Fall is a welcome sight for many reasons: cooler nights, colorful foliage, and best of all, apple season!
Here at Swift House Inn, we love it when the orchards open and we can buy fresh apples for our guests for a midday snack and fresh apple cider to drink at breakfast. And don’t get us started about apple cider donuts!
There are an abundance of great orchards surrounding Middlebury and central Vermont. Whether you’re headed to Burlington for a day of shopping, or just sticking around town for a relaxing day, there’s an orchard nearby to check out.
Just remember: PYO stands for Pick Your Own. Orchards offer more than just apples and other Vermont goodies, they offer a chance at making great memories with family and friends while spending a day outdoors.
See below for a list of the area orchards and a sneak peak at what they have to offer.
Happy Valley Orchard
Middlebury, 1.5 miles away
802-388-2411
Open every day, September 3 – October 31, 9:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
Happy Valley is our apple orchard and cider mill of choice, where we buy the donuts, apples, and cider that we serve at the inn. Pick your own or buy by the bag. They have over 50 varieties of apples available from the always popular honey crisp to more obscure heirloom varieties. We ordered our hay bales, corn stalks, and pumpkins from this family-owned orchard, too.
Douglas Orchards
Shoreham, 14.2 miles away
802-897-5043
Open daily from August 28 to Thanksgiving, 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
The Douglas family turned their former dairy farm into a thriving attraction, featuring pick-your-own apples and raspberries. In July 2020, Champlain Orchards acquired the historic orchard, but you can still check out the orchard and have fun there. Check the website during the summer and fall to find out what’s available, including cherries, pears, sunflowers, squash, and pumpkins. Pick your own or buy at the farm stand.
Champlain Orchards
Shoreham, 16.7 miles away
802-897-2777
Open daily from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. during harvest season
Ecologically managed orchard offering 107 varieties of apples, peaches, berries, cherries, all for pick your own. Fresh and hard ciders, apple pies, assorted apple products, organic vegetables, and local dry goods all available in the Farm Market.
Boyer’s Orchard & Cider Mill
Monkton, 16.4 miles away
802-453-2676
Open daily from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. starting September 5 into November.
Tasting room for hard cider and wines open 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., weekends only.
Pick your own from a large variety of apples. Plums, cider donuts, sweet and hard cider, honey, maple syrup, homemade pies, cookies, and sticky buns all available.
Yates Family Orchard
Hinesburg, 18.9 miles away
802-373-7437
Open daily September through end of October, 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Over 15 different varieties of apples, pears, plums, cherries, raspberries, and peaches. Pick your own apples or purchase freshly picked apples. Also available: farm pressed cider, orchard raw honey, local maple syrup, and orchard-made berry jams and chutneys.
Shelburne Orchards
Shelburne, 25.6 miles away
802-985-2753
Open September and October only, Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Orchard and farm stand. Apples, peaches, sour cherries, cider, non-alcoholic Ginger Jack, world famous cider donuts, and orchard distilled apple brandy available.
Sunrise Orchards
Cornwall, 7 miles away
802-462-3500
Open August 28 to October 31, daily, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunrise is 100% solar-powered from packing to refrigeration to produce an outstanding tasting apple. They also use their solar arrays to plant vegetation that nourishes pollinators. There’s PYO, pre-picked, and plenty of baked goods available at the farm stand.
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