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Apple Hill Growers Association
Categories: Local Flavor Food Specialty Food Fruits & Veggies Active Life Parks Local Flavor, Fruits & Veggies, Parks [Edit]
PO Box 494Camino, CA 95709
(530) 644-7692
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
50 reviews for Apple Hill Growers Association
Review Highlights
"BOA VISTA ORCHARDS- FRESH HAND DIPPED CORN DOGS."
(in 10 reviews)
"Abel's Apple Acres has a great bakery."
(in 6 reviews)
"We go to High Hill Ranch first, because this place gets..."
(in 9 reviews)
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50 reviews in English
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Review from Jonathan L.
San Francisco, CA
11/8/2011
I love apple hill! Every year my family make a weekend trip to apple hill and all the wineries in the area. Nothing brings a family together like wine and apples...
The variety of wineries, activities for the children and fruits they offer is amazing. Putting together such an event is a big task and i love how it brings the community together. Apple hill has become an annual trip for my family and I and its great to escape from the city and experience the country life. -
Review from Mari O.
Sacramento, CA
12/17/2011
I've read as much reviews as I can to prepare for our 1st Apple Hill trip. I dreaded coming on a Saturday for fear of traffic and long lines. Anything that involves waiting does not bode well with my hubby and two toddlers. So, we woke up early and arrived at Apple Hill at 8:45am.
Based on the reviews, I finalized my list to hit the following: High Hill because it seemed to be the most popular, Rainbow Orchards for their hot apple cider donuts, Grandpa's Cellar for their pies, Boa Vista for their corn dogs, and Abel's for their apples. However, Rainbow Orchard and Grandpa's Cellar were already closed for the season.
1st stop - HIGH HILL
This was our first stop because we wanted to beat the crowd. When we arrived, the place was pretty empty with only a few cars in the lot. We stopped by the Cider Mill and sampled their cider. Their apple cider is simply delicious! Even my hubby that's not into apple juice complimented their cider. We then proceeded to get their famous apple cider milkshake. For $4 for a small or $5 for large, you get this really good milkshake. My daughter got a small but I wished I got a large instead because when I took a sip of her shake, I was tempted to finish it myself. We went inside the market to try their apple cider donuts since Rainbow wasn't an option. There were no lines to worry about, and we even got our donuts hot and fresh. We got the sampler which is $10 for a dozen and two of their famous apple fritters. The kids and I only ate the plain donut because the rest were too sweet for our taste buds. The plain donuts were really good. However, the famous apple fritter was just ok. For $4+ you get this huge apple fritter coated in sugar, but the bread itself was nothing to write home about. I grabbed a couple of gallons of the cider to go and the price was fairly reasonable. Much cheaper than Whole Foods or Nugget. To satisfy hubby's apple pie craving, we stopped by at their bakery and got a slice of their plain apple pie. Hubby said the pie was just ok. They have a pond, pony rides, and plenty of picnic tables.
2nd stop - FUDGE FACTORY
The store was inside/at the end of High Hill, right next to the pony corral. However, they have no affiliation with High Hill. My 2yr old actually like this place because they had a baby carousel, wooden train, and an airplane teeter-totter. We got a couple of their caramel apples. Normally at $3.50 ea, we got them for half off because it was actually their last business day of the season. We didn't try them until we were on our way home. They were so good that I made hubby turn back and I got 10 more! Thank goodness we were only about 10 min away.
3rd stop - BOA VISTA
We came here for their famous corn dogs but the corn dog window was closed ...bummer.
4th stop - ABEL'S APPLE ACRES
We came here for the various apples and Asian pears. The place was empty and they looked like they were already packing everything away. The Asian pears were already old and the apples were not very alluring. (sigh)
It would probably be better if we went at the beginning of the season to get the "real" Apple Hill experience. However, we were happy overall because the kids were fed, entertained, no crowds, no lines, and no traffic to deal with. -
Review from Ashlee J.
11/13/2011
I must say Fall isn't Fall unless there is a visit to Apple Hill. I love this place! Between picking out pumpkins, picking apples, drinking apple cider, eating apple pie, buying apple cider syrup, shopping the unique gifts, tasting samples, petting the llamas & goats we always have a fun time.
Word of advice: Make sure you aren't in a rush cause Apple Hill is no longer a best kept secret. Everyone & their brother visit in the Fall so there are lines. Be patient, smile & take in the fresh crisp air.
Be careful: Poison oak is at some of the orchards. This year my 3 year old somehow got it while we were up there. -
Review from Nora S.
11/7/2011
If you know the San Diego area, you will get this reference.
Apple Hill is like Julian's big brother on steroids.
We went primarily for wine-tasting and some apple picking. Who knew there were this many apple farms?!! And that many varieties of apples. It's pretty mind-blowing.
We only had time to visit 2 apple farms and 3 wineries. There are literally dozens more apple farms one could go to (not as many wineries but enough to interest any wine-lover). There is also a brewery up in apple country although we skipped this. I will review the farms and the wineries separately.
The area is gorgeous this time of year with the turning leaves, although it was quite chilly as a storm was coming in. Make sure you bundle up and you will enjoy the crisp, autumn mountain weather.
I would give it 5 stars, but the place is a zoo on the weekends. But it is doable and some places were a little less impacted than others. Depends on where you go. I still highly recommend this as a fun weekend trip if you live in the Bay Area. A very fun day trip for those of you living in Sacramento. -
Review from Tiffany D.
