A great place to visit for the kids and 'big kids' for great eats and lots of kiddie fun. Family…read morefun for ALL Lots of workers to assist with great purchases (NOTE: workers could be more friendly and more welcoming, the service felt transactional rather than engaging and/or enthusiastic) The farm and market is well organized with lots to choose from year round. The place is always 'buzzing' with a great atmosphere. P.s. Best prices for pies ($19.99 or less)

It is that time of year. First year I have been there for Pear season. The cider was great. Bought…read morea lot of fresh vegetables, and some Italian infused garlic. The peach slider was also enjoyable. It is quite busy, we were there on Sunday at 11:00 am. Found good parking before the rich there. Lines moved fast, people were pleasant, and staff are very friendly. I love the seating area off the back, it allows for some nice views while trying a baked treat, tasty bbq, and or a fruity cider. All the syrups, honey, bbq sauces, canned goods, frozen pies, fresh vegetables, you cannot go wrong!

Okay this place looks AMAZING, but... sad to report it seems to be closed…read more Here's what we found when we went there: The gardens were so full of blooms, just amazing. There were clearly some people there looking to use it as a venue, and honestly I can see why, the whole place was just screaming "YOU WANT TO GET MARRIED HERE" Unfortunately, the Doll and Apple portions were cleared out, and looked to be mid-remodel. We did speak to someone who showing a couple around the venue and were told that the lockdown had hit them hard, and they were basically closed. I was very sad to hear this as this was recommended to me as the BEST apple tasting and souvenir shop on the hill. I hope they get going again, so we can visit them next time.

We loved the scenery here. There's a Giant Apple at the entrance, which was an excellent photo opp…read more My mom absolutely loved the huge flower bed. Our stop was totally unplanned, but we had to stop by here! The view was gorgeous. There was a gentleman peeling apples and gave us a complimentary apple! We got a lb of mixed apples and Apple Fritter, which is one of my fave pastries from Apple Hill. We walked the area and just enjoyed the scenery. There's a lot of other pastries, apple jams/sauces, and delicious goodies.

We love this farm! It's low key, has parking, apple picking, local goodies, picnic tables, animals…read moreand even a little hiking trail. The folks working here were nice and walked us through their various offerings. We were a little bummed out the pumpkin patch wasn't open yet. But it was such a lovely day and such a relaxed environment that we didn't even care.

For the sweetest apples, go for: 1. Golden delicious: more…read morefull body, more like pear. 2. Mutsu: sweet and crispier than Golden Delicious. 3. Pink Lady: medium sweet and a hint of tanginess. They have apples, pear picking, pumpkin patch field and flowers picking. Charges $3.20 per-lbs. Flower is charge per flower type. FREE apples sample! FREE PARKING! 1 (one) toilet on the left side of the store. Less busy than other farms closeby.

Larsen Apple Barn is a must visit in Apple Hill! They have an amazing selection of 27 different…read morekinds of apples! The best part is you can do taste testing, which makes it so much fun to try new varieties and find your favorite. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable with great customer service. I bought a bag of small golden delicious apples. Such a charming place with history, great apples, and a welcoming atmosphere. Definitely worth the stop if you're in the area!

I have been visiting Larsen Apple barn for decades and it is always my first stop of an Apple Hill…read moreday. The 3 star rating is NOT for the overall experience. I always go to the bakery and enjoy tasty treats. However, when I was visiting over the weekend, I watched while the person behind the counter repeatedly used bare hands to take cookies out of the case and place them in a bag or on a plate for customers. No gloves and not using tongs. Then, she would go and do something else, not wash her hands, and repeat the cookie fetching process with bare hands. Thank goodness what I ordered required the use of utensils, so she did not touch my food with bare hands, but I wonder if she has had any kind of training in food safety. Again, I love the barn and will continue to return, but please educate your staff about food safety and proper handling. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ California Food Safety Rules for Cookies Ready-to-Eat Status: Cookies are considered ready-to-eat bakery items because they will not undergo any further cooking or heating to kill harmful bacteria before they are eaten. [1] (https://www.lakecountyca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1049/ No-Bare-Hand-Contact-PDF), [2] (https://www.statefoodsafety.com/bare-hand-contact-when-serving-ready-to-eat-foods) Minimizing Contact: Under California Health and Safety Code § 113961, workers must use non-latex utensils, deli tissue, tongs, paper wrappers, or non-latex single-use gloves when placing ready-to-eat food into containers or onto tableware

