It is apple picking season! There are many places near Lincoln that you can choose from-a quick outing, an afternoon or an all day-affair.
Many of the orchards offer not only u-pick but also hayrack rides, educational opportunities, playgrounds and more. You really can make an entire day of it!
Picnic Hill Orchard-Opened in 2021, we visited Picnic Hill and just loved it. Why? It is a 15 minute drive from our house. They are just East of Menard's on 84th St (yes, there is an apple orchard there-I didn't believe it either!). They are opening the weekend of August 28-30 for U-Pick. Picnic Hill is for the apple picking purist. You'll find lots of apples, a beautiful landscape and great owners. It is good for little kids because many of their apple trees are of the dwarf variety; kids can easily pick them! There is no admission fee to enter. This is a great 30 minute-1 hour activity. Visit their website for hours.
Martin's Hillside Orchard-Martin's opens September 5th to kick off the start of their 2026 fall. They have a cornbox, swing set, a children's corn maze, hay bales to climb on, climbing fort, butterfly garden discovery trail and more! This is a 1.5-2 hour activity.
- Entry fee $6/person
- Kiddos under 2 are free
- Open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm
- Pick your own apples sold by the pound
Martin's is located in Ceresco, NE. Website
Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard began in 1925, almost a century ago! They offer pears, apples and peaches. They offer two very fun playgrounds on their grounds that my kids could spend hours playing on. This is a 1.5-2 hour activity. There are freshly picked apples in the Kimmel Apple Barn.
🍎 Applejack Festival • September 19–20 • Apple U-Pick
Celebrate the apple harvest with fresh flavors, apple pies, caramel apples, family fun, live entertainment, a vendor fair, an Education Jamboree featuring live bees and robots, and all your favorite fall traditions at Kimmel Orchard! You won’t want to miss it!
U-Pick hours are set when fruit is ready and available for picking. Check their website for more info on opening day.
Arbor Day Farm is one of our favorite places to visit. We love Treehouse Adventure and usually end our visit at the orchards. Arbor Day Farm also has a preservation orchard where they grow heirloom variety apples that are no longer commercially available. They are located in Nebraska City. Arbor Day Farm is a halfday adventure for our family and something that my teens are still excited to go do! Website.
Union Orchards-This orchard offers 18 varieties of crisp apples from Honeycrisp to Granny Smith! Each apple variety has a very distinctive flavor and produces at various times throughout the season. Located in Nebraska City. This is a 1.5-2 hour activity. Website.
Ditmar's Orchard, located in Council Bluffs Iowa, offers tractor rides, a bale maze, a playground, tire maze and more and host many events. This is a half day-full day trip with driving. Website.