Los Angeles, CA
9/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
This area is just like a more casual, homey Napa valley for apples! It's an awesome day trip from Sacramento, or any of the surrounding areas. Leave enough time to meander through the orchards, pick some nice apples, eat a cobbler or pie, or two, and just sit in the sun on a bale of hay. It's awesome!
Like Jule E. said, regardless of your tastes, interests, age, etc. you will love this area! The website lists all the different orchards and farms, and whether you can pick, buy foods, or just hang out there. Try the apple cider, it's pretty amazing. -
Review from Diane B.
Modesto, CA
11/21/2011
First, let me thank fellow yelpers for their reviews of Apple Hill. In planning my trip up there, it helped to know that it gets very busy on the weekends. Knowing this, I got up at 4:30 a.m. (yes, that's a.m. people) so that we could be there by 8:00 a.m. and hopefully miss the crowds, and I'm happy to say that we did! We arrived at High Hill ranch at 8:05 a.m., and looked around, and we were some of the very first people there.
Next, on to Rainbow Orchards to try some of the Apple Cider donuts which I had seen reviewed. The other reviews that I read were correct in saying that these are absolutely the best, especially warm right out of the fryer. As we were waiting for our donuts, I noticed a drink dispenser where you could take a sample of the apple cider. I'm not all that fond of apple cider, but one taste of this changed my mind. It was so delicious, we had to buy some of that too.
We decided to drive around some more and ended up at Grandpa's Cellar to buy pie. We not only bought a French apple pie, we also bought apple strudel, apple almond bar, and a blackberry apple pie because it all looked so delicious. So far, we've only tried the French apple, and it was very delicious. I would definitely buy this one again. We bought the rest of the stuff frozen to try later, but if the French apple pie is any indication, I'm sure the rest of the treats we bought will be every bit as delectable. We left at 11:00 a.m., and we never had any problems with crowds, so most people must come later in the day.
All in all, it was a beautiful fall day, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was definitely worth it to get up there early in the morning to miss the crowds. -
Review from Tina L.
San Leandro, CA
6/1/2011
How very disappointing! I have gone to Apple Hill many times in the fall and really enjoyed it. The apples are harvesting and the farms are all a busy with activity and food, drink, entertainment etc. I have bragged about it to many.
Well when I received notice about their spring time Apple Blossom Festival I decided this would be a new time to go and experience spring time in Apple Hill. I decided to take along 20+ friends and make a weekend of it.
But as I was planning the weekend event for my group I was awaiting updated information from the AH Growers Assoc. It was due to come out end of Feb. but was not available, then it came out late March. I told my group all about the farms/ranches that would be participating in it and I created a route that we would follow for stops during the day.
We rode up on a Friday evening so we could spend the night and get an early start the next day to all the farms. We had 9 spots marked on our map to stop at and enjoy the festival activities.
So we started out and made our first stop, no activity in fact the place was closed, not a good sign. The women there told us that not many were participating in the weekend events and we would be hard pressed to find anything going on. WHAT THE HECK NOT GOOD TO HEAR when you have almost 30 people with you planning go get some good apple goodies etc.
So then on the stop 2, nothing, stop 3, nothing, in fact out of all of our stops only one was open with minimal going on but the store and no lunch food.
Let's just say I was beyond DISAPPOINTED AND APOLOGIZED TO MY GROUP. Of course they said not my fault but STILL!!!
I knew there may not be blossoms on the trees yet with all the rain and little sun but I did not think that the farms/ranches who were stated to participate would not do so.
Anyway after all these disappointments we went into Camino and had a very nice lunch, German food etc. unfortunately I can not remember the name but I will look them up so I can give them a review too.
We stayed over Sat. night too and thankfully had great dinners at Casa Ramos and Powell Steamer & Co.
Apple Hill Growers I am very DISAPPOINTED in the advertising of a festival that was non-existent. Will my friends go back in the fall? Maybe! or Maybe not after this experience.
Good thing we were all on motorcycles because the scenery up that way is beautiful so that was our reward to the weekend. -
Review from Dandyd S.
San Ramon, CA
10/17/2011
First trip here last weekend. Was able to get there early and avoided the traffic issues raised by others. We wanted to pick apples, but the first place we went to only had unrippened fruit still on the trees. They directed us to another location which would have everything we needed. Both places were friendly and knowledable. Fun time. May now be an annual event. Fun time.
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Review from Juliette T.
Sacramento, CA
10/16/2011
hi fellow Yelpers. ive been going here since i was a kid and my only advice is, don't go on a weekend!. apple hill used to be such a charming place to visit in the fall, but now since so many people know about it, its waaaaaaaaaay too crowded. i gaurantee u will sit in traffic, wishing u didnt go on a saturday or sunday. (unless u get there first thing in the morning.) i deducted one star for the traffic/crowds on the weekend.
but if u do go, (hopefully on a weekday) i recommend Abel's Acres and High Hill Ranch. Abel's for the delicious food and High Hill for the many activities offered. if u cant decide what to order at Abel's, try the pumpkin apple pie, its to die for. -
Review from Dale N.
Stockton, CA
9/16/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Apple Hill...a great getaway on a fall weekend, nestled in the
hills around the Placerville area.
The best of the best:
Rainbow Orchards: Apple Cider Donuts
Bavarian Hills Orchards: German Food
Bolster's Hilltop Ranch: Best Apple Cider
Make this a day trip for the family. Take the dog (on a leash)
Pack a picnic lunch. Several of the ranches provide picnic
tables were you can eat. Very relaxing and stress-relieving!
