Hillcrest Orchards

There are so many places that you can stop and buy apples, but this is a must see esp if you have kids. There are lots of different kinds of apples to choose from. Plenty of items worthy of taking back home and there is a petting farm where kids can play and see some of the farm animals. Be sure to go to their cafateria and get some of their hot doughnuts. They are delicious. I can't image their parking ever being full. It is huge and I don't think you will have a problem with finding a place to park.

Out of the 7 apple orchards I’ve been to over the years this was the least friendliest I’ve been too. And the most expensive. Cost $22.00 a person that includes no apples. Apples were 12 or 20.00. I chose the 20.00 and came away with 1 bag of the same apples. My bag was not even full! They had lots of rotten apples on the trees, no apples on some tree or the same apples on the trees. I’m not sure if the workers were tired of if they hire unfriendly, grumpy employees. The man that handled the milking of the cows was probably the worst. “Don’t squeeze hard, don’t pull, don’t touch my leg, don’t pet the cow, I have a line, hurry up. Wow, just wow. Most are children they are dealing with. They did have some cool things for the children, tricycle rides, big slides, wagon rides, apple maze, petting zoo. All of those things were very cool. So I’m saying if I had a choose to go here or another orchard I would choose to go elsewhere.

It has been 5 years since our last visit and I was quite sad to see that all of the activities were now marked “for small children only”. My 11 year old was too tall to do any of the activities and since we were visiting on a Monday none of the other activities for older kids were available. My 5yo had a blast but my 11 & 14yo had almost no options. Another disappointing area was the petting zoo. On our last visit there were easily double or triple the amount of animals to interact with. All of the goats were very young and not too interested in being pet. More disturbing than that though was how sickly the majority of the young goats in the petting zoo looked. I have included a few photos for reference. This is only two of the dozen or so that looked sick. The only goats we were able to interact with were the ones who were laying down & they seemed too weak to put up much protest. I truly hope this place can turn things around as we have always really enjoyed our previous visits. I will say that the gift shop was well stocked & efficiently ran. And the apple cider donuts were amazing.

First time coming here and we absolutely loved it! There are literally SO many activities for kids of all ages. We were there for at-least 5 hours and still left without doing some of the fun things they had available, which gives us a reason to come back 🤗 one thing we made sure NOT to miss were the animal races! Totally worth it!

Kinda disappointed with our visit today. I think that if you’re not gonna have everything going the price should be different. We had a few older kids with us today and there was nothing for them. The bounce pads (both of them) were for little kids only. The zip lines were for little kids only. Definitely not worth $14 bi is for them to just walk around and at most pet a goat. Oh and ride a wagon in a small circle. If you have older kids this is not the place for you. We did have a good time on the spinning chairs and swings. Lots of photo opportunities and yummy snacks. Apple cider donuts are a must.

Went here today had a blast ! The only thing I can say is it took us a min to decide what to do because there was so much to choose from . Kids had a blast teenagers enjoyed it as well . It’s definitely worth the money . Lots of activities for everyone to enjoy . Wish I had took more pics there is so much more to show .

Loved every bit of it! Tons of activities for kids to do and we went on a slow day so there was plenty of time to get things done. No real lines. I like that once you pay for entry pretty much all of the activities are included in that. We didn’t try the food but I heard it’s good. Very nice staff. Certainly plan to visit again next fall!

We went last year and absolutely loved it! I have 2 daughters 10 years apart, and both of them had a blast! So activities for all ages. I loved the story book path! Of coarse all the animals! The volunteer at the petting zoo with the kittens was so amazing, knowledgeable. I loved that the kittens were being adopted out as they were surrendered! My inlaws have moved to the area and first thing I said was I couldn’t wait to go to the petting zoo!!!

It was a fun time for the kids. Expensive though...$12/person plus a $10 1/2 peck bag plus apple pie/fritter = $24 They had a trike track, jumping blobs (2), kids corn maze, slides, zip line, fair games, etc. My fav thing they had were the pig/duck races. I loved it but you definitely have to get to the spot at min 15 minutes in advance to get a seat and expect to be crowded. The apple orchard was well laid out and there were plenty of trees. They were short too which helped my 7 and 4 year olds. Overall a lot of fun. I believe though that BJ Reece will be our go to from now on.

