About How to Do Fall Around DC
Make the most of autumn activities with these ideas for a fun-filled fall. Check out colorful foliage, corn mazes, haunted houses, pumpkin patches, and more.
It may still feel like summer, but we’d prefer embracing the autumn spirit at these local pumpkin patches and apple orchards.
Baugher’s Orchards and Farms
1015 Baugher Rd., Westminster, Maryland; (410) 857-0111
Distance from DC: About 70 miles.
Pumpkins: $0.49 per pound.
Apples: $1.49 per pound. $12 for a half peck bag, $21 for a full peck bag, $34 per half bushel bag.
Hours: 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and Sunday; 10 AM to 5 PM on Wednesday October 9 and Friday October 18.
Leave your tote bag at home: Baugher’s provides bags for picking and $2 wagon rides up to the field. Afterwards, kids can take a stroll through the petting zoo. At the market, grab apple treats like a frozen apple slushie or an apple cider doughnut. Plus, you can also pick up sweet corn, cantaloupes, watermelon and tomatoes at the market through the end of October.
Butler’s Orchard
22222 Davis Mill Rd., Germantown, MD; (301) 428-0444
Distance from DC: 29 miles.
Pumpkins: $0.69 cents per pound.
Apples: Stayman apples, $2.09 per pound.
Hours: 9:30 AM to 5 PM from Tuesday through Sunday.
Butler’s has educational stations for kids to learn about the life cycle of pumpkins, as well as a straw maze, hayloft barn, and giant slides. The farm has sweet fruit pies alongside savory pies like broccoli cheese or potato. Admission is $12 a person on weekends and $3 a person on weekdays (free for kids under two).
Catocin Mountain Orchard
15036 North Franklinville Rd., Thurmont, MD; (301) 271-2737
Distance from DC: About 66 miles.
Apples: Prices by the bag. $12 for a half peck bag, $19 for a full peck bag, $30 per half bushel bag. Orchard entrance fee is $2 per person.
Hours: Apple picking from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday and Sunday.
If you need different kinds of apples for pie, apple sauce, and pairing with peanut butter, Catocin has you covered. The orchard has six different kinds of apples to choose from, plus apple spice cake and pumpkin nut bread at the market.
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Gaver Farm
5501 Detrick Rd., Mount Airy, Maryland; (301) 865-3515
Distance from DC: About 46 miles.
Pumpkins: $0.59 per pound.
Apples: Fuji, Cameo, Blondee Gala, Buckeye Gala, Empire. Prices by the bag. $20 for a full peck bag, $32 per half bushel bag. Each bag covers the cost of orchard admission for four people.
Hours: The pumpkin patch is open from 10 AM to 6 PM Monday through Sunday. The apple orchard is open from 10 AM to 6 PM on Saturday and Sunday.
Zoom around in a pedal kart and jump on a giant pillow. The corn maze comes in two sizes: seven-acre labyrinth and a mini version. Food options include cider doughnuts, pumpkin doughnut holes, and pulled pork sandwiches. Admission is $13.50 on weekends, $9 on weekdays (free for kids under two).
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Great Country Farms
18780 Foggy Bottom Rd., Bluemont, Virginia; (540) 554-2073
Distance from DC: About 59 miles.
Pumpkins: $0.59 per pound plus farm admission.
Apples: Shizuka, Golden Delicious, and Candycrisp apples for $1.99 per pound.
Hours: From 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Sunday.
There’s plenty of pumpkin-wrecking fun, from the P-Rex pumpkin destroyer chomping down on the orange shells (12 PM and 2 PM) to the pumpkin-shooting canons (11 Am, 1 PM, and 3 PM). Pig races coincide with the pumpkin canon. More relaxing activities include marshmallow roasting. Admissions on weekdays is $8 for children and $10 for adults. On weekends, admission is $10 for children and $12 for adults.
Hollin Farms
1524 Snowden Rd., Delaplane, Virginia; (540)623-8854
Distance from DC: About 61 miles
Pumpkins: $0.75 per pound
Apples: Golden Delicious, Idared, Cameo, Gala, Stayman, and more.$15 per peck
Hours: From 9 AM to 3 PM Wednesday through Friday; 9 AM to 4 PM on Saturday and Sunday.
