If you are looking for a fun place to pick apples, head over to Hillcrest Orchards during their Apple Pickin’ Jubilee in September and October. There are tons of fun things to do in Atlanta and the surrounding areas in the fall and Apple Picking is one of my favorites.

Hillcrest Orchards
9696 Hwy. 52 E.
Ellijay, Georgia 30536
706-273-3838

Website: hillcrestorchards.net

Admission $5.00 per person
Separate $3.00 per person admission to Petting Farm

Hillcrest Orchards is located in the North Georgia Mountains near Ellijay. During their Apple Pickin’ Jubilee (the last 3 weekends of September and each weekend in October) you can do the following family fun activities:

• Pick Your Own Apples from their dwarf apple trees.
• Stroll through the Nature Trail in the woods & along the creek filled with scenes from nursery rhymes & fairy tales.
• Milk Hillcrest’s milk cow ‘Buttercup’
• Watch a Live Honey Bee Demonstration and learn how honey is made.
• Cheer on the pigs in the Pig Race. Join Hillbilly Billy and cheer your favorite pig on to the finish line as he races for the Oreo cookie.

There’s also a John Deer Pedal Tractor Trike Track for tots, apple bobbin’ and corn shelling games, live entertainment by cloggers and country bands, mule drawn wagon rides in September and tractor drawn wagon rides, a petting farm (extra charge) and a kids play area complete with a mountain slide!

Of course no family fun activity in Atlanta is complete without tasty treats. Bring your appetite, there’s plenty of good food for sell such as hamburgers, hot dogs, Mountain bbq and a bunch of other tasty vittles in Grandma’s Bakery… fried apple pies, apple cider doughnuts, apple fritters, and homemade ice cream.

 

My Visit to the Apple Pickin’ Jubilee

Rating:  

Check out the Atlanta restaurants and attractions rating scale for details on what “3 stars” means.My family visited Hillcrest Orchards a couple of years ago and we really enjoyed our time there. Since there are plenty of fun things to do at the orchard it was well worth the hour + trip. We rode the tractor drawn wagon, watched the pig races, strolled through the nature trail and of course picked apples!We tried the typical festival food offered which is a bit pricey (as most festival food is) so I probably wouldn’t purchase it again. I’d rather spend my money on the apple treats in Grandma’s bakery like the apple fritters which were delicious or other apple related gifts in the farm store.You’ll need a plan for what you are going to do with all of the apples you pick. I typically make Crumb Topped Apple Pie or an Apple Crisp. Next time I go, I will probably make a few apple crafts with the apples we pick – something my daughter would enjoy.Kids of all ages will definitely enjoy this trip. I suggest making a day out of it and sampling all of the activities Hillcrest has to offer. Check the weather before you go and wear comfortable shoes. Don’t forget to bring your camera. This trip will make for an extra cute scrapbook page.