Cider Mill Season.
Fall in Michigan means cider mills, apple picking, sunflowers, doughnuts, and hay rides.With so many different options on cider mills, it is often hard to pick one to go to. But no fear. We have put together a list of the best cider mills in the area, their opening dates, and what they offer so you can pick the best one to suit your needs this fall.
Wiard’s Orchard and Cider Mill has an opening date of September 7th. This is a must visit for families with children. There is a petting farm, corn maze, giant inflatable slide, wagon rides, playground, mini golf, and much much more. This cider mill is one of the top places to visit in the fall for families.
Franklin Cider Mill is one of the oldest cider mills around. This cider mill opens September 4th. Well you can see the doughnuts being made through the window, this specific cider mill is more geared towards adults. There is a cute little stream that often is full of ducks by the cider mill, with benches to sit and watch them. Franklin Cider Mill would be the perfect place to go for a nice fall date.
Parmenter’s Cider Mill opens August 28th. This cider mill is the perfect place to take your better half this fall. There is a winery inside the cider mill that offers wine tastings during their busier fall season. It is an absolutely beautiful cider mill, the rustic barn feel makes it perfect for photos with you and your significant other. There are a few places of interest for the kids on the weekends, there are craft displays, fudge stations, food stations, and a few playgrounds.
Three Cedars Farm opens September 3rd. This cider mill is family friendly and one of the most popular around. This is a cash only cider mill, but there is an ATM available on the property for your convenience. There is a 5 acre U-Pick pumpkin patch, with pricing based on the size of the pumpkin. Hayrides, a corn maze, train rides, petting farm and more are available at Three Cedars.
Yates Cider Mill opens in August for earlier admission to fun. Dating back to 1863, Yates is one of the original cider mills in the area. The Clinton River sits alongside the cider mill, and a stream from it is actually used to have water power for the mill itself. The mill offers an online store where you are able to purchase their home made honey, jams, pies, apparel, and more. For kids, they offer pony rides, and a petting zoo. There is a river walk, apple tent, and delicious fudge as well. Yates has been featured on Unwrapped on the Food Network.
Blake’s Cider Mill opens in late summer, and is open 7 days a week. This is a one stop shop for people of all ages. There is a Sunflower Festival, Lavender Market, Blake’s Backyard offers a taproom, Funland is the perfect place for kids, though I am sure that adults would love a few of their attractions. There is a petting farm, John Deere Speedway, duck races, sports zone, corn field, inflatable axe throwing, and much more. Their online store allows you to ship their Blake’s Hard Cider directly to your home (must be 21 years of age or older of course.) Blake’s also offers merchandise, jams, apple butter, cups, and more for sale at their online store as well.
DeBucks Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch has an opening day of September 11th. This is a family favorite for my family every year. There is something for everyone. There are swings, two inflatable bounce pads (different age groups are allowed on each one for safety reasons), swings, a corn box, slides, tractor racing, a 15 acre corn maze, a 20 acre pumpkin patch, and much much more. The kids have no problem finding something to do during the duration of our visit. There is a fun obstacle course for the adults as well that my family loves to hurt themselves doing every year.