Apple picking near Atlanta is one of our favorite things to do as a family in the fall.
If you’re looking for a fall day trip from Atlanta, most of the area’s best-known apple orchards are in the North Georgia mountains, particularly around Ellijay. Depending on where you live in the Atlanta area, you’re generally looking at about an hour to an hour and a half in the car.
And honestly, the drive is part of the fun.
Once you leave Atlanta and start heading toward the mountains, everything begins to feel a little slower. The roads get quieter, the landscape changes, and eventually you’re surrounded by apple trees instead of traffic.
For many Atlanta families, apple picking has become an annual fall tradition. But before you go, there are a few things worth knowing about where to go, when to visit, and what to expect.
Apple Picking Near Atlanta at a Glance
- Best area to visit: Ellijay and the North Georgia mountains
- Distance from Atlanta: About 1–1.5 hours, depending on where you’re starting
- Apple-picking season: Generally late August through October
- Best time to go: Early in the day or on a weekday if you want fewer crowds
- What to wear: Comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes
- What to bring: Water, sunscreen, and a little patience for walking on uneven ground
- Before you go: Check the orchard’s website for current U-pick dates, apple varieties, prices, and weather-related changes
Apple availability changes throughout the season, so if you’re hoping to pick a particular variety, always check before you make the drive.
Best Apple Orchards Near Atlanta
Most of the apple picking near Atlanta is concentrated around Ellijay, which has become one of the easiest places for Atlanta families to find several orchards in one area.
Here are a few North Georgia orchards worth putting on your list.
B.J. Reece Orchards — Ellijay
B.J. Reece Orchards has been one of our family’s favorites over the years and is probably one of the first places that comes to mind when people talk about apple picking in Ellijay.
Their 2026 U-pick season is scheduled to begin August 29, with U-pick available throughout September and October. The farm also offers a long list of additional activities, especially on weekends.
That makes it a good choice if you’re looking for a full family day rather than simply walking into an orchard, picking apples, and heading home.
They also have a market and bakery, so you can stop for apple cider donuts, fried pies, and other treats before you leave.
If you’re hoping for a quieter experience, I’d personally try going early or visiting during the week.
Red Apple Barn — Ellijay
Red Apple Barn is another popular option for apple picking in Ellijay.
Their 2026 U-pick season is planned to begin August 22, with weekend picking. In addition to apples, the farm offers tractor rides, cider, cider donuts, animals, playgrounds, and other activities.
One thing I like about Red Apple Barn is that they provide information about approximate picking dates for different apple varieties. If you have your heart set on Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady, or another particular apple, that’s useful information to have before you go.
And because you’re primarily walking through mountain terrain, comfortable closed-toe shoes are a good idea.
Hillcrest Orchards — Ellijay
Hillcrest Orchards has been part of Ellijay’s apple-growing history for generations and is another well-known destination for North Georgia apple picking.
Like many of the larger orchards in the area, Hillcrest offers much more than U-pick apples. There are activities, food, animals, and entertainment for families, making it an easy place to spend several hours.
If you’re looking for an orchard where the kids will have plenty to do, this is worth considering.
If you’re more interested in the simple version of apple picking I’m looking for this year, you can always make the orchard itself the main event and skip some of the extras.
R & A Orchards — Ellijay
R & A Orchards is another North Georgia farm offering U-pick apples along with a variety of other farm experiences.
The orchard covers a large area, and the farm also offers things like tractor rides, a cow train, and U-cut flowers at different times of year.
It’s a good option if you want the experience to feel more like a day on a working farm rather than simply stopping by to buy apples.
I haven’t decided yet where we’ll end up this year. Part of the fun for me is trying different orchards and figuring out which one has the atmosphere we’re looking for.
Mercier Orchards — Blue Ridge
If you’re willing to drive a little farther, Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge is another beautiful North Georgia option.
Mercier is a fourth-generation family-owned farm and grows more than 40 varieties of apples. Their apple U-pick season generally falls between August and October, depending on the weather and what’s ripe.