Go now! -
Review from Rat a tat R.
San Francisco, CA
10/18/2010
I'd never even heard of Apple Hill until a couple weeks ago, but having never been apple picking, decided to give it a try.
Apple Hill is awfully cute. There's a wide variety of orchards, wineries, and places where you can sample various local apple products. If you're crafty, there are also various booths where you can buy things. Some of it is a little silly touristy, but if you find the real orchards it's not so bad.
From Davis this was a good two-hour drive because of the traffic, and the crowds at the sites, as well as the car lines between the various places, are pretty insane. Yes, the advice to go on a weekday instead is nice, but when I work Monday - Friday not really possible. Just be prepared for the insane crowds and traffic on weekend afternoons.
I wouldn't brave the traffic on a regular basis to get to Apple Hill, but it's definitely something fun to do once a year or so if you live around the area. It's the closest we get to an actual autumn in California! -
Review from Julie E.
12/5/2010
If you live in or near Sacramento, you need to come here. If you don't live nearby, you still need to come here.
Regardless of your age, interests, taste in foods/wines/fruits, or mobility, you will LOVE Apple Hill!
The best times of year are early October through the end of December. You can check out their website to see what fruits are in season, or you can plan for the October pumpkins, November Asian pears, or December Christmas trees.
I always do a little fruit purchasing (at whichever hill - it all tastes the same), pick up some real apple cider, munch on some caramel popcorn, and go to Boeger Winery to take in the beautiful view and get some great wine (after the free tasting!). Boeger's gorgeous for picnics, strolls, photos, weddings, etc. They even have this awesome guy in a barn showing old-school metal working.
Parking at the major hills can be a mess, depending on the time of the year and day of the week, so plan for 30+ minutes or driving and waiting time if you're heading to High Hill or Boa Vista. However, it is FREE :)
If the traffic isn't bad and the sun is out, spend 20-30 minutes driving the loop and take in the gorgeous views. You might even decide to stop off at some of the smaller places for food or wine! -
Review from grendel k.
Sacramento, CA
10/24/2010
Apple Hill is a series of orchards, wineries, and eateries. Each establishment has its own character, mostly in a range between whimsical and quaint. They are connected by a scenic, rural drive.
Although I live in a city now, I grew up in rural Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is a green and fertile state filled with Pennsylvania Dutch, Amish, and Mennonites who farm the earth and who build things with their hands. Living in a city is a wonderful thing, but there are times when I simply miss the smell of the earth when it is wet, I miss the air when things are green, and I miss picking apples when I was a child in my granddad's orchard.
Apple Hill brought all of that back for me. It is a fantastic trip for city-dwellers who want to get away to a place where people get their food from the ground, if only for an afternoon. It's a nostalgic drive down memory lane for those of us who grew up in the countryside. But most of all, it is an opportunity to gorge oneself with apple pie, apple doughnuts, apple cider, apple beer, apple cider milkshakes, apple fritters, caramel apples, fudge apples, apple dumplings, apple cookies, and every food that can conceivably be made with apples. -
Review from Bayaraa D.
Carmichael, CA
11/10/2011
My family liked to go to the Apple hill on weekends and spent not small amount money on fruits and wine, pony rides etc. But I never felt welcome there. That.s because I'm asian or my family talk to each other in our native language? I don't know. This fall I brought my parents with me and our last stop was at Rainbow Orchirds. Then owner lady accused me front of my children putting more apples on the top of the box which my sister was going to buy it. Ive never felt that kind of humilation before. eventhougth the other girl said sorry to us, the owner never did. I never gonna go there again. Why bother? My neighborhood farmer market year around sell fresh fruits and much cheaper.And they say "thank you" and smile at me when I spend my hardworking money.
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Review from Tracy S.
10/26/2008
I love, love , love Apple Hill! We go every Fall to gorge on all things Apple. I cannot give Apple Hill five stars, though, because the crowds are just outrageous! The traffic, the lines, the pushing and shoving--you have to be pretty dedicated to eating lots of apples, or you are not going to have a fun time here. And anybody who dislikes crowds or long lines should definitely stay at home.
That said, I LOVE APPLE HILL! If I were more dedicated, I might go through and review each orchard individually, but I really don't feel like doing that, because I have been to many, many orchards in Apple Hill. So here is a list of my favorites:
High Hill: Number one on the Apple Hill map, and right off the highway, this is the largest of all the orchards and also the busiest. You will kill about 30 minutes in your car just trying to get into this place. Every year I'm tempted to skip it, but I never can because this is where we get APPLE CIDER MILKSHAKES. I loves me some apple cider milkshakes. We also buy our cider here.
Boa Vista: Not far from High Hill, so the traffic is pretty bad for this orchard, too. They have the best selection of produce, if that's what you're looking for, and a great selection of jarred foods. We always stop here to get our pumpkin apple butter, a variety of jams, and maybe some olives. I usually nab a caramel apple here, too.
Rainbow Orchards: Three words--APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS! I would make the trip to Apple Hill for these doughnuts alone. They are so good fresh and warm; we usually just sit and gorge ourselves on a dozen before they get cold, knowing that once we take them home, they aren't going to be nearly as heavenly. They also have really good corndogs here.
Plubell's Family Orchards: We usually come here for the petting zoo and the pumpkins and the tire swing, but I have to say they seem to be slacking a bit. Our visit here this year wasn't nearly as enjoyable as it usually is. They just don't seem to be trying very hard.
