I don’t know how, after living in Los Angeles for 28 years, I only discovered Oak Glen, CA now. The town’s main road is lined with apple orchards and U-pick signs, with festivities that rival any harvest festival or pop-up fair.
If you’re in the mood for apple cider, apple pie, and that fall feeling all over, Oak Glen is your next field trip. Here are the highlights of our visit.
Our first stop in Oak Glen was Stone Soup Farm, where they use regenerative practices to steward these heritage trees. Some are over 100 years old and are still producing Stayman Winesap apples. They are testing new cultivars including Suntan, Kerry Irish pippin, and Calville blanc d’hiver. And according to Tim, who manages the orchard, they grow the best-tasting Golden Delicious around.
Next: Los Rios Rancho Apple Farm
Los Rios Rancho was apparently where everyone wanted to be, and for good reason. They offer no-reservation apple picking, and pies by the slice or whole. There’s a line for the barbecue stand, but plenty of space to sit on the front lawn and eat with your family.
We sampled all their apple varieties, including Stayman Winesap, Spartan, Liberty, and Macintosh. I picked up a bag of Spartan apples to bring home. It’s a sweet, versatile apple good for fresh eating, baking, and cidering.
When picking apples, keep in mind that you’re paying for orchard upkeep, and for everyone working there to have a living wage. $4.50/lb isn’t too steep a price for the experience.
Oak Tree Mountain
You wouldn’t expect to find an amusement park (of sorts) in the middle of apple orchards, but there we were. Oak Tree Mountain offers restaurants and shops in the free-area, and paid entrance to fun experiences for kids.
Apple Annie’s is a popular stop, with its famous Mile High Apple Pie as a big draw. You can skip the line and order ahead of time, but then you’ll miss out on the pastry counter packed full of delectable options. We pick up a whole pie and a tall stack of chocolate brownies for the road.
Celebrate Fall in Style
If you’ve never taken the less than 2-hour drive out of Los Angeles to visit this charming town, now is the time to do it. We happened upon it by accident, looking for one last stop before heading home on our road trip. It was an experience I’ll never forget.
Have you gone apple picking before? We want to hear about it! Share your experience in the comments below.
