With dozens of apple orchards in Iowa, thousands of Iowans will head to their favorite orchard for a day trip of apple picking, hayrides, games and treats. Here’s information about Wilson’s Apple Orchard in Iowa City and 9 more amazingly perfect apple orchards to visit. Which is your favorite?

Wilson’s Apple Orchard + 9 More Amazing Apple Orchards in Iowa

Wilson’s Apple Orchard – Iowa City

Iowa  enjoy using a line from the movie “Field of Dreams.” A baseball player’s ghost asks, “Is this heaven?” “No, it’s Iowa.” That line could easily describe the view at Iowa City’s Wilson’s Orchard. Set in a valley surrounded by forest, with the Rapid Creek running through, the scenery is breathtaking. So, the apples have to be the best tasting in Iowa, right? With 120 varieties of apples grown there, Wilson’s is confident you’ll find your perfect apple. Stop by the store and sample the apples ready for picking during your visit to help target your harvest. Then, grab a bag and head out for a day in nature, as you’ll hear birds chirping and maybe see an animal friend or two roaming about.

Open daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m. through the end of October, Wilson’s offers a unique hayride, starting with its specially-designed wagon, and including stories of alligators and more. While there is a charge for the wagon ride, you’ll get the fee back when you buy apples. Each ride is $5 per person, so you’ll receive a $5 credit when you buy apples, etc.

Appleberry Farm – Marshalltown

After more than three decades of running the farmstead, Bob and Donna Atha decided it was time to pass the harvest on to new owners. Dave and Kelly Mason are in their second year as the owners of Appleberry Farm in Marshalltown. With more than two dozen varieties of apples raised on the nearly 20-acre farm, Appleberry encourages visitors to pick their own or buy prepicked bags at the gift shop, in addition to fresh vegetables, jams and jellies. Families can enjoy a hayride around farm, and kids are encouraged to play in the sandbox, as well as farm games. Caramel apples, popcorn and other refreshments. The farm is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, except for Sunday, when the hours are noon-6 p.m.

Deal’s Orchard – Jefferson

Frank Deal planted his first apple tree in Greene County more than 100 years ago. Today, the historic Deal’s Orchard raises more than 25 varieties of apples on about 45 acres in central Iowa. From Sharon to Arkansas Black, visitors are encouraged to pick their own apples or buy pre-picked ones at the store through mid-October. Open daily (8 a.m.- 6p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. weekends), the farm has a lot of activities for visitors at its Apple Acres. From a themed 5-acre corn maze to a giant jumping pillow, slides, duck races and apple slinger, your admission fee gets you access to a day’s worth of fun. Families can also enjoy a tractor-driven hayride around the farm.

Small’s Fruit Farm – Mondamin

With 33 acres overlooking the Missouri River, Small’s Fruit Farm in Mondamin welcomes visitors to pick their own apples or buy prepicked varieties in its store. What started with an apple purchase in 1894 led to the family’s first generation of apple farm owners. Now in its fifth generation, Small’s raises about 25 varieties of apples, in addition to strawberries, raspberries, pumpkins and other fruits and vegetables. Visitors are encouraged to try the apple cider. The orchard is open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through late October.

Gravert’s Apple Basket Orchard – Sabula

Located on a farm overlooking the Mississippi River along the Great River Road National Scenic Byway, Gravert’s Apple Basket Orchard in Sabula offers more than 20 varieties of apples through late October. From Snow to Braeburn, visitors have an opportunity to pick fresh, tasty apples through late October. The orchard’s store sells pre-picked apples, too. When you stop by, check out the pygmy goat, Jenny the donkey, peacocks and chickens. The general store with a 1930s kitchen, sells a variety of homemade jams and jellies, as well as handmade baskets. The orchard and store are open daily, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Appleberry Orchard – Donnellson

The first apple tree in Iowa was planted in 1852 at the Appleberry Orchard in Donnellson, making the farm the oldest working orchard in Iowa. Today, the farm in southeast Iowa attracts thousands of visitors each fall with its wagon ride to the orchard for u-pick apple weekends beginning in September and running through late October. Offering a dozen varieties, visitors can have fun finding the apples of their choice. In addition to apple (and even pumpkin) picking, visitors can spend a full day at the farm, visiting the petting zoo at the barn, built in 1882 and a nationally-recognized historic site. Kids of all ages can have fun feeding and petting goats, pheasants, chickens and rabbits, as well as a miniature donkey and pony.

Visitors can challenge themselves to find their way through the 10th anniversary Great Pumpkin corn maze. Or, maybe take in the pumpkin chucker, pig races, barrel train rides or an actual wagon ride. The farm has special rates during the week, as well as weekend prices, which can be found on the website. While you make a full day on the farm, grab lunch or dinner, as well as dessert at the concession area. The farm is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 21.

