Apple Picking at Fishkill Farms (A Family Tradition Since 2019)
Googling 'Fall Activities in NYC' is how we came across apple picking and ended up at Fishkill Farms, located about an hour outside of the city. It's a lot of fun for the entire family!
Our family has been apple-picking since 2019. It is a tradition everyone in our family looks forward to when the Fall breeze comes back around! When we welcomed the newest addition to our family, we decided it was the perfect time to start taking advantage of exploring outside of NYC. Googling 'Fall Activities in NYC' is how we ended up at Fishkill Farms and let me tell you...it was so much fun!
Good food, drinks, exercise from walking around the farm, and fresh air...need I say more? Even if you don't have children, taking the day to hang out with friends, sip apple cider, eat your heart's worth of fresh cinnamon donuts, watch, and of course, apple picking... is the definition of great fall activity. So much fun that it's almost impossible to keep this to yourself. This leads me to share 5 reasons why you should head to Fishkill Farms this Fall!
#1 Location
Not too far from the city, but not too far for people from upstate either. Our friends drove down from the Albany metro area to meet us and it took the same amount of time for them to meet us, which was under 2 hours. So in terms of location, it is a relatively quick, seamless, and quite scenic drive depending on where you're coming from within the city limits. If you are lucky and head to the farm when the leaves start to change, even better!
#2 Not Just for Apples
When you head to Fishkill farms you will be handed a map that shows you which crops are available for you to pick from. There are well over 100 different types of apples, yes, that many! When you head to their website, they'll provide details on other produce you can pick from as well. i.e. blueberries, strawberries, peaches... etc., we even picked up a few mini pumpkins the last time around. This allows you the opportunity to visit the farm year-round if apple picking is not something you're interested in.
Additionally, there are plenty of activities, such as the pumpkin patch, corn maze, hay rides, and even a bail of hay for kids (and big kids) to run around and play in.
#3 A Fiddler in the Field
Call me corny, but this is an experience to remember. The first time we went to Fishkill Farms, we were somewhere deep within the orchard when I heard music. Not just any old music on a speaker, but someone on a violin playing a jig( haha, yes, a jig!). I proceeded to pull out my phone to record because low and behold the fiddler was approaching us as we were picking apples! It was something out of a movie (again I'm corny), I was like a kid in a candy store and couldn't have been happier. I am honestly not sure why I was so ecstatic, but it was the icing on the cake for me, it was truly a great experience.
#4 Live Music, Snacks, and Apple Cider
Every weekend in the fall Fishkill offers live music from local bands from 12p-4p. While listening to the music, you can enjoy a flight at the Treasury Cider bar, grab something to eat from a food truck or shop for produce at the farmer's market.
#5 Instagram-Worthy Pictures
Once you're all stuffed and tired from shopping and picking apples all day, don't forget to take and take a few pictures by the bail of hay stationed out front. There are a lot of places to take great pictures on this farm, and I have a link to their Instagram below. For more information on the events available at Fishkill Farms, click this link.
As a reminder, reservations are needed to access the farm. With Covid, there are a few changes such as reservations and how to buy your bag of apples/admissions. But for the most part, it is still well worth it. While prices have increased due to their growing popularity, I recommend going as early as possible with as many people as possible. The more the merrier!
With that being said, I look forward to catching you all out there this upcoming fall.
Enjoy and til next time!
You can follow our journey on Instagram or TikTok @epicurlite
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