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My Northern US Friends, Apple and Pumpkin picking?
I am originally from NJ and my favorite fall thing was to go apple and pumpkin picking. In Florida, we don't have that or anything similar to that. We have fall festivals, but nothing like it is up north.
We don't have a lot of time, otherwise, we'd head up to my husband's native Quebec and spend some time there. I was hoping maybe avoid having to drive all the way back up to NJ. Mid-North Carolina is about a 12 hour drive for me so that's what I am looking at. I'd like to find somewhere in the VA, NC, MD, maybe even WV area that I can go apple and pumpkin picking. Any ideas?
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I live in Northern VA and have been to Great Country Farms in Bluemont, VA. They have both apple and pumpkin picking along with other activities. There is also Marker Miller Orchards in Winchester, VA but I have not been here. For more places in Virginia check out Virginia.org. It is the tourism site for VA.
I have been browsing that site all day and I can't seem to find any hotels nearby. We want to do Williamsburg and a day at the Orchards. I found an orchard about 2 hours from Williamsburg, but getting lodging seems to be a whole different issue.
Winchester definitely has hotels and it looks like there is a Country Inn and Suites within 10 minutes. Great Country Farms is more remote but there are hotels in Leesburg, VA. Have you tried Hotels.com or Kayak.com for hotel locations?
I have to chuckle as it certainly is all about perspective. I saw "Northern US", but Virginia, MD and NC are all "the South" to me .
Sorry, wish I could help. I can tell you that around here, places to stay are booked pretty well ahead for apple/pumpkin picking season, but again this is New England. If you're having trouble finding a place, I would try searching for places farther out from where you want to do your apple/pumpkin picking. You may have to drive farther to the orchard, but you won't have to drive all the way up the coast.
I am originally from Carroll County, Maryland and the popular place to go is Baugher's Farm in Westminster, which is about 15-20 minutes from where I live just over the PA line. If you Google it, it will come up right away. They have pick your own fruit, family activities, even their own restaurant (home style). Right down the road is a Best Western, which I highly recommend. They were fantastic when my husband and I stayed there after our wedding and all of our out of town guests stayed there as well. We had excellent service and very comfortable, clean rooms.
I'm with Holly. To me, north eastern US is NE and NY. I think the cooler weather makes for better apples but I have never had any from any place south of RI. We also have wonderful foliage so you could come, apple (and pumpkin) pick and see the foliage. Of course, you can do very similar things in Canada.
That's the thing. I'm not objecting to going that far north, it's just not a reasonable drive for a quick weekend. Even VA is pushing it. I think Williamsburg is around 14-16 hours away and that's about our day driving limit.
I laughed when Holly said it's all about perspective and said MD, VA, and NC are still south for her. I guess she's right! For me, NC is still pushing it as being considered southern. It snows there!
If I could get to Canada and back for a long weekend for reasonable $, I'd do it. Hubby is from Quebec and I miss going to visit him there. I think he misses it too.
So far, we're thinking about NC mountains that border TN.
pumpkins are very expensive this year $15.00 for a medium sized one and $20.00 for a large one apples are also very expensive this year this is prime picking season in new york
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I have to chuckle as it certainly is all about perspective. I saw "Northern US", but Virginia, MD and NC are all "the South" to me .
Sorry, wish I could help. I can tell you that around here, places to stay are booked pretty well ahead for apple/pumpkin picking season, but again this is New England. If you're having trouble finding a place, I would try searching for places farther out from where you want to do your apple/pumpkin picking. You may have to drive farther to the orchard, but you won't have to drive all the way up the coast.
I thought exactly the same thing! Virginia, MD and NC are all south of the Mason-Dixon line and therefore are "southern states". I don't think people in those states would consider themselves "north" either, lol!
Now, I am so far north that I am a stone's throw from Canada ...... southern Canada that is! We also have a summer place on the St. Lawrence River, which is a pebble throw from Canada.
I guess "north" or "south" are all relative to where a person currently lives.
You are right. Western NC to eastern TN should give you good options for orchards and farms. You should not have any problems with hotels and finding other things to do in that area. The one thing that could create a problem would be the leaf peepers. The color change will be drawing crowds for the next 6 weeks or so. Have fun.
I went to the local, in town orchard the other day and they had already sold out They explained it had been a bad year for apples. We had a later frost and early frost and just about anything that could kill apple blossoms. I am on a search for good New England apples to bring to Texas at the end of the month. No offense to Texans, but your apples cannot be compared to a nice, crisp, fresh northern apple.
I went to the local, in town orchard the other day and they had already sold out They explained it had been a bad year for apples. We had a later frost and early frost and just about anything that could kill apple blossoms. I am on a search for good New England apples to bring to Texas at the end of the month. No offense to Texans, but your apples cannot be compared to a nice, crisp, fresh northern apple.
The CT orchards seem to be doing okay.....there are still apples to be had. I would call places close but south of you (how close are you to MA) and keep moving southward until you find some. Good luck
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