Seattle Family Calendar
Subscribe
It’s not autumn (or late summer) in the Northwest until our family heads out on a trip to pick our own apples! And are we ever in luck: Washington state produces about 60 percent of the nation’s supply of apples, from super sweet to pucker-worthy tart varieties.
Most of the region’s apples are plucked from orchards in the Wenatchee Valley, about 2 ½ hours away from Seattle. As the Wenatchee River snakes eastward from Leavenworth, it is flanked on both sides by one pear or apple orchard after another.
In order to make the most of your apple-picking adventure, be sure to confirm that the farm you are headed to is open, either by checking social media or giving them an old-fashioned phone call. While websites list hours, things such as weather and fruit ripening can impact a farm’s schedule. And be sure to check out our tips for apple picking with kids to set yourself up for success.
Swans Trail Farms, Snohomish
For a quick trip from the Seattle area, Swans Trail Farms southeast of Everett is a sure bet. Set along the Snohomish River, the farm hosts U-pick apples in their 5-acre orchard with 4,000 apple trees and four apple varieties. After your wagon is piled high with fruit, let the kids loose to find their way through an intricate corn maze in the shape of Washington state. The farm offers a variety of seasonal attractions where kids can burn off some steam before the car ride back home.
Get pickin’: The 2025 U-pick apple season starts Sept. 13, 2025, and goes through mid-October until the apples are picked out. Check the website or Facebook page for updates and availability of activities.
Location: 7301 Rivershore Rd., Snohomish; contact 425-330-3084
Bellewood Farms, Lynden
Just outside Bellingham, Bellewood Farms is a favorite for kids and adults alike. With a Country Café and Bakery and a distillery tasting bar, there’s something for everyone. The café offers casual lunch fare including homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, homemade apple pie and warm bakery goods. Yummy!
Get pickin’: Bellewood opens for U-pick on Labor Day weekend; check the Facebook page for updates. The Country Café, Farm Store and distillery are open Wednesday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (the café grill closes at 2 p.m.). In the fall, Bellewood offers 22 varieties of apples and pears including Sansa, Jonagold, Mountain Rose (pink inside!), Golden Supreme and Honeycrisp.
Location: 6140 Guide Meridian, Lynden; contact 360-318-7720
Bailey Family Farm, Snohomish
This over 100-year-old family farm features tons of U-pick veggies and fruit, June through October. Apples are ready from late September to early October. Their fall activities begin Sept. 21, 2025, and continue on weekends through October where in addition to picking apples, you can grab a pumpkin and enjoy some fall fun. Simple and free kids activities include a hay run, farm trikes and a sandbox. Weekends in October there will be kettle corn, cider and donuts for sale.
Get pickin’: The apple U-pick season is open mid-September through October. They start with Honeycrisps in mid-September, then Jonaprince and Cosmic Crisps in October. The farm is open daily 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m. with other produce available for picking or prepicked at the farm store. Check the Facebook page for updates.
Location: 12691 Springhetti Rd., Snohomish; contact 360-568-8826
Jones Creek Farms, Sedro Woolley
Jones Creek Farms is a small, family-run operation in the fertile Skagit Valley, an area that was once dotted with apple orchards. It’s your best bet in the Puget Sound region for heirloom varieties of apples, as they have more than 100 unique varieties on their organically maintained orchard (mix a few different kinds together in the crockpot for delicious apple butter). Beyond apples, the farm offers U-pick Asian pears, squash and pumpkins.
Get pickin’: U-pick opening weekend is Aug. 22–25, 2025. Check the website for regular updates on U-pick hours, availability and the projected harvest schedule. Varieties include Akane, Belmac, Bramley’s Seedling, Dayton, Liberty, Scarlet Ohara, William’s Pride, Arlie Red, Gold Rush and more. Pears and plums are also available for U-pick when ripe. Garlic is available for purchase. Leave pets at home, please.
Location: 32260 Burrese Rd., Sedro Woolley
Skipley Farm, Snohomish
Skipley Farm is a working farm so don’t expect any manicured areas for wedding receptions or pumpkin cannons. But there is plenty to pick, with more than 500 varieties of apples in the field, both unusual and the better-known Fuji and Honeycrisp. They recommend the Zabergau Reinette as the perfect apple for strudels, pie and sauce. Other fruit and berries may be available depending on the season. Kids will love to visit the chickens and Reggie the pig.
Get pickin’: U-pick is open now, Tuesday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Bring your own containers. Check updates on the website or Facebook or call before visiting to see what is ready for picking. A $5 donation per adult ($3 for children) is requested.
Location: 7228 Skipley Rd., Snohomish; contact 206-679-6576
Curran Apple Orchard, University Place
Curran Apple Orchard is a public orchard within the city of University Place, southwest of Tacoma. Its 7 acres hold more than 200 trees growing 15 varieties of apples. The orchard is open to the public for free picking beginning on Aug. 31, 2025. Just follow the rules: Trees with signs or markers have been “adopted” and the apples on those trees are reserved for the adopter. Please do not pick them. If there are windfall apples on the ground, please pick them up and dispose of them in the dumpster to help avoid future insect problems.