We stopped at several places during a day trip up to Apple Hill, and this was by far our favorite!…read more It's a large property, starting with a you-pick pumpkin patch (in the fall) and a shop that sells apples, juice, and some random souvenirs. Behind the shop is a large open area that has goats, pigs, ducks and chickens (all fenced in separately - see pictures). You can buy food to feed the goats, who are really friendly. There is also an old tractor and tire swing, great for the kids to play on. Past the open area are the bakeshop and lunch area, where we found the best selection of lunch food in Apple Hill (every other place just had BBQ burgers and hot dogs). We had a (huge) turkey leg and BBQ chicken breast sandwich, plus homemade apple coleslaw (delish!). After lunch we indulged in apple cake and apple-blackberry-sour cream pie, which were both delicious. They have tons of picnic benches and tables, so even though it was a busy Sunday in the fall, we easily found seating for both lunch and dessert. This is a great place to take kids; there are animals, swings, space to run around, and even a clown!

I love this orchard. The people here have always been so nice to us over the years. It's an…read moreabsolute must stop every time we come up to Apple Hill.

We visited in early October. Last year we visited and they were closed since the apple season was…read moreover so this time I called to ask if they were still open for apple picking. They said yes and there are still apples on the trees. Which was not really true, we left with 10 tiny apples, 3 of which were from another family that had given up. We walked all sections of the orchard, most apples were on the ground and rotting. I am disappointed that they told me apples were available. They should have said they were open for their small store but not apple picking. We were excited to go and after we discovered almost no apples on the tree I realized I didnt see people leaving with bags and bags of apples. Most were leaving empty handed. The owners are nice, I want to give them business, it seems like they are about to go out of business since things are run down and they only accept cash. I also like how they give kids a apple for their thumb. But please dont stay open for apple picking if there are no apples to pick. We walked around for probably an hour or more set on finding a tree that still had apples available.

This place was a lot of fun for the family!!…read more I brought mine to Apple Hill to pick apples but the original spot that we wanted to visit was either very hard to find or didn't exist anymore. This was on our list to visit so we ended up going here instead, and I'm so glad we did! The owners were very friendly and accommodating. They handed us a map of where to pick apples and where the different types are located, then they pretty much told us to go crazy with picking apples. There weren't many ripe apples at the time we visited, but we still had a wonderful time being there to experience apple picking. The place feels rustic and huge with many apple tree variations to choose from, however, most of the trees were still young so there weren't a lot of shade for adults to hide under. So make sure you wear sunscreen and hats for protection during the day.

Absolute favorite farm at Apple Hill! This place is calm, it's got good seating, shade and some of…read morethe best baked goods and apple cider around. They don't pretend to be an amusement park and don't offer a bunch of random attractions. Instead you come here to relax, to sit with family and friends and to enjoy some delightful goodies. For our 3rd visit, we got 6 apple cider donuts ( amazing and not greasy), apple cider ( a crowd favorite), alcoholic apple cider ( pretty strong) and a apple pie ala mode ( amazing). The folks working here were nice and served us quickly. We will absolutely return next year!

