Apple Charlie's Orchards

We had such a great time here. We bought apples that we picked, saw the animals, bought apple cider and doughnuts, and we bought pumpkins. This was such a enjoyable time. This place is affordable. This is a good place to spend time with family and friends.

It was ok. They have a few animals. They have a hay ride that was ok. The ladies who service you were very friendly. A family member explained the way they make the cider she was very nice. The bees are bad when you try to eat outside because of the hives.

We came hoping to give the kids a fun experience, but some of the costs felt a bit steep. $30 for pick your own apples was more than expecte especially since the hayride (already $5 per person, which we purchased) went through the orchard and could have easily stopped for a few minutes to let everyone pick just one apple. When we asked if the kids could each grab a single apple for the experience, we were told we had to purchase the large $30 bag. The response we got felt a bit dismissive (“this is all we have”), and it seemed like a missed opportunity. Having different bag size options would make the experience much more family friendly most people don’t need a 30lb bag of apples. On top of that, the $5 entry fee just to see and take pictures of the sunflowers felt unnecessary. I wasn’t planning to cut any, since we had an 11-hour drive ahead of me back to Georgia and they wouldn’t last, but it still didn’t feel right to have to pay just for photos. Instead, I ended up taking pictures of the neighbor’s flowers on the way in and out. Seeing the beehive from the inside and outside was super cool. Seeing all the farm animals was a great bonus but it looked like they didn't have enough water or food. But you could purchase food to feed them.

I have been coming here for years. This is my favorite Apple Orchard and the only one I go to in the Fall. They have awesome donuts and always have a very good selection of apples. I also always get a cider slurry. The prices are reasonable. They have hayrides and an animal farm as well, although I've never done that. Recommend this place to anyone that asks

Nice cider mill that has the basics to keep kids happy. They have great cider, an animal farm witha few different things to see from bunnies to a huge osterich! They have a basic hayride and good desserts. I bought a Dutch apple pie that was Amazing! The caramel apples looked really sad though so we left them there. Lol

Was happy to be able to pay for what we wanted to do and walk around and see the animals.. thank u for charging individually.. my grandbaby is only 8 months so dont want to pay fir somewhere where he cant do anything yet..

Excellent place to go pick your own apples or pumpkins. Delicious cider and cinnamon donuts, all made fresh.

Went there today and had a great time! We saw the farm animals and fed the cow and the little kitten followed us around! We got a bag of apples and while they may not have a ton they still have a lot and we picked some good ones with our 8 month old and got some precious pictures! We of course had to do the hay ride for the baby since she’s never done it! the driver was super nice and took photos for us. we had a nice conversation and asked a few questions about the orchard. Before we left we had to get a some donuts to take to my grandpa and uncle and some for us as well. I’ve seen a lot of people complain about the donuts, but when we got them, they were very soft and you can tell they were fresh. The cider slush was very good and so was the normal cider! All of the baked goods looked delicious. Will definitely have to come back! I have fond memories of coming here for school field trips!

We actually had a great experience here. We bought a bag of apples for $2! Sure they are irregular sizes but who actually cares about that? We had cider slushes that were really yummy. We took home a mini dutch apple pie and heated it last night- it was fantastic. The animals were fun to look at and it looked like we had just missed live music. The bathroom wasn't even bad (as the other reviews had scared me of). The value was here and it was a great activity for a Saturday. My only negative was that while the donuts were fresh they weren't cider doughnuts, just regular cake ones. You can watch them make them though so that's kinda neat.

I decided to visit Apple Charlie's today. The pre-picked apples were priced well. It was just a cute "mom & pop." I was expecting something slicker.... But I really liked it. The staff was all nice & kind. I went early enough to avoid crowds. There was an open air eating area and an acoustic singer was just starting as I was leaving.

The donuts were not fresh and the staff is unprofessional, when I asked if I can get a refund for the donuts that I had to throw out, the lady said a straight up "no" and then said I can bring them back. I said you want me to bring back what I threw out? Then she gave up and passed the phone to someone else, who was also not in the mood to resolve anything. Just poor service and lack of communication, no wonder it's a 2.5 star average rating on Yelp.

Apple Charlie's is NOTHING like it use to be. The people are very rude and when I informed them of their restrooms being filthy, they laughed and said "oh are they". Mind you we went on a Monday, at noon. The parking lot was almost empty. So how long have they been this dirty for ? On top of that, inside the restroom you have a shower curtain for privacy that sits on your lap when using the restroom. Disgusting. No hot donuts, no concessions. They are charging separately for a bag of white and cinnamon sugar now that you have to powder your own donuts? When asked why they are doing this form of serving, the manager said it was so it was less contact to the donuts. Yet they are making the donuts barehanded, and packaging them barehanded? I was so confused.. If i could rate 0 i would. Checked the bathrooms prior to leaving after being here for a little over an hour and still disgusting. Photos below!