Ditmars Orchard – Council Bluffs

A trip to Ditmars Orchard in Council Bluffs is more than apple picking. The orchard hosts outdoor concerts during harvest season, featuring local musicians. Balloon launches are hosted on the grounds. But, when it comes to apple harvest, Ditmars rates as high as any orchard in Iowa. With six varieties that can be picked from the orchard to another half dozen available to be bought in the store, Ditmars has just about any apple to satisfy cravings. Its café is second to none with a menu featuring chicken wraps and nacho taters, as well as kids meals. Don’t forget to grab a dozen apple cider donuts or a pie. For adults, wine is also available for purchase. The orchard is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday (closed Monday) through late October.

While visiting Ditmars, you’re encouraged to take part in activities (additional fees/bundle package available), such as tractor-driven wagon rides and taking a walk through the corn maze. Kids can play in a corn box or on a tire mountain, in addition to other games.

LaDoga LaBranche Orchards – Bedford

History awaits visitors to LaDoga LaBranche Orchards in Bedford in southwest Iowa, about 2 hours south of Des Moines and 90 minutes southeast of Council Bluffs. In addition to picking apples from more than 100 trees, you can visit the Little Red Schoolhouse, a homage to the teachers who once educated children in one-room schools across the Midwest. The farm’s apple history dates back to the late 1800s, when the family’s patriarch homesteaded the land. The farm’s harvest would find its way aboard trains to Omaha and Chicago through the 1940s. The apple orchard eventually went away. Resurrected with new apple trees in the 1980s, today LaDoga LaBranche opens its gates to visitors Monday-Saturday (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) through mid-October. The farm has a variety of apples that can be picked, including MacIntosh and Jonathan.

Wills Family Orchard – Adel

Weekends were made for apple picking, or so it goes at Wills Family Orchard. About a 20-minute drive west of Des Moines in Adel, the family farm opens its farm to visitors during the Apple-Pumpkin Festival, every Saturday (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) and Sunday (noon-5 p.m.) through Oct. 21. Visitors can pick their own apples on weekends, based on weather. Currently planned for the first or second weekend in October, tell the cashier you want to pick your own delicious apples, prepay $25 for a 10-lbs. bag (you’ll be given a bag) and head out to the orchard to pick apples. Four acres of land are used to raise about a dozen varieties of organic apples, from Pristine to Gold Rush. In addition, the 27-year-old farm has five acres of pumpkins, as well as additional crops.

In addition to the u-pick ‘em, the Apple-Pumpkin Festival includes a 15-minute tractor-driven wagon ride around the farm, a ride that will make you question the farm’s proximity to the city. Wills Family Orchard offers visitors a chance to see goats and chickens at the Barnyard, take a hike through the one-acre corn maze, “swim” in a corn pool, paint gourds and play games, among other activities. Admission to the farm is free, but there are fees for some of the activities. Tickets are $7 per person for 3 and older. Children 2 and younger and free.

Apples on the Avenue – Nashua

Offering more than 20 varieties of apples that visitors can pick themselves from the orchard or buy prepicked bags of goodies, a visit to Apples on the Avenue in Nashua is more than just buying an apple. Families can hop aboard a horse-drawn wagon for a ride around the grounds. Pony rides are available for children. The orchard also offers a petting zoo, yard games and mini golf. Don’t forget to buy a caramel apple or two for the drive home. The North Iowa apple orchard, which has free admission, is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 31.

With a great selection of apple orchards to visit, Iowa is THE place for apple-picking season. From beautiful views to fun attractions, you’re guaranteed to have a fun day trip to the farm this fall.

If you liked this post on Apple Orchards in Iowa, you might like these posts too:

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Fall means all things pumpkin, apples, pie, and spices. To help you make the most of your fall, we’ve put together a list of 10 amazing Pumpkin Patches in Iowa! You won’t want to miss any of them, so start planning your fall trips now.

10 Amazing Pumpkin Patches In Iowa

Finding the perfect pumpkin is a family affair. The days of  running to the store and picking up a pumpkin to carve for the Halloween season have passed. Instead, take a trip to the local pumpkin patch for a fun way to spend quality time with family and friends!

Pumpkin patches know they need to go above and beyond to make visits memorable. Instead of just finding pumpkins, we can look forward to attractions beyond taking the hayrack ride to the field as we search for that perfect jack-0-lantern canvas. Pumpkin patches offer sand boxes of corn for kids to play in, corn mazes that challenge our navigational skills without the help of GPS, as well as slides, swings and even haunted houses.

Iowa has dozens of fantastic pumpkin patches, each providing a wonderful experience for families. Here are 10 family-friendly pumpkin patches around Iowa where you’ll not only find a great pumpkin, but the family will have a grand ol’ time too!

1. Buffalo Pumpkin Patch in Buffalo

Buffalo Pumpkin Patch has called the Kurtz farm in Buffalo home for 20 fall seasons. Open daily Sept. 8 through Oct. 31, admission is free. However, you’ll need to purchase tickets for each activity in which you want to participate, including a hayrack ride to the pumpkin field, playing in a straw castle, as well as finding your way through a sorghum maze. Additionally, you can play laser tag or maintain your farm roots by milking a goat.

