Wilson's Orchard & Farm (Iowa City)

This is such a beautiful piece of property. I love the market. They have lots of great gift ideas and some of their local products. I love their chocolate covered candies. They sell pizza and cider outside the market, where you can purchase and walk the property. You can do flower/fruit picking with a variety of options depending on the season. Perfect date night or family/friend outing. The restaurant is gorgeous with a great variety of food. I love bringing people from out of town here, to show them how beautiful Eastern Iowa is!

This place is beautiful and who dosent love to pick apples especially in the fall but the prices of this place have gotten so crazy I don’t think I’ll be back. They now charge you $5 just to get in.. before you even pick anything. So for a family of 4 if you want to have a nice afternoon at the farm it’s $20 just to get it. They also charge for the apple picking basket now too which I think is ridiculous. So even before you start picking apples you’re at about $60 because a large bag of apples is around $30. Of course if you’re gonna be out there for the day you’re most likely going to get some food too and even their food prices have increased. We spent a little over $200 between the apple picking and having lunch out there. Personally $200 for picking apples is pretty unreasonable and I don’t think a lot of families could afford that. Very sad because we use to love this place.

Just visited on June 25th, 2025. The only downside was the weather, hot! Everything else was wonderful. Visited with my wife and 1 year old. We picked strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. They were all delicious, and we reveled in the satisfaction of picking our own. The general store has a wide selection. Prices aren't expensive or cheap, everything felt worth it! We didn't think twice about the walk to the fields and didn't have an issue, but if you have any mobility issues you should be aware you're walking on a trail and through fields, it's an outdoor activity so plan as such!

Visited this location in September (I’m a couple months behind on reviewing). We were somewhat disappointed. While they definitely have expanded since the days we used to visit with our kid, expansions don’t always mean better. Upon arriving the place was so packed we were sent to park very far off, near the restaurant. Walked all the way to the main area. There is little signage. There was a huge line waiting at a kiosk. So we got in line, assuming that was where we’d pay. After 20 min we reached the front to learn it was the spot to pay for hay rack rides. You could also pay for apples. But if you wanted to walk down to pick, you’d have to pay down there anyway… so we walked down, paid for entry and apple bags, and found out that the employee wouldn’t let us pay for raspberries until we’d picked them…. We walked out, picked out apples, picked out raspberries. We knew we wanted some items in the store, so we took our raspberries up there to pay. Didn’t need to stand in line …again. The store was full. Grabbed our frozen donuts and apple turnovers. They didn’t have apple cider slushes.

Such a gorgeous and special place to visit. 5 dollars to be able to explore the orchards, listen to live music, pet the farm animals, play in the creative and awesomely designed play areas; 5 dollars is almost nothing for that. And these are the best apples I've had. You pay more than you would at the store, but you're paying for the freshness and quality you don't get otherwise. Absolutely worth it. All of the food we had was fabulous! I couldn't get enough of the apple turnovers. The donuts were delicious, and the pizzas were amazing! We got the veggie and two specialty flavors (buffalo chicken and margherita) and the specialty pizzas were everyone's favorite! Can't wait to come back. :)

I have visited Wilson’s several times. They have different items in their store every time, and will always have unique items you won’t see elsewhere. Their donuts and hard ciders are lovely, and there are plenty of photo ops to go around. It’s expensive, but that’s certainly because of the experience you get.

It’s a great place to have an event, the event staff are, and I quote two of us saying this at the same time while watching them work- a well oiled machine. I mean the choreography of the staff performing set up and transitions to next part of the event, was just beyond normal. I’d plan an event here just to watch that team work! Oh yeah, the space is fantastic and comfortable. Even if it’s possible to be outdoors, which they provide, I almost preferred the inside because of the cozy feel of the place.. wood beams, modern touches, the flowing robes, the excellence! (What movie?). It’s close to the city but also out in its own countryside. Great place to go for a fun tour or visit. Don’t have to have an event to go here. There’s a visitor center also!