Abel's Apple Acres: Pony rides and a hay maze make this a great place for kids, plus they have outstanding pies and fudge. Good BBQ here, too. I am guessing that they have good apple fritters, but I can only guess because every time I come here, they are out of them.
Grandpa's Cellar: My favorite place for pies. They have an amazing selection! It's also a beautiful place for a picnic.
And there are also some disappointing orchards...
Larsen Apple Barn: I HEAR they have amazing apple turnovers here, but I wouldn't know because they are ALWAYS CLOSED!
Bavarian Hills Orchard: I like it when they do their little Octoberfest thing, but they are SO SLOOOOOW that I no longer bother with this place. You can stand in line there for an hour!
Kids Inc.: We visited this orchard for the first time this year, and I have to agree with other reviewers--there aren't many great things for kids here. Kind of boring, actually. I think Abel's is a much better place for kids.
Any of the Christmas Tree Farms: I got the swell idea one year that if Fall was so fun at Apple Hill, going Christmas Tree hunting would be, too. WRONG! What a mistake! The tree farms don't do nearly as much to welcome guests, and the whole experience left me cold and angry. -
Review from Stacey H.
Sacramento, CA
11/16/2009
I LOVE Apple Hill! For those of you not in the 'apple-know', Apple Hill is a foothill community of apple growers, wineries and Christmas tree farms. Located about an hour's drive out of Sacramento, they open in the fall and are a huge local attraction. During peak times, traffic and people can be overwhelming. So be warned...but so worth it!
Apple Hill is basically a loop of stops at local growers each with their own attractions. Our loop always includes:
High Hill Ranch - trout fishing for the kiddies, lot of crafts, a fudge house, baked goods, apples, bbq'd chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, wine tasting at Madrona; spent many a fall afternoon with our kids here so the memories run deep!
Boa Vista Orchards - lots of crafts, baked goods, apples, the BEST hand-dipped corn dogs anywhere!
Jack Russel Brewing Co. - always stop in here for a cold brew. Perfect way to leisurely re-hydrate while NOT eating something made of apples!
Larsen Apple Barn - On our way out, we pick up a box of apples, a fresh apple pie and caramel apples to go. We couldn't possibly eat anymore since we've grazed our way through the day! -
Review from Kristy C.
Studio City, CA
10/17/2008
Duuuuude!
apples, apple wine, apple beer, apple doughnuts, apple pie, apple milkshakes, apple butter, apple cider, apple art, apples with fudge, The Apple Cafe, apple picking, apple fries...
I love fall! I know my peeps in L.A. probably don't make it up to Placerville much, but this place is rad. Most stands even had their little rabbit ear t.v.'s playing the Niners game, that was cool.
The best part for me was the numerous wineries. Yeah, the wines had a bit of an earthy taste if you ask me, but I ate grapes right off the vines and the owners of these wineries are so cool. There is a couple from Alaska who runs the Illuminarie Winery, knew nothing about wine when they started and were so cool. We drank wine and ripped on the Palin Clan.
Even downtowm Placerville is like stepping out of the Old West. Make it up there if you can. -
Review from Joey J.
11/17/2009
Living in California generally means experiencing only two seasons--wet and dry. This pisses off the significant other, who is a native Michigander and likes having "all four seasons." Fortunately, I was able to scrape together a mini-fall last weekend for at least an afternoon.
As previous reviews state, this is pretty much a loop of stores, most of which revolve around apple related products. We started out the trek by headed to High Hill. The trees had something resembling traditional fall colors, and we walked around drinking hot apple cider (after eating apple doughnuts). The girlfriend bought an apple pie, which completely disproved her "Californians don't know anything about pie" theory. We then went to the fudge house, and sampled some pretty good fudge. We took a pass on the apple wine and apple milkshakes, but were very tempted.
Next, we moved on to Boa Vista Orchards. By this time, we were appled out. But we did grab lunch, and in reality how often do you see a place hand-dipping their corn dogs?
The final stop was Abel Apple Orchards. If we were with kids, the corn maze would have been enjoyable. Instead, we did the couples thing and looked at arts and crafts and split a set of three marshmellows dipped in chocolate and caramel.
I've got to admit it was pretty cool. The girlfriend would probably lobby for five stars on this one. And since she let me watch all the football I wanted after we got home, maybe I should give it five stars.
. -
Review from Martin S.
Point Reyes Station, CA
1/1/2009
What a great place to visit, all year long (but do pay attention to which locations are seasonal, or only wholesale). Lots of activities for the kids (at least seasonally) and adults should have a great time all year long, especially if going for some food and wine.
During harvest season, be sure to try the specialities of each location - but be sure to plan for an entire day, two, or three to see everything without rushing. Also, be sure to get one of the maps, because Apple Hill is a collection of locations\stores\orchards\ranches - and you may want to focus on, or ignore certain locations, as well as pay close attention to hours and the different notations about differences. For example, don't pass up the offerings from the wholesale locations - so do seek out where they're sold (such as Apple Hill's Barsotti Juice Company and sold in many local grocery stores).
Loses one star for a combination of two gripes. Basically, I live somewhat locally, so I see both the benefits and the problems of Apple Hill:
1) Lots of extra traffic, auto exhaust, littering, rude out of towners, etc. during prime Apple Hill season.
2) Apple trees love the climate and elevation, but like many new wineries in the area - clear cutting, chemicals, etc. now exists, instead of oak trees, cedar trees, pines, etc. I know, I know it's always "not in my backyard," huh? -
Review from Brian H.