A visit here can easily become more of a day trip. There is a market, bakery, mountain scenery, tractor rides, and plenty of reasons to stay longer than just the time it takes to fill a bag of apples.
It’s farther from Atlanta than the Ellijay orchards, so I would consider this one if you want to make the drive part of the experience.
When Is Apple-Picking Season in Georgia?
Apple-picking season in North Georgia generally begins in late August and continues through September and October.
The exact timing changes from year to year because of weather, growing conditions, and the particular apple variety. Different apples ripen at different times, so the variety available when you visit in early September may be completely different from what’s available in October.
If you have a favorite apple, check the orchard’s current U-pick calendar before you leave.
And don’t assume that because an orchard is open, every variety will be available for picking.
That is one of the reasons I like checking the orchard directly before making the drive.
What to Expect When Apple Picking Near Atlanta
If you’ve never been apple picking in North Georgia before, it may help to know that this isn’t necessarily a quick stop where you park, pick a few apples, and leave.
Many of the orchards are located in the mountains, so expect some walking and uneven or hilly ground.
Depending on where you go, you may find:
- U-pick apple fields
- Tractor or wagon rides
- Farm markets
- Apple cider
- Apple cider donuts
- Fried pies and other baked goods
- Play areas
- Farm animals
- Seasonal activities for children
- Picnic areas
- Other fall activities
And this is where you get to decide what kind of day you actually want.
You don’t have to do everything.
If your kids are happy running between the trees and picking apples, that’s enough.
Apple Picking Near Atlanta With Kids
Apple picking is one of those activities that works surprisingly well with young kids because there isn’t much they actually have to do. They can walk around, run between the trees, look for the biggest apple, and pick something from a tree with their own hands. And, of course, there’s usually a cider donut involved. If they get tired, you can go home.
If you’re going with toddlers, I’d keep the plan simple. Comfortable shoes are important, especially at orchards with hills or uneven ground. Bring water, dress for the weather, and don’t pack the day so full that a relaxing fall outing turns into another thing everyone has to survive.
This is especially true on weekends in September and October, when the most popular orchards can get very busy. If your schedule allows, a weekday morning may give you a completely different experience—and probably a little more of the quiet, simple apple-picking day I’m looking for this year.
How to Have a Simpler Apple-Picking Day
This is probably the part I’ve been thinking about the most lately. Apple picking has become a much bigger experience than I remember it being. There are activities, entertainment, food, photo opportunities, playgrounds, rides, and so many things for kids to do that sometimes the actual apple picking almost becomes secondary.
And I understand why. Families want to make a day of it, and we’ve enjoyed the activities ourselves. But this year, I’m looking for something a little different.
I want to walk through the orchard, pick apples, let my boys run around, enjoy the fresh air, maybe stop for cider or a donut, and then go home. That’s it.
Why does every activity have to involve so many bells and whistles? Why do we feel like we have to spend hundreds of dollars to create a memorable day for our kids? Sometimes I wonder why we can’t just walk around in nature, let the kids run, pick apples, and call it a good day. Maybe that really can be enough.
What to Bring Apple Picking
You really don’t need to bring much, but a few things can make the day easier.
- Comfortable closed-toe shoes
- Clothes you don’t mind getting dirty
- Water
- Sunscreen
- A hat on sunny days
- A small bag for personal items
- Snacks if your children need them
- A cooler for the drive home if you’re bringing home a large amount of fruit
And check the orchard’s website before you leave.
Picking dates, available varieties, admission, activities, and hours can all change based on weather and crop conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Apple Picking Near Atlanta
Most of the best-known apple orchards near Atlanta are in the North Georgia mountains, particularly around Ellijay. Blue Ridge is another option if you’re willing to drive farther.
Many of the major apple orchards in Ellijay are roughly an hour to an hour and a half from Atlanta, depending on where you live and traffic. The exact drive time can vary significantly from different parts of the metro area.
Apple picking in North Georgia generally begins in late August and continues through September and October. Individual apple varieties ripen at different times, so availability changes throughout the season.
If you want to avoid some of the busiest crowds, try going early in the morning or visiting on a weekday. September and October weekends can be especially busy at popular orchards.