We had the best time out at the petting farm with the goats last weekend. The young man working out there was very friendly and helped us have a great experience thank you.

Insanely overpriced, rude staff, smelled horrible, and grounds are run down. This place has definitely gone downhill. Stay away!! It's not worth the effort or money. Hope a decline in sales forces some much needed change.

Tons of fun things to do, from hayrides, cow cars, a jumping pillow, pig races, music, a petting zoo, etc. It was my wife, me, and our 3-year old son. Totally worth the admission price. I don't normally write reviews but I had to after reading some of the negative reviews, which said: - too expensive? I'd say there are a lot more activities than other places and the only things that have an extra charge is the bungee jumping I believe, or where you're actually buying something such as the apple picking. Yes, the apples are expensive, but if you are looking for a deal on apples, you're better off going to Kroger. - too many rules? Hey, there are a lot of dumb people, especially kids. Everyone needs these rule to keep things orderly, safe and keep things from getting broken. - rude employees? No one we met was rude. - run down? I didn't see that and things were working fine for us. - no discount for kids? First, kids who are not yet walking are free. Second, that's like asking why there's no kids discount at the zoo. Kids are the primary customer base. - too crowded? It was busy, but It's busy for a reason. We had little problem getting to do what we wanted. You do need to get to the pig races ahead of time to get a seat.

we made the best of the day, but it was extremely overpriced and way too many rules adults literally cannot do anything. There's no apple picking during the week and everything is run down. We do go for the apple cider, the donuts and the apple fritter and this time they were not nearly as good as they usually are. Very disappointing. Everyone that was working there was incredibly rude. I do have a large family but basically we paid $275 for gross apple products and to ride tricycles that were broken and slide on slides and pet some goats and they have a pillow that has to many rules, the game we're all broken And the playground is for under five which is for older kids, and actually under five shouldn't be on it because it was too big for them!!

Came here yesterday to pick some apples, but they were informing people that they don't have many apples left to pick because of the late April frost that ruined a lot of trees for this year. We just got some apple goods in the store though. The apple cider donuts are delicious! They taste so fresh!

We had such a fun time!! Apple picking season was over in October but there were still plenty of apples available for purchase. We took some home along with apple cider and some donuts, but the highlight was all The other fun things for kids to do. Petting zoo, zip lines, pig races, slides, playground. We had a great time... bouncy house and everything. Cool store cool play area it does cost extra money 8 dollars per person but totally worth it!!! Hours of fun for just a little money! Loved it!!!

Overpriced. U-Pick not included in admission. Mini golf course was subpar. Other than that, petting zoo, hay ride, and entertainment were ok.

Terribly overpriced!! Do not go here!! You will not get anything close to $18 worth of value from this place!! We had a group of 13 people and there is NO discount for children, NO discount for seniors, and NO discount for a group!! READ THE ONE STAR REVIEWS!!

Just spent a lovely day at Hillcrest. It's not just a u-pick experience- it has the feeling of a little county fair. So many activities for the kids- we didn't have time to do everything and they did not want to leave. The zip lines, "big" tricycles, and petting farm were the favorites today. And the place is clean, safe, and friendly. It's like how you imagine a farm should be when you're a kid. The actual apple picking is very well-organized- the u-pick orchard has many varieties planted together so you can select different kinds without walking for miles. We've been to other orchards in recent years but this one is our favorite. Admission was $18/person but I feel we had a fantastic experience that was worth it. Recommend arrive early though!

