Picking apples is fun, but let’s be honest, a lot of us show up for the donuts. Across Missouri, a handful of family orchards make apple cider donuts right on the farm, so you can grab a warm bag while you fill a basket with fruit.
This list covers four of them, from a big Weston farm north of Kansas City to a small family orchard near the Missouri River in Marthasville. Each one has its own style, its own hours, and its own reason to plan a fall trip.
Some lean into rides and games, while others keep things simple with fresh fruit and a short drive. Save this one before the leaves turn, and maybe send it to the friend who always asks where to go in October.
1. Historic Weston Orchard & Vineyard, Weston, MO
Seventeen thousand apple trees is a lot of options for one afternoon. That is the kind of scale you get at this 50-acre family farm, about 35 minutes north of Kansas City.
The bakery here fries apple cider donuts throughout the day, using cider pressed right on the property. You can pair them with cider slushies, kettle corn, or caramel apples, and the farm market also stocks pies, jams, and canned goods to take home.
Apples are the fall headliner, but the u-pick lineup also includes pumpkins off the vine, plus strawberries, cherries, peaches, and blackberries in their seasons. USA Today once named it one of the top 10 orchards in America.
One admission covers 16 activities, including a two-acre corn maze, hayrack rides, a jumping pillow, ziplines, a treehouse village, and a petting zoo. I would save this stop for a full family day rather than a quick fruit run.
The farm is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., May through November, and parking is free. The family behind it is in its fifth generation of farming, with two generations on this ground.
2. Hickory Ridge Orchard, Mexico, MO
Not every orchard comes with generations of history, and that is part of the charm in Mexico, Missouri. Hickory Ridge is a first-generation apple orchard with a focus on soil health, education, and family fun.
Fall visits bring apples, sunflowers, pumpkins, and baked goods. The apple cider donuts are a big draw, and cider slushies make an easy sidekick.
Kids get plenty to do here. Expect hayrides, a little train, games, and animals to feed, with kettle corn and live music adding to the weekend mood.
Fall mums are another reason some folks make this an annual stop. Dogs are allowed too, which is handy if your pup likes a road trip.
Plan around the schedule. The orchard is closed Monday and Tuesday, open noon to 6 p.m.
Wednesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
3. Apple of My Eye Farm & Orchard, Platte City, MO
Any farm that promises “core” memories clearly takes its apple puns seriously. Apple of My Eye in Platte City is built around helping families slow down and spend real time together.
The donut case goes beyond the classic. Apple cider donuts lead the lineup, with pumpkin, salted caramel, and a donut of the day also showing up, plus apple cider slushies.
U-pick apples run from Labor Day weekend through Halloween weekend. The farm puts an emphasis on quality, sustainable produce and hands-on learning.
Here is a practical tip. On weekends, admission applies to both the orchard and the farm store, so a quick donut-only stop works better on a weekday.
Hours are a bit unusual. It is open Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
4. Thierbach Orchards & Berry Farm, Marthasville, MO
Early birds, this one is for you. Thierbach Orchards in Marthasville keeps morning hours, typically 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This family-owned farm grows fresh fruit for both u-pick visits and its market. Apple picking is the fall highlight, with fruit coming straight from the trees.
The donuts deserve their own mention. Fresh apple cider donuts are part of the appeal, making a morning picking trip feel like a proper treat.
Schedules shift with whatever is ripe and ready, so check the farm’s website or Facebook page before heading out. I like this stop for a relaxed weekend morning in the countryside west of St. Louis.
Enjoyed this story?
Add Fast Food Club as a preferred source to see more of our reporting on Google.