Not from here and my friend took me here. I had a great experience. Right up front the admissions lady was so friendly. She was up front with us and told us what they did and did not have available for picking. She also told us on our side of the creek was free, and if we wanted to cross the creek it was 5 bucks and 8 for tractor admission. There is lots to do on the first side of the creek. Got some great photos. The apple cider donuts, hard apple cider and the pizza was wonderful. And last minute we decided to do the tractor ride. It was the longest tractor ride ive been on. Totally worth the cost. And it was so fun and the man who drives the tractor is so nice and funny ❤️

This was a most lovely orchard experience from start to finish. I began with a visit inside the farm market, which had fresh apples; frozen applesauce and pies; chilled apple cider + cans of their alcoholic ciders; and merchandise + gifts. Make your way to the register, and you can purchase donuts and turnovers as well as your u-pick bags. I made my apple turnover ala mode, which was worthwhile, and savored it outside overlooking the orchard. So picturesque! After my apple treat, I was ready to pick and made my way to the orchard. Expect some hill climbing and pretty scenery between the apple trees and flower fields. I imagine the trek could be more challenging for families with young ones. Wilson's boasts 100 varieties of apples, one of the reasons I visited the orchard in the first place. At the end of September, I filled my bags with two varieties I had never heard of, which was fun. The rows were well-marked with the apples that were ready for picking as well as the name of the variety. More importantly, the apples were delicious. Overall, I'm very happy I spent a morning here, and I imagine just about anyone else will feel similarly.

Fun place for apple-picking and buying delicious apple products (recommend the sparkling apple cider and apple donuts). The orchard is huge, with plenty of room to roam and apple tree varieties to choose from, mostly honey crisp, but also crimson crisp, Jonagold, fuji, and gala. Admission is $5 per person and we paid $22 for a two-person you-pick peck. Which was more than enough for us! Cons: Parking was an issue (it was a weekend) with unclear traffic flow through the lot...and it became progressively more busy later in the day.

Cold Moon Dinner was amazing! We always enjoy the beautiful venue and excellent service.

Ciderhouse featuring a farm-fresh, seasonal menu + expansive orchard and gardens with you-pick options We started of with brunch at the ciderhouse. Potato leek quiche w/ beet salad-- quiche was just baked and was extremely soft and silky. It had a barely-there crust of thinly sliced potatoes. Loved the savoriness in every bite thanks to the leeks and cheese. The beet salad was refreshing with tiny bits of goat cheese cubes mixed in. The poutine started with a base of ultra crispy, but light potatoes and then smothered with a sausage gravy and topped with a runny egg. It's most definitely a cheat meal kind of dish. I really enjoyed the texture of the fluffy but crusty potatoes. The sauce was a bit heavy for me though. Afterwards, we wandered over to the orchards where we picked a peck of apples ($14). They had lots of apple tree rows to choose from, but mid August seemed to be a bit early for most of the apple variants. We also wandered about the flower garden for a bit and snapped tons of pretty pics! It's a great spot to take little ones for an outdoor family activity or for those who like to pick their own fruit!

Wilson's Orchard is apart of my childhood memories -- I visited here as a kid for school and with my family. It's a IC staple for fall fun. This location boasts: - Apple Orchard (Duh) - Pumpkin Patch - Tractor Ride - Ciderhouse (reservations are encouraged, open limited hours Wed-Sun) - Gorgeous Event Venue - Bakery - Smokehouse (farm to table pizza and cider) - Market - U Pick (strawberries, blueberries, etc) - Sunflowers/Tulips In September, I ordered dozens of delicious apple cider donuts online for pickup. (They're available frozen, too. Perfect to have on hand.) It was super easy, pricing was right. The staff were helpful and the donuts themselves were piping hot and fresh. Overall, I've had some hit or miss trips as of late to Wilsons with my kiddos but I 10/10 recommend ordering some donuts or turnovers or pies from the bakery for pickup!

I enjoyed coming here with my sister, we didn't do anything that cost money which was nice, we walked around the orchard and pumpkin patch and flower garden and then picked up a few things from the store inside.

I was on the 10/4 8:30 running the witches tractor ride. All was going well and it was a fun time until the trailer that was hauling us had a wheel break off. It is very disappointing that they did not have contingency for an event like this. The entire group had to walk back the shop area from where it broke down. At no time did we receive an apology or at least a "sorry about it"'from ANYONE! No one offered any type of refund or 50% off your next ride voucher NOTHING. Prior to all this I was planning on coming back to the store and purchasing some of their goods. I will be taking my money elsewhere.