Customer service was awful at the entrance. The older lady selling tickets would not let us buy tickets for my family of 6. We waited in the line for 20 minutes. She saw us in line. Two of us went to the car to drop off the goods we purchased in their gift shop. The lady saw them go to the car and would not let us pay for their tickets. She said that would be cutting in line! They arrived as we were paying for four tickets and we asked to pay for their tickets and she scoffed, rolled her eyes and said, "are you kidding me!" I asked her why she thought it prudent to be rude to customers. She kept saying ugly things to us and then told us "you can go somewhere else!" I will take her advice next time. We usually bring roughly 20-30 families with us when we visit Amicalola Falls. We usually visit BJ Reeces Orchards and have always loved that experience. I mistakenly told my family to try this orchard because BJ's didn't open until 1 pm on Sunday. Now I know, it would be 100% worth the wait to go to BJ Reeces next time. Hillcrest has a cute petting zoo, wagon ride, and we played ping pong. The smell is very overwhelming though (chemicals of some sort). We all left with headaches. It's $18 a ticket for mostly everything but most of the things are for young children and not teenagers to adults. Pretty much the only thing for young adults to do is the wagon ride, petting zoo, and play ping pong next to stagnant water in a creek. You can pay $10 or $18 to pick apples. We will not ever visit again nor will I recommend to my travel group.

Hillcrest isn't what it used to be. I've been visiting off and on since I was a child but I'm not sure if we'll be coming back after this year. Entry prices are way too high, the place is super crowded, and the apples for sale in the store were all mealy when we tried them at home.

We wanted to stop at the Apple markets in Ellijay. Unfortunately this was our first stop. Horrible customer service. Plenty of employees hanging around, but apparently not interested in welcoming customers or asking if they need any help. Do yourself a favor and skip this location and stop at BJ Reece. They'll appreciate your business and will even tell you so.

My husband and I came last year in a random weekday after visiting Atlanta. The Apple cider donuts were amazing and the Apple cider so yummy:). We enjoyed shopping I. The store and of course brought home donuts for the family. This year we were staying in Blairsville and came out for the festival. We had such a great time picking apples, watching the kids enjoy the petting zoo, heck enjoyed it myself... I held a baby chick and almost adopted a kitten!). Enjoyed some hot apple Cider donuts and a glass of apple cider:). Of course bought some donuts and cider to bring home. Will def be back next year!

First of all, $14 per person to walk in. Complete ripoff. Then an additional $15 to pick the actual apples. We came here for the sole purpose of Apple picking, not all the extra activities for children (there are tons of those and they were all dirty and extremely crowded). The employee at the ticket counter was surly when we asked if we could only walk through the orchard and pick the apples. then we had to sign in like we were visiting a prisoner in county. Had we known any of this, we wouldn't have continued inside. There was NO reasonable social distancing. The market area was packed and no mask wearing was enforced. Not even the employees were wearing masks. The entire complex smelled like the petting zoo. And if you wanted to get any of the good apples, you were forced to ride on a wagon packed with other people, also not wearing masks. We were able to follow one of the wagons to get to the other side of the orchard where we FINALLY found apples. However, the entrance is the same as the exit which is super congested and a total nightmare to walk through. And then they check your bag as if you might be smuggling apples out? I grew up going to an apple orchard every fall, and to date this is literally the most uncomfortable experience I've ever had.

I had a good time here, but I felt it necessary to give what would've been a 4-star review one less star due to their complete lack of care in regards to the current pandemic. Mask wearing was not enforced, and there wasn't even an attempt at social distancing recommendations. It was very nerve-wracking to sit in a wagon full of people not wearing masks and trying to maintain social distancing from morons who seemed blissfully unaware of the pandemic thats been raging for months. I did think they had a lot of great options for the $14 admission. The museums were interesting, the mini golf looked fun (we did not participate due to lack of covid precautions), and there were lots of kid friendly activities. Apple picking was a good time and I enjoyed the maze, even though it was fairly simple compared to other tree and corn mazes I've done. I also tried their apple cider which was delicious and kettle corn which was also yummy. Overall, it was a nice experience, but it would have been nicer had I actually felt safe.

Very expensive. They charge you to get in, $14 per person, including children, and then you have to buy the bags for the apples on top of that. At most other u-picks you either pay for the bags or to get in, not both. No one wear's a mask. We asked the manager why the employees did not wear masks and she told us it was too hot out to make them wear masks. Staff were rude. We will not be back. There are plenty of other u-picks around where we have had much better experiences. Don't waste your time or money here.

