Marker-Miller Orchards — Attraction in Virginia

If you're in Virginia during the fall season, apple picking is one of the musts. The weather, the gorgeous views, leaves turning around you, and the fall atmosphere are just some of the enthralling aspects of apple picking. Marker-Miller Orchards is about an hour and half from D.C. and provides an array of PYO (pick your own) options from raspberries, apples, pumpkins, to squash depending on the season.

Parking can get pretty crazy. They have an unpaved lot but it fills up quickly and by the 2-3pm, the only spots left are by the road.

Aside from PYO, Marker-Miller has a market that offers an assortment of fruits, veggies, jams and jellies, cider, wines, and baked goods for sale. Fruits and veggies include but are not limited to apples, pears, squash, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and eggplant. Best of all, they sell apple cider donuts here. Naturally, the longest line is for apple cider donuts so there is a good 15-20 minute wait during the busy hours. Donuts are delicious. Seriously, the best part!

They have a PYO stand where you can buy bags (1/2 peck, 1 peck, 1 bushel), but you can also check out the market to buy bags too. I wish they advertised this because I asked my BF to go buy the apple cider donuts in the market while I waited in the PYO line to buy bags, not knowing that we could have both just stood in the market line and gotten both. PYO stops half an hour before closing time. They don't allow any other bags, backpacks, or baskets into the PYO area. Only their bags/containers are allowed. After you finish picking, they have someone mark off your bag before you depart the grounds.

Refer to their online fruit availability chart for when peaches, plums, and apples are available. When we went, there was Yatika Fuji, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Ida Red, Jonagold, Rome, Crispin, York, and Enterprise apples present.

They provide a map of the PYO area but it's also well-marked. They have over 300 acres of apples so there's plenty of rows of apples to leaf through and pick. We went straight for the Fujis and the first row we came upon, we could have filled up our bag. The row stretches far beyond the eye can see too, so there are more than enough apples for everyone. The apples are good too; I rarely saw a rotten one. No ladders to help you reach the top branches though.

Dogs are welcomed everywhere except...

I take the family here at least twice a year for picking fruit, pumpkins, and corn for the past 10 years. Great manicured orchards, high quality fruit if you come at the right times, with enough space for 1000s of people when this place is (rightfully) mobbed.

Decently hilly, so prepare for a lot of walking later in the season and bring a cart. They have some available, but get a wagon with thicker wheels. Backpacks aren't allowed out in the picking area, so just take the essentials in the wagon.

There is a lot for the kids to do depending on the season. Tractor rides, cart rides, mazes, pumpkin patches, and the playground.

The market is awesome. Definitely get an apple cider slushie and some apple cider donuts, especially when they're warm. The apple butter, jalapeño mustard, French onion dip, and artisan peanut butter are must-buys if you like any of it. The produce, canned staples, and dairy are all high quality, and anything with cider is a hit. Prices are extremely fair, you can get a bottle of wine, jars of anything you want, ice cream for 5 and fudge and honey sticks for under $100.

The ice cream and fudge is also really good. Get the kids worn out in the orchard, run them through the playground, then chill out with the ice cream. Great for killing 2-3 hours in the middle of the day.

Parking is limited out front on the asphalt unless you get there super early, but the grass parking isn't too bad even with low ground clearance cars, but maybe leave your Lamborghini at home and take the Acura or Ford. It gets nasty out there if it has rained, and some intellectually challenged individuals will park three in a row and box you in.

The staff is super friendly, prices are fair, $20 for a large bag which can fit several dozen monster apples. The drive there is also beautiful, tons of huge houses and vast farmland coming up through Winchester via 81. There is a reason I come here and keeping coming back over the years, it has that special x-factor that is hard to...

I have been coming to the orchard for well over 15 years. And I guess I have noticed the past few years that the hospitality of the place has gone down. The products are great, and apples are always good quality but every year they seem to view their customers as petty thieves who will cheat them out of apples. It really takes the specialness of small town feeling I loved getting while visiting. Last week when I visited, I kid you not, I was warned over my small tote purse possibly being used to pick extra apples while I was purchasing their large apple bag, donuts, apple butter, and apple cider. Like really? We used to purchase 4-6 large bags every year along with their market goodies but this year, I only purchased one large bag to pick apples. My daughter loves their donuts and cider but is it worth being treated like a petty criminal each time we visit? Please treat your customers with warm hospitality, without it, it truly defeats the purpose of enjoying fall at...