4.5 stars. If Apple…read moreHill had a crown jewel, the high octane sugar rush at Rainbow Orchards would be firmly set in that center of it. Famous for setting the gold standard of high-country orchard stops, this farm stand is equal parts cozy rustic nostalgia and absolute culinary magnetism. Hot Cider Donuts: You come here for hot apple cider doughnuts. Fried fresh to order, tossed in cinnamon sugar, and handed to you screaming hot. Pure indulgence. They feature a crisp, delicate outer crust gives way to pillowy, cider-rich interior. Pair one with a cup of their fresh-pressed, unfiltered spiced hot cider (or cold), and you have achieved peak autumn bliss. Fresh-Pressed Hot Cider: The ultimate dynamic duo pairing. This isn't just liquid sugar--it is punchy, pleasantly tart, and packed with warm, aromatic spices to balance out edge sweet treats. The Bakery Stand: Beyond the viral doughnuts, the bakery churns out massive deep-dish apple pies, berry tarts, and cider-insisted baked goods that rival any grandmother's secret recipe. Fresh Fruit and Produce: Crisp-estate grown apples, seasonal stone fruit, and a dedicated tasting tent serving up crisp hard ciders for the grown-ups crafted directly from their mountain orchards. The sweeping grassland backdrop and orchard views make it a prime spot to spread out a blanket and soak in the Sierra Foothill breeze. Lines for the doughnut shack build fast. Arrive and grab a box of a dozen (you will regret buying just six) and secure a spot before crowds swarm. Rainbow Orchards delivers an unbeatable, sweet-toothed sliced of farm country charm.

Beautiful place to explore and enjoy all the fall vibes. Yummy food, creative vendors and cute…read morephoto ops!

Apple Hill is a must stop every Fall! It gets really crowded in the weekends during October so if…read morecrowds bother you plan for a weekday visit or go in September or in November. Lots of fun. So many goodies, Apple everything but the apple cider is to die for! The hot hot apple cider donuts are a must try! You can bring home all kinds of jams and jellies caramel apples, apples, pies of all kinds, their gift shops there's wines. There's hard ciders and more. Go you won't regret it! There's also all kinds of activities for kids and adults. Their amazes, pumpkin patches, trains for kids, apple picking, etc

I do not like the normal, gooey, runny, pies you get at some yearly family gatherings where a pie…read moreis brought out with gelatinous goo oozing from somewhere within the confines of the crust. I hate that. On the other hand, take out the goo, replace that with pure fruit, lots of it, and no ooze, and I love it!With that in mind, I love the pies at Mother Lode. I just had one today, courtesy of a friend who said this is the best pie in Apple Hill, and I must admit, I think it is. The Apples were just right, with a bit of cinnamon, firmly soft, and a bit moist, but not runny ooze. Just pure goodness. And the crust, it is a thick, crumble top crust that is excellent. I am getting one for Thanksgiving! They are that good.

I'm sad I didn't find this gem sooner. It's perfect to visit Apple Hill during the summer when the…read morecrowds aren't obscene for the berry days that most of the places have going on like at Boa Vista with their blueberry and blackberry days. They have a huge selection of berries to for U-pick at their farm such as blackberries, loganberries, boysenberries, and even currants, which is a rare find. They have white, red, and black currants. Their picking is during a short period of time in the few weeks of July so a lot of things can get picked over the later you go. We went close to closing time at 2pm and it took a while to find the raspberry/loganberry area. We picked boysenberries, loganberries, and currants. We ended up picking too much and not realizing the cost was not just per bucket but per pound $5 each per bucket and per pound, so 3 buckets ended up being $80!! So it is pretty pricey. All of the berries were yummy and good, though I wish they had boxes or berry containers instead of plastic bags because in combination with the several pounds of weight in each bag with the 100+ degree day, a lot of the berries ended up getting smushed on the way home. That was a bit of a bummer, but I guess I'll use for smoothies. We'll definitely be back to pick more berries next year, but will be bringing a box and I would highly suggest doing the same if purchasing a large quantity.

Brian is the best!!! His farm produces the best berries and vegetables I've ever had!! Literally…read moreeverything I've ever got is unmatched, carrots onions tomatoes cauliflower potatoes beets all kinds of berries and everything else is so delicious! You can taste in the food the hard work and years of dedication and care that goes into running a farm. Thanks Brian!!!