CherryHill Orchards

While sakura season might be over in Japan, you can still get your cherry blossom fix right here in Victoria. Simply make the one-hour trip from Melbourne to CherryHill Orchards, where hundreds of cherry trees burst into bloom for the annual Blossom Festival. Better yet, it coincides with the school holidays, making it an excellent excuse for a family day out. Wander beneath the trees with their ethereal white and pink flowers (there are more than 13 varieties of cherry trees here); snap the perfect spring fling pic for the 'gram; and settle in for a scenic picnic. Speaking of which, you can pre-purchase a retro picnic pack when booking your tickets, or BYO your own spread and find a spot beneath the trees to drink in those views. The on-site café also serves sweet and savoury treats – we can’t go past CherryHill’s famous cherry ice cream and cherry Spritzers. On weekends and public holidays, vendors and market stallholders add to the festive atmosphere, while the farm shop serves up more cherry-themed goodies. Kids can burn off some energy with games, activities and photo opportunities at the kids hub. Children are free on weekdays (but not on weekends) and your four-legged friends are welcome, too. Just remember, cherry blossom season is fleeting, so book your tickets ASAP via the website. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. Looking for more things to do? Check out our round-up of the...

We're just as sad as you are that cherry blossom season is over, but the good news is that it heralds the start of the cherry-picking season. And if you can't get enough of those sweet and juicy red morsels, then make your way to CherryHill Orchards this summer to pick and eat as many cherries as your heart desires. This year's cherry-picking season will kick off at CherryHill's two Yarra Valley orchards: Coldstream in early November, followed by the OG orchard in Wandin East.  Sessions last for two hours, and cherries are charged per kilogram – trust us when we say these are some of the largest, sweetest cherries going around. And as you pick, feel free to eat as many as you like! The fun doesn't stop at picking cherries; the orchard will host on-site food trucks and stalls hawking food and cherry-flavoured products. On top of the famed cherry ice cream, you can also shop pantry goods like cherry vinaigrette, cherry syrup, cherry barbecue sauce and cherry glaze. You can also bring your own picnic, or pre-order a box of goodies to enjoy on the orchard grounds. And if you visit on a weekend or public holiday, you'll be treated to the sweet sounds of live tunes performed by a rotating line-up of local musos. For more information head to the CherryHill website. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. Looking for more things to do? Check out our round-up of the best things happening in Melbourne...