As the weather turns a little colder, it’s time to embrace some Fall Activities. One of my favourites is Apple picking. It’s fun to search for and choose the ripest and then head home and make some classic apple recipes like pie or jam. Make sure to call ahead at the farms to double-check conditions. It’s not just about the apple picking though, many farms also have fun fall activities when you visit. All disances are listed from City Hall 🙂
Save this Ottawa pumpkin picking guide for October.
When to pick apples in Ottawa?
Apple season is generally late August to mid September in Ottawa. September is the perfect time to go so here are the best spots for apple picking near Ottawa. It can differ each season but here’s a rough timeline of when the apples are ready:
Apple picking season in Ottawa, Ontario, varies depending on the variety of apples. Generally, the season begins in late August and runs through October. Here’s a breakdown of some common apple varieties and their typical harvest times:
- Late August to Early September: Paula Red, Ginger Gold, Lodi
- Early to Mid-September: McIntosh, Cortland, Spartan
- Mid to Late September: Empire, Gala, Honeycrisp
- Late September to Early October: Golden Delicious, Red Delicious
Keep in mind that specific dates may vary depending on the orchard and the weather conditions that year. Many local orchards update their websites or social media pages with the availability of different varieties as the season progresses.
Where to go Apple-Picking in Ottawa
Pinewood Orchards
- Open: pick your own apples on weekends 9 am-5pm
- Distance from Ottawa: 10 minutes
Enjoy apple picking near Ottawa at Pinewood Orchards. This spot offers several varieties of apples that are all hand picked from their farm. They have over 800 full-size trees, most of which are more than 50 years old.
Cannamore Orchard
- Open: daily 10 am to 5 pm
- Distance from Ottawa: 35 minutes
Enjoy apple picking near Ottawa at Cannamore Orchard. Here you’ll find a variety of apples and pumpkins. Don’t worry about carrying the pumpkins back, they have wagons and carts to bring them back from the field. Join them for family fun weekends for wagon rides, pedal cars, giant hedge mazes, orchard walks, cow-train and more. You don’t need to buy a ticket in advance for their family-fun events. Looking for a scary event? Visit their Acres of Terror to enjoy their spooky wagon ride, house of terror, spooky village, fog maze and more. Make sure to buy a ticket in advance.
Apple Stock Orchard
- Open: Daily from 9am-5pm
- Distance from Ottawa: 45 minutes south of Ottawa
Enjoy apple picking near Ottawa at Apple Stock Orchard, a family run orchard. If you’re a fan of Macintosh apples you’ll want to head here. Make sure to bring a reusable bag for apples.
Ferme Dagenais
Open: Monday to Friday 10-5pm, Saturday 10-3
Distance from Ottawa: 45 minutes
Enjoy apple picking near Ottawa at Ferme Dagenais. You’ll also find pears for picking at this farm. Both their apples and pears are organic. Enjoy apple picking from August until October depending on the variety, and pears until the end of September. Make sure to bring your own bag for picking.
Pine Hill Orchards
Open: daily late August through mid-October, 9 am–5 pm
Distance from Ottawa: 45 minutes (Bourget / Clarence-Rockland)
Pine Hill Orchards is a pick-your-own farm that has 20 varieties of apples , 9 varieties of table and wine grapes , and homemade apple cider.
Avonmore Berry Farm
- Open: Daily 9am-5pm
- Distance from Ottawa: 55 minutes
Enjoy apple picking near Ottawa at Avonmore Berry Farm. Bring your family to the kid’s area and enjoy weekend wagon rides during apple season.
McGregor Orchard
- Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am–5 pm (seasonal)
- Distance from Ottawa: 1 hour, Renfrew
This family-owned orchard is not only home to some wonderful apple varieties but also lavendar, zinnias, sunflowers, pumpkins more. Enjoy McGregor Orchard’s pick-your-own orchard full of lots of varieties of apples. Make sure to use one of their approved bags for picking apples.
Farmgate Cider
- Open: Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm-5pm
- Distance from Ottawa: 57 minutes, Arnprior
Visit Farmgate Cider where you can enjoy a beautiful orchard paired with their cider. It’s a family-owned cidery, and they offer some wonderful varieties. I recommend a flight so you can try a few different ciders. Their cidery is dog-friendly, and they also invite you to have a picnic in their orchard. This is definitely worth a visit 🙂 This is also a good stop if you visit McGregor Orchard or vice versa!
Mountain Orchards
Open: Monday to Friday, 10-6, Weekends 9-5
Distance from Ottawa: 1 hour
Enjoy apple picking near Ottawa at Mountain Orchards. They have a wide selection of apples to choose from. Pick some apples and also check out their forest trails, picnic area, wagon rides, straw jump, corn mazes, playground and more. Can’t wait to make your own baked goods? You can purchase pies, butter tarts, and more from their bakery.
BUSL Cider
- Open: Thursday to Sunday 9-5pm
- Distance from Ottawa: 1 hr, 20 minutes, Mallorytown
This spot isn’t an apple orchard but an awesome cidery. I visited this summer and fell in love with their cider. You’ll find it an hour and a half away. Enjoy one of their cider flights with a beautiful lookout over their orchard. It’s near 1000 Islands so make it into a road trip with this guide of more things to do in the area.
Julia started Little Miss Ottawa as a way to explore her hometown as a traveller would. She’s always planning her next adventure, whether it’s local or abroad. You’ll find her exploring with her camera in hand. She hopes Little Miss Ottawa helps bring you on new and fun adventures. Happy exploring :)
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