Ask an Agent: Prime Spots for Apple and Pumpkin Picking, Corn Mazes, Petting Zoos, and More Fall Fun in the Northeastern U.S.
by Grace Cassidy
October 2025
Fall is in full swing across the northeastern U.S., with crisp temperatures, crunchy leaves, and all your favorite autumnal activities. To help you find the best spots to pick your own apples and pumpkins, explore corn mazes, and enjoy some fall fun in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, the Hudson River Valley, and New Jersey, we asked Douglas Elliman agents who live and work in those communities to recommend their favorite destinations.
Vermont
Moore’s Orchard, Pomfret, Vt.
Elliman agent Mia Parsons has a particular fondness for Moore’s. “As a kid, going here was a yearly fall tradition for my family,” she says. “We’d climb the trees, run wild through the orchard, and soak in the fall season. Blueberry season was just as special— local kids couldn’t wait for it. The rule of thumb was always ‘one for the bucket, one for your mouth’ until you felt sick.”
The family-run farm offers homegrown apples, pumpkins, blueberries, flowers, and maple syrup, and is also home to Angus cattle.
Cedar Circle Farm & Education Center, East Thetford, Vt.
Visitors love Cedar Circle Farm’s farmhouse, farm tours, events, greenhouse, and pick-your-own cut flower garden, berries, apples, and pumpkins. They’re also home to Hello Café, a restaurant open from May through October. Their Pumpkin Festival will celebrate its 20th year this October, complete with food, live music, activities, and much more.
This organic farm also offers a CSA, gardening tips, and recipes on their website, and a Little Farmers program from spring to fall.
Burtt’s Apple Orchard, Cabot, Vt.
This apple orchard offers seemingly endless apple varieties to be picked throughout the fall. Don’t want to go out into the orchard? Their farmstand offers pre-picked apples, cider slushies, doughnuts, honey, produce, maple syrup, and hamburgers and steaks. There are lots of farm activities to enjoy throughout the fall, including the corn maze, apple slingshot, apple hunts, and games for the kids including a playground, sandbox, and tetherball.
Shelburne Orchards, Shelburne, Vt.
With incredible views out over Lake Champlain, this 60-acre family-owned-and-operated farm grows apples, peaches, plums, sour cherries, and table grapes, plus pick-your-own apples during the fall. The farm also offers hay rides, delicious apple cider doughnuts, and both apple and ginger apple cider at their farm market. Dead Bird Distillery is located right within the farm, continuing a tradition of apple brandy that started in the Prohibition era.
Massachusetts
Bartlett’s Apple Orchard and Farm Market, Richmond, Mass.
Visitors will enjoy pick-your-own season at Bartlett’s Apple Orchard, which runs from Labor Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend. This Berkshires-based farm keeps their website updated with which varieties are available for picking at any given time during the picking season. Plus, their farm market offers fresh apple cider and cider doughnuts.
Parlee Farms, Tyngsborough, Mass.
Named 2024’s No. 1 Apple Orchard in the U.S. by Newsweek, Parlee Farms is a favorite for both locals and visitors alike. They offer pick-your-own apples and flowers, and their farmstand has generous amounts of fresh fruit, vegetables, honey, cider, and bakery items, including apple cider doughnuts. Their popular Fall Festival has live music, apple and flower picking, and activities for the kids.
Red Apple Farm, Phillipston, Mass.
This four-generation-owned apple farm has been in operation since 1912, but the land itself has been farmed since around the 1730s, so the location has lots of rich history. They even have the oldest commercial McIntosh tree, planted the same year the farm was founded and still producing fruit 113 years later. U-Pick includes apples, pears, gourds, flowers, corn, and pumpkins, while the farm is also home to The Cidery for amazing apple cider, an ice cream window, the Brew Barn Taproom & Restaurant, and a store with items such as fresh-baked pies, fudge, and cider doughnuts.
Russell Orchards, Ipswich, Mass.
Russell Orchards Farm & Winery offers pick-your-own from June to October, including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, and blackberries in the summer and apples in the fall. They also have a store where you can enjoy fresh produce, honey, eggs, cider, local products, and a bakery. Kids love the hay rides and interacting with the farm animals. Plus, the tasting room at their winery offers a great weekend activity, with flavors such as pear, jostaberry, wild blueberry, dandelion, hard ciders, and much more.
Connecticut
Lyman Orchards, Middlefield, Conn.
Lyman Orchards has been in operation since 1741, with 10 generations of the family tending to the 1,100-acre farm in Middlefield, Conn. This farm is a favorite for both locals and visitors to the area, known for its pick-your-own pumpkins and apples, as well as berries, peaches, nectarines, and pears. Kids will love going through the corn and sunflower mazes, while adults appreciate the hard cider.
