Apple Picking Near Manchester NH: Five Orchards and How to Get There

Every September the same message goes round group chats in Manchester’s dorms and apartments: “Apple picking this weekend?” Everyone’s in. Then someone asks who has a car, and it goes quiet. The good news is that apple picking near Manchester NH doesn’t mean a long trip. Some of the best pick-your-own orchards in the state are 15 to 45 minutes from downtown. The hard part is getting a group of friends, and a few bags of apples, out to a farm road and back.

This guide covers five orchards worth the drive, when each part of the season is at its best, the farm rules that catch first-timers out, and how to get there without your own car. It’s written from Derry, about 15 minutes from the nearest of them.

Five orchards for apple picking near Manchester NH

These are working family farms, not theme parks. Hours, prices and what’s ready to pick change week by week, so treat this as a shortlist and check each farm’s own site before you go.

Mack’s Apples, Londonderry

Mack’s is on Mammoth Road, about three miles west of I-93 Exit 4. The farm describes itself as about 15 minutes from Manchester. It’s a big orchard, with pick-your-own apples, pears and pumpkins, a farm market and an ice cream stand. The farm says its season typically runs through November 1. Read the visitor guidelines before you go. You check in before entering the orchards, U-pick bags are provided (personal bags and containers aren’t allowed), and pets aren’t permitted except service animals. Wear long pants and sturdy shoes.

Sunnycrest Farm, Londonderry

Sunnycrest has been a pick-your-own farm on High Range Road since 1943. It also has a farm market, a bakery and an ice cream stand, so it’s an easy half-day even for the friend who only came for the cider donuts. A second orchard on Pillsbury Road also offers pick-your-own apples. The farm runs a pick-your-own hotline and posts what’s being picked that day, so check before you drive over.

Brookdale Fruit Farm, Hollis

Brookdale has been family-owned since 1847. Its own FAQ is clear that the best apple picking runs from mid-September to mid-October, with McIntosh, Cortland, Granny Smith, Gala, Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious, Empire and Rome on the trees. Hollis is southwest of Manchester through quiet back roads, a good drive with the windows down on a cool September afternoon.

Carter Hill Orchard, Concord

Carter Hill is in Concord, a short run up I-93 from Manchester. Besides apples, it grows peaches, plums, blueberries and pumpkins, and it has a country store, a bakery and cider. It’s a good pick if the group wants a view along with the apples.

Gould Hill Farm, Contoocook

The farthest of the five, and worth it for apple enthusiasts. Gould Hill Farm grows over 100 varieties of apples. Its pick-your-own orchards use dwarf and semi-dwarf trees, so there’s no climbing, and the farm says picking typically runs from Labor Day weekend to Columbus Day, depending on the weather and the crop.

When to go: early September vs. peak season

Apple season doesn’t arrive all at once. Different varieties ripen over several weeks, so the right weekend depends on what you want to pick.

• Early September (now): the first pick-your-own weekends of the year. Fewer varieties are ready, but the orchards are quieter than they will be in October, and the weather is often still warm.
• Mid-September to mid-October: the main season. Brookdale calls it the best time to pick, and more varieties are ready at once. It’s also when weekend crowds peak, especially on Columbus Day weekend in October.
• Late October and beyond: a few farms keep going. Mack’s says its season typically runs through November 1. Choice narrows, and pumpkins take over.

Go early in the day. On fall Saturdays the lots at the closer orchards can fill by late morning. A weekday afternoon, if your class schedule allows, is the calmest time of all.

Orchard rules that catch first-timers

• Check in first. Many farms want you at the stand before you walk into the rows, to get bags and directions to what’s open.
• Use their bags. Some farms, Mack’s included, provide U-pick bags and don’t allow your own.
• You pay for what you pick. Picked apples go in your bag, not on the ground. Don’t shake the trees or climb them.
• Leave the dog at home unless you’ve checked. Mack’s doesn’t allow pets except service animals, and Sunnycrest has its own dog policy. Rules differ, so look before you load the dog in the car.
• Dress for a farm. Long pants, closed shoes and sunscreen. Orchard rows can be wet in the morning and uneven underfoot.

No car? How to get to the orchard anyway

This is where most college plans fall apart. Local bus routes don’t run out to the orchards, and a rideshare out to the orchards can be pricey, with no guarantee of a ride back when you’re standing at a farm stand with 20 pounds of apples. We compare the costs in our car rental vs. rideshare guide for Manchester.

A rental split four ways is usually the simplest answer, but most national chains won’t rent to anyone under 21, and they add a daily charge under 25. We do it differently:

• 18 and older, no surcharge. A valid license and you’re in. Read more about renting a car at 18 in New Hampshire.
• Debit cards accepted. The deposit is a minimum of $300 on debit, or from $250 on a credit card.
• Delivered near campus. We deliver across Manchester, Hooksett and Goffstown, which covers the SNHU and Saint Anselm areas, with the delivery rate quoted when you book. You can also pick up at our Manchester office on Candia Road.
• Everyone who drives must be on the rental. Additional drivers can be added for a fee, and each must be there at pickup to sign. Decide who’s driving before the car arrives.
• Mileage isn’t a worry. The daily mileage allowance is designed for local trips around New Hampshire, which an orchard run is.

Getting the apples home in one piece

Apples bruise easily, and a loose bag in the trunk becomes applesauce by the first rotary. A few habits keep the fruit, and the car, in good shape:

• Bring a box or a laundry basket for the trunk so bags stand upright.
• Knock the mud off your shoes before you get in after a wet morning in the rows.
• Pick the right size of car. A compact sedan fits four people and a few bags. Add pumpkins, a stroller or a fifth passenger and a small SUV is more comfortable. Our SUV vs. sedan guide covers the trade-offs, or browse the fleet.
• Bringing a dog? Add the pet fee before the rental starts. Pets that ride without it mean a cleaning charge afterwards.

Turning it into a longer fall day? Our weekend road trips from Derry has routes north and to the Seacoast.

Apple picking near Manchester NH is one of the easiest fall days out in New England. The orchards are close, the season runs for weeks, and the only thing between your group and a bag of fresh apples is a ride. Pick the farm, check what’s ripe, and sort the car before Saturday.