We came here last weekend to Apple pick. It is $14 just to enter, which I know there are other activities at the farm - but you are not given the choice. If you are 2 adults wanting to pick a full bag of apples, it'll cost you $43. We found some decent apples, but many picked over already. What bothered me most is that they say they are doing temperature checks and masks required indoors, however, there is no temp check and not even their employees were masked indoors. If you want to risk covid, get so-so apples, and pay extra for it - go here.

Admission prices very high. Expensive for a family. My wife and I have been going there for the past several years We stopped picking our own apples because it became more expensive than to just buy them inside. Too bad. Also we ate as we have always done at the cafe inside. The apple fritter has gone down in quality. It use to be darker with a lot of glaze on it. Now it looks like a pancake with very little glaze. I think it's time to look for a new location

What a fun place. In comparison to the other Apple farms , Hillcrest has many more activities to offer besides picking apples. They have a petting zoo ( rabbits, goats, kitties , you can also feed the goats ), a chicken race , duck race , pig race , and swimming pigs ( that was very funny ) and the kids seemed to love it ! Great fun for the whole family. And last but not least, pick your own apples. You can walk or jump on a tractor for a ride. Highly recommended for the whole family !

Had high hopes. Will be going back to BJ Reese next time. This was my first time here. We arrived at opening on Saturday October 28 and the man giving wrist bands at the check in was really rude to me and my group. To the point the other staff had to apologize on his behalf. I asked a question about pricing for toddlers since there wasn't a sign. They charge the same price for toddlers as they do adults which I was fine with just asked and this man berated me the entire time we're were trying to check out and get our wrist bands in front of my child and others in line. He said "oh now she's mad and snatching things" which I didn't. I politely grabbed my receipt and said thanks trying not to interact anymore with him. Honestly I think he may have been drinking or something because he was completely out of line and this anger he was showing was out of nowhere. I haven't ever been treated this badly anywhere. Never had this issue at BJ Reese. Aside from the service, the attractions were good but I just can't get past being spoken to this way by a man in front of my children

Long lines, overcrowded (vivid scare) no apples, they are all picked off trees. Asked 3 employees what was the different tastes, they all said either, I dont eat the apples, I dont know or pretended no speak english. Very dirty. Unkempt grounds. The apples in the market picked for you did not look healthy. White dust, worm holes. It's not worth $14. Entry fee. There is no sanitizer stations in covid! They dont wipe down tractor wagons in between 30 people loading and unloading. The traffic coming in from Dawsonville was backed up 5 miles at noon, beware, it's not worth it. There are gorgeous orchards and apples in NC, go there instead. Side note: cough up $7.00 for Cider!!! Very expensive . Photos show EMPTY TREES front and upper-back fields!

**Family Outing Review** I decided to tell my 7 year old "hey! Let's go pick so apples!" He was so excited that he hopped in the car. (I should have Wazed it first having NO idea how far I was about to drive). Good long conversations about bugs to animals to bigfoots later, we arrived at Hillcrest Orchards. It was the first one we were passing and before the entrance, you could see families playing mini golf. My son was sold! $12 per person for all of the activities provided. Not bad at all once you get in and realize that they have a TON of kid activities. $14 for a medium bag to put picked apples in. It bad when you get 18 apples of different assortments in your bag. Milking a real cow, drinking amazing lemonade from a mason jar, fried pickles and fried Oreos, mini golf, bouncy things, hay rides, bike races, cow trains, and learning about moonshine. PRICELESS!!! The staff was beyond kind and knowledgeable! We walked out of there with smiles and laughter and discussions about baby goats and Apple mazes. Thank you for an AMAZING memory !!!

