Where to go apple picking around Los Angeles

Riley’s at Los Rios Rancho is home to 24 different varieties of apple trees, and beginning Labor Day weekend, guests can come to pick their own. Eight varieties are available for u-pick, and their site lists which types are ripe and ready to be picked. Fresh pressed cider is available and a necessary way to end your time spent in the orchard. The farm is open for apple picking until Thanksgiving weekend on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-4pm, with possible daily hours to come further into the season.

Do more than just pick your own apples at Willowbrook Apple Farm, where the fun continues beyond the field. After picking from their century-old Stayman Winesap apple trees, you can then press your own cider with the apples in your bounty and indulge in a tasty caramel apple, dipped to order. U-pick apples are available Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-4pm beginning on October 1 through November. Choose from their 3-pound bags for $8.95 or 5-pound bags for $13.95.

The first weekend in October is when the grounds of Riley's Stone Soup Farm & Heritage Orchard open up for apple picking. Their field of heirloom Stayman Winesap trees ripen throughout October and, during a good season, bear fruit into November. After filling their bags up with apples, guests can take a workshop and make autumn crafts, all while learning about the heritage and community being preserved on the farm.

Spend an afternoon at Riley’s Apple Farm (not to be confused with Riley's Farm) for a blast from the past. Pick from different varieties of apples for $3.25 a pound, all the way through November. Guests can choose from activities ranging from hayrides to corn-husk doll making led by the farm staff dressed in colonial garb. Apple picking is available Tuesday through Thursday from 10am-2:30pm and Friday through Sunday from 10am-4pm. Check their site to see which varieties are ready to pick. 

After going for a spin in the air, spend some time picking your own apples in the orchard at Brian Ranch Airport. There are five varieties of apples that are available at different points in the season, which spans from August to the middle of October. All apples are $1.50 per pound, and their hours are Saturday and Sunday from 8am-2pm and other times by appointment. Be sure to enjoy your pickings in their picnic area afterward.

With more than 30 different kinds of apples from trees ranging from 1 to 100 years old, Riley's Farm is a great place for those that want a large assortment during their u-picking adventures. The farm specializes in heirloom apples, old varieties that you won't find in the grocery store. Starting from Labor Day weekend until October, for $3 a pound, you can fill your bag with apples you didn't know existed. Opening times are Saturdays from 10am-4pm with more hours to be added later into the season.

One of the best fall activities is enjoying the colorful fall foliage around LA—yes, it does exist. From nearby gardens to the local mountains, there are plenty of spots to enjoy the colorful fall foliage all around LA, so you'll never have to envy those East Coasters again.