We try to arrive at The Farm at Swan’s Trail at opening time (10am) — it ended up with our schedule that we visited on a Sunday again this year and the parking lot was quickly filling up! Aside from the autumn farm activities recently opening for the season, I think this high visitor count was related to the fact that (1) it was the weekend and (2) the previous day had been stormy so everyone was taking advantage of the beautiful weather! This being said, the property is HUGE and there are so many things to do that even though there were a lot of visitors it never felt cramped or crowded.
We followed the signs that guided us on a walk path from the main entrance to the U-Pick Apple Orchard and then listened to a brief announcement from an employee on which apple varieties were available, what rows to find them on, and a quick tutorial on how to properly harvest the apples (who knew that each kind has a specific way to pluck it from the branch?! Twist, tilt, etc.).
On this trip the Honeycrisp apples had all been harvested already (there were bags of them available for purchase in the general store, but their trees were bare in the U-Pick portion of the orchard) so we picked Cosmic Crisp this year!
We brought our own little bushel basket with us both for photos and because it’s easier for Sophie to place the apples in, but the farm provides their own super durable plastic bags for guests to gather their apples in.
After collecting all of the apples that you want, the amount is then weighed at the checkout station and those plastic bags are the easiest (and lightest) to hang on the scales.
There is a cute little tractor-pulled covered wagon that provides complimentary rides between the farm entryway / main area to the apple orchard if mobility is a concern for you. It’s a short ride, but you’re able to see the corn field and get a peek at other attractions which was really fun, and who doesn’t love a wagon ride?
We have hitched a ride in the past, and it’s so charming, but because we had our wagon with us this time we just walked. *Please note that the tractor wagons are not equipped to accommodate strollers, wagons, wheelchairs, etc.
Of course we had to stop at the Donut Barn / General Store on our way out for some tasty goodies! We grabbed a few bottles of fresh apple cider (my husband’s favorite!), apple cider doughnuts (my favorite!), and some kettle corn!
I immediately enjoyed one of my hot-and-fresh apple cider doughnuts. They’re absolute heaven (the perfect amount of apple and cinnamon!) and they just melt in your mouth. When you visit, the doughnuts are a must.
There was a little market outside in the courtyard area that had other produce available (squash, corn, etc.) and the general store was full of cute merchandise.
Additionally, their Harvest Festival has awesome attractions — there are hayrides, a playground, carnival-like games, a petting zoo and animals shows, a pumpkin patch, a mega corn maze, etc.! I would highly recommend this farm for children (and adults) of all ages. We took Sophie last year, but we knew that all we could manage this year was just the apple picking with both girls. We’ll try to enjoy the Harvest Festival again next year.
You can read more about the farm’s Harvest Festival offerings here — it seems like they are expanding them every year and always improving the guest experience.
*I want to note that access to the food vendors, U-Pick Apple Orchard and U-Pick Pumpkin Patch do not require paid admission.
A FEW TIPS:
Footwear
It’s a farm, there are lots of people walking though, it rains a lot in Washington… all of which result in a very muddy experience! I highly recommend wearing waterproof shoes for this — rain boots are definitely the best choice.
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Wagon
Wagons are definitely better than strollers in this environment — the wider “tires” with more traction are ideal for navigating slippery wet grass and muddy conditions. If you’re thinking about bringing something for your little one(s) to sit in, I highly recommend a wagon over a stroller.
If you happen to be in the market for a wagon, we love ours and would recommend it!
I didn’t take a single photo of Chloe (or myself!) while we were at the farm, but I wore her in our carrier and she was happy as a little clam.
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Entertainment
While apple picking is the Main Event, we had a decent trek to get to / from the orchard (it’s actually not long for adults, but as a toddler I’m sure it felt like ages) so I printed out this scavenger hunt out on card stock for Sophie before we left the house. If you’d like to reuse it, I recommend laminating it!
Obviously, this isn’t a must-have, but we really enjoyed using it to help occupy our 3 year old and make those transition moments of waiting a bit more fun. (I’ve intentionally warped the image as the artist deserves to be paid for their work; it’s a super affordable digital download).
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Amenities
There are port-a-potties available for any bathroom needs, and hand washing stations near the animal petting areas so the space is well-equipped for those things.
As the mom of a newborn I also noted that they had a little tent space designated for diaper changes and breastfeeding mamas who want privacy which I thought was super thoughtful.
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LOCAL U-PICK FARMS
The u-pick apple season lasts as long as the apple varieties are available… first come, first served and once they’re gone, they’re gone so plan your visit accordingly. The U-Pick orchard at Swan’s Trail Farm is our favorite, but if their apples are all gone there are many local apple farmers in the area that may still have U-Pick experiences available!
Such as:
Apple Creek Orchard
Bellewood Farms
Curran Apple Orchard
Jones Creek Farms
NW Bloom
Have an awesome time and Happy Autumn, friends! 😊
Sending hugs —
xx, Natalie
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