Can't give it any stars at all. Not trying to be Negative Nancy or Dean the Downer , but here is my opinion. $18.00 per person to walk through the Gate. Step behind the first Robber and get Robbed again for the apple bags. $10.00 for a bag that holds 8 apples tops. Or $18.00 for a bag that might hold 15 Apples. So $92.00 before I even touch an apple. Thought I was taking my family apple picking, ends up I get a full prostate exam instead. This place is not a good value. Save yourself 85 bucks and buy your apples at Publix. Enjoy your ride home !

Hillcrest Orchards is one of the many apple orchards in Ellijay, the "Apple Capital of Georgia." Ellijay is about a 1.5 hour drive north of Atlanta. You can take 400 or 75 (and 575) up to Ellijay. Apple-picking can be a fun fall day activity. I chose to go to Hillcrest based on word-of-mouth. Apple-picking at Hillcrest is available the last 3 weekends in September and every weekend in October. My advice: go as soon as you can (e.g. the 2nd or 3rd weekend in September). I went on Sunday and most of the apple trees had been picked clean from the previous 4 weekends. It was pretty disappointing. It costs $6 per person to get access to the grounds. After that, it costs $7 to get a 1/2 "peck" bag and $11 to get a full peck bag -- bags to fill your apples with. When we went, there were signs posted that said, "Very few apples left to pick." Well, we didn't drive all the way up to Ellijay for nothing, so we still went into the orchards. The apple trees yielded a few varieties of apples including Rome, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Gala. Admission to the grounds also gives you access to playgrounds for the kids, cow milking (yes, you can milk a freaking cow), a bee farm, a pig race (yes, a freaking pig race), tractors, and other country and farm-like activities. Check Hillcrest's web site for more details. There's also a petting zoo and go-kart racing, but I believe those activities cost extra. I think we picked maybe 3 or 4 good-sized red Rome apples. Nobody leaves empty-handed, though. When you make your way back inside, there is a country store with tons of pre-picked apples from the orchard. You can fill up the rest of your bag there. At this point, you might as well just go to Kroger or Publix, but hey, I'm a practical person. You come here for the apple picking experience. It was packed on Sunday, so be prepared for a bit of traffic on Highway 52 between Hillcrest and the nearby B.J. Reece Apple House. We were headed to a pot luck-ish sort of event later in the day and I really wanted to bring my friends some good, homemade apple pie from Ellijay. We couldn't find any at Hillcrest. So instead, when we got back to Atlanta, we found a good $5.99 apple pie at the Publix Bakery.

My friends and I chose Hillcrest Orchards for our fall apple picking experience with our toddlers. I don't know what the other orchards in the area offer, but for my money I wouldn't go anywhere else. We had a great time. The drive up was easy and the sights were pretty. From my house, south of I20, it took about 90 minutes to get there. I wasn't prepared for the crowds. It was packed! We had to park waaaaaayyyy in the back. But we had strollers and wagons for the kids so it wasn't so bad. Admission is $7 and honestly I don't think we did half the things that they offer. We were there for about 4 hours. We did the pig races, wagon ride, big jumpy pillow, petting zoo and, of course, the apple picking. We did eat some food- hot dog and hamburger. There was a crazy line for roasted corn and grilled chicken, but I walked right up and ordered a burger. It was really good and huge. The best thing I ate all day was the hot apple fritter. I can't express enough how good that thing was. It alone was worth my 90 minute drive. It was so good that my two friends and I split one, and then we all went back and ordered our own. Yeah, don't go to HIllcrest on a diet! There are a couple of things where I could see room for improvement: Petting Zoo- you have to pay an additional $3 per person to get in. I'm okay with paying for my daughter, but I think it's pretty crappy to make the parents pay too. What do I care about petting a baby goat? Apple Trees- some were marked and some weren't, so I didn't always know what I was picking. Pig Races- cut out that stupid married couples race at the beginning. It was dumb and a time killer and little kids were getting antsy. Overall, we had an awesome time. People were friendly, there was lots to do and the kids loved it. We will definitely be back next year.

