Apple Picking suggestions withing an hour of Boston?
 

My friends and I are planning on a 'Fall' day to kick off the season - Part of the day we would love to go apple picking. Are there any quaint, nice drives to apple picking places within an hour outside of Boston? Maybe with a good restaurant or place to have a drink in the afternoon?<BR>Thanks for you suggestions!

Sorry that should read:<BR>Apple Picking suggestions WITHIN an hour of Boston?<BR>Thanks-

Applecrest in No. Hampton, NH is fun. It's probably 80 minutes from Boston; take the Hampton exit off Rt. 95 and head west. They even schedule bluegrass music at certain times, wagon rides, apple picking, pumpkins, etc. There are many restaurants along Rt. 1, too. Ronaldo's is great for Italian, and I've also heard nice things about Cafe Provence, a but further north in Rye. <BR>Happy Fall!<BR>

Several locations in the Bolton/Harvard/Stow area, roughly along I-495 between State routes 2 and 117 and just about an hour from Boston. Doe Orchards in Harvard comes to mind. Hazel U-Pick, also Harvard, is another name. Also Bolton Springs Farm on 117 east of 495. Concord is along the way if you come out Route 2 and makes a nice spot to stop. Walden Station in Concord is a good place for lunch and a drink. Aigo Bistro is better, but I'm not 100% sure they serve lunch. In Bolton, Nashoba Winery serves lunch and their own fruit wines. Harvard is a dry town.

Marino Farm! All sorts of apples, with golden raspberries, train rides and animal petting too!

Marino Farm is a good choice if you have kids. If you just want to pick apples, go one town farther west to Sherborn. Pick your own apples (call Dowse Farm for times) and stop at the Sherborn Inn for food and/or beverages afterward. If you go into the "tavern" area, you can go casual. The other part of the inn's restaurant is a bit more dressy.<BR>

There's a great orchard (really big!) in Acton, about 40 minutes out of Boston. I believe it's called Nashoba Farms, right on Route 110/2.<BR><BR>We went there last year and they had many varieties of apples. Also have a stand so you can see the different types. They tell you which area of their orchard to pick the variety you want.

Dick gives good info. There are several fun places in the Stowe/Harvard(the town not the University) area. Check out the Thursday Boston Globe Calendar section. It will list all the places.<BR>

Stow is a great place for Apple Picking, I would add Honeypot Hill Orchard if you want to pick your own. But I don't know where to eat around there, we stopped off in Framingham last year when we went. I used this website to look up pick your own places:<BR>http://www.massfarmstands.com/homepage.html

There are some great restaurants in Maynard which is not far from the Apple Orchard areas.