Great place to spend a day with your family. The seasonal flower fields are beautiful and the apple orchard has so many varieties to choose from. Don't skip the donuts and turnovers inside the Farm Market!

This place is so charming and inviting! They have yummy baked goods for sale, fresh cut flowers, pumpkins for sale, fruit picking, beautiful walks through the orchard, great food, fun activities, live music, and great merchandise for all occasions! Looking forward to returning soon!

A good quick get away from the city's noise. Bought apple turnover and sparkling cider. Then enjoyed the snack at the outdoor benches facing the farm. Just relaxing. The apple turnover was still warm and crust delicious. I was told they have the bakery in the market and bakes everything fresh daily. Next time I will need to try the donuts!

The farm is located 10min outside of Iowa City. The farm was huge and was busy on a sat. We did pick strawberries and tasted their cider. They also have a BBQ place and a restaurant on site. I assume they will be good. The staff were friendly and polite. Overall a great place.

Love this place so much! They have a really great setup to allow people to everything from freely go pick apples to participate in organized activities. Though I have not taken a tractor ride yet, I appreciate that the seats are benches, not hay - that stuff is just so scratchy! Picking apples and enjoying the great outdoors is easy to do here. Plan to walk a few hills, though, as they are part of each row of apples. The rolling hills make it picturesque as you look from above/the building, but they can creep up on you while you are picking. Though the lines to checkout in the building can be long at peak hours, I appreciated welcome staff giving us the tip that we can pay for apples at the outdoor Smokehouse, too. That's exactly what we did. SPEAKING of the Smokehouse, their food was delicious. For $12.50, my husband got a STACKED pulled pork sandwich with a sauce that paired really well with the pork. It was really good and respectable for the price. The Peach cider we got with it was a nice touch, too. When in Rome...!

Quiet, serene place on a Spring weekday to pick tulips and explore the farm grounds. I had high expectations of this place and it met them (generally). They had advertised an opportunity to pick tulips and it was more like a five rows of tulips and not a field (like I had imagined in my mind). The Mason jar is $5 + a dozen tulips is $15. I imagine that future years (this is the first year), we will see more and more tulip patch availability!! Friendly staff, well kept grounds and will return for apple picking, dinner at the smokehouse, and to pick up some baked goods.

We had an absolute blast going to their pumpkin smashing and apple launching event. This was the best weekend date we've had in a long time. We got to ride on their tractor out to go pick out leftover pumpkins from their patch to smash, and then got to shoot apples out of large slingshots at scarecrows they'd set up in the field to win a free donut. They played fitting music of The Smashing Pumpkins the whole time, which fit the setting very well. We also got excellent pizza from their pizza stand. I can't wait to do this again next year!

Who was born in Cedar Rapids and had never visited Wilson's Orchard until the week of Christmas? This girl. I'm bummed to admit that I had't been here sooner! We visited on 12/23 because we were picking up one of their Christmas Feasts. Sold online this year in a limited quantity. We walked in and I was immediately surprised by how much merchandise they had for sale. Wilson's own food/drink and lots of other fun holiday/gift items. I could have browsed for a hour, but my holiday shopping was done, so I controlled myself. My husband, however, did not control himself and we left with several 6-packs of ciders. As for the Christmas Feast itself--it was delicious. Glazed ham, au gratin potatoes (these need to be added to my 'last meal on earth' meal), salad, rolls, eggnog cheesecake and we added on the chicken pot pie, cheese plate and dessert box. The cheese plate was probably my second favorite item (sense a theme here?) and my foodie brother even commented on how well they chose the cheese. Yes, my brother knew the names of all of them, even brand. Wilson's gets bonus points for impressing my brother. :) I plan to come back to try some of their take & bake items. Monkey bread, different crisps, etc. Again, this is just a fabulous place with a beautiful sales floor and friendly staff. Located on HWY 1 between Iowa City and Solon. Highly recommend.

what a disappointment!! The fruit, what fruit? a couple of sad looking baskets of blueberries?! And the restaurant? Terrible waitstaff! Don't waste your time!

