed’s example.

Be sure to check the links to the orchards before visiting. See which varieties of apples are ripe and check hours and offerings, which vary through the season and are often impacted by weather.

 Aamodt’s Apple Farm Apple picking, wagon rides, fresh bakery treats, hard cider, and award-winning Minnesota wines in Stillwater. 

Afton Apple Orchard Fresh apples, raspberries, pumpkins and more, picked right at the peak of perfection. Enjoy the 15-acre corn maze, hayrides, playground, petting farm and other adventures. Admission charge.

Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center 19 varieties of apples and wildflower honey in a beautiful setting.

Novak’s Orchard The apples are grown in Woodbury and Denmark Township and sold at the Woodbury Farmers’ Market as well as other St Paul market sites. If you can’t wait for market day, text or call to arrange an apple pick-up.

Orchard Hill Small orchard sells baked goods along with their apples.

Pinetree Apple Orchard This White Bear Lake orchard offers  a corn maze, pick your own pumpkins, a large variety of apples, homemade bakery products, fresh cider, gifts and activities ranging from a quilt show to yoga with the apples.

Sunnybrook Apple Orchard Folks who want to pick their own apples have that option in this Stillwater orchard.

Whistling Well Farm Located on both sides of St Croix Trail this Hastings orchard offers cute wagons to pull your kids down to the orchard and haul the apples you pick back. Beautiful mums for sale too.

White Pine Berry Farm A trip to River Falls could include raspberry picking, bagged apples, goats, a corn maze, and a turn at the pumpkin launcher.