Great place to take the family for fun,great Cider,fresh Doughnuts,cookies,pies and breads. Pumkins at great prices. The staff is very friendly. To me its the best place to go

Your average cider mill. I went here today with my boyfriend and his family, it's the only cider mill downriver, I believe. It's about a 15-minute drive from Brownstown and a 20-minute drive from Taylor. You will hit a dirt road once you get close to it, and you park across the street from where you buy the goodies. They bought some cider and donuts so I got to sample both of them, the cider was pretty average and the donuts were tasty. Negatives: lots of bees, the women's restroom door didn't lock, prices are a little high since they have no competition in the area. Positives: cider and donuts are decent, and they also have a free petting zoo for kids which some unique animals - baby cow and goat, as well as a HUGE ostrich, which is something I can say I've never seen at a cider mill before... If you live in the area and want cider, and this is the closest cider mill to you, then it's worth checking out. Otherwise, I'd recommend venturing north a bit more and trying out Parmenter's in Northville.

NOT clean, unorganized, animal in small areas and do not seem well taken care of, and the products sold are poor quality. donuts were ok but omg the pie was horrible. The crust was so thin I had to question if there was even any crust on the bottom at all. Honestly.... it was beyond thin and very slimy as if undercooked. I have gone there over the years and have been disappointed, however this time I have decided I will not be going back. 4 strikes and you're out! I pray this info reaches the proper people so they can use it to make some very much needed improvements! Maybe then I will consider visiting and hopefully recommend going there!

Was really pretty depressing. Animals are poorly kept, and seem unwell. Not like the place I remember.

This place was super crowded. We wanted cider and donuts but didn't want to risk going into the store. The line outside to get in the store was super long and there was no social distancing and only half had masks. We could see inside and there were lots of people, many without masks. Also, there was condensation on the windows. We looked at the animals and bought a ticket for the pony ride. I had to ask the person I had to walk up to to buy the ticket from to please put on his mask (it was on his chin). He was polite and obliged. We did buy some pumpkins since you can pay for those outside and the pumpkins were a good deal. Also was disappointed in the hayride set up. Wiards had marked spots and plexiglass. The hayrides here, people were crammed in and facing inward, so facing each other. No sanitizer or sink stand anywhere. I'll avoid until safer times!

Thee best donuts...ever! And I've tried a lot lol and of course need cider to go with it! The Dutch apple pie is probably my second fav!

I stoped going a few years ago I saw the owner/manager(?) berating the teenage employees in front of the customers. The cashiers were very rude and lied to us outright. We paid for the tractor ride and we're told that there was another one coming. When we inquired little bit later they told us we missed the last one. We were only able to get our money back when I walked to the counter and told them they never called out for the tractor. (I had been standing/ wandering near the counter.) They knew that had been caught in a lie and refunded our money. The animal enclosure looks like it's never been cleaned. The doughnuts, bread and cider are way overpriced. $13 for a gallon of cider. I want to support the local business cause I know the township has had it hard but I can't in good faith after seeing these horrible business practices. It's s shame cause I love so close.

Zero. I wouldn't normally leave a scathing review but, I have never been treated so poorly by a business. I called to gather information to bring a large group to this location to celebrate a happy event-- to show people from out of town a place I loved as a kid. I grew up nearby and have fond childhood memories of apple Charlie's. When I called, the owner/person who answered the phone told me she wouldn't accommodate large groups in any sense, even though I tried to explain I just wanted to know how the grounds are set up now, to find a good meeting spot to "surprise" someone for a special event. She kept saying "no parties it's too complicated" and recommended I go to Blake's, her competitor! She hung up on me. In high school we had groups of 30 + kids meet at apple Charlie's; we would call in advance as a courtesy, and apple Charlie's was more accommodating to a group of 15 year olds buying donuts on their $10 allowance than it was to me. I worked in the food industry and customer service for 10 years and couldn't fathom talking to someone like that. And just to reiterate, I haven't been to apple Charlie's in years. I was not asking about reserving a room to host a party and upend an entire day to focus on my group. To the contrary, I was trying to find a good meeting spot to bring business to apple Charlie's while not disturbing the rest of customers by doing the surprise away from others. Thereafter, my group would split up and be apple picking and enjoying cider, like everyone else. After this experience, I also reached out to friends who still live in the area, and they had similar experiences. The recent reviews on Facebook and yelp reiterate my personal experience-- shockingly rude service. I would've loved to introduce people to apple Charlie's and leave a good review. But as the person who answered the phone recommended, I'll be going to Blake's. So should you.