We were very disappointed in our visit yesterday. First there was no clear indication as to whether to go after parking. Next we waited at an admission booth and were told after getting to the front that we had to go elsewhere to "pay admission" to the orchard. After finding our way to the right place, we were given no help on what or where to go for the apples that were ready. The apple rows were not marked well and we had to wander around lookin for flags and usually finding no apples. I stepped in a large tractor rut and luckily didn't get hurt. After leaving the orchard to go back to the main building, my wife fell on the fallen walnuts that acted like marbles. She wasn't hurt too bad, but could have been. The upkeep, organization, and care for the orchard and grounds is lacking. Looks like all they care about is money, and it is expensive there. We will choose to go elsewhere. This place has gone downhill.

We loved everything about this place! Despite the rain, the views of the orchards and fields were incredible! We purchased apple cider donuts and a strawberry rhubarb crisp. We also grabbed some brisket and corn bread on the way out (why not, right?). The apple cider donuts were warm, fresh, and so delicious! A must try! The strawberry rhubarb crisp was take home and bake and was a bite of Heaven on our own time! Will definitely be back for it next season! As for the brisket, we intended to bring it home for lunch, but it didn't survive the car ride. It was so tender and delicious! The corn bread wasn't my favorite, but their homemade butter on it was great! A wonderful, delicious, family-friendly experience that we will be back for again and again!

This is a great spot to go for a family day out. We took a tractor ride to the apple orchard, which the kids loved. The apple picking was fun and easy to navigate. The barn had an amazing selection of food, baked goods, gifts, and condiments. I bought several things.

First time eating here after wanting to try the Ciderhouse restaurant for some time. Took my daughter and family for her birthday dinner. Would like to give a full 5 stars but have to warn anyone with kids, particularly young kids to perhaps choose an alternative. They have a kids menu but clearly don't really promote themselves for kids. A full 2 hours from drinks to final check and the wait staff seemed oblivious to children that don't have the patience for that kind of duration. It was mid week and not busy so there really wasn't a reason they had to be otherwise distracted but the delay between checking on our table was at times... European! Again, beautiful ambience and the food was quite good as well. Just need to train the wait staff to keep things moving for parties with kids to keep the atmosphere more peaceful for all.

We came to Iowa by way of Southern California. In California we'd eaten at some great restaurants. After being in Iowa for about 15 months we came to the restaurant here at Wilson's Orchard. I have never had food this good anywhere and we've traveled all over the U.S. the service was far above average, the setting is beautiful but the food is the star here. Reading the menu, not much appealing to me, my husband wanted to try something new for date night. The fish was perfectly prepared with sweet potato grits. My husband hates grits but we battled forks over these. A pavlova finished off our meal and it was delicious. I'm looking forward to coming back, this will be our special occasion go to. Highly recommend. This chef is incredible.

Beautiful outdoor seating. Unfortunately our server kept forgetting about us... had to flag her down just for the bill. One meal came out 10 mins after the first meal was brought to the table. Food was good, but nothing special.

Overpriced and not all that great. Chicken thighs are jazzed up cheap meat. The burgers are paper thin, you can almost see through them. Ambiance is nice if you like sitting in a barn.

Visiting Iowa (and Iowa city) for the first time and came to Wilson's Cider House for breakfast. Absolutely fantastic! Loved the ambiance, pretty (but wintery) view, indoor Christmas decor, and very nice wait staff. I had the breakfast empanadas with venison and boy oh boy, were they absolutely delicious. I especially loved the flakey empanada crust. My friend and the orchard breakfast, and the potatoes were next level. Also loved my morning beverage of a red wine veema! Great kickoff to my first full day in town. Also stopped by the orchard store to pick up some apple cider donuts on the way out!

everything was advertised as being open from 10 AM on. The restaurant does not open until 5 PM. And the raspberry picking fields which are supposed to be open in July have a sign that they are closed until September.

Fun place to visit for all... fun events, good food, friendly staff AND other customers... good music when they have cut... fun to pick flowers, sunflowers, pumpkins and apples. And don't forget their donuts and pies... YUM!

Love this place! There is so much more than apples and cider. Whether you're at the restaurant, the apple orchard, strawberry fields, or the store looking at different homemade products this is the place to be on a beautiful day. Came out here and picked strawberries with a friend, which I've never done before. There's something about harvesting the food you eat. You cannot even compare the taste of these strawberries to anything you'd by at the store. Juicy, bright, and kissed by the Iowa sun. Don't forget to grab some cider, homemade jelly, pie, strawberry rhubarb turnovers, and donuts. Plenty for kids to do and yard games as well. What a beautiful morning!

