Fall Fun: Highland Orchards – Apple Picking, Pumpkins, and Donuts | West Chester, Pennsylvania
Who doesn’t love the fall? The beautiful colors that emerge from the previously bright green trees, the yellows, golds, and reds. It’s a wonderland of autumn glory. Sweater weather, countless new fun activities, and boots. A new season is approaching.
I was lucky enough this year to be visiting the U.S. during the prime autumn beauty – October. And there are few better places to see it than the Northeast. Pennsylvania is famous for it’s lovely colors, endless foliage, and fun fall activities.
Apple Picking
I lived in Chester County up until the age of 21 and in Chester County everyone knows about apple picking at Highland Orchards. Although they also have berries and other fruits during the summer, they are most famous for their apples and pumpkins in the autumn.
Every year we wanted to go apple picking here. For some reason, it just never ended up happening and remained a dream. This year was different. I was visiting the States from Israel and now was the chance, the perfect opportunity! I booked our time slot in advance and on the very last day that they were offering apple picking we went!
After a very rainy week we were so lucky to have a bright and sunny Saturday, even though it was very cold for October 39 F (3 C). We put on our thick sweaters and hats, and set off.
Along with the “Pick it Yourself” Highland Orchards also has a farmer’s market, fresh produce, freshly baked donuts, a small petting zoo. We went directly for the shuttle that would take us to the orchards. Hopping on the green vintage-style shuttle, we began our short and bumpy ride to the orchards.
Granny Smith apples happened to be the first stop. As we were looking to make a pie and granny smith are the best for pies, we got off on the first stop and immediately started picking.
Even though it was the end of the season and the very last day of the picking there were still SO many beautiful apples to be found everywhere. We picked a very full basket and walked around the beautiful orchards.
After our apple picking I couldn’t have been more excited to go back to the farmer’s market and get some of their goodies-mostly the apple cider donuts that are famously delicious. Fresh and home baked old fashioned donuts, they are just about my favorite things ever! Especially if they’re warm on a chilly day. I struggled not to buy all of the donuts available to stock up for the rest of the fall!
Apple Pie
Is it even worth it to go apple picking if you’re not going to make a pie out of it afterwards? Granny Smith are by far the best for baking and nothing says fall more than a delicious apple pie with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ice cream.
There’s something even more special about being able to pick your own apples, take them home, and start making a pie from them. Peel, cut, mix and combine and voila! The perfect apple pie! I usually home make the pie crust too as the difference is so evident in deliciousness and flakiness.
Here is the recipe we have been using for years! Never fails!
Pumpkins
Is it really fall without pumpkins? The bright orange and unique shaped gourds that emerge and decorate every house in the area. It just seems like everything is painted orange for the fall, the leaves, the produce, the whole atmosphere.
A bit busy with the need to make something out of all the apples we got, I decided not to get a pumpkin to make a pie. It’ll have to be saved for next time as little is yummier than pumpkin pie with whipped cream! Pumpkin spice latte and pumpkin bread simply cannot compare.
And did I mention that the hat I’m wearing here was handmade! And I even made a pair of mittens to match 🙂
Looking for more amazing things to do in Pennsylvania? Check out our Day Trip to Philly and our USA page!
Lots of Love and Safe Travels,
Danielle and Brooke
46 Comments
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Lyn Douglas
November 3, 2020 at 8:37 pmSounds like a wondfully fun day. I like the way you set out your photos.
Colorful Sisters
November 3, 2020 at 9:00 pmThanks so much!! And it really was a perfect day 😍
trumstravels
November 3, 2020 at 9:13 pmOh my gosh you are so cute! I love your hat, you are very talented. I love anything with apples, pumpkins not so much. We have been making apple crisps with apples from our local orchards lately.
Colorful Sisters
November 4, 2020 at 12:34 amOooo that sounds so yummy! I really only like pumpkin pie, I’m not the biggest fan of all the pumpkin spice flavored things!
Timothy Price
November 4, 2020 at 3:23 amVery cool. We had the Dixon Apple Orchards for 75 years below Los Alamos near Cochiti and the Tent Rocks. Fire, then floods, then the State of New Mexico did them in 2011. They were on leased state lands. They had specially bread apples that were wonderful. They moved some of their trees to Wisconsin after the total loss and started a new Dixon Apple Farm up north. They trucked a portion of their first harvest of Apples to Albuquerque last year, and the 40 foot trailer stuffed full of apples sold out in a matter of hours.
Colorful Sisters
November 5, 2020 at 12:54 amOh wow so cool! Would love to be able to try them! I’ve never heard of them but apparently they’re quite famous 🙂
Michele Lee
November 5, 2020 at 3:58 amWhat a festive fall post! Gorgeous photos, as always. We have apple orchards in the southern part of my state; it is always fun to visit there. 🍎
Colorful Sisters
November 5, 2020 at 2:36 pmThanks so much dear! Apple orchards are really so much fun 🙂
luisa zambrotta
November 6, 2020 at 4:10 pmThese images are gorgeous!