Worst donuts ever. Powder sugar them yourself? They were gross. Never going back. The pumpkin pie we bought was nasty too. Was at wiard's last week and it was phenomenal compared to this place.

Great place to experience apple picking! This was our first time ever picking apples fresh off the tree. We had traveled to Michigan from Florida. This activity was on our list of to do items! There was a great variety of apples to chose from and the dwarf trees make picking so easy. The petting zoo and feeding area was gun as well as the hayride. You can also pick a pumpkin for only $0.50 per pound! Great selection! Hoping we can make this a tradition! The red delicious apples are so delicious, sweet, crunchy, sweet with a hint of tang! Can wait to eat more!

I tried to take my daughter apple picking here today - that was a mistake. $20 for a bag that I could barely fill 1/4 of the way with apples. The trees were completely bare except for wayyyy up high where nobody without a ladder could reach them. I went back inside and asked politely for a partial refund, and was told by a very gruff woman that "no money will be given back. There's plenty of apples out there, you gotta go find em." I was taken aback, since I had walked around for literally 30 minutes with no luck. I finally managed to get some guy to help me find some more apples, but he was clearly irritated by the request and I felt like a burden. It seems unethical to charge $20 up front when you know there aren't enough apples for people to pick. I won't be going here again.

Very nice place family owned. Reasonably prices . We loved it and definitely going back for more family fun. Petting and pet feeding. Lamas jining with you, it's an amazing experience. Staff is very nice and professional. Friendly place to be

Apple Charlie's is a fun, no-frills, family friendly Apple Orchard. They have a small animal farm which our toddler seems to really enjoy. They also offer hay rides and bounce house activities on any given day. They also have an apple orchard where you can pick your own apples, but I've never done that. In terms of activities and the overall look and feel, it does seem a bit run down or "old fashioned." However, there is no admission fee, so you get what you pay for. The cider and donuts are very well done. I recommend getting the donuts HOT as they are incredibly addictive that way. The staff I have encountered have always been nice and friendly. These are the reasons I am giving 3 stars instead of 2. The long and short of this is...If you want a nice , free place to go on a Saturday morning , then this is your spot. It's a good place to have young kids run around, see the animals, and watch the cider get made. To end the trip, you pay a few bucks and get some cider and donuts. Would not recommend if you're looking for a nice aesthetic or clean and shiny :-). It's nothing to write home about, BUT if you live downriver and you don't want to drive 40 + minutes to another orchard, this is a quick drive to get your donut and cider fix.

Love visiting Apple Charlie's in the fall it's been tradition since 2000. Fresh made donuts and cider are my favorite, but they have homemade pies, cookies, bread and jams. Also a lil market to purchase apples, candles, pumpkins and more. Bring the family for a fun fall filled day, see the petting farm and take a hay ride.

Very disappointed in the customer service. The owner of Apple Charlie's treated me & my boyfriend with no respect at all. Everything was closed down during their business hours without any warning. I could have easily gone to the nearest Meijer and bought everything sold there but you go for the experience and to make memories. There are plenty of other places around town with a more updated scenery and to have a more enjoyable time with your loved ones!

I don't even know where to start.... how disappointing. What happened to the old Apple Charlie's? What a shame. How does "covid" prevent you from making hot and ready donuts but you don't wear masks? If you're that covid restricted then you'd think there would be other precautions. Or not a tray with food out to be sampled with no utensils but your hands to pick through it!! WHAT A JOKE LOL. My mom even called to ask before we left if they were doing hot donuts and the girl on the phone said yes only if you have a couple to heat up but not like a dozen. So when we asked the girl working said no we're not doing hot donuts. My mom said oh, the girl on the phone said that we could if we only had some and we just want three and the worker rolled her eyes, went to the back room where other girls sat on their asses and phones and said no and laughed. Workers are rude, pumpkins are $30 for one, donuts are cold (and don't bother asking because they'll just laugh at you) the shelves inside are completely empty which used to be filled with butters, jellys, SO many things. But, now the place is empty, there's no animals out nowhere to sit.... it's literally a dump now compared to what it was. Disappointing to the max.