Fun little stop while traveling through. We got fresh apples, local hard cider, and a donut. Wish we had the time to do some picking ourselves. Apples are nicely labeled - eating vs baking vs cider, sweetness, crunchiness - to help you choose your favorites. Super convenient.

Visited Wilson's for the first time when we had family visiting from out of town. We came by to pick some apples and enjoy the beautiful fall weather. This is a great place to kill a few hours, enjoy being outdoors and getting some great fresh picked apples. The prices were decent and we loved the warm Apple turnovers! Even if you don't pick go for the delicious Apple treats!

Wilson's orchard will forever stand as one of the places in the Iowa City area that needs to be experienced at least once. Luckily, after you've been, at least a few times per year you'll think, "Hey, we should go back and hang out for an afternoon." The picturesque country side really never gets old. It's near corn and hay fields so you're reminded you're in Iowa, but the fruit trees and pumpkin patches are much more reminiscent of other agricultural areas around the country (i.e. Washington State). The whole place is very walkable and each area provides some great picture opportunities. The benches near the parking lot are great for enjoying a snack from the gift shop! The store has plenty of Wilson's Orchard pleasantries as well as the fruits de jour, most of which include apples!. The cheese selection include a half dozen varieties and often times they have samples out. By far the best things here are the apple dumplings and the cinnamon ice cream! The dumplings will run you $3.25 a shot or $4.25 a la mode'. The dumplings are heavenly, with delicious apples and plenty of more flaky crust than you can shake a stick at. The cinnamon ice cream pairs perfectly with a warm dumping and will ensure your return. For those with kiddos, there's a huge apple with a ruler on it on the far right part of the building (when looking from the parking lot) and it's perfect for documenting the little tikes growth patterns according to a huge apple. Great place to kill a few hours on a day off and always a pleasant experience on a nice weekend. Worth the trip and likely a spot you'll be telling others about after you try it.

I was riding ragbri, w days AG on my way to Coralville. I was near the end having a real hard time with the heat. Stumbled to you tent for some relief and your employees could not have been more hospitable. Gave me ice, water, and one of your awesome apple ciders. These young people were special, wanted to make sure you were aware. The na ciders, and hard ciders (from what I have heard) are awesome. But people are the game changer. Thank you for your kindness.

Going to Wilson's Orchard in the fall is an absolute must! It's so fun to pick your own apples or just try out their variety in store. Their apple cider doughnuts are the best I have tried in Iowa. You can buy them warm and fresh or frozen in a pack. I got a dozen this time. Couldn't resist! They have different spreads available i.e. Apple butter (with and without sugar), cinnamon apple cider jelly. They also have Apple cider available- even as a delicious slush drink.

Wilson's is such lovely little spot just north of Iowa City. They have a great selection of apples and apple-related treats to choose from in the shop, and there are almost always plenty of apple samples to choose from if you're not sure what each unique fruit tastes like. Though I often visit with the intention of picking apples, that's usually only possible if you go in the beginning of the year. Either way, they always have apples of all varieties from the Orchard available to purchase inside. This would be a great place to take someone on a unique date. The grounds are truly breathtaking even if you aren't picking apples or pumpkins. Oh, and most importantly, eat all of the things while you're here. To be specific, you need to try the apple turnover with cinnamon ice cream, and an apple slushee. Because, duh!

The two stars is based on a trip to the orchard in early October. The best apples are available in the building, as most of the crop has fallen to the ground, and much of the fruit on the trees does not look very good at all. If you hazard a walk out across the bridge, to the hills on the other side, be prepared to be in the company of many yellow jackets who are feeding off the many pieces of fruit that are strewn on the ground. The staff is very friendly and indeed it is a beautiful spot tucked away in Johnson County. Perhaps a visit earlier in September may allow you to pick your own without being bothered by the stinging insects. They actually have free WiFi.

