4 Ideas For Apple Picking In The Catskills | Resort World Catskills

apple picking in the catskills

If you’re yearning to get outside and bask in the crisp, cool air during your Resort World Catskills stay this fall season, you couldn’t be in a better location. Home to dozens of orchards, let the Hudson Valley put you in the autumnal spirit with a day filled with apple picking in the Catskills. 

These local farms offer fun and entertainment for the whole family, not to mention countless tasty treats. You can enjoy seasonal festivities against the stunning backdrop of these breathtaking mountains before returning to Resorts World Catskills for dinner and an evening of gaming. Make the most of your Resort World stay by exploring the glorious fall bounty that only New York’s Hudson Valley can offer.  

1. Stone Ridge Orchard 

This 200-year-old orchard spans an impressive 115 acres deep in the Rondout Valley. Known for its magnificent beauty, Stone Ridge has become a popular location for weddings and other celebratory events. Beginning in July of each year, Stone Ridge offers U-Pick pears, and later in the season, apples become ripe and visitors can select from both crops. 

A trip to Stone Ridge is not complete without a visit to their farmstand, from which you can purchase not only pears and apples but a variety of other fruits and vegetables grown on the property as well as baked goods and cider. The farmstand also sells many other fresh products which are all sourced from other local vendors. Locals can take advantage of the Breezy Hill Orchard CSA, a community farm share program in which Stone Ridge participates.

On weekends, visitors to Stone Ridge can enjoy fresh wood-fired pizza after they’ve finished collecting fruit from the orchard. Located an hour’s drive from Resort World Catskills, Stone Ridge has so much to offer that a visit is worth the picturesque mountain journey.

2. Kelder’s Farm

Beginning in May of each year, Kelder’s Farm offers a wide variety of U-Pick produce that changes every few weeks over the course of the season as different crops become ready for harvest. Assorted vegetables, such as asparagus, as well as strawberries, are usually ripe for picking early in the season. By August, several different types of berries, flowers, and apples become available and by the end of the season, grapes and pumpkins are ready for you to enjoy.

Only a forty-five-minute drive away from Resort World Catskills, Kelder’s Farm is designed with visitors of all ages in mind. Their family-friendly attractions include a corn maze, a mini-golf course, tube slides, and countless games. On the weekends, families can enjoy a hayride before taking aim with Kelder’s apple and pumpkin cannons. Animal lovers will also enjoy the opportunity to view the resident farm animals up close.

After a day spent appreciating everything Kelder Farms has to offer, patrons can shop at the Kelder Farm Market, where a selection of their products as well as other locally sourced seasonal items are for sale. Season passes are available for purchase for visitors looking to get the most out of the harvest season.

3. Majestic Farm

Majestic Farm, located only a quick 15-minute drive away, is majestic indeed, fully living up to its name with its gorgeous rustic orchard and sprawling mountain farmlands. The orchard is open all day Saturday and Sunday for U-Pick, though visitors can contact Majestic via email to schedule weekday U-Pick sessions. Available varieties of apples are always changing but can include Idared, Enterprise, Golden Russet, and Galarina, to name a few.

In addition to the variety of delicious apples, Majestic has to offer, the farm is also known for its pasture-raised pork, chicken, and beef. All of Majestic’s meats are ready for purchase for patrons visiting the farm as well as for pickup through their online store.

While Majestic Farms does not sell food, they do encourage picnicking and provide picnic tables for visitors. Dogs are also welcomed, but leashes are required to protect both the dogs and the dozens of chickens that freely roam about the farm. 

4. Wightman Fruit Farm

Boasting 92 varieties of apples on only five acres of land, Wightman Fruit Farm is tiny, but a mighty local gem. Originally purchased in 1958 by a New York City firefighter with a desire to escape the city, Wightman Fruit Farm was originally farmed as a hobby until the second generation of owners turned it into the small business it is today. 

Over the last 30 years, Wightman Fruit Farm has continued to grow, amassing its mind-blowing collection of apple trees. This small pick your own farm, specializing in heirloom apples and grapes, is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays. Located just an hour’s drive from Resort World Catskills, there’s no better place to put you in the fall spirit during your stay than Wightman Fruit Farm. 

Apple picking is a great activity for anyone and a wonderful way to experience the outdoors during your stay at Resorts World Catskills.