Apple Charlie's is where it's at. Not commercial like some of the orchards in Oakland County. Family friendly. Not crowded. Great apples. I've been going here for 30 years. It's a family tradition at this point.

Don't go here. The owners don't care that you're a paying customer. He will accuse you of stealing anyways. Screamed at me and swore at me in front of my 2 children, both under the age of 3. Paid him $20 for about a dozen apples we picked, so he would shut his mouth, and yet he still kept shouting at us. While 2 other men hovered over me and got uncomfortably close to me while I was pushing my son in a stroller. He accused us of trying to steal the apples? Even tho I thought we had to pay for them inside the store (told him that immediately when he came up to us, and handed him $20 for 12 damn apples) seeing as there was not a single employee or cash register outside. These men hovered over me and circled around me to the point I couldn't even push the stroller. My son asked me why the scary man at the apple orchard screamed at us, and said he never wants to go back again. How sad is that? I told him he was being very unprofessional, and said I was going to leave them a horrible review online for the way they treated us. His response? "Guess what, don't come back we don't give a s**t, and go ahead and post a review online, all your 10 f**king friends will see it and I don't want them here either if they're as trashy as you are!" Are you kidding me? After I spent over $50 being there less than an hour. This place is a joke. Already contacted fox 2 and channel 4 news also. He's not gonna disrespect me in front of my kids that way and get away with it. Don't give this drunk guy named GREG your money. Not to mention- donuts are GROSS and days old. Cider is watered down. Everything is way over priced for the quality. All the animals were FILTHY and had no water. Half the pens in the animal area were filled with 10 foot high weeds and no animals in them. This place needs to be shut down ASAP.

My disabled Vietnam veteran friend called down to Apple Charlie's in late August and was told he was talking to a man who identified himself as "the horse's mouth, main guy in charge". My friend asked when he would be able to pick some Macintosh apples. The "man in charge" said "Well, they're picking them right now! But they will taste better in about 10 days!" and "not to worry, there will still be plenty of apples in 10 days." My friend waited 7 days before making the long drive down there. He was greeted gruffly with "Whaddya here for?" by the loudmouthed man behind the counter. My friend replied he was there to pick some Macintosh apples. He told my friend "No. You're way too early! We don't start picking them til Sept 1!" My friend tried to explain that he spoke to a man a week ago who said he could come anytime and inquired "Why did they lie to me on the phone then?" The bully behind the counter said that HE was the main guy in charge, and that he never spoke to my friend on the phone and he indicated my friend was lying. The bully noticed my friend's 'Vietnam combat veteran' hat and commented "You're a Vietnam veteran?! Get the hell out of here or I'll call the cops on you!!" As if my 70-yr-old friend leaning over an oxygen tank was some sort of a threat to him!! The lady behind tbe counter tried to talk civilly with my friend, but the "6th Grade Bully" would have none of that! My friend turned and left. The man on the phone had sounded drunk, and the guy in person acted like he was drunk. Perhaps that is the issue. We will NEVER return!

Do not waste your time or money here , owner is disrespectful an rude I'll never go back

Apple Charlie's! No one has reviewed this place yet?! Oh man! Apple Charlie's is an apple orchard that offers so many things besides apples. There's a main 'barn' where customers stand in lines to get the most delicious fresh mini donuts and warm cider. All around the barn, customers can also pick up fresh cakes, pies, breads and gallons of cold cider. The lines are usually sloppy and long so be sure to bring your patience. They charge for the smallest little cups, too, so it'd be smart to bring your own normal size cup. Once you buy your donuts and cider, you can go to the room next door and buy bagged apples and other trinkets in the gift area. If you want to enjoy your cider and donuts immediately, you can leave the store and go to the outdoor eating area... there's plenty of picnic tables to sit at and sometimes there's live entertainment as well. If you're on the search for the perfect pumpkin, Apple Charlie's offers pick your own pumpkins. I remember them cost .35 each pound. It's always fun to pick a pumpkin out and try to guess how much it weighs. During the Halloween season they also open the "Barn of Horror" although I can't comment on it since I've never gone through it. Kids seem to like it, though. If you like animals, you can visit and feed like rabbits, llamas, chickens, goats, and geese. You could also take a hayride through the orchards. All-in-all, Apple Charlie's is a great place to go for an afternoon of wholesome entertainment. To truly kick off the Fall season, you've got to visit.

