Alice W.
Yelp
If you're in Virginia during the fall season, apple picking is one of the musts. The weather, the gorgeous views, leaves turning around you, and the fall atmosphere are just some of the enthralling aspects of apple picking. Marker-Miller Orchards is about an hour and half from D.C. and provides an array of PYO (pick your own) options from raspberries, apples, pumpkins, to squash depending on the season.
Parking can get pretty crazy. They have an unpaved lot but it fills up quickly and by the 2-3pm, the only spots left are by the road.
Aside from PYO, Marker-Miller has a market that offers an assortment of fruits, veggies, jams and jellies, cider, wines, and baked goods for sale. Fruits and veggies include but are not limited to apples, pears, squash, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and eggplant. Best of all, they sell apple cider donuts here. Naturally, the longest line is for apple cider donuts so there is a good 15-20 minute wait during the busy hours. Donuts are delicious. Seriously, the best part!
They have a PYO stand where you can buy bags (1/2 peck, 1 peck, 1 bushel), but you can also check out the market to buy bags too. I wish they advertised this because I asked my BF to go buy the apple cider donuts in the market while I waited in the PYO line to buy bags, not knowing that we could have both just stood in the market line and gotten both. PYO stops half an hour before closing time. They don't allow any other bags, backpacks, or baskets into the PYO area. Only their bags/containers are allowed. After you finish picking, they have someone mark off your bag before you depart the grounds.
Refer to their online fruit availability chart for when peaches, plums, and apples are available. When we went, there was Yatika Fuji, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Ida Red, Jonagold, Rome, Crispin, York, and Enterprise apples present.
They provide a map of the PYO area but it's also well-marked. They have over 300 acres of apples so there's plenty of rows of apples to leaf through and pick. We went straight for the Fujis and the first row we came upon, we could have filled up our bag. The row stretches far beyond the eye can see too, so there are more than enough apples for everyone. The apples are good too; I rarely saw a rotten one. No ladders to help you reach the top branches though.
Dogs are welcomed everywhere except inside the market.