2. Colony Pumpkin Patch in North Liberty

Colony Pumpkin Patch in North Liberty offers a variety of fall fun for the family. Opening Sept. 16 and running through Oct. 29, your family can enjoy the season with a hayrack ride to a pumpkin field to choose the perfect gourd. Admission includes the hayrack ride (weekends only), access to a 10-acre corn maze, as well as additional play attractions, such as a corn box and low zipline. In addition to the pumpkin patch, you can take on a zombie invasion (Friday and Saturday beginning Sept. 28). Purchase an add-on and ride a transport that takes you through the zombie field where you fire mounted paintball guns at zombie characters.

3. Pinter’s in Decorah

More than “just” a pumpkin patch, Pinter’s Gardens & Pumpkins in Decorah is “agri-tainment.” Open weekends between Sept. 22 and Oct. 28, visitors can enjoy a tractor ride to the field and choose a pumpkin. Pinter’s also invites visitors to take a trip through its giant corn maze. Play areas include an inflatable jumping pillow, pedal go-karts, a big slide and an old-fashioned game of tetherball. Enjoy concessions offering Pinter’s famous baked goods and drinks.

4. Harvestville Farm in Donnellson

Open from spring to the holiday season, Harvestville offers more than 40 acres of pumpkins and other gourds on weekends mid-September through the last weekend of October. Along with the pumpkins, you can take a stroll through a 10-acre corn maze or enjoy fun and games, such as a giant corn pool, tire pyramid and bean bag toss. Enjoy fresh apple cider treats, including “dipkins” donut balls.

5. The Pumpkin Ranch in Winterset

Winterset is home to more than covered bridges. The Pumpkin Ranch opens its doors to visitors Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays Sept. 23-Oct. 28. Your admission fee includes a hayrack ride to the fields to choose your pumpkin or gourd (there is an additional charge), 10-acre corn maze offering checkpoints and a mystery game, jump pillow for big kids and a jump kids for the tykes. Zip lines and two tunnel slides await your arrival, as well as an obstacle course and toddler town. The pumpkin patch also offers horseback rides and a petting zoo on special dates, so you’ll want to check The Pumpkin Patch’s Facebook page.

6. McCurdy’s Pumpkins in Atlantic

Open weekends Sept. 22 through Oct. 28, McCurdy’s Pumpkins in Atlantic invites you to take a tractor ride to the field to pick out your favorite pumpkin among the dozen or so types available. While not large, a two-acre corn maze offers family fun. Your group will enjoy the play area, which includes a corn pool.

7. Pioneer Trail Orchard and Pumpkin Patch in Council Bluffs

Council Bluffs Pioneer Trail Orchard and Pumpkin Patch has been greeting visitors for nearly a quarter century. Open weeknights and both weekend days Sept. 22 through Oct. 31, Pioneer encourages you to take a hayrack ride to find your favorite pumpkin or gourd. Your family and friends can also participate in a variety of attractions, including searching for riches in the Gold Barn, finding your way through the maze in the Dark Barn and jumping around the hay pit. With Halloween around the corner, you can also visit the haunted farm house (for older children and adults) or the child-friendly haunted barn.

8. Scarecrow Farm in Lawton

Scarecrow Farm in Lawton is about a 15-minute drive from Sioux City and provides a fun visit for the whole family. Enjoying a hayrack ride around the farm, you have several options for selecting your pumpkin, gourd or squash. Open weekends in September beginning Sept. 15 before opening daily all of October, your visit also includes playing in a five-acre corn maze, corn-filled play box, or on large tire swings. You can also play on a 70-foot pirate ship with cannons and nets. You may also want to check out the singing chicken show.

9. Geisler Farms in Bondurant

While it doesn’t provide a wagon ride around the pumpkin field, Geisler Fars does the field harvesting for you, and offers the pumpkins near the entrance. This saves you time and allows you to take advantage of the fun and games between Sept. 1 and Oct. 28. The corn maze is a major attraction, offering a professionally-designed route that can take up to an hour to complete. You’ll received a map at the beginning of the 10-acre maze, which includes 20 fence posts. Each post contains a number and has a paper punch design. You can get a coupon for a slice of pizza with a completed map. You can also enjoy the fun zone, which includes 20 family-friendly attractions, such as a giant slide, jump pad, a tractor tire swing and a corn hole toss game.

10. Enchanted Acres near Sheffield

This fun Pumpkin Patch in Iowa offers fun pumpkin adventures Friday-Sunday Sept. 14 through Oct. 28. You can enjoy a hayrack ride to the pumpkin patch or you can choose from dozens of pre-picked gourds. The pumpkin patch also provides entertainment options, including a corn pool dig, a pumpkin cannon and a kids playground. You can also meet and pet goats, rabbits and more animals in the petting zoo.

Have you been to any of these pumpkin patches? Which was your favorite?

For more Fall Fun in Iowa, check out these posts:

American Gothic House & Things to do in Eldon, Iowa

Iowa 80 Trucking Museum at I-80 Truck Stop

Historic Hills Scenic Byway in the Fall

Fall Harvest Tour in Franklin County, Iowa

Free Pumpkin Carving Patterns

Easy Ways to Decorate Pumpkins without Carving

Healthy & Fun Snacks for the Perfect Halloween Party

10 Amazing Pumpkin Patches to Visit in Iowa