Like many other Yelpers I've been going to Apple Charlies since I was a kid. Prior to going there yesterday, it had been a good two years since my last visit. I remember back thinking it was going downhill but after yesterdays visit---yea I'm ok not going back. I remember years ago it was better kept. Overall it's just dirty. Grass isn't cut, really no order to the parking situation. Seems like the prices have gone up a lot. Dozen cookies for $10??!?!?! What?!?!?! No thanks. The animals looked like they would rather be dead than living there. The one thing that annoyed me is the number of bees. I get it, there are bees....but what is the really dumb part, is they have a hive on the building right where you have to walk to go 1. see the animals, 2. go pick apples. Makes no sense!!!! I get it, it's cool to see the bees from inside the building but your location of the hive is in a high peek area. How many people get stung in a day?!?!?! My overall opinion is - ever since Apple Charlie died in 2009 the place has gone downhill and I'm ok not going here again. This was only going to be one star but then I remember how phenomenal the people watching is and that is a star in itself.

My wife is from the area and took me here before we had kids. It was really fun. We decided to take our kids here a few years later. Now it's just sad. It was a shell of what it used to be. The employees were nice and everything, but it's just run down.

OMG! Their fresh hot donuts are sooooo good! I'm watching my carbs but I just HAD to have a hot donut. I'm not a big fan of apples because they're usually dry but theirs wasn't so much I bought 2 bags and were half eaten before I left. There is a cute small petting farm with a mean ostrich (LOL) and the most adorable piglets. One of the things I liked there was the live band while I was shopping along with a UNICORN! WHO DOESN'T like UNICORNS? There is an opportunity of having professional pictures taken with the unicorn along with birthday parties. The other thing was the small fountain that takes the money donated and helps local charities during the holidays. Although this is a really small farm its great for families with small children and is pet friendly. Don't expect any frills or anything spectacular it is just a small family owned cider mill. So go ahead, get drunk off the cider and get sick from the sweets and supercharge the grand kids with all that sugar and then send them home its worth it.

Love Apple Charlie's! Been coming here for years. Great apple cider and donuts. Cute shop. Live entertainment. Pony rides, apple picking, and hayrides! We did it all! People that work there are friendly too. Not sure about these negative reviews...poop and bees lol. It's a farm.

Classic Michigan cider mill with some stuff for the kids, but not over the top. Cider is solid and $10 a gallon, but an extra star for the Dutch Apple Pie. I am not a huge fan of pie, or apple pie in particular, but this one has a perfect Dutch crumb topping that is rich with butter and perfect with cinnamon-y sweet apple filling.

I wish there was a 'no star' option. We visited the cider mill on 9/16/17 around noon and the whole experience was unenjoyable and less than impressive. The parking situation could have been looked past had the rest of the day been pleasant. As you walk into Apple Charlie's, there is little to no direction about the activities they offer or where to find that information. Since I was with two younger children, they immediately noticed the sign pointing to animals and we headed in that direction. The pens outside the barn were completely overgrown with dead grass and weeds, with paths carved out around the fences from the animals constantly walking them. Amongst the weeds and dead grass were massive mounds of feces, leaving the animals no clean space to lay down or grass to munch on. The animals not only looked sad and the cow they had on the farm was COMPLETELY and totally emaciated. Its ribs and pelvis were completely visible. The animals inside the barn included two rabbits, two sheep, two alpacas/llamas, a goat, and an ostrich. The ostrich was extremely aggressive (understandable under those conditions), and the goat did not move an inch from its place the entire afternoon, unsure if it was hurt, tired, etc. The hayride lasts approximately 4 minutes and the apple picking was less than appealing with all of the produce looking as malnourished as the animals. Overall, disappointing and disheartening experience. I cannot and will not support a business that allows animals to live in those conditions, please take this into consideration when visiting this location.

I used to come here all the time as a kid. I have so many fond memories here. The last few years I've gone, my memories have been crushed. Apple picking has not even been an option during applefest for at least a decade, as it seems the crop is ready for picking much earlier that it was when I was young. You'd think that perhaps they'd move Applefest up a Month or so to coordinate with the harvest. At any rate, my husband and I went the other day. At the very least, I thought I'd buy a bag of apples and to my dismay, ALL of the bags had several apples that were already rotting or were badly bruised. I keep going back, hoping to experience something similar to when I was a kid but, it just isn't happening. I'm fairly certain this year was my last trip. So sad.

