Address: 14421 90th Street South, Hastings, MN, 55033
Upcoming Events: Jump to Afton Apple Orchard Events
A reasonable fee is charged immediately upon your arrival to Afton Apple Orchard. We find it nice to have that squared away, to know the children are now free to explore the very large, unique playground at will. Plan to park it there while the kids discover the “retread hill” (for the uninitiated, it’s a mountain of tires with tube slides running through it), swings, hay bales to climb, and a pretty decent petting farm.
Tractor hayrides out into the expanse of the orchards are also included in the admission fee. And – best of all – you’re not required to pre-purchase a bag for picking. This spared us mucho disappointment during a year of poor harvest. Instead, we put the money towards picking fall raspberries – and were super impressed with the quality of the crop.
Afton turned out to be our family’s favorite of the East Metro apple orchards. It was large enough to offer activities suited to each member of the family, but at no time did we feel like we were picking on top of our neighbor. When fall rolls around and a free weekend pops up on the calendar the vote’s unanimous — time to head to the orchard!
Originally published by Anne Kingston on 8/25/15
Afton Apple Orchard fall activities
The apple picking season starts on mid-August and lasts until the end of October. Hayrides into the orchard are available on weekends through Labor Day and daily after that. If you prefer a quieter visit, Afton recommends coming on weekdays. Weekend hayrides rung 10am-6pm, and week day rides are offered from 12pm-6pm (after Labor Day). Other activities include a HUGE playground, petting farm, Retread Hill, Straw Mountain and Johnny Combine. On weekends, enjoy them jump pad and “Moo Moo Choo Choo” or jump Each activity is $2 per person.
APPLE TREATS! The Cafe a la Apple offers concessions including fresh apple fritters, apple donuts, cider brats and fritter sundaes.
Afton Apple Orchard’s Corn Maze
The 15-acre corn maze opens in late September and each year’s maze has a different theme. Besides the large maze, families with smaller kids can try the straw-bale maze, a garden-hose maze, a “No Left Turn” maze and corn maze yard games.
Corn Maze admission
- Adults 11 and older – $12.00 *tax included
- Children ages 3-10* – $10.00 *must be accompanied by paid adult
- 2 & under – Free
Afton’s pick-your-own seasons
Apples
The apple picking season starts on mid-August and lasts until the end of October.
Pumpkins
The pumpkin patch at Afton Apple Orchard is usually open starting in late September and runs through October. Take a hayride to the pumpkin patch to choose your own. A cover charge of $7/pp ages 5+, $5/pp under age 4, includes hay rides when available, use of the orchard’s play equipment and the petting farm.
Strawberries
Strawberry season begins in mid-June and runs until picked out. Hours are usually between 7am until picked out or 3pm (whichever comes first). However, as this is a real farm, schedules are dependent on weather and picking conditions and it is best to follow their Facebook page or call ahead (651-436-8385) shortly before heading out. Picking conditions can change from hour to hour. The Berry Barn serves fresh strawberry shakes, smoothies, strawberry donuts and other treats during the picking season. The petting farm will also be open.
Raspberries
Raspberry picking season runs from sometime in mid August through approximately mid-October or until the first hard freeze, whichever comes first. The best picking is usually later in the week because of the heavy weekend numbers. As with strawberries, call ahead.
Sunflowers
A Twin Cities sunflower field right here at Afton Apple Orchard! The cut-your-own sunflower (and zinnias) field is open for two weekends in late August. Sunflower field admission is an additional $5 per person beyond the orchard admission. Use the sunflowers as a photo backdrop or pick your own blooms.
Birthday parties at Afton Apple Orchard
The Orchard offers Hall Rental for birthday parties and other private events. The space includes space for up to 300 people and tables. Additional options include tractor drawn hayrides, horse drawn wagon rides, picnic facilities, a playground. Catering services are available or you can bring in the caterer of your choice.
More Twin Cities apple orchards
ALL ABOUT APPLES! Every spot you want to know about for picking apples and enjoying classic fall fun is wrapped up in our GUIDE TO TWIN CITIES APPLE ORCHARDS.
Related content
- Website link: Afton Apple Orchard
- Find more: Family Fun Twin Cities Guide to Apple Orchards
Upcoming Family-Friendly Events
Events TBA
Fun Past Events We Hope to See Again
- Afton Apple Orchard Anniversary Celebration - 09/07/2025 - 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Touch-A-Tractor Weekend at the Orchard - 09/20/2025 - 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Afton Apple Festival Weekends - 10/11/2025 - 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Afton Apple MEA Teacher Appreciation Days - 10/17/2025 - 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Afton Apple Corn Maze Open - 10/26/2025 - 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Please Note: FamilyFunTwinCities.com is an independent website run by Twin Cities families for Twin Cities families. We attempt to include the information we find most essential as parents. We make every effort to keep up with changes. However, we are not employed by or connected to this venue, and information sometimes changes without our knowledge. We recommend calling or checking the venue’s website for up-to-date information.
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