Pick & Choose
Looking for an excuse to take in the fall foliage in the Virginia countryside? Savor the flavors of autumn by tipping back a glass of fresh, non-alcoholic cider at one of these apple-centric outposts. Trust us, they are worth the trip. And you won’t need a designated driver.
The Apple House
4675 John Marshall Highway, Linden; 540-636-6329, www.theapplehouse.net
Pair a bottle of Alpenglow sparkling cider with fresh, cinnamon-sugar-dusted apple-butter doughnuts at this roadside favorite on the way to Shenandoah National Park. Johnny Appleseed would surely approve.
Crooked Run Orchard
37883 East Main St., Purcellville; 540-338-6642, crookedrunorchard.com
Enjoy freshly pressed, unpasteurized ciders, made with more than a dozen apple varietals that are grown in the on-site orchards. You can also pick a few bushels of your own to transform into pies, cobblers and applesauce once you get home.
Marker-Miller Orchards
3035 Cedar Creek Grade, Winchester; 540-662-1980, www.markermillerorchards.com
Choose between straight-up apple cider or a sweet-tart apple-cherry blend. Apple lovers can further indulge in a slew of homemade goodies, such as apple pies, cider doughnuts, apple butter, jellies and jams.
Hartland Orchard
3064 Hartland Lane, Markham; 540-364-2316, hartlandorchard.com
Visitors can enjoy just-pressed, house-made cider, and 18 varieties of apples are available for picking in the orchard, including tougher-to-find varietals such as Smokehouse, Rambo and Grimes Golden.