This place was always a family tradition. I took my grandbaby here September 24 2015 around noon. There were not many animals. They have two hives in the walls now so the bees have turned from a cool thing to look at into a swarming when your trying to enjoy the cider and donuts. I had 4 bed on my cup, they were on the baby's food, bouncing off or heads, etc. We ran to the car and it was hard to get them out of the car. Yes they were that bad. I am thinking they may not be opened fully because no horse rides, craft store closed, no one in the concession, the cider making press was closed, and the place want as nice as it used to be. It was a bummer for sure. The donuts fall apart and not as good. The cider want as good as normal, and the cookies gross.

A downriver tradition fades away. I grew up going to Apple Charlie's for cider, donuts, apples, and pumpkins. I haven't been in a few years until I took my kids yesterday with my parents. I was very disappointed. We started off buying cider and donuts. The counter to buy them was disorganized, the teenagers working there were doing their best but seemed unsupported by any owners / managers. There were racks of cider behind the counter, but the worker said we had to go get our own from a cooler across the room through a huge crowd. The donuts were excellent, as always, hence the second star in my rating. The cider was terrible. Watered down, not the same at all. The pavilion area had a decent band playing but the place was a mess. Overflowing trash cans, trash all over the floors and tables. Too dirty to even sit down. The hay ride and pony rides were expensive. Pass. The petting farm was a mess. They put barriers up too high for kids to see the animals, so you have to pick kids up to see. The pumpkins were expensive, found some much cheaper just down the road. I could best describe this as a run-down, trashy version of the old Apple Charlie's. I am not likely to visit again unless I hear they invested in some improvements, which it looks like they haven't done in well over a decade.

Disappointed in this place. I used to come here as a kid and have a lot of great memories here. I went here today just to walk around and was very surprised. They wouldn't let us walk through the apple orchard until we paid $20 for a grocery bag to fill with apples. This place has changed a lot. I wouldn't go back.

Maybe Apple Charlies' isn't as 'fancy', polished and cutesie as some other cider mills in Michigan, but it sure is fun and their cider is good! There is a petting zoo, you-pick apples, haunted barn, live entertainment and pumpkin patch to keep young and old entertained. The cider itself can be found inside, where the lines snake and operations at times seem less than efficient. But I can't give them too much grief, being the only cider mill in the area, this place gets hopping during the season. The cider is unpasteurized (yay) and the right amount of sweet, we are a fan. The donuts have that perfect combination of a crispy outside and pillow like center. The cinnamon kind has a mix of powdered sugar and cinnamon, eventhough I prefer a mix of regular sugar with cinnamon, these donuts are seriously good. The plain ones are..very plain. As with every cider mill, there are bees. Please don't kill them, they are friendly creatures and if you gently shoo them away they will move, no need to go nutso on the little guys. If you are looking for the picture perfect cider mill with cobblestones and a waterwheel, surrounded by wooded areas and a river snaking past it, Apple Charlies is not it. But if you are looking for good cider and a fun time, you may want to visit here sometime.

Over priced and over rated It is a nice place if you want to take your family ,small children , to get a pumpkin from the patch or for fall to get their cider and donuts. However, they are so overpriced it's hardly worth the trip.

Unfortunately, I didn't mind so much the run down appearance, the non-existent "bounce pad," or the fact I couldn't figure out where to pick apples because it was all blocked off, or the less than friendly employees. What I was appalled at was taking my child to a petting farm where the animals had dirty stalls and dirty or no water on an 85 degree day in October. The "chickens" were actually ducks who were so hot they were panting and only had a little thing of dirty water. Yet there is a gorgeous pond nearby they could let the ducks bathe and live in but they keep them trapped in a dirty shed. The poor male calf probably traumatized from being taken from his mother too early was covered in biting flies and his water was dirty. His stall looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a week. He was so thirsty kept going over to his water thing and it was completely BLACK. The employees didn't seem to care. The barn stalls should be pristine all times but especially during visiting hours. I'm seriously thinking about reporting them for animal neglect. Will never return to this place. I feel so sorry for their animals.

