One of the autumn family activities that we like to do is apple picking. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, now’s the time to enjoy a fun day at a local farm and pick some juicy apples, scrumptious peaches and pears.  Not to mention how much fun it will be for the kids.

We packed up our kids, some snacks, and drove to Mountain View Orchards for our annual fruit picking event.  Our homeschool group introduced us to this Hood River Fruit Loop farm that we have enjoyed visiting. We chose the Hood River area, even though the distance is further, for its breathtaking view of the Columbia Gorge and the spectacular sight of Mt. Hood. It’s just magnificent!

The orchard have some activities for the whole family.  On the weekends, they have free hay rides for the whole family, you can sample fresh squeezed apple juice, and various jams. Your family can also take a tour of the farm on your own and check out the sunflowers, corns, pumpkins (no U-Pick) and some animals.  Our three kiddos had a great time picking the fruits and simply just pulling their wagons around the farm.

We ended our day with a picnic right between the isles of apples trees. If you’re interested in the Mt. View Orchards, it runs through October 31 with daily hours from 9-5. Click here for their contact info. Plan ahead: call the farm before you go.

If you’re interested in checking out other farms/orchards. Click here for a map of the Hood River County Fruit Loop.

BTW… we didn’t get any reception for our GPS once we got into the Fruit Loop, so make sure you make a hard copy of your Google map.