This review is mostly for their new restaurant concept, but only mostly. I'm not impressed. I can get better barbeque anywhere else, including my own house. To break it down: I eat meat, my kids are moderately picky and my wife is a vegetarian. The brisket was fine. The sauces seemed to be a doctored ketchup, but were fine. The cole slaw wasn't great and my wife refused to finish her bite. The tofu was not bad she days. The collard greens weren't good, and my wife loves any leafy greens from anywhere. The pimento cheese sandwich was fine, but the roll was a bit dry. But the cornbread, lord howdy it was dreadful. Drier than a ten year old Whopper, drier than a rat turd. I make the best cornbread, but even the stock recipe off the can of cornmeal is far better than this. And the butter didn't help the dryness. And for $40+, the value wasn't very good. Furthermore, I wanted a pear cider, but they didn't have any next door in the market. The only had two flavors of cider, two flavors of seltzer and some Sutliff cider. THEY MAKE THE CIDER. There's literally no excuse to not stock the fridge when you make it onsite. And we wanted to pick some apples like we got last week and were still in the fridge. No one could tell us where to go. I'm glad they are trying to offer more complete services, but they're stretched pretty thin now. Four years ago they were open seven days a week and mastered the apple orchard. Now they're open five days a week and don't do anything well anymore.

I eat an apple everyday. It's just my favorite snack, and who doesn't love a good apple? We went a couple of times last year and fully plan on going again this year! The apple cider donuts are always a hit, the slushee hits the spot, and their apple turnovers are like no other. It's so fun to pick apples and explore this orchard. IT'S HUGE. The only thing is the treats are kind of expensive. I would buy more to take home if it didn't burn such a hole in my pocket. The apples are about average price wise in comparison to other apple orchards.

So some ladies were picking apples and they cane in the store where I was working on the Shirt Wall. They asked me to help and then she a University of Iowa Student ( I am an alumni) wanted to further her modeling career. Who has this much fun at work from field trips to helping customers. I am forever grateful for this Experience. Dream job for sure. Thanks Wilson Orchard and Farm.

I cannot say enough good things about this place. Reason the first : it is located on Dingleberry Road. This is a charming orchard on a beautiful, hilly property. They have hundreds of apple variety, all blooming at different times. They have a pdf on their website of when each blooms for. I have tried tons of their apples, and many of the varieties I like are ready in July and August. They are more tart. Many of the sweeter apples are later in the fall. The general store has samples of the varieties available in store and for picking. They have someone at the door to tell you where to go. A tractor ride is available but we always walk bc the property is not that big and we enjoy the walk. The apple Cider donuts and apple slushies are amazing. (The pumpkin ones available in October I don't care for, they have a weird flavor to me. But my sister likes them the best.) This place has events every week. I recommend skipping honeycrisp weekend, it is a mob scene and usually gets picked over. My favorite time to go is early in the season when nobody is even thinking about apples yet. :)

Cute family activity. The best part was the apple turnover a la mode. Get it with cinnamon ice cream! Delicious! Easy to find, great signage along the way. Pumpkins everywhere. And other kinds of squash. You can walk the grounds & pick apples or take a tractor ride (at a cost). We bought some apple butter as well. We also taste tested the apples in season - also scrumptious!

Very fun place to go to August-October, they have a full apple orchard and store with many items for sale. I love their apple slushies and cider donuts. The orchard itself has several types of apples, yes you can take a bite before you buy them. The nice thing is that each month has different apples, so you can come back each month and get new apples. Very beautiful views and fun times to be had by all. I would check it out if you are in the area, picking produce is very fun and would love to try other farms that offer similar experiences.

What's not to love about one of the most beautiful rural settings in the area?! Add to that... the fact that they're only two miles from the city limits, that they offer hay rides around the property (and through a creek! - how fun for the kiddos!), that they sell a huge variety of their very own apples, plus the fact that they let you hand-pick the apples, and you've got yourself a pretty grand Saturday afternoon! Things not to miss while at Wilson's Orchard: 1) the hay ride. 2) the apple turnover with a scoop of cinnamon ice cream (which they source from the local Heyn's Ice Cream shop!) on the side. 3) the donuts. Fresh on Wednesdays and frozen all other days. Either way, they're delicious! I highly recommend bringing a blanket and hunkering down on the hillside overlooking the pond. This is my favorite way to soak up the gorgeous scenery (especially when the leaves are changing!) while indulging in the apple turnover... and a donut... and a hot apple cider. Mmmhmm, happy Saturday indeed.