San Francisco, CA
10/17/2010
Great apple-based food! Examples include: apple kettle corn, apple fritters, caramel apple, apple cider, apple cider milkshake, apple cider beer, apple cider wine, apple cider donut, apple butter, applesauce, apple-flavored apples, apple soaked in apple cider, and apple dumplings.
Great atmosphere! Friendly people all around and nicely decorated farms and ranches that span miles across the Hill. You should try to get there early (8-9 AM on weekends) because the entrance to High Hill, which is apparently the most famous ranch, was crammed with cars trying to get inside by noon.
Some of the prices are OK for those on vacation. $2.95 ($3.19 with tax) corn dogs? They were good like all the other food, but I'm glad I only got one. $8 BBQ pork sandwiches are ripoffs no matter where.
If I lived close by, this is somewhere I would revisit once in a while because there is much to explore and much to be impressed by. -
Review from Stephanie N.
Davis, CA
12/21/2008
Apple Hill is a great day trip for both kids and adults from the Sacramento area. My favorite place to visit is Plubell's Family Orchard, which has all the great apple pies and goodies, as well as a pumpkin patch, good lunch foods, animals you can feed, and a beautiful property overall (go check out their page for my full review).
*TIP* there's a FREE shuttle bus that takes you from farm to farm on the weekends in October. It was totally empty when I went on a Sunday, which really surprised me. It has a couple of places you can park your car and pick up the shuttle, which runs every 15 minutes from 10am-5pm and has 2 bus lines (red and green) that take you to different farms. It's a great resource that more people should take advantage of! Parking can be tough at some farms, and it's such a waste to do all that driving when you can take a bus.
More info at: http://www.applehill.c... -
Review from Lola D.
Sacramento, CA
3/3/2008
CHEERS TO SUNDAY!
Yesterday was the perfect day. The night before over a round we decided it would be fun to go up to apple hill and wine taste. Boy were we right! Apple hill's wineries in general aren't the best, but they offer free tasting, hospitality, and they are just a skip away from Sac. And nestled in the winding roads there are a couple of gems. Big ups to the lady at Fenton Herriott for being a wonderful person to talk to, and having a great syrah too! Boeger, you're Milagro was aight... Everything else, just okay. Though there were several more, Primus topped it off. A wonderful lady poured us wine. She had a great personality, made me want to give her a hug when i left. she didn't seem to into it though. and they had the best wine! I gotta give my props to Jodar too! I LOVE yesterday! Thank you Apple Hill for growing wines.
And if you go, make sure you grab an El Dorado map. They have a few wineries that aren't on Apple Hill map inside Apple Hill. I asked about it and they said they weren't a part of the "growers association" so they didn't get to be on the apple hill map. we almost missed a GREAT champagne at Stone's Throw Vineyard -
Review from Dennis S.
Woodland, CA
10/17/2011
went and picked up some apples, pears, candy, drank some apple cider and some vinegars.. had a great time walking around looking at the arts and crafts...
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Review from James F.
Livermore, CA
10/28/2008 3 photos
Fun Day at Apple Hill!"
Julie and I went up to Apple Hill after hearing about it and driving by the signs for years. We had a lot of fun! Highly recommended for couples and Families with kids.
WARNING: Whatever you do.. Buy some Barsottis Apple Juice.. oh man, this is not the sugar water we grew up on.. This is the BEST apple juice. I didnt know it could taste this good...Buy enough to take home.. like $6.00 for big jug.. Go to Barsottis itself or get it at the growers. They sell other kinds, but this is Da Kine...
We went in Late October so I dont know if that's hi season or not but it had a good crowd.
Essentially its an area along Highway 50 after Placerville (heading East) and near the little town of Camino. I'd say its 20 square miles within which there are maybe 25 growers, bake shops, breweries, shops, along the windy roads
It's a lot of fun. you get a map and just drive down the road, or catch a shuttle that leaves from a nice park and ride type of lot near the freeway. The shuttles seemed to come by every 10 minutes or so at the major growers. We drove. It was a nice scenic drive too.
Most of the growers have similar types of venues and food but it is still really fun. Each place has its own flavor:
Picnic tables, patios, open areas, stores selling apple centric foods; Pies, Pastries, Fudge, apple juice, BBQ, Hamburgers, Veggie Burgers, Salads, etc..and oh yeah APPLES and other fruits too.. Pears!
Lots of places have neat stuff for kids to do. All the places have some handful of crafts booths. And yes, they are the typical jewelry, soaps, signs, and t-shirts crafts..so that's not why ya go.
We first stopped at Mill View where they have a PIg Roasting in a Big BBQ every day. They sell a Pulled Pork Sandwich there from the pigs. It was very tasty but not super sauced and sweet. For $8.50 ya get a Pulled pork Sandwich, a little cup of salad that had apples, walnuts, pears and a really good windsor sauce., A little cup of applesauce and a fat slice of pie. Not a bad deal. The pie was quite good. Here you could sit on a patio or under apple trees. Slices of different pies is a fun thing to do!
This place had little Pony Cart rides for kids. A cart pulled by the 2 littlest ponies ya ever saw.
Then there is Eldorado. Buy your Apples here.
They have crates and crates of about 15 different apples outside. Some I never heard of. I bought some WineSaps. MAN ARE THEY GOOD! Roma, Gala....They had the Arkansas Black.. Didnt try that.. All the apples were about half what you would pay at Safeway. So buy a bag.
I also bought Bartlett and Asian pears here. Cheap...
They had a big pond with a little train that goes around it. and a picnic area.
