There’s a chill in the morning and the air is crisp. The leaves are changing and it’s starting to feel like fall in Chicago. We go apple picking as a family every year and while we’ve gone to the same orchard (read more here) for the past few years we decided to switch it up this fall. In times of Covid we wanted some where closer to home, just in case we arrived and it was too crowded or we felt uncomfortable.
We settled on All Seasons Orchard in Woodstock, IL which is a 50 minute ride from Chicago. We went on a Friday afternoon and arrived around 3. The orchard definitely had people but did not feel crowded. There was a tractor ride out to the orchard but when we were ready to go it was full, luckily it was just a short walk the orchard. Honeycrisp is a favorite in our house and that’s what we chose to pick. There were plenty of apples and enough space to social distance. Masks were required in the market and on the tractor ride but almost everyone was wearing them throughout. After we filled our bags with apples we caught the tractor on the way back and the girls were thrilled. It was a short ride and they loved it. There were plenty of photo ops at the orchard and we took a few pictures in front of the pumpkin displays before heading into the market. Donuts were out as it was the end of the day but they still had caramel apples and plenty of sweets.
A few things to keep in mind, each person over the age of 2 must purchase a bag to go out to the orchard. This can make the cost of the outing increase quickly. There was barnyard play section that we chose not to do, but it is available for an additional cost. There are plenty of port-a-potties throughout the orchard but there are real bathrooms in the market barn. Important to know for littles! 🙂 Reservations are required on the weekends and Columbus Day, but not during the week.
Covid has changes our lives so much I was happy that we were still able to enjoy one of our favorite fall actives safely! If you have any questions about our experience feel free to send a message!