This place definitely has some capacity issues, but I'm not going to harp on that too much. It's good that the business is thriving and that (it looks like) the staff can't keep up. However, what CAN be helped is all of the staff just texting the whole time and allowing 15 year old kids to jump on the bounce attractions that say they're for small kids, or to completely not supervise the petting zoo area, or to not be around to help form lines for things like the tractor ride. I mean, it's easy. Don't know why no one could spare a glance away from their phones.

A bit pricey for a large family but have lots of activities going on, "petting zoo", pig races, playground, apple picking, and food to purchase.

Overpriced for admission. I really just wanted the baked goods so I went into the shop, made my purchases and left. Will give this place a change when I have kids that are seven or older and place to stay hours at the orchard. Unless they raise the price higher.

Really awesome place to visit! There is so much to do and their food products are top notch. I always spend too much money there, but I love their jams, jellies, fritters, etc. Also, don't forget to get an apple cider slushie! They are amazing!!

Sorry to say this but you have the audacity to charge 12$ per person including children and you you have no apples to pick?? That's why people come to your orchard!

The 3rd weekend of October was the wrong time to go....unless you're a family with kids and don't care about messy, crowded places with tons of children running around. Then it might be your perfect place. There's animals and pig races, which the kiddos might like. But if you're doing this as an outing of single people in your 20's or 30's and looking for more of a "country getaway" type of feeling, it might be overwhelming. I walked in, and was immediately overwhelmed by the cramped feeling and too many children swarming the place. I had to leave ASAP. I went to BJ Reeces about a mile down, and it was similar with lots of families and children (I guess it's the weekend for apples) but because it was much bigger and spaced out, it felt less crampy.

We have gone to Hillcrest Orchards the past few years and have loved it. Yes, it's expensive to get in if you just want apples and not the other activities, but that hasn't been a big deal for us. This year, we went to take advantage of the outdoors during COVID and their website made us feel comfortable that they were taking good precautions (and you can walk to the apple trees without having to take a tractor ride with strangers). The website and a sign when we got there also explicitly said that masks are required inside of the market, which was extremely important to us. The website also said that they're doing temperature checks prior to entry, which is not happening. When we got there, the regular outdoor entrance was closed (I guess it's weekends only) and we had to walk through the market to get to the entrance. The employee taking our money to get in was behind plexiglass but not wearing a mask, nor was the employee who put on our wristband after we paid (and she was not behind plexiglass). When we were done, the employee who took our money again had to interact with us (not behind plexiglass) to mark our bag of applies to confirm we paid. Then, on our way out through the market (the only way out), a total of ZERO employees were wearing masks (supposedly in a mask required area) and maybe 20% of the customers had masks on. I know that businesses here can decide for themselves whether to require masks (for better or worse), but if you're going to explicitly state that they are required, you better live up to your word because some of your customers are only there because of that. For anyone concerned about COVID, you should probably stay away this year. All the COVID precautions here are all talk and no action.

We were required to pay 18 dollars each including our 18 month old who was in a stroller and our 3 year old. The old woman at the entrance said the 18bkknth old needed to pay the 18 dollars tk enter if he wanted to get out of his stroller and pet any of the animals at the petting zoo orltherwose he wouldn't allowed to enter this portion as well as any of the other run down not maintained activities. Way overpriced and most employees were rude. It cose pur family of 5 two adults a newborn, and 18 month old and 3 year old 72 dollars just to enter even if all we wanted tk do was pick apples. Then you're charged an addional 10.00 or 18.00 per bag of apples you pick. I wouldn't waste the money here and choose the orchard next door which is maintained and children are free to enter under a certain age. Lesson learned

My family and I have been going here for years. This year they charged $18.00 per adult and $14.00 for my 4 year old son just to get into the property. Then on top of the entry fee charged $18.00 per ( peck ) bag for us to pick apples. We were taken back by the pricing and when we got out into the orchard, found the apples not labeled. Had we not been there before, we would not have known what type of apples we were picking. I can go to my local Publix and buy a grocery bag full of Fugi apples which is larger than Hillcrests peck bag for less money. They have gotten out of control with their prices and we will not be back. My adult son told me of a different orchard ​that charges $18.00 to get in that includes a bag for apples so we will be going there from now on. With as many people as visit Hillcrest, there is no need for this greed.