Jack Russel Brewery had Tri Tip BBQ, a tasting room with great beer and $3.00 10 oz pints. We had the Apple Ale (of course) and a Lager. you can taste the beer then buy a "Growler" - a big jug of beer they tape the cap on and you buy it take away. Fun place.
Big open area out front, Kids and dogs playing.
Not much shade though.
Then We went to Honey Bear.. A nice place with a big, well stocked store of apple pies , slices, food to go pies unbaked and baked, fudges, and carmel apples, pastries, etc..
BBQ of course!
A big patio overlooking an open area where they had a hay maze for kids.
Then on to Boa View, a nice place with a HUGE Market that has every type of apple food item, garlic, olives, and all manner of fresh fruits, Apples, Lemons, pears, everything..
I had a Corn Dog here... oh man.. it was tasty...
Go to Apple Hill and EAT!! -
Review from Antoinette O.
Cameron Park, CA
11/23/2008
After all the signs told me to go here I finally went with my man. My Sactown magazine mentioned Apple Hill, a fellow yelper mentioned Apple Hill, then Good Day Sacramento mentioned Apple Hill ... all the signs were telling me that I HAD to go! Apple Hill is not a city or a type of geographic location, rather it is a union of apple orchards and Christmas tree farms about 40 minutes north east of Sacramento. It was like going to an apple food festival except you're driving to different orchards around the area. Think of it as Northern Cali wine country, except apples and other various fruits.
Our first stop was Abel's Acres Orchards where we bought pumpkin apple bread and apple butter. We also shared a candied apple (caramel, chocolate, nuts) and had a chicken apple walnut sandwich. This orchard had pony rides for the kids, sold freshly made pies, and tons of wooden cut outs to take pictures in. (Note to self: Don't ever buy a candied apple unless it's from Apple Hill).
We also checked out Boa Vista Orchards, which was the most crowded of the places we visited. We did wine tasting and ended up buying apple wine and kandie apple wine. We also went a little nuts and bought guava jam, apple pomegranate jelly, apple donut, apple cookie, apple brownie, and washed it down with spiced cider. Next time we go we will buy some pies.
We also checked out High Hill Ranch which was also just as crowded but much bigger. Next to it was the Fudge Factory which was so crowded that you couldn't see the floor. I was disappointed by the chaos in there and had to get out.
I can't wait to check this place out again since we only checked out 5% of what Apple Hill has to offer! The best time to go is in October so you can take advantage of their free shuttle. -
Review from Sabrina b.
Reno, NV
10/11/2009
I've lived in reno for 4 years and every fall I hear people begin to talk about Apple Hill again.
This year, I decided to be one of them.
I did a bunch of research online as to which farms would be best for my group and I and then we set off on our adventure in the early morning hours of a Saturday.
We arrived to our first farm by 9:15AM. We left the Apple Hill area around 2PM.
Overall, had the instructions on the site been more specific for the shuttle, I would have been WAY happier. Instead, we couldn't find the shuttle parking / main area and wound up driving to several farms. BAD IDEA.
My review would have been 5 stars if I had taken the shuttle - guaranteed.
I had read up enough to know it would be busy... what I didn't know is that the people directing traffic and parking would have NO idea what they were doing.
Abel's Apple Acres - overall fun and AMAZING apple donuts.
High Hill Ranch / Fudge Factory Farms - Not affiliated but a one stop combo. Read my detailed review for more info. Parking = horrible. Fudge = excellent. Hay ride = nostalgia. Cider Mill = cool. Yummy apple juice. Leaving = sigh of relief.
Boa Vista Orchard - Ate tri-tip sandwiches here for lunch. Awesome price. Awesome food. Easy parking. Tons of people.
Apple Ridge Farms - AMAZING dutch apple pie. Great U Pick pumpkins - we got a 20#er for $13 and 12#er for $6. Not bad. Cute area. Easy parking.
Glad I did it once, but i'll pass until I have kids to take. -
Review from amy t.
Dublin, CA
10/29/2007
It's gorgeous up here. It's about an hour away from Lake Tahoe and an hour away from Sacramento. This place has a great display of the fall colors as well as the best apple pie I have ever tasted. Apple wine, apple beer, apples, honey, candied apples, pumpkins...
It's fun to do at least once and probably people with kids would enjoy it as well. One place has a "trout pond" where mostly just kids were fishing. This place seemed to be the most popular with tons of craft booths, a market and the place where we bought our apple pie. Frozen baked ($11) or unbaked frozen ($10), dutch apple, sourcream apple, etc. etc. The dutch apple was my favorite, but the "regular" apple pie is delicious as well. We bought that unbaked and yummmm - it's made with golden delicious apples.
We went to argyres farm to pick our apples. We got a 1/2 bushel for $8 and Mrs. Argyres was very nice. We picked golden delicious apples and red romes. I recommend going earlier in October, because most places were already picked over and closed. -
Review from Jim K.
Long Beach, CA
9/26/2007 5 photos
Stumbled upon some Apple Hill brochures while staying at a Best Western in Cedar Grove. Looked interesting and since we were so close, why not. I'm glad we did.
The Apple Hill Growers Association is an collection of ranches, wineries, spas and even a micro brewery that is on a scenic drive. It allows you to cruise around and stop at whatever orchard/winery/etc. catches your eye.
We stopped at the High Hill Ranch, Abel's Apple Acres and the Boeger Winery. Purchased an apple pie at High Hill. The pie was freshly baked, but packed it up to go. We walked around their grounds, which has a craft fair, picnic grounds and a small pond.
