Apple Hill — Attraction in Placerville

My 1st time visiting and didn't know what to expect honestly. I drove the whole time with my family, and that was probably the worst part of the experience. There was SOOO many people there when we went it was like elbow to elbow standing in what you hoped was the back of the line to make it to the register. There was a few places I just couldn't figure out what was going on with the parking lots either. A lot of "extra parking lots" but it was a journey finding a spot between all the people and kids running out in front of the car and trying to figure out if I was even going the right direction. And then the long wait just to park at the main place with all the shops. We waited in the line and had to fight the traffic getting off the freeway too for like 45 mins. It was ridiculous honesty. After we got in we started looking at all the booths and a lot of them were kind of the same things we saw everywhere else but there was a few really cool booths with homemade things and Christmas stuff or pet stuff, just different from the rest and they had some really cute things they were selling. A lot of really cute ideas for homemade knickknacks and things. The price for apple pies, cider and doughnuts were SO MUCH though! In my opinion, well worth it if you don't go crazy though lol. A lot of the pies were like $20 and $30 which is crazy to me but if you're going to go to apple hill you have to come back with at least 1 thing to eat or drink, right? Lol. Other than way to many people and the long wait though, we had a great day. Spent a lot of the day there browsing and I definitely plan on going back next time I can. I would recommend at least going and checking it out once with your family. Lots of stuff to do, see, buy...

It's a beautiful growing region, well organized for visitors and max profit for the growers. I love to support small growers. But the growing association needs to start finding a way to offer gluten-free options. You will find only gluten pies in all the freezers etc. The Apple Hill app is not easier intuitive to use and we gave up on it. A paper map unfortunately is the best you can do and being that it's not to scale it can be very difficult to follow. The growing region is very beautiful all year long and great for families that need a day or two away from work and the city. Many growers offer pumpkins and Christmas trees as well and some even have berry picking in the late summer. There are booths at a lot of the growers so you can shop for gifts and there are many artisans and crafts people selling their wares. There is great variety and they even sell canning and baking supplies at many places so you can get busy with your fresh apples and fresh pumpkins. Don't expect healthy options. Most things have sugar and flour. If that's your thing, go for it. But the growing association really should make some efforts toward assisting people who want to go spend lots of money there and don't have gluten-free options. At least there are some nice restaurants in Placerville that offer some healthy and gluten-free options. The region includes wineries and vineyards to make your visit complete. Please don't drink and drive. If you're going to go tasting, stay on the property at least an hour after your your wine flight. There are many little children and families in elderly all over the region. Crossing the highways....

Apple Hill is fun, and a traditional annual trip for many people in the area. I enjoy going mostly to people watch and grab some apple filled deliciousness at Boa Vista.

The reason for only 4 stars is partly because of its popularity. The traffic is crazy, especially on weekends. There are people everywhere. Long, long lines abound at the more popular places. If you enjoy standing in line and chatting with people, this can be a positive too. Most people go knowing it's gonna be a lot of traffic and lines, so people are still really friendly and chatty even in a 45 minute line for pie.

The orchards were hit with a late frost this year (2022), so many are low on apples and the "you pick" option is less exciting this year. The bigger farms still have a lot to see and do, and plenty of baked goods available.

Accessibility: as a mobility impaired person using a walker, I enjoy visiting here as long as I've got my disabled parking permit and a plan. I recommend scoping out which places have the best accessibility before you go so you can plan your route. Boa Vista has some paved disabled parking close to the big barn and shopping area, so it's very easy to get around. Some orchards it's all dirt and gravel where you park. If you're using any mobility aids you may want to stick to the larger orchards with more paved areas (Boa Vista, High...