As a touch of crispness tints the air and the leaves begin to dazzle, it’s the perfect time to enjoy some apple pickin’ and fun autumn activities, just north of the city. Explore the Georgia Apple Festival (October 11-12 and 18-19) with its 5K race, classic auto show, parade, pageant, and all things apple-related then pick your own bag o’ deliciousness at one of these fab Georgia orchards. Picking your own apples is a great way to get some tasty fruit, exercise, sunshine, and fall fun, all at the same time. Quadruple win!

Family owned and operated since 1960, BJ Reece apples were originally sold from a shed, about half a mile west of the present location.

Location: 9131 Highway 52 East in Ellijay

When to pick: The U-pick option is from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last orchard ticket is sold at 5 p.m.), seven days a week from August 30 through October 31. The season for Gala, Red Delicious, and Stayman Winesap is over, but there are still plenty of Golden Delicious, Red Rome Beauty, Rome Beauty, Granny Smith, and Arkansas Black apples available through the 31st.

Bonus fun: If you’re having a cheat day, grab one of the famous fried apple pies from the newly remodeled bakery before heading out to check out the petting farm, wagon ride, apple cannons, scavenger hunt, cow milking, giant jumping pillow, pig racing, and barrel train. It’s all free. Pony rides and 1,000-foot racing zip lines cost extra.

Another family-owned farm, this orchard has been growing on the same land since 1966. A word of advice: This popular picking spot can get crowded. If the lots are full, just park near the pumpkin patch in the hayfield. Don’t forget to pick up some cider, jams, and apple breads from the farm store.

Location: 3379 Tails Creek Road in Ellijay

When to pick: The farm is open during the week, but if you want to do your own pickin’, you’ll need to turn up on a Saturday between 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. or a Sunday between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Bonus fun: The pumpkin patch is open! Head over and choose from traditional pumpkins, Cinderella pumpkins, or ghost (white) pumpkins. Cornhole, horse shoes, picnic areas, flower picking, and a hayfield are all free. For $5, you can get a tractor ride to and from the orchard, a tour of the farm, a cup of cold cider, and an apple cider donut. Yum!

This mega-busy orchard has been in the same family for four generations. Depending on what time of year you go, you’ll find strawberries, peaches, blueberries, pumpkins, cherries, peaches, plums, nectarines, and more than 50 varieties of apples on this 300 acre farm.

Location: 8660 Blue Ridge Drive in Blue Ridge

When to pick: Pick your own on Saturdays and Sundays (August through the end of October) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you’ve got any doubts about the weather, be sure to call ahead to make sure picking is available (800-361-7731). The large market and bakery are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., every day.

Bonus fun: Fire an apple cannon, take a tractor ride, get a bite at the deli, grab your Halloween pumpkin ($6 regardless of size), then stop by the winery to taste fruit wines and hard cider.

Sure, you can pick apples at the self-proclaimed “most popular apple orchard” in the North Georgia Mountains, but you can also do just about anything else your heart desires, from playing hillbilly mini golf to wandering through the moonshine museum (see below). Allow yourself a whole day to experience the Apple Pickin’ Jubilee.

Location: 9696 Highway 52 East in Ellijay

When to pick: Every weekend in October from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Bonus fun: The number of activities offered here is somewhat overwhelming. Milk a cow, watch live pig races, visit the petting farm, take a wagon ride through the orchard, visit the Moonshine Museum, watch live bands and cloggers, head to the playground, ride a giant slide down the mountain, chow down at the bakery and ice cream parlor, drink some fresh apple cider, cruise down the hipline, jump on the giant jumping pillow, play Hillbilly Mini Golf, explore the Apple Adventure Museum, hike down the nature trails, see a live honey bee demonstration, race pedal cars, bounce on the bungee trampoline, take a mule-drawn wagon ride, and rock out to live bands. See? Overwhelming. But fun.