Abel's Apple Acres has a great bakery. We stopped and got some apple turnovers, fritters and apple butter. The turnovers were soooo good. I kicked myself for not buying more.
The Apple Hill scenic drive is really nice if you have a family with small kids and want to do a picnic or family road trip. You can go to their website download a map and see the current events and festivals that are going on. Most of the events seem to be in the fall.
http://www.applehill.c... -
Review from John P.
San Diego, CA
5/10/2007
First, the good news - it is outside and there is apple pie. Mmmm. This seems like a place that used to be a very nice "undiscovered" little nook. On weekends, it is now bursting at the seams like most of the tourists' denim jean-shorts.
Three stars because the apple pie is very good. Maybe this would be a better experience during the week???
Take a hayride if you can. Going through the apple orchard was pretty fun. Lots of candy, carnival food, and fudge to eat. Kids will like it.
My friends and I saw a sweatshirt at one of the booths that had an airbrushed cat on it with a caption that said, "It's all about me-ow." Nice. There are lots of booths vending airbrushed and puffy paint sweatshirts with eagles, Indian chiefs, and wolves in the moonlight. -
Review from Sarah D.
Berkeley, CA
9/26/2007
The best time to go is on a bit of a cloudy weekend day in late September, like last weekend actually. The area was really nice, nice green grass, beautiful orchards and lots and lots of country style gift shops. yeah just what we need. (the last part was sarcastic).
We stopped in at a nursery to get a map and chatted with the owner who was a bit bitter how Apple Hill has become so commercial and how more of the products come from China.
We stopped at a few different growers. One we just picked up a bad of apple and left because it was pretty busy. 2 bucks for a bag of medium to small apples, yummy.
Then we stopped at a pick your own place. We got about a dozen apples for $6, okay price. It was fun to pick your own though. I guess you pay for the experience.
Next we stopped at Jack Russell Brewery. We love breweries. This place had a few good beers but it was a bit off that in their front lawn area they rent space out for vendors to sell their Celtic art, pet clothing and accessories and sterling silver jewelry. The BBQ was good though.
The last place we went to was Grandpas cellar. They had one of those tourist trap gift shops as well but the apple pie was pretty good and behind the bakery they have a nice grassy orchard to sit and enjoy our apple dumplings and berry pie. Very relaxing.
Now in October I hear its another story...traffic, lots of people and large families and no parking. This would be a great place to take the kiddies. -
Review from Minkey L.
Berkeley, CA
9/14/2010
Apple Hill is absolutely wonderful. It's worth the drive from the Bay Area, especially if you can go on a weekday during September or October. The weekends do get crowded, so be prepared for that. If you can only go on a weekend, best advice is to get up to Apple Hill by 8am when most orchards open. After about 10 or 11 am on a weekend - it's packed.
Our favorites are:
* Abel's: best pies (frozen! they keep for a while - buy one in October and save it for Thanksgiving) and treats - chocolate/caramel covered marshmellows on a stick??!! Hello!
* Boa Vista: awesome apple fritters and donuts, good bbq, and the best corn dog in the world. They also have an amazing selection of jarred goods - mustards, olives, pickles, etc.
* High Hill: this is the mother ship of Apple Hill and the most crowded. So get there at 8 am when it opens. Great kettle corn and apple cider.
Apple Hill is basically like the Napa/Sonoma of apple orchards. You drive from place to place and sample their wares. It's beautiful up there and a true "autumn" experience.
I'm not sure how many of the orchards on Apple Hill (if any?) actually let you pick apples, which is the one thing I really miss from my childhood back east. But the down home, old fashioned farm feeling up there more than makes up for any lack of actual apple picking.
It's one of my most favorite places in California and have gone almost every fall for 13 years. -
Review from Miriam W.
12/6/2005
Apple Hill is a wonderful place to stop after a trip up to Tahoe.
It's all about apples! We ate apple fritters and drank apple beer and apple wine when I went.
More info: http://www.applehill.com -
Review from Noel M.
10/12/2010
One of the best kept secrets in Northern California! The Apple Hill area is like a mini Napa but way less snooty. I was dreading the crowds after reading other reviews but we went the second Saturday of October and it was tolerable. This is a nice family and dog friendly place to spend a couple of lovely afternoons. Even after an entire day we only made it to 4 of the 48 stops listed on their map. Another visit is definitely necessary.
Listed in: Puppy Approved
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Review from Mark G.
Elk Grove, CA
11/11/2007 4 photos
Had a wonderful time here with the family! Great place to spend a day outdoors, sipping on the freshest apple cider and noshing delicious, homemade apple pie.
This is a sprawling collection of independent fruit orchards and farms, each having unique fresh fruit and baked delicacies. You can certainly spend a day tooling around the various ranches, and there are plenty of local vinyards in the vicinity as well!
I couldn't imagine a more perfect setting for the Apple Hill Orchards--prime smack in the gently rolling foothills of the Sierra.
The prices on fruit are very reasonable, and there are a ton of different kinds of apples alone. We liked Rainbow (great apple doughnuts), Larsen (cool farm "museum") and Kids Inc. (excellent baked apple pies) the best, but each ranch has its own individual charm. Enjoy a leisurely day out at Apple Hill, it's entirely worth it. -
Review from Agnes K.
San Jose, CA
10/20/2008
They have the most yummiest apples here... and some pretty darn good BBQ as well.