SO disappointed. Decided to visit during a weekday ONLY because their website clearly listed their covid19 procedures and it made me feel assured they took it serious and it could be a safe outing. Their website lists temperature checks and mask requirement for entering store and a suggestion for outside. They not only did NOT enforced their own rules, but NONE of their employees were wearing masks. It was beyond disturbing and we left. Was so upset to have driven all the way up there hoping to buy from their gift shop, but didn't want to give them another dime after seeing their lack of concern for the pandemic.

This is the best apple orchard in Ellijay. The staff is extremely friendly and the food is the best. I would recommend coming here to anyone.

This place is the best! Customer service was helpful. Food was good. Kids had fun! Entertainment with the pig race was excellent. A must to do once a year

We went this weekend and enjoyed it. They were great at directing traffic and getting everyone in. We were charged admission for our 12 month old which I wasn't expecting but it does say admissions include walking age and technically he is walking even though it's not far. There was a lot to do and I think we will go back when our little guy is older. But we did enjoy the petting zoo, the orchards, and the slides. There were plenty of apples in the trees as well. (End of September) Now I did not like the chicken race. I felt that chasing the birds with a bell was archaic and it actually upset me. I didn't like the pig race either not because of the pigs but the speaker kept talkingggg and it was hot out. I kind of just wanted to watch the pigs and get a move on! That's my only complaint. Overall we enjoyed it. We probably won't go back until our baby is older so we can enjoy everything they had to offer. (He was still a little on the young end for most things.) i think kids 5 and up will love it. There was a lot to do and it was included in your admissions and you can easily spend half a day there. Tips- if you plan to bring a stroller bring your jogger. For the most part the area is paved with rocks so we opted not to use our stroller for the most part which meant carrying a baby. If you go on a hot day like we did bring hats because there isn't too much shade.

We visit Hillcrest every year. My daughter loves all of the activities and I love the donuts. This year, however, I checked the website before going because I wanted to see what their COVID protocols were and was pleasantly surprised to see -temp checks before entry -masks required for indoor shopping and some activities -and social distancing. So, off we drove the hour and half for a day of safe, family fun. Woah. Were we wrong. NO temp checks. Hardly anyone wearing masks. And so many people crowded into the pig races, one could hardly find a seat. Except for the fact that we were wearing masks, I would have thought I'd time traveled back a year!! Be careful if you are headed up this direction... Apparently they don't think COVID likes apples!

We went to Hillcrest every year or two while our daughter was growing up. They have a series of festival-weekends in September / October where you can go apple picking, etc. They have an expanding range of on-site activities including a petting zoo, a tricycle track, a large jumpee-air-pillow thing, hayrides, pig races, etc. It is always crowded and they charge a good amount for attending, but it was almost always a fun afternoon. Their small packs of apple donuts are great for snacking on en route home, also. Recommended if you have younger kids.

I love this place. One of the best parts was the drive up here. it's about 25 minutes from the GA 400 outlets in Dawsonville. down, long, winding roads. with the mountain on the right. it's great for autumn driving. we passed Uncle Shucks and 2 minutes more of driving we were here! they have 3 parking lots and people to help guide the traffic. The line to get in was long as crap! but, some advice, they also let you pay to get in in the front store. if you go through the main line next to the orchards, you can only pay with cash. If you have a credit card you can only use it in the main store. What i love about this place is the sense of unity and fun-heartedness. what i dont like is that almost everything is a la carte. You pay the get in $5/person. If the child can walk- you pay. then you pay for a bag, from three different sizes. you then go to the orchards and fill the bag to the very top. great deal actually. however, if you are going as a family, the prices can definitely add up. it was 3 of us, and my little girl wanted to to to the petting farm- $3/person; and to ride the horses $5/person; and to milk the cow- free; and to see the pig races- free; and to get a funnel cake- $3; and to get a hot dog- $2; and some water $; i got the homemade apple cider (nothing special)- $2 and the homemade icecream (nothing special at all, tasted like the icecream you made in chemistry class with the ziplock bags- $1.50 for 1 scoop. and she wanted to jump on the inflatable jumping thingy- more money and a very long line. and we had to take the horse-drawn hay ride- more money. we sat down and ate turkey legs, hamburgers, hotdogs, ribbon fries, icecream and funnel cakes while watching old ladies clog and tell jokes! What a fantastic day!! would I do it all again...do i love me some bacon and beer??!! Heck yeah i would go! Note to Yelpers: bring cash and comfortable walking shoes. Go to the orchards last. pick up a schedule for the shows: cloggers and pig races.