Rogers Orchards, Southington, Conn.
Rogers Orchards has been offering farm-fresh Connecticut produce since 1809. They have two Southington locations, both local favorites for pick-your-own apples. Don’t forget to stop by the market store for hard cider, fresh-baked apple cider doughnuts, fruit pies, apple dumplings, coffee cakes, cookies, scones, and more.
Silverman’s Farm, Easton, Conn.
Celebrating over 100 years in operation, Silverman’s Farm is a great place to go for pick-your-own raspberries, blueberries, peaches, and apples. Their market offers fresh-picked apples from the farm, apple cider, cider doughnuts, pies, and lots of other seasonal goodies. Plus, you can get milk, eggs, cheeses, fresh bread, and specialty pantry items.
Hudson River Valley, NY
Barton Orchards, Poughquag, NY
This three-generation, 180-acre working farm and orchard is not just a place to pick apples and pumpkins. There’s also a tap room, farm market, bakery, and event space. Plus, kids will love all the fall activities they have such as a haunted house, farm animals, playground, corn maze, and hay rides. There’s even a dog park for four-legged friends.
“Barton Orchards is one of our favorites,” says Elliman agent Stacey Pinkas. “In addition to picking your own apples, pumpkins, and sunflowers, our kids love the corn maze, apple cannons, gem stone mining, and the cider doughnuts cannot be missed!”
Outhouse Orchards, North Salem, NY
Outhouse Orchards offers pick-your-own apples, a corn maze, and hay rides – making this the perfect spot to enjoy a fall weekend with the family. They also have a Fall Festival that lasts through the entire month of September where visitors can pick pumpkins and apples before heading over to the farm stand for fresh produce, homemade goods, cider doughnuts, and delicious apple cider.
Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard, North Salem, NY
Just down the road from Outhouse Orchards is Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard, making it easy to have a weekend of family fun at different locations. Their Fall Festival is underway every weekend through September and October, offering a variety of activities including apple and pumpkin picking, BBQ, hot apple cider doughnuts, live music, and photo ops. Stop by their farm store for fresh produce, farm-raised meat, dairy, and more.
“My two favorite local orchards are Harvest Moon and Outhouse Orchards,” Elliman agent John Oliveira says. “In addition to picking apples and pumpkins, they also have wildflower gardens where you can pick your own flowers, which is perfect this time of year.”
Rose Hill Farm, Red Hook, NY
Rose Hill Farm has been in operation since 1812 with seven generations tending to the land. The farm offers pick-your-own in the summer and fall, including cherries, blueberries, apricots, plums, peaches, and apples. Stop by the cidery to try some of their over 175 varieties of estate-grown cider as well as wine, beer, and distillates.
New Jersey
Demarest Farms, Hillsdale, NJ
Founded in 1886, this Bergen County farm offers fall activities and pick-your-own apples, peaches, and pumpkins.
“This is a great one to add to your list,” local agent Suzanne Veninata says. “They have a full market where you can purchase flowers, pies, and already picked items. A bonus here is they have a petting zoo and pony rides, which makes this a great place for families.”
The farm also hosts a variety of events throughout the season, including paint-and-sip at the petting zoo and a Halloween light show, the largest of its kind in the state.
Abma's Farm, Wyckoff, NJ
“I grew up going to Abma’s Farm,” Elliman agent Melissa Poterala says. “They have a barnyard petting zoo at their Wyckoff location, which sits on 32 acres of farmland in the heart of Bergen County. In the fall they have hay rides and a U-Pick pumpkin patch.”
Their farmer’s market is a great place to pick up local produce, eggs, meat, honey, and other local products. Abma’s also has a location in Hillsborough, which includes a pumpkin patch, hay rides, a corn maze, and a petting zoo.
Alstede Farms, Chester, NJ
Located in Morris County, Alstede Farms offers great fall activities for the whole family, including U-Pick apples and pumpkins, hay rides, a corn maze, and photo opportunities. Their farm store is a must see, with fresh farm produce, meats, quiches, guacamole, pico de gallo, jams, honeys, pies, doughnuts, homemade ice cream, syrup, and much more. Make sure to stop by Alstede Farms for their Harvest Moon Nights on weekend evenings through the fall, complete with hard cider by the campfire, live music, and food trucks.
Happy Day Farm, Manalapan, NJ
Head to Happy Day Farm for pick-your-own pumpkins, a corn maze, and their Fall Harvest which includes tractor rides, flowers, installations, and photo ops. Kids will love the pig races, fun slide, and pirate ship.
“I recently took my niece to their you-pick tulip and dinosaur festival,” Poterala recalls. “This place is so much fun and filled with endless activities for everyone.”
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