Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard — Attraction in Hendersonville

A Family Tradition at Step’s HillCrest Orchard – A Must-Visit Destination!

For the past 15 years, my entire extended family, the Borisiks, have made it a tradition to visit Step’s HillCrest Orchard. This year, we were thrilled to have almost the entire family together for the experience, and we took some incredible family photos to commemorate the occasion. We were even approached by the on-site photographer, who kindly asked if they could use a few shots for Step’s HillCrest Orchard’s marketing materials – a true testament to the beautiful setting!

This visit, we focused primarily on picking apples from the upper orchard, and as always, the experience was nothing short of wonderful. While two years ago, we arrived later in the season and had the pleasure of enjoying Honeycrisp apples, this time we stuck with a variety of other apples that were equally delicious. The orchard offers wagons to help transport your harvest, and with three different box sizes available – priced between $12 and $25 – there’s something for everyone, regardless of how many apples you plan to take home.

Beyond apple picking, the food and drink options were fantastic. We indulged in apple cider slushies, hot apple cider, and of course, the orchard’s famous donuts. This year, my wife and I tried both the apple cider and pumpkin donuts. While we did notice that the donuts were slightly smaller than in previous years, we still thoroughly enjoyed them. The pumpkin donuts were our favorite, with the apple coming in a close second. Perhaps a small adjustment in the donut operation is in order, but the quality and flavor remain exceptional.

The layout of Step’s HillCrest Orchard is thoughtfully designed and perfect for families. Having visited other orchards in the area, including Grandad’s, I can confidently say that Step’s HillCrest Orchard takes the top spot. The attention to detail, the variety of activities, and the friendly atmosphere make it an unforgettable experience every year.

A big thank you to the leadership team and all the dedicated employees for continuing to create such an enjoyable, family-friendly environment. We look forward to many more years of visiting this...

We have been coming here for years with our kids, and loved it. This year, not so much. They have changed and it doesn't have the same family feel. First, it started to have a feel that they cater to smaller kids. They used to have awesome plywood cutouts for people different hights to stick their heads through for the pictures. ALL have been replaced with CHEAP cardboard looking, printed, ones, so short that my 8 and 10 year olds had to practically lie on the ground to look through, forget me or my husband. Couldn't find a single one that was taller than a 4 year old. Another attraction is the awesome jump pad. My kids were soooo looking forward to it, so of course we paid for it. Once we got there, we read the sign "For kids under 12 years" and "No flips or acrobatics", weird sign but ok. My kids were within the age, two polite girls, so they went on. We went to sit down to watch. Moment later they came up all sad, because the attendants kept on them to be careful. We watched them. They literally were walking and moderately jumping on a JUMP pad. If anything, this pad should have a restriction on how young kids can be on it. Its few feet off the ground and if a tree year old would simply step off of it, he/she would get seriously hurt, but THAT is who they were completely non concerned about. But my well behaving 8 and 10 year olds were straight up DISCRIMINATED against, just because they were the biggest on the pad. After we paid $14 for them to jump on there, they were made so uncomfortable by the attending people, that they wanted to leave and not come back next year. The positive points, their apple cider slushy and apple doughnuts are AMAZING!!! The young girls behind the food shop were very friendly and great. We'll probably be back just for the food. I get that this place has gotten popular and busy, but its loosing what...

Growing up in WNC I've been to all of the orchards and though there are things to love about each, this is my absolute favorite! If you are looking for the quintessential family orchard experience this is the place for you!

Parking: The parking experience is very easy and even on a busy day you can easily walk from your car to the main building and all activities without needing a shuttle. Facilities/Grounds: This family farm boasts of rustic charm, functional access to all it offers, and breathtaking scenery. Apple Picking: They offer Upick in the orchard or apples in the barn. The container pickup is a breeze and you can easily access any area of the property by foot. You can also borrow wagons to tow kids, apples, and more. Kids Activities: From Apple canons to corn maze to jump pad to cute photo props there's fun for all ages. There's also plenty of space for everyone to spread out on property so even on a busy day it doesn't feel super crowded. Food: They offer your typical cider, donuts, and kettle corn as well as additional bakery items and beverages. There are also food trucks most weekends. More: They have a super cute market with souvenirs, toys, and more. They also offer flower picking, grapes, pumpkins, and more seasonally.

Conclusion: From the beauty to the ease of access to the variety of activities to the kettle corn (most important 😊), I believe Stepps Orchard provides every aspect of what I am looking for in a trip to the orchard. Why wait in line for hours at other orchards when you can come here and enjoy all it has to offer at...