CHICAGO — While there may not be apple orchards in the city, there are still opportunities for Chicagoans to go apple-picking in the suburbs.
Here’s a Chicagoan’s guide to apple-picking opportunities within 80 miles of the city:
Heinz Orchard
1050 Crest Road in Green Oaks, Illinois (38 miles from Chicago)
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and Columbus Day. Days and hours of operations vary but are available online.
Buy a bag — $10 for a half-peck bag and $20 for a one-peck bag — and fill it with the apples you pick. Admission is free, but at least one person per party must buy a bag.
County Line Orchard
200 S. County Line Road in Hobart, Indiana (44 miles from Chicago)
8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
$6-12 admission passes
Keller’s Farmstand
2500 Johnson Road in Oswego, Illinois (44 miles from Chicago)
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
You can pick apples and pumpkins and enjoy fall festivities, including a corn maze, wagon rides and more at Keller’s Farmstand. Apple-picking is free for children 4 and younger. Bags start at $9 for a quarter-peck bag.
Goebbert’s Farm
42W813 Reinking Road in Pingree Grove, Illinois (54 miles from Chicago)
9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
Ride a wagon to Goebbert’s orchard and pick a bag full of apples for $10. General admission tickets to the farm are $18 Monday-Friday and $22 Saturday-Sunday. Tickets for people 65 and older are $14.
Anderson Farm Orchard
43133 N. Green Bay Road in Zion, Illinois (55 miles)
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
While this isn’t a pick-your-own orchard, you can get $1 apples — $2 for honeycrisp — and other fall-themed treats, including apple butter, caramel apples, cider and honey. The orchard only accepts cash or checks for payment.
Kuipers Family Farm
1N145 Watson Road in Maple Park, Illinois (56 miles from Chicago)
9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday
Buy apples or pick them yourself at the Kuipers orchard. Tickets are $10.99 online and $12.99 at the gate, which includes a quarter-peck bag for the apples. Apple-picking is open to the public on weekends and some weekdays. There’s also a pumpkin farm and other fall festivities for the family.
All Seasons Orchard
14510 Illinois Route 176 in Woodstock, Illinois (59 miles from Chicago)
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and Columbus Day
This orchard has more than 15,000 apple trees, plus a pumpkin patch, corn maze and family-friendly activities. Apple-picking tickets start at $11 for children and $17 for adults and are available online. There is other farm fun, including a corn maze, petting zoo, cornhole, hay maze and pumpkin patch.
Prairie Sky Orchard
4914 North Union Road in Union, Illinois (60 miles from Chicago)
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
Buy apples “bagged in the barn” or pick them yourself. Groups of one to four people must pick one peck of apples minimum for $24, and groups of five to eight people must pick two pecks for $48. Admission is free.
Honey Hill Orchard
11783 Waterman Road in Waterman, Illinois (65 miles from Chicago)
9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Buy a picking bag from the orchard — $10 per quarter-peck bag or $30 for a peck bag — and fill it with the apples you pick. Admission is free, but everyone older than 2 must buy a picking bag.
Stade’s Farm and Market
3709 Miller Road in McHenry, Illinois (65 miles from Chicago)
9 a.m.-5 p.m. when applicable; check the farm’s Facebook or website for updates on orchard closures.
Pick quarter-peck bag of apples for $10, a peck bag for $30 or half a bushel for $50. There is no admission fee to enter the orchard, but everyone older than 2 must buy at least $10 worth of apples. Stade’s also has a market and attractions, including bonfires and sunset hayrides.
Apple Holler Orchard
5006 S. Sylvania Ave. in Sturtevant, Wisconsin (65 miles)
9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Buy a picking bag starting at $20 and gather apples. The orchard also has a Farm Park open daily, which has a corn maze, farm animals, giant slide, pollination exhibit and more. Admission to the Farm Park is $5 Monday-Friday and $10 Saturday-Sunday.
Jonamac Orchard
19412 Shabbona Road in Malta, Illinois (70 miles from Chicago)
9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily
You must buy a $15 picking bag from Jonamac before entering the orchard to pick apples. On Fall Festival days, you must also buy a general admission wristband online for $7 or at the gate for $8. Alongside apple picking, the Fall Festival includes a play area, animal barn petting zoo, daytime corn maze, wagon rides, pumpkin house, cider house tasting room, live music and more.
Valley Orchard
811 E. State St. in Cherry Valley, Illinois (72 miles)
9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday
With more than 5,000 trees, there are plenty of apples to pick at this orchard. You must buy a bag to enter the orchard — $15 for a half-peck. You can also buy pre-picked apples from the store alongside other fall goodies: cider slushies, cider doughnuts, apple pies, cinnamon bread, caramel apples, fudge, jams, and more. There are also fall decorations, candles and other home items.
Brightonwoods Orchard
1072 288th Ave. in Burlington, Wisconsin (72 miles from Chicago)
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, closed Mondays
This isn’t a pick-your-own orchard, but there are still plenty of apples and other fall favorites, including Wisconsin cheese, gourds, jams and honey. The orchard also has a two-story treehouse for kids, picnic tables, walking trails through the woods and more.
Royal Oak Farm
15908 Hebron Road in Harvard, Illinois (77 miles from Chicago)
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Sunday
With 20,000 apple trees and four orchards, you can buy apples from the barn or pick your own at Royal Oak Farm. Admission starts at $12, which includes access into the orchard, pollination garden and a quarter-peck bag. There are also family-friendly activities such as a playground, petting zoo, carousel, apple tree maze and more.
Hafs Road Orchard
W632 Hafs Road in Genoa City, Wisconsin (78 miles from Chicago)
Noon-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Hours change in November.
While you can’t pick your own, you can shop a variety of locally grown apples, crisp apple cider and hand-dipped caramel apples at Hafs Road Orchard.
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