Lots of different types of apples to pick from;) Love the store with treats and goodies to buy. read more

Went here last Saturday with a group of friends to fulfill my autumn-activity-love- apple picking! We arrived early around 10am, got our apple bags and 'joust' (apple picker), given a map and parked right by the store. I have been to other orchards in Charlottesville, and this place is nice and compact. You can easily walk to different apple varieties from where you park your car near the entrance and store. Once parked, we headed in the direction of the Johnathan apples as stated on the somewhat-hard-to-navigate map. In addition to the numbered map, the trees have a swatch of different paint colors to identify different apple varieties that are scattered throughout the orchard. After picking and paying for our bounty, we settled for a brought-from-home picnic at a few picnic tables that are also scattered about the orchard. Even though it was a drizzly day our all-adult-plus-one-toddler crowd had a blast! Their store has several goodies for (somewhat pricey) purchase, including apple jams and butters, different salsas and wines, pastries and freshly baked pies that smelled delicious. They had a bunch of bins of already-picked-apples of different, no-longer-in-the-orchard apples like honeycrisp. They also have a BBQ food bus (ala food truck) if you have a hankering for some BBQ ribs for lunch. I did not partake in the BBQ but my friends that did said it was good, if a bit overly-smokey flavored. They have hot cider and freshly made caramel apples to eat, too! They have regular (read: indoor plumbing!) bathrooms located on the backside of the store near where you pay for the apples and across from the parking lot by orchard. They also have porter johns in different areas of the orchard. Prices are decent for pick-your-own, but be warned- fill up your bag or you will be charged by weight vs per peck which is cheaper. Overall a great experience with some tasty apples! Can't wait to make a bunch of apple goodies! read more

I haven't been apple picking a couple of years so when my friend suggested it for 10/2/16 I jumped at the opportunity. Stribling Orchard has a large amount of apple trees available for picking. (It also appeared that some of the animals from the fields around the trees enjoy the fruit after all the customers leave.) I thought. Overall, the customer service at Stribling Orchard was good. It appeared that most of the employees really enjoyed their jobs. It was also nice that you could pay for your "pickings" at multiple points with and/or without some of their bake or can goods. I bought a pumpkin pie home from the orchard and, although not the best pumpkin pie I've ever had it is not bad (and better than anything I could have picked up the grocery store in terms of freshness). Stribling Orchard is not cheap either for you "pickings" or their baked or can goods. In many ways (and I am okay with) you pay for an upcharge to enjoy their fantastic scenery. I thought. My friends and I would luck out with the crowds due to the fact it was a fairly overcast day when we went. I was mistaken. As the other yelpers have pointed out, it can get very crowded at Stribling Orchards. However, the crowds were polite and never felt rushed or that anyone was rude while my friends and picked apples and/or waited in line. I did not like the parking situation at Stribling Orchard. I got into a near accident with someone backing out of spot and someone trying to pull into another spot at the same time. Basically the field that you park on has nobody directing the large amount of cars. In a nutshell, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Stribling Orchards. However, based on my novice experience with apple picking I stop short of calling it an amazing experience. Tip: If apple picking goes too quick for you and you want to spend more time in the great outdoors. Chateau O'Brian Winery is literally 6 minutes from Stribling Orchard. (They offer tastings and a fantastic view if you're looking to extend your day.) read more

I came here with a few friends during the last weekend of October; I think it's also the last weekend that they have open for apple picking. There were still a couple of apple types that you could pick directly from the trees, and if you're a noob like me you get excited when you see the first tree and then realize that everyone does that and that the trees closer to the end have a ton of better apples :P You've been warned; it's not my problem if you fall in the same trap haha Otherwise there's a small shop that offers a few apple products including jam, honey and cider. Unfortunately, the shop was almost empty so I am not sure how I feel about that. Overall, I had a ton of fun and would definitely be back! read more

Each fall season, my family and I venture out to Stribling for our annual apple picking trip. The drive is beautiful, especially if you go around the time the leaves are changing- plus there are a multitude of wineries close by for a little post-apple picking relaxation :) I will say, that this year my trip with friends was a slightly different than in previous years. I am not sure if the secret is out and that's why they were overwhelmingly busy, or if it was just the beautiful fall weekend that drew the masses. Apple picking: Oodles of variety at Stribling. Several had already been picked and were located in large bins near the checkout area. Trees still had some ripe for the picking as well and we used the one remaining apple picker to do the job. The varieties we came home with that day were Fuji and Staymen. Tart and crisp all the way! Now to decide what applesauce recipe to use... Picnic area: A few picnic tables scattered about and we snatched one up for our group of 9. We brought our own but as other reviewers have said, they also have a little BBQ area set up with typical fixins. If all weekends are a busy as the one we visted, they may want to consider adding a few more tables. Bakehouse: OMG. In one word, heavenly. It would be great if they could figure out how to bottle up the smell and sell THAT! Fresh baked pies, breads, jams, dressings, etc. We like the pumpkin butter, apple cinnamon jelly, and the apple cinnamon BBQ sauce (YUM-O!) Bottom line: Virginia is second behind only Washington state in the production of apples. Stribling gives you a great place to experience the picking season! read more

Lovely pick-your-own orchard. And outstanding that they let you drive into the orchard - saves a lot of hiking. However, we're going to have to go back again next year as very little left to pick. We learned a few helpful tips from this visit though. Check the web site for what is in season - we did, but even so it was late in the season and there were few apples left to pick without a picker Go early in the day - we arrived mid-afternoon. Most of the goodies from the store were already sold out and all the pickers were handed out so we were left with trying to find low-hanging fruit that we could pick with our hands. Definitely will go back. It was nice to get out of the city on a beautiful fall day even if our efforts only delivered a few pounds of apples only suited for sauce. read more

My friend chose this orchard for her birthday apple-picking festivities. We got there at 10 a.m. on a Saturday which ended up being perfect - the place got busy quickly! As you enter, you are directed to the side of the house where a couple of employees are handing out maps, bags, and if needed, apple pickers. If you have kids, be sure to request the short stick. You can then either park immediately in front of you or drive up to an orchard. As long as everyone is in good health and happy to walk, there's no need to drive into the orchard unless the apples you want (if available) are way up top. Currently (mid September) the apples available are Jonathan, McIntosh, gold and red delicious. The weather was less than desirable (spit rain) but that didn't stop us from having a great time. Despite the map being a bit confusing, each tree is clearly marked with a color which identifies what kind of apple tree it is. The apples were a bit small but it was still fun to pick your own apples. And a half peck runs you about 12 bucks