Where to Go Apple Picking in Durham Region

Apple picking season in Durham Region typically runs from late August through October, and the region has some of the best pick-your-own orchards in Ontario, most within a 20 to 40 minute drive of Whitby, Ajax, or Pickering.

Hy-Hope Farm in Pickering is a local favourite, pick-your-own apples paired with a bakery, farm store, and even a compact 18-hole golf course if you want to make a full day of it. Archibald Orchards and Estate Winery in Bowmanville combines apple picking with a working cidery, complimentary tastings included, a nice option if you are bringing other adults along and want to turn it into more than a kid's outing.

Nature's Bounty Farm, straddling the Port Perry and Uxbridge area, has been run by the same family for more than 40 years and offers over 20 varieties across the season, along with sunflower trails and a small flock of sheep, worth the slightly longer drive for the photos alone. Maple Grove Orchards in Bowmanville is another long-running local name, familiar if you have seen them at farmer's markets across Pickering, Whitby, or Brooklin.

For a bigger day out, Pingle's Farm Market in Hampton combines apple and pumpkin picking with a corn maze and farm market, good for families who want more than just the orchard.

A practical tip: each farm sets its own opening day and pricing, often changing between peak season in mid-September to mid-October and the quieter early or late weeks, so check the farm's website before you drive out, especially on weekends when the popular spots get busy.