Colorful Sisters
November 6, 2020 at 10:08 pmAww thank you so much!!
luisa zambrotta
November 7, 2020 at 2:12 pm<3
Harley Gurl
November 6, 2020 at 4:19 pmBeautiful story! I didnt get to get out to an apple orchard this season, but sure love my granny smiths. The donuts looked amazing.
Colorful Sisters
November 6, 2020 at 10:09 pmThere’s always next year 🙂 And the donuts are the BEST!!
Amie Inman
November 6, 2020 at 7:51 pmBased in Costa Rica, we really miss the fall. So glad you guys get to enjoy the season to the fullest!
Colorful Sisters
November 6, 2020 at 10:09 pmI can imagine! In Israel (where we live) there isn’t really fall either, so it was nice to be able to visit the states during this beautiful season 🙂
clcouch123
November 7, 2020 at 6:34 pmI grew up in western Pennsylvania and have visited the eastern part many times. I now live in the middle. Fall is my favorite season, too; and I must admit that the season tends to be glorious here. Thanks for writing about it all.
Colorful Sisters
November 8, 2020 at 4:29 pmPennsylvania has lots of hidden treasures! Definitely an underrated state in my opinion! Happy to see another Pennsylvania native on here 🙂
Halbarbera
November 7, 2020 at 7:27 pmLooks like real fun in the Highland Orchards
Colorful Sisters
November 8, 2020 at 4:30 pmIt really was! We had such a great time 🙂
Herman
November 8, 2020 at 1:54 pmHi there. Thank you for visiting and following HoB. Much appreciated!
Colorful Sisters
November 8, 2020 at 4:31 pmThank you as well!
Lakshmi Bhat
November 8, 2020 at 2:39 pmWonderful and thank you so much. Here in my part of south India, we get apples from other places and they are quit expensive. My daughter lives in Germany, they get good apples there. Thank you for the apple pie recipe. I will send it to her. Regards.
Colorful Sisters
November 8, 2020 at 4:31 pmI hope she enjoys! I’ve never visited India but I have always wanted to! Hopefully one day 🙂
scottyjo2015
November 9, 2020 at 2:04 pmLove your photographs! I can feel your passion and creativity through your words and energy. Beautiful blog, sisters!!!
Colorful Sisters
November 9, 2020 at 6:07 pmThank you so much! Means a lot 🙂 Happy that you enjoyed!!
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November 9, 2020 at 7:05 pm[…] View the full post here: FALL FUN: HIGHLAND ORCHARDS – APPLE PICKING, PUMPKINS, AND DONUTS | WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA […]
da-AL
November 10, 2020 at 12:20 amyou’ve captured my fave season perfectly! btw, what company do you use for your email popup? am looking for which to use…
Colorful Sisters
November 10, 2020 at 12:47 amIt is truly a beautiful season! We use Mailchimp! It’s the easiest one that we’ve found 🙂
da-AL
November 12, 2020 at 4:55 amgreat. thank you 🙂
Sharmishtha Basu
November 10, 2020 at 6:29 amgreat shots! are they ripe apples?
Colorful Sisters
November 10, 2020 at 4:24 pmYess perfectly ripe!
Sharmishtha
November 18, 2020 at 6:10 amwow! here green apples means not ripe! 🙂
Colorful Sisters
November 18, 2020 at 3:22 pmOh interesting!! These are actually Granny Smith so they are always green! They’re a little sour and that’s why they’re so perfect for pies! The other varieties…Macintosh, Red Delicious, Gala…etc would be unripe if they are green 🙂
Silver Screenings
November 13, 2020 at 11:17 pmWait a minute. There’s such a thing as Apple Cider Donuts?! Where have they been all my life!
Colorful Sisters
November 13, 2020 at 11:46 pmOh my goodness YESSSS. They are amazing and you have to try them!! May be a little late this season but next year for sure 🙂
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November 13, 2020 at 11:31 pm[…] View the full post here: FALL FUN: HIGHLAND ORCHARDS – APPLE PICKING, PUMPKINS, AND DONUTS | WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA […]
townandcountrykathy
November 14, 2020 at 12:29 amLove your pictures! I am a bookworm from way back. I wish I could go to Pennsylvania right now. Thanks for the post!
Colorful Sisters
November 14, 2020 at 1:20 amThank you so much!! Maybe you can visit one day 😍
Tanja
November 16, 2020 at 2:21 pmwhat a fun day out, beautiful photos
Colorful Sisters
November 16, 2020 at 6:22 pmThank you! It really was lots of fun 🙂
Janis
November 22, 2020 at 12:17 pmAmazing colors! It must have been such a fun experience 🙂
Colorful Sisters
November 22, 2020 at 3:36 pmIt really was!!! So much fun 🙂
Noreen Young
January 4, 2021 at 2:37 amIt is a fun place and thing to do while there too. 🍎
Colorful Sisters
January 4, 2021 at 3:47 pmIt certainly is!!
dellab
February 13, 2021 at 12:39 pmHas a cozy ‘living in the apple orchard’ feeling! Love your travels – so creative!
Colorful Sisters
February 13, 2021 at 5:09 pmThanks so much dear!! It was a super cozy and special feel 🙂