Don’t just watch the leaves change from inside this year…get out there! Experience what Southern Living considers the South’s best Season with these pick your own pumpkin and apple spots near Charlotte. Whether you’re looking for a place to explore with the kids or a fun day date, here are our best picks:
Best spot with a view
Sky Top Orchards
1193 Pinnacle Mountain Rd, Zirconia, NC 28731
Take the quick 90 minute drive up to Skytop Orchards for a true North Carolina fall experience. On the way to Skytop you’ll see the leaves starting to change colors and the temperatures cool off, setting the stage for a perfect day of picking! Take the Skytop website’s advice and arrive early, it will be like you have the mountain all to yourself. Between the views, famous apple cider donuts and apple cider, farmers stand and petting zoo, a visit to Skytop is a full day of fall activities. And thanks to their easy downloadable map, you can even plan which types of apples will be ready for you when you visit. They’ve truly thought of everything.
Best spot for Pumpkins AND Apples
Carrigan Farms
1261 Oak Ridge Farm Hwy, Mooresville, NC 28115
Around the corner in Mooresville is this picturesque 5th generation farm. Carrigan Farms is the perfect place to bring the crew for an authentic pumpkin patch experience. They grow tens of thousands of pumpkins here each year! On Saturdays in October, take a hayride to the pumpkin patch, where a $10 ticket includes the ride and your very own pumpkin you pick straight from the patch. Looking for apples? Hop on one of Carrigan’s Apple Hayrides offered on the weekends. $10 gets you a half peck bag of apples, a visit to the animals, and unlimited fresh apple cider. Be sure to stop in their farm market for other fresh produce before you head out.
Best spot for apple lovers
Apple Hill Orchard
2075 Pleasant Hill Ave, Morganton, NC 28655
Back in 1955, Apple Hill Orchard started growing apples in Western NC, just south of Morganton. Since then, the Prewitt family has seen it grow to include a cider mill, a country store, you pick apples, educational and group tours, and even a bakery. The beautiful orchards are best viewed from one of their Saturday Wagon Tours, which start at 10:30 am and run every 15 minutes. View what’s in season with their Harvest Calendar before your trip. All about apples? Apple Hill produces several 600 gallon batches of cider each year, and its country store and bakery are filled to the brim with fresh apple treats. A must stop.
Best spot for the kids
13624 Providence Rd, Weddington, NC 28104
Looking for a nearby place to take your young ones to get their first pumpkin? Hunter Farm in Wedington may just be your best bet. Built in 1868 and run by the Hunter family for 5 generations, the farm is open to the public for you-pick pumpkins from September 28th to November 17th. A small ticket fee includes a hayride, visit to the petting barn and a small pumpkin from the patch
Best spot for a family day trip
Coston Farm and Apple House
3748 Chimney Rock Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Pick your apples with the Blue Ridge Mountains as the perfect fall backdrop at Coston Farm and Apple House. The Coston family has been managing the property, which includes a U-pick orchard, country store, fresh produce and pumpkins, bakery, and gift shop, for over 30 years. You can go ahead and stop by on your way back from an Asheville trip, reservations are not required for their U-Pick Orchard. Once you’ve picked all you can pick, visit their website for recipes for all those apples!
Best spot for a day date
Windy Hill Orchard
1860 Black Highway, York, SC 29745
This family business, known as the Home of Everything Apples, has everything you need for a perfect fall day date. Their U-pick orchard, open Friday afternoons, Saturdays, Sundays, features the classic Southern Stayman Winesap variety. But this one’s not just for kids-enjoy Windy Hill’s award winning hard cider after your hard work picking! Each Saturday, enjoy live music, cider tastings, hay rides, a fresh farm stand, and of course, apple picking. Windy Hill’s picking season ends with their annual Apple Harvest Festival on the 3rd Saturday of October. Stay tuned to their Facebook page for updates.