Apple Charlie's: It's not great, but it's better than Wiard's. I debated 2 or 3 stars on this, but figured given the competition (Wiard's, ahem), I'd bump this up. So, you can go into Apple Charlie's for free. That gives you access to some animal viewing (ostrich, goat, horse, cow, rooster) and a store (tasty donuts for $1 each). In the store you can see donuts and cider being made. You can pay extra for a pony ride or haunted house. You can also pay extra to pick apples. You can also just sit by the manmade lake and bask in the blue-tinted water, listening to the ambiance and sometimes-there live music. In terms of picking your own apples, for $15, you're given a slighty-large mostly-sturdy plastic bag... and you can fill that bag to your heart's content in the open sections of the orchards. The bag does fit a lot of apples, and it's fun to pick them off the trees. The downside, though, is that you are given no tool with which to grab apples, so it's whatever you can reach. This is difficult for the shorties among us, and also when you go on a crowded weekend, some of the trees have been picked clean. Also, the selection isn't too impressive. We were told 4 apple varities were being picked, but of those, 2 varieties' trees had been picked clean (there were maybe only 4 trees of each, anyway)... and the 4th kind--red delicious, I think--didn't taste good. So we only picked one kind of apple. That apple--yellow delicious--was good, and there were dozens of these trees. My other complaint is that Apple Charlie's pulled a bait-and-switch on us. When we called them to get information, and asked "Is there apple picking? How much do the apples cost?" We were told, "Yes. The apples are $9 a peck." Or a bushel. Who knows? It was $9 whatever it was. I called, my boyfriend also called and got the same answer. So we went, thinking it was $9. When we got there, we were told it's $15. What was the $9 apple bag we were told about on the phone? Oh, that's to buy the pre-picked apples in the store. So, of course, we shelled out the extra $6 to have the experience. And I know it's not a bank-breaking amount, but still, it felt wrong and unfair of Apple Charlie's to do that.

I have gone to Apple Charlie's since...forever. We went two weeks ago and it's gone way downhill. That's sad, really, because this place used to be the best orchard around. There was almost nothing here. The usual donuts, cider, and store were open and just as good as they've always been, complete with being able to see the donuts made. It's a little pricier than previous years due to the apple crops being wiped out last year, but it's only once a year, right? It was $10 for a gallon of cider. So, be prepared for that. As for everything else, it's in pretty bad shape. The petting farm had almost no animals on it; an ostrich, a few chickens, and a few goats that looked like they weren't well cared for (I'm judging from the petting farm at Heritage Park in Taylor that we frequent often). There was no staff in the petting farm, which is odd because I always remember there being someone there. Kids + big holed fences...ya know. Parents aren't as always as observant as we would hope. Come to think of, I can't remember seeing any staff besides the staff selling the donuts and cider inside. The haunted barn wasn't open. There wasn't anything going on in the "music" barn. The hayrides have bumped up to $4/person and the hayride is not as long as it once was. The pumpkin "patch" is nothing compared to what it used to be. I remember growing up, there was a ridiculous amount of field to run through to pick out your pumpkins in the brush. Now, most of them are presented in the front on the grass and the ones in the field are either rotten or stepped on. A co-worker of mine knew the owner and said that ever since he passed, his family hasn't set the same standards as he did and kept it up as well. That was obvious on our last trip. Wiard's might be expensive, but it'll be our "go-to" orchard from now on.

Just had a great donut and apple cider, staff were all nice and everyone is having a good time.

We normally go out to Orchards in the Romeo/Armada area, but we decided to head West this year and try something different. We mainly went here because my wife was told they had six different kinds of apples trees to choose from and were ready to be picked in their U-Pick Orchard when she called a few days prior. Most places have around six to eight different varieties from my experience so this seemed decent. We got there, walked around and took a look at the animals and then went towards the entrance to the Orchard. After paying and entering we found there were not as many apples to choose from as they stated. In fact there were only two; Red and Golden Delicious. I take that back. There were technically three. The third was called Winesap, but they only had maybe 6 trees of them and they were completely picked clean. I was really disappointed that we went all the way out to an Orchard just to pick the two most common apples out there that we could have gotten at a grocery store for half the price. The sad thing was they had over half the place roped off and access to other kinds of trees restricted for some reason. And those restricted trees were bursting at the seams with apples so it wasn't like there was a shortage or anything. Truly disappointing. Don't false advertise or misinform your customers just to drive in business. Not cool! What also made me mad was that the grass in the Orchard looked like it hadn't been cut all summer. Even with it trampled over by walking customers it still came halfway up my leg and I stand just over six feet tall. And because the grass was so long the mosquitoes were on the frenzy. These things were massive! I mistook one for a bee when it landed on my cousins back for a second. I came home with bites all over the place. Like any other Apple Picking trip we capped the day off with some Cider and Donuts. While the Cider was good, it was extremely over priced at $5 for a 1/2 Gallon and $7 for a Gallon. Was this stuff hand pressed by God or something to cost this much? That's a bit of a price gouge if you as me. As for the Donuts they were not good at all. We got the Cinnamon and Sugar ones and what we got were basically Powdered Donuts that had some Cinnamon sprinkled on them. Not what we were expecting at all. Also they were like mush. I am all for soft Donuts, but when I can't even pick one up because it breaks apart with a single touch, that's pretty bad. Needless to say I think my family and I will be sticking to the Orchards out East from now on. Sorry Charlie!