Yes. Honeycrisp is one of the apple varieties grown in North Georgia, although availability depends on the orchard, timing, crop, and current U-pick schedule.
Yes. Apple picking can be a great outdoor activity for toddlers because they can walk, explore, and participate without needing a complicated itinerary. Just keep in mind that some orchards have hills or uneven terrain, so comfortable shoes are important.
It depends on the orchard. Some allow visitors to purchase admission when they arrive, while others may have specific ticketing or reservation requirements. Always check the orchard’s current website before you go.
Wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Many North Georgia orchards are on hills or uneven ground, so this is not really the place for sandals or uncomfortable shoes.
I’m Trying to Remember What Childhood Actually Felt Like
I think that’s really what all of this is about for me. As parents, we put so much pressure on ourselves to make childhood magical. We look for activities, experiences, camps, festivals, memberships, birthday parties, and places to take our kids. We want to give them everything.
But when I think about my own childhood in Lithuania, the things I remember most weren’t elaborate experiences. I remember being outside, spending summers by the water, and planting apple trees with my dad.
When I was about five years old, my dad bought a small piece of land outside the city. You didn’t live there. It was simply a place where you grew fruits and vegetables, spent your summers, and enjoyed being outside. Ours was right next to the water, and it became a very special place for me.
My dad and I planted apple, cherry, and plum trees together. I was a total daddy’s girl, and I remember spending a lot of time with him. I can still picture us buying those little trees and then planting them together.
Of course, planting them was only the beginning. During the winter, we would go back and wrap the trees to protect them from rabbits and other wild animals, especially during the colder winters. Then, when fall came, we’d return to pick the fruit.
It has been more than 40 years since we planted those trees, and they are still standing.
I Didn’t Know Apple Picking Was a Thing
When I first came to the United States, I honestly didn’t know that apple picking was a thing. In Lithuania, almost every house has a few apple trees. You don’t make an event out of picking apples. You just go outside, pick them from the tree, and bring them home.
I briefly lived in Indiana, and that’s actually where I first learned about American apple picking. I remember thinking it was such an interesting concept because, to me, picking apples was simply something you did if you had apple trees.
When I moved to Georgia, I was excited to discover that apple picking near Atlanta could become our own fall tradition too. And maybe that’s why I keep coming back to it.
When we visit Lithuania with my boys in August, the vegetables are usually ready, but the fruit isn’t quite there yet, so we don’t get to recreate the apple-picking part of my childhood with them. Apple picking in Georgia gives me a little piece of that back. I get to give my boys something that was part of my own childhood without trying to recreate it exactly.
It doesn’t have to be an elaborate experience or another expensive activity. Sometimes it’s enough to spend a few hours outside, carry home a basket of apples, let the kids get their shoes dirty, enjoy some fresh air, and maybe stop for a cider donut along the way.
I think sometimes we make childhood much more complicated than it needs to be. Kids don’t need us to create magic every weekend. They need time outside, room to run, opportunities to get dirty, and the chance to pick something with their own hands. And maybe we need those things too.
So this fall, I’m still looking for that version of apple picking—a little quieter, a little simpler, and a little less about everything else and more about being outside together.
If you find a quiet little orchard where the apples are good and the kids can run, let me know. I’m still looking for my favorite.
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If you’re looking for more simple ways to spend time together around Atlanta, you might also enjoy:
- Best Stroller-Friendly Walks and Trails in Atlanta — Easy places to get outside with little ones and enjoy a walk together.
- Best Atlanta Splash Pads for Kids — Fun ways to cool off and spend a summer day outside with toddlers and young kids.
- Feldwood Farms: Blueberry Picking Near Atlanta — Another favorite seasonal activity for families who enjoy getting outside and picking your own fruit.
- Best Baby and Toddler Activities in Atlanta — Ideas for getting out of the house with little ones without needing an elaborate plan.
If you’re looking for fall family photos in Atlanta, this is one of my favorite times of year to photograph families. And if you’re expecting a baby, I also offer relaxed, in-home newborn photography in Atlanta, with a mix of natural family moments and timeless portraits of your baby.