Kid or adult come here to walk to orchard and pick apples. The cider slushies are my favorite aswell as Cider donuts. I haven't found donuts that compare to this fall favorite.

A trip to Wilson's Orchard is just what you need for an afternoon of fun! My family visited in early October, so there weren't a ton of apples to pick, but the experience of walking through the orchard scouring the trees was still a blast. Inside, we were rewarded with all sorts of apple goodies. I'm still working my way through a delicious container of apple butter, and we all enjoyed turnovers and cider slushies (though I thought the turnover was a little expensive, it was a worthwhile splurge). There weren't any fresh donuts when we went, so I'd probably try to time our next visit accordingly. I think they're available on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I'm sure I'll go back next year, and I'll make an effort to do so in September, when I expect there will be much more to pick in the orchard. Next on my list is to buy some of their hard cider at Hy-Vee!

We headed here recently to pick some fall apples and absolute fell in love with this orchard. It is idyllic! It is set in what feels like a little valley, full of apple trees and a bridge and a huge weeping willow. On a beautiful fall day it is a chance to get out of the city (even though you hardly traveled but 15 minutes) and reconnect with nature. When you arrive you head to the main building and check out the varieties that are ready for picking. You then grab and basket and are pointed in the right direction by the nice people running the place. As you find your spot in the orchard, you start weaving between trees, avoiding apples on the ground, and picking the ones up in the trees. Just be careful because the basket fills fast and the apples are expensive! You may want to get the price before you pick! Also, don't forget to try the apple turnovers. They are awesome! Expensive. But awesome.

We stopped here earlier in the fall on a visit to see the kids. It was the perfect place for a fall family day filled with fun. We loved everything down to the cider slushes. We will definitely be picking apples here again in the future!

what a great excursion from Iowa City. obviously it is not a hidden gem outside of the yelp world because everyone in town seems to know about this place already, based on how crowded it was this weekend. i thought there was a football game here. anyway, the place is very quaint...set in rolling hills (who woulda thunk?) with a small stream. on certain days, they've got a little tractor to take the family and kids out from the main building / parking area. otherwise you can just meander through. the orchard is nicely labeled for the plants and when they are ripe. not all of them are well labeled, but it doesn't really matter...who's ever heard of an apple snob anyway? it seems pretty amazing that 9 out of 10 apples are really darn good. not sure if you're supposed to be tasting them and eating them in the field, but everyone seems to do so. i would say go a bit hungry (and thirsty). warning: be careful not to be overly enthusiastic in your visit, otherwise you'd walk away with $40 worth of apples. don't say i didn't warn ya. that's a lot of apple pies to make. i tried thinking of a pissy way of using the phrase "How do you like them apples" but couldn't in this nice, decent, family setting. definitely worth the visit, and another good day-time date thing. oh, did i say they also have a pumpkin patch in Oct?

Their restaurant is something to write home about. Fresh, fresh ingredients that makes you wonder why you'd waste your time eating any other place. I had their peach scones, biscuits and gravey, and homemade lemonade. Phenomenal. Beautiful location too, but I would eat here every day if it were a hole in the wall because the food is so amazing. 6 stars!

John P's review nailed it right on the head! Everyone in the area seems to know that Wilson's Orchard is a fantastic half day excursion. Upon arrival, we immediately checked out the barn and bakery goods. We heard the apple turnovers were worth the visit alone, and that is the truth. The kitchen, which you can see through the glass, had several white-haired grannies in the back baking away. (We lovingly called it the sweat shop.) They're served fresh and piping hot! We were surprised to see there are no fresh pies to purchase, only their frozen. (FYI- we took one home, baked, and it was phenomenal! Will be taking some home with me for the holidays!) We visited toward the "end" of apple season, so there weren't as many apples on the trees as we envisioned. Though, every aisle (row?) was clearly marked and incredibly fun to walk through. It's fun to sample what we could find! As John said, it's easy to spend $$$ here- we walked out with $22 worth of apples and $25 worth of baked goods. In all, you don't seem to mind as there is something satisfying about baking that apple cobbler with apples YOU picked.

Wilson's is on my have-to-visit list every fall. The season feels incomplete without going and walking through the lines and lines of trees. Be sure to try the different apple samples and fresh apple cider donuts inside.