Get pickin’: The public is invited to a Community Harvest Day on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, starting at 10 a.m. The community is welcome to pick from unmarked trees. If you cannot attend, you are welcome to pick from unmarked trees after this date.
Location: 3920 Grandview Drive W., University Place
Raising Cane Ranch, Snohomish
This small family farm has all the charm you could hope for: welcoming, passionate owners, animals to see and all the wonderful sights and smells of farm life. In addition to berry and nut U-picks that start in early June, they have 20 varieties of apples for picking, starting in early September. See the website for information about when each item in their orchard will be in season. Currently, U-pick is by reservation only, which you can schedule by emailing info@raisingcaneranch.com.
If you go on a weekend be sure to stop by the cidery and enjoy a hard cider made with apples and berries from the farm. The tasting room is currently outdoors while an old cow barn is being converted into the cidery. The cidery is currently open Fridays, 3–7 p.m.; Saturdays, noon–7 p.m.; and Sundays, noon–5 p.m.
Get pickin’: Check their Facebook for updates on crop availability and open hours.
Location: 5719 Riverview Rd., Snohomish; contact 206-724-5303
Sm’Apples U-Pick Orchard, Ferndale
We just happened upon Sm’Apples, a family-run U-pick orchard in Ferndale, and it looks like a good one! U-pick opens Aug. 30, 2025, with the first available varieties being Red Gravenstein and Akane — that’s pronounced “uh-KAHN-ee.” Next up will be family favorites Honeycrisp and Jonagold. This year they are also offering apple cider and local, unfiltered honey.
Get pickin’: Apple varieties, season dates, orchard hours and pricing are typically listed on the website. The orchard’s open hours are listed as Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–dark.
Location: 1197 Willeys Lake Road, Ferndale; contact 360-318-1776
Stutzman Ranch, Wenatchee
Head over the pass to Stutzman Ranch if your kids love crunchy, juicy Fuji and Gala apples. Starting in late August Gala apples, Bartlett and Asian pears will be ripe and ready for picking. Everyone visiting the farm who is 12 or older will be charged a $5 U-pick minimum. (For example, a group of 4 people over 12 would be expected to pick at least $20 worth of fruit, to cover the $5 minimum for each person.) This comes out to approximately 6 pounds of apples per person, and you are of course encouraged to pick more!
Get pickin’: Most apple varieties will be ready sometime between August–September. When U-pick fruit is available, the farm is open daily, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Check the Facebook page or call and listen to their message for current U-pick information. Weekends get very busy, so they suggest coming during the week for a more relaxed U-pick experience.
Location: 2226 Easy St., Wenatchee; contact 509-667-1664
Lattin’s Country Cider Mill and Farm, Olympia
Lattin’s is legendary among South Sound families. While it doesn’t offer U-pick apples, the farm store definitely warrants a visit, and you must taste the cider. In early 2021, the farm lost its barn to a fire. However, their farm store remains open and they are still making their award-winning cider. The farm store also offers fresh-picked fruit by the case and delicious doughnuts, including famous apple fritters. Keep tabs on the farm’s Facebook page for updates and daily availability.
Get tastin’: The farm store is open Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. and Sundays, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Don’t miss the Apple Festival, held the first weekend in October, where you’ll find games, cider, wagon rides, animal train rides, a petting zoo and more!
Location: 9402 Rich Rd. S.E., Olympia; contact 360-491-7328
Tips for apple picking with kids
Head to Eastern Washington if you want to turn apple picking into a fall weekend getaway, or stay close to home and make it an apple-picking day trip.
- Find family-friendly spots. Many U-pick orchards are kid-friendly. Some keep small trees that offer low-hanging fruit so that kids can reach the apples without assistance, and others have small step ladders (make sure you help little ones up onto them and stay close by).
- Time it right. Apples are usually ready for picking from September through the end of October, with the peak picking time varying by location, but some farms start as early as August.
- Call or check online to make sure the orchard you want to visit has U-pick open that day (hours and days can change based on the availability of crops). Facebook pages often give more up-to-date information than websites.
- Bring along your own bags, baskets or boxes in case the farm has run out of them.
- Pack rubber boots because the orchards may be muddy, and consider bringing a wagon to tote kids.
- Think about how many pounds of apples you want to end up with before you start picking. You might want a few pounds for the kids’ lunch boxes, and several more for baking and preserving.
- Check on the pet policy before bringing your pooch. Many farms have a no-pet policy for the safety and comfort of farm animals.
- Are the apples organic? While few U-pick apple orchards in the region have gone through the process of having their orchards certified organic, many of them implement organic and natural growing practices in their orchards. If this is important to you, feel free to call ahead and ask about their practices.
More farm fun:
Editor’s note: This article was originally published a few years ago and updated most recently on Aug. 14, 2025, by ParentMap’s associate editor, Kari Hanson. All the information has been fact-checked and new resources were added.