If I could give zero stars I would. This place is not a good place. There is a worker that is rude and threatening to customers...not a good place at all. Despite the worker, the apples were all rotten laying on the ground, and all the animals looked emaciated and in poor health. Maybe someone should check on those animals too.

This is Downriver's cider mill. The baked goods are great, the caramel apples not to be missed! They use fresh roasted peanuts! They also make candy apples! But the cider is blended, meaning that they keep it the same sweetness every time you go by blending frozen concentrate from last year's cider. I like my cider tart, not bland to the flavor of apple juice. Lots of stuff for the kids to do and you can make a Sunday of going! The family running it is very sweet and happy to have people there!

I have been coming here since I was a kid, though it has been a few years since my last visit until today. The donuts and cider are still very good. I do wish they had sugar coated because I do not like powdered as much. Also, if people order more than one kind of donut, they should be put in separate bags. Mixing them together just coats it all in powder. We were going to get pie but there were fruit flies inside the plastic containers that hold the pie, so gross. This is easily fixed by plastic wrapping the pie container, just common sense. I let the girl at the counter know and she said she would take care of it but the kid clearly didn't care. She took one pie off the shelf but we saw at least 3 with flies in them. ick. We also didn't like that this apple orchard only has jelly and fruit butters from some random place in Maryland. What on earth. Even if you don't want to make your own apple butter and other jarred products, you could definitely find a local place to supply your store. People don't come to the orchard to buy the same stuff they can get at Kroger. They did have some local soy candles, making mixes, and flavored oatmeals but it was a small amount. We did not see the animals this time as it was rainy out but overall this place is going downhill. I may stop in for cider and donuts to go, but only because it is the closest orchard. I do wish we had a better orchard closer. It was expensive here too. 12 small donuts and a half gallon of cider was about $15.

Every year I say I will never come back here and every year I make the same mistake. This year was the worst so far. Over priced, not a very good selection, and absolutely horrible service. At least 20 people in line, one girl ringing customers, and quite a few other employees wandering around and screwing off. No thanks! I would rather give my business and money to Erie Orchard.

I visited Apple Charlie's Orchards in New Boston, MI on Monday and I was horrified at the conditions of the animals at the "petting zoo." The rabbits had very small cages with wire bottoms and no toys in them for stimulation. There were two but separated by a wall so could not interact. Rabbits need to have a solid floor in order to not get pododermatitis. Also there were two goats, but they were separated and were in their pens all alone. The baby calf was also alone in her pen. Also a lone ostrich. All of these animals are social creatures and should not be kept alone! It hurt my heart so much to see the animals this way. I already contacted the Michigan Humane Society about this.

This place has the potential to be so much more than it is, but is in desperate need of some TLC. We came at the end of August, so they have been open for almost a month. In that time I'd think someone could walk around with a weedwhacker and control some of the chaos. Compared to DeBucks, Plymouth, Erwin's, Parmenters, etc. this place was unimpressive and I wouldn't bother going back. Donuts and cider were edible but not amazing by any stretch. I'd love to see this place put in some effort and bring it to life.

It's fall and you need cider and donuts. And together. You don't need the crap that Meijer sells because it's not authentic. Apple Charlies is a great easy fix. They are not spectacular but they get the job done. If it's a fall day, you'll find me running in, buying a gallon of cider, a dozen donuts then quickly leaving. Their outdoor activities are fine, but I guess just not for me. Even their donuts could be improved. They are a bit greasy and leave a weird coating on the roof of your mouth. But as I said, warm donuts and cider in the fall will get me going every time, and I will let those things slip. Finding it can be difficult unless you know where you're going so let yourself get lost, stumble on random vegetable stands on the way, it'll be worth it.

I haven't really been to many other apple orchards but for a close ride I love the cider and donuts here. It's better than franklin's cider mill donuts which are really only good for the first day you buy them where as apple Charlie's is good for a few days. The prices are about the same, apple Charlie's is a little more expensive (about $2-$4) for the donuts (but they also use powder and not old fashioned designed) but the price for the cider is the same if you get normal cider. Franklin's has honey crisp cider which is sweeter and slightly more pricy. Only main issue is the constant bees up front (although they are there for pollinate the trees). Doing the U-pick was fun and great selection at the time. The apple bread is good as well.