Our first stop was at Rainbow Farms, small farm with a few vendors... we were starving so the BBQ counter was our number one stop. We all tried the Tri Tip Sandwich, finger licking good BBQ sauce, tender meat with some tomatoes, mustard and a slice of onion... how does that Carl's JR commercial go? - "Don't bother me I'm eating" Yeah, that's pretty much how I felt until I wolfed down the whole sandwich.
Now that my tummy is full time for some sweets... the line was sooo long we ended up buying a full apple crisp at the produce counter instead of waiting for the warm apple pie. But the crisp is oh so yummy.
Next stop was Kids Inc. Which turned out to be kind of a disappointment... considering the name I was expecting a whole bunch of fun kids activities but besides the farm animals - of which the turkey is 10 years old - there was not much else that was free and much fun. Face painting for $4 seemed a little excessive, $4 for the small corn maze too much. However, they did have some wonderful desserts... we tried the farmhouse apple pie, which was delicious and the apple cheesecake... I am a cheesecake lover so I fell in love with the apple cheesecake... what a perfect combination apple pie and cheesecake who could ask for more?
Those were pretty much are two stops because by this point it was about 1PM and the place was packed with people... parking was becoming an issue and hubby was getting irritated with all the crowds, so we decided to call it the day at Apple Hill and return to grandma's house.
Apple Hill is a very neat place to check out... just make sure you go early to beat all the traffic at the exits and not to have to fight for parking.... plus all those long lines at the counters. -
Review from Sasa S.
Fairfield, CA
10/25/2009
Apple Hill bring backs my childhood memories of Tysons Farm( NJ) in the Fall. Apple Hill doesn't quite match, but its pretty darn close :) This is my second trip to Apple Hill this year and I def wanna go back before Thanksgiving! Its great place to take the kiddies for some good old fun!
Some places to highlight: Rainbow Orchards, nobody beats their Apple Cider Donuts and Apple Cider (at $9 a gallon, kinda pricey but well worth it!), Abels Acres, their garlic fries and apple fritters are to die for...people have raved about their pulled pork and tri tip but it was blah in my opinion. High Hill, gets the most tourists and traffic put it also has the most stuff for the kiddies, there is a trout pond, hay rides, pony rides, the views are amazing!! Don't waste your time at Kids Inc. unless you want to have a picnic (nice views) their "cornmaze' and "pumpkin patch" is dried out to the crisp! I highly suggest going VERY early on a weekend because thats when they run a FREE shuttle which goes around the various Farms (you can catch one every 15 min) . -
Review from Janette C.
Sacramento, CA
9/25/2010
A great outing for those into Fall festivals. Apple Hill is a collective of farms selling food and crafts. After eating bbq, apple desserts, and seeing a few craft vendors, you get the gist of everything. Most of the farms were good for quick stops and as the day went on it got tiring driving and finding parking place to place, so if you can go during shuttle time highly recommended. High Hill farms is a good one though for spending most of the time, it basically has everything you'd see at the other places if you don't wanna drive around. I brought my dog but they're not allowed in covered food areas so something to keep in mind. I probably won't go back til I have a kid but it's a fun place to check out.
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Review from Ray B.
Citrus Heights, CA
10/3/2010
There's a lot to do. You drive around to these different ranches and do/see different things. Crafts are the big thing. Plus apple sweets. Definitely visit High Hill, ranch #1. It has the most stuff. Yes there is a lot of walking. And it can get crowded with people. VERY CROWDED on the weekends in October. I heard late September is the best time to go. We might try that next year. And parking is limited so that is horrendous too. We try to be there shortly after 8 am after most places open. I bring my SUV because some parking is in the fields. Bring lots of cash because many places don't take cards. Make sure you check out their website and plan your visit: http://www.applehill.com/. They have a list of ranches with kids activities like train rides, hay rides, pony rides, petting zoos, u-pick, hay mazes, etc.
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Review from Cathleya G.
Berkeley, CA
6/20/2006
Its impossible to eat storebought apples after picking up a bushel (or 2 or 3) from any of the growers out here. Also, at the end of Cherry season, you can go out and pick your own cherries, theyre soooo good, but you end up with a giant stomach ache and purple poop for the next 3 days. Gross I know, but its fun....pop those cherries in the freezer and you'll never buy popsicles again!
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Review from Karen Y.
10/8/2007
i haven't visited apple hill since i was a kid. i wanted to share a bit of my childhood with my husband so we drove up here for a day to enjoy all the many ways apples are turned into the many delicious things.
what i don't remember is the traffic! geez- here we were trying to get away from la! it took quite a while to get through placerville. we thought we were in the clear, but apparently some of the farms have turned into mini-amusement parks for kids. aka- traffic nightmare.
we were relieved for parts of our drive, to take in the beautiful fall scenery away from all the craziness. the apple pantry farm has some wonderful apple pie, both ready to eat and to take-and-bake. $4 for slightly warm, fresh-baked apple pie, not too sweet and delicious. this place was not too crowded and was a good place to enjoy a slice of apple pie watching the cows graze.
things to know before you come up here:
1. expect traffic. especially in october around farms that cater to children. when you are here, you will know why everyone else wants to be here too.
2. bring hand sanitizer. all bathrooms are gumpers and i don't recommend using the sanitizer in the stalls.
3. watch-out for children wandering in parking lots at some of the farms. there were more than a few times a child wandered in front of my car not noticing that i was there- and neither were their parents careful to teach them to beware of cars in parking lots.
4. at the time of this review, they apple hill maps are not really accurate. some farms were closed, some designated to offer bbq lunches did not (and vice versa), and not drawn to scale at all.
