Best Cider Mills In Metro Detroit

Just because Fall hasn’t officially arrived doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some classic autumn activities. Most of southeastern Michigan’s apple orchards and cider mills are now open with honeycrisp apples ready for picking the weekend of Sept. 9.

Many of these locations offer a little bit of everything for fall fun, from corn maizes to kid games. Other places, meanwhile, stick to the basics and provide their customers with you-pick orchards and farms where they can get the freshest produce available.

Patch has compiled a list of some of the best places to find cider mills and apple orchards. Remember to call ahead or check the orchard’s website to clarify hours of operation or to check for availability of apples and other produce.

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Here’s our list:

Coleman's Farm and Corn Maze, 12758 Jordan Road, Saline: Apple season is going on now with honeycrisps ready for picking. Be sure to bring the kids (big and little) to the 17-acre cornfield, featuring three professionally designed and cut corn mazes which total over five miles of challenging trails, excellent day or night. Open on weekend in September and everyday in October.
Dexter Cider Mill, 3685 Central St., Dexter: Michigan’s oldest continuously operating cider mill offers a chance to see the antique mill turning out cider, fresh doughnuts and apple nut bread daily. Open through October.
Donahee Farms, 6055 Tower Road. Plymouth: Pick your own pumpkins, plus corn stalks, gourds, Indian corn and other items for fall decorating. The kids will love the corn mze. Open through October.
Erwin Orchards, 61475 Silver Lake Road, South Lyon: You-pick apples and pumpkins, festivals, wagon rides, hay maze, corn maze and cider mill. The cider mill is open daily from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Nov. 5.
Franklin Cider Mill, 7450 Franklin Road, Bloomfield Hills: Known for its non-pasteurized fresh cider, pressed and bottled on site, Franklin Cider Mill is as old as Michigan itself. The season usually lasts through Thanksgiving.
Goodison Cider Mill, 4295 Orion Road, Rochester: The cider is pressed with an old-fashioned, century-old press. Open through Christmas.
Hy’s Cider Mill, 6350 37 Mile Road, Romeo: Cider, donuts, caramel apples, petting farm, jams, jellies, picked and you-pick apples and pumpkins; open weekends through Nov. 3.
Long Family Orchard & Cider Mill, 1540 East Commerce Road, Commerce Township: Apples, hayrides, pumpkins, corn maze, cider mill, farm stand, school tours. Fresh apples and cider mill opening mid-September through Thanksgiving.
Lutz Orchard, 11030 Macon Road, Saline: You-pick orchards offer a large collection of unique apples (Fameuse and Mutsu). Other you-pick fall crops include squash and pumpkins, plus tours to see the milking process from the udder to the bottle. Children can pet calves and the outdoor cats that patrol the barn. Open through Oct. 25.

Middleton Farms Cider Mill, 46462 Dequindre Road, Utica: This family-owned mill offers homemade doughnuts, made fresh daily; old-fashioned pressed cider; and variety of gourds and pumpkins in season. Opening day was Sept. 8.
Obstbaum Orchards, 9252 Curie Road, Salem: “Obstbaum” is German for fruit, and that’s what you’ll get at the family-run orchard, which offers fresh-picked apples, pressed cider and apple cinnamon doughnuts. For adults, the winery’s inventory includes hard cider. Open until late October.
Paint Creek Cider Mill, 4480 Orion Road, Oakland Township: If you prefer barbecue, a Coney dog, pizza, and ice cream or doughnuts (or both!) with your cider, this is the place to stop. And it all comes with fabulous views along Paint Creek Trail, including a giant water wheel. Open year-round.
Parmenter’s Northville Cider Mill & Winery, 714 Baseline Road, Northville: Another of Michigan’s historic cider mills, this one has been operating since 1873. Fall fare isn’t limited to cider (or — take note adults — to non-alcoholic drinks). Open daily through late November.
Plymouth Orchards, 10260 W. Ann Arbor Road, and Red Shed Market, 10260 W. Ann Arbor Road, Plymouth: You and the kiddos can take a scenic wagon ride through the 100-acre farm, visit a petting zoo and pick your own pumpkins, then finish the trip with cider and cinnamon doughnuts. Hours through Nov. 5. Check the website for specifics.
Rochester Cider Mill, 5125 N. Rochester Road, Rochester: This isn’t just a cider mill, but an outdoor agricultural museum with a petting farm and straw pyramid the kids can climb while the adults are perusing the antique farm equipment around the complex and guessing the purposes of the vast array of tools. Open through November.
Stony Creek Orchard and Cider Mill, 2961 W. 32 Mile Road, Romeo: Opening Day is Saturday, Sept. 9. Apples, raspberries, honey from hives on the farm, cider mill (fresh apple cider made on the premises), pre-picked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, pony rides, farm animals, birthday parties, school tours.
Verellen Orchards,63260 Van Dyke Road, Washington Township: Picked apples, pies and doughnuts. Open year-round.
Yates Cider Mill, 1990 E. Avon Road, Rochester Hills: The scenic beauty of the mill property invites a relaxing stroll along the river while enjoying the delicious treats available at the mill, one of the oldest, continually running businesses in Michigan and a destination for generations of Michiganders. Open through October.

Photo by Catherine via Flickr Commons