The Best Places To Pick Apples In Sonoma County: 2025 Guide

SONOMA VALLEY, CA — Fall doesn’t officially start until the autumnal equinox on Monday, Sept. 22, but the season is already underway at Bay Area apple orchards.

There are plenty of activities at these fall attractions to appeal to all ages, especially kids.

Patch has compiled a list of some of the best apple orchards and family-friendly fall attractions in and around the Bay Area. Before you go, be sure to call ahead or check the orchard’s website to clarify hours of operation or to check for the availability of apples.

Chileno Valley Ranch
Address: 5105 Chileno Valley Rd., Petaluma
Season dates: From August 1 until they run out of apples.
Details: Apple pickers welcome by appointment. Honey, lavender and baked goods will also be available to purchase.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays by appointment.
Cost: $10 entry fee per family. Apples are $2 per pound
Phone: 707-765-6664

EARTHseed Farm
Address: 3175 Sullivan Rd., Sebastopol
Season dates: July to November
Details: Welcomes berry and fruit pickers by appointment on select Saturdays.
Hours: 11 a.m - 4 p.m. on select Saturdays
Cost: $25 entry fee. Fruit and berries paid for by the pound.
Phone: 707-829-0617

Apple-A-Day Ratzlaff Ranch
Address: 13128 Occidental Rd., Sebastopol
Season dates: September to November
Details: Apple pickers welcome. Gravenstein, Golden Delicious, and Rome apples available along with homemade apple cider.
Hours: Open 9 am – 4 pm daily except Thursday & Saturday
Phone: 707-823-0538

Hale’s Apple Farm
Address: 1526 Gravenstein Hwy N., Sebastopol
Details: Over 30 varieties of heirloom apples along with other fruits and veggies such as pumpkins come October. No apple picking allowed but they do sell them at their farmstand.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Casari Ranch & Wool Mill
Address: 14390 CA-1, Valley Ford
Details: Closer to Bodega Bay, a biodynamic farm and ranch. They have a farmstand for those looking to pick up apples on the way to the coast.
Hours: Wednesday – Sundays

Corn mazes and pumpkin patches are also open or will open soon.

Petaluma Pumpkin Patch and A'Mazing Corn Maze
Address: 550 Stony Point Rd., Petaluma
Season dates: Opens September 19
Details: This pumpkin patch is home to a 4-acre A'Mazing Corn Maze with second-story viewing platforms. It also has a little kids' maze and acres of pumpkins. Ages 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult in the maze for the entire experience.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday
Cost: Corn maze admission $8; free for ages 6 and under. Friday and Saturday evening Night Maze admission $12 for all ages
Phone: 707-781-3132

Santa Rosa Pumpkin Patch
Address: 5157 Stony Point Rd., Santa Rosa
Season dates: Opens September 27
Details: Santa Rosa Pumpkin Patch offers a huge 8-acre corn maze as well as a kiddy corn maze, hay and sunflower mazes. It also has 8 acres of pumpkins. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times. The Corn Maze closes 45 minutes before the Patch closes. Closed on rainy days.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday;
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays;
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays;
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays
Cost: Ranges from $5 to $30. See website for more details.
Phone: 707-582-3276

This should be a good year for apple picking, according to the 2025 forecast from the U.S. Apple Association, which estimates the harvest will be 6 percent higher than in 2024, for a total of 273 million bushels.

That estimate is based on USDA data from the top seven apple-producing states — respectively, Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Oregon and Virginia. When other states are considered, total production could be as much as 290 million bushels, the industry trade group said.