In addition to apples, Hollin Farms has dig your own potatoes and peanuts. Pluck the latter if you want to pair your fresh fruit with homemade nut butter. Plus, it’s dog friendly if you need a digging buddy.
Homestead Farm
15604 Sugarland Rd., Poolesville, Maryland; (301) 977-3761
Distance from DC: About 24 miles.
Pumpkins: $0.65 per pound
Apples: Sun Fuji, Enterprise, Jonagold, and more. $2.49 per pound up to 20 pounds; $1.99 per pound over 20 pounds; $1.49 per pound over 100 pounds.
Hours: From 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Sunday.
The $2 admission gets you into the farm for picking, market access and scenic wagon hayrides. Snag some squash and mums to accompany your front-porch pumpkin display.
Larriland Farm
2415 Woodbine Rd., Woodbine, Maryland; (301) 854-6110
Distance from DC: About 42 miles.
Pumpkins: The patch is a mile north on the same property.
Apples: Empire, Golden Delicious, Mutsu, and Sun Crisp
Hours: From9 AM to 6 PM Tuesday through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM on Saturday and Sunday.
Explore a straw maze and enjoy a hay ride before munching on apple fritters and food truck offerings. The “Boo Barn” is a kid-friendly, spooky spot for children ages four to seven. On top of apples and pumpkins, pickers can also grab broccoli, kale, beets, herbs and radishes.
Mackintosh Fruit Farm
1608 Russell Rd., Berryville, Virginia; (540) 955-6225
Distance from DC: About 70 miles.
Apples: Golden Delicious, and Fuji. $1.99 per pound or $1.50 if you purchase over 25 pounds.
House: From 8 AM to 6 PM Wednesday through Sunday.
Watch apple butter churning up close during Apple Butter Day on Saturday October 5. Other events include a BYOB farm-to-table dinner on Saturday October 12 with live music. After picking, enjoy a chilled apple cider float with a side of carrot parsnip fries.
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Milburn Orchards
1495 Appleton Rd., Elkton, MD; (410) 398-1349
Distance from DC: About 95 miles.
Apples: Variety rotates weekly. $2.39 per pound
Hours: From 9 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and Sunday.
For $10 a person, participate in a family rope maze challenge, see a giant spider web, and find goats perching on a “goat walk.” Animal lovers can also enjoy groundhog hill and pony rides for an extra fee.
Rock Hill Orchard
28600 Ridge Rd., Mount Airy, MD; (301) 831-7427
Distance from DC: About 36 miles.
Pumpkin: $0.65 per pound
Apples: Variety rotates depending on availability. Prices by the bag. $12 for a small bag and up to two guests, $21 for a medium bag and up to four guests, $34 for a large bag and up to six guests.
Hours: From 10 AM to 4 PM Friday through Sunday for apples, Saturday and Sunday for pumpkins
Ride in style in a hayride from pumpkin patch to pumpkin canon, and then back over to the market for pumpkin and apple cinnamon ice creams made on the farm. Baby cows need a snack too, and you can head over to the barn to feed them during weekends at 4 PM.
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Stribling Orchard
11587 Poverty Hollow Ln., Markham, Virginia; (540) 364-3040
Distance from DC: About 64 miles.
Pumpkins: $3 per pie pumpkin, $0.59 per pound for large pumpkins, $1.00 per pound of heirloom pumpkins.
Apples: Jonathon Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Blends Golden, Fuji, Realm, Brayeburn, Stayman, $1.50 per pound or 1.00 per pound when you buy a bushel.
Hours: From 9 AM to 5 PM Tuesday through Sunday.
Stribling is celebrating its 200th anniversary with events all season, including a kids day on Saturday October 5 and an apple bake-off on Saturday October 19. Enjoy an adult-friendly farm day with wine tastings and live music.
Michaela Althouse is an editorial fellow for the Washingtonian. Her previous work has been featured in Philadelphia Magazine and Technical.ly.