I love this place especially in the fall when it's nice a cool! We go every year with our family because it's like a tradition for us. They have so much stuff to do! For example, hay rides, apple picking, mini golf course, huge slides, playgrounds, horse rides, and so much more! You might want to get there early because parking can be very hard. Also don't forget to hit the supermarket too!

Just wanted to add some photos from our trip this weekend! It was another amazing year. The day started off rainy but by afternoon the sky was the perfect mountain blue I love. We found a pile of good apples in the You Pick orchard, the kids had crazy fun on the bungee bounce and I got to enjoy an amazing apple fritter and a sweet cider slushy!

Please consider the price before you go! Not worth it at all. All about the money. The owner is so rude. No compassion to special needs children. So if you do have a child with special needs consider this, the owner says that if your child isn't able to do something deal with it life isn't always going to be their way! SO RUDE! I would never say that to people. The petting farm is mostly goats, 2 bunnies, 1 cat. The pig race, is super silly, one small track. Mini golf bricks are breaking so be careful how your kids walk around them. There is a few slides. 2 jumping pillows that u have to meet height restrictions. Cant emphasize enough... do not waste your money.

A nice place for kids with their activities, but if you just want to pick some apples, they'll gauge you $15 a person to pick your own product. And then obviously, you pay additionally for the fruit. Apparently people will pay this - I wasn't prepared and left disappointed at the lack of options. Know before you go!!

Sure wish I would've looked at Yelp! Before choosing this place. $$$$ 14 per person and only porta potties for restrooms. If you actually want to pick an apple it's minimum $8 for a bag. Not enough staff for the crowd and their moonshine museum would be better suited for a haunted house. Spare yourself and your family for this place.

My friends has ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). She's wheelchair bound, but has use of her arms and legs (for now). She really wanted to milk a cow so we found out this was offered here. We called ahead and emailed to make sure they'd be able to accommodate this request and get to the cow. They said it was do-able. Not only was there NOTHING wheelchair friendly about this place, the man at the cow station was nasty. He took one look at my friend and said "she can't do this" to which I replied "well what's the process, she has some mobility" and then proceeded to not tell us the process and simply say we were holding up the line. I turned to see 2 people behind us and let him know we'd be happy for them to go first. He then told us again "she can't do it" to which I explained the milking of the cow was the ONLY reason we were there and we'd like to understand the process so we can decide for ourselves if she could try. I could have moved her to the empty stool if need be. Instead, Glenn got up, kicked the stool over and said "fine, go ahead and try." Again, without even attempting to work with us or tell us the process. So there we were, two adult women in our 30s both crying at a child's petting zoo because some grumpy old man who works with children didn't seem to have an empathy chip or the slightest bit of compassion. What a jerk! Oh, and there was ZERO social distancing or mask wearing enforced, but that wasn't even the worst part for us, sadly.

This was a great day for the family. We enjoyed ourselves here. The pig races were really fun. Get there early since it fills up fast. The lady who emcees the race is very charismatic and makes it entertaining. The cow train ride was fun. My son dos it several times. The things to do for the price was fair. We did not do the things that were extra. Food was not bad and they did a great job with not over charging. Customer service was really great. I had a terrific experience checking out at the end in the market. The ladies helped me with selecting and filling the bag. You can really fill the bags up to where it can barely close it. And I thought the price was super reasonable. And the lady got me hot doughnuts verses the pre made ones not she was right how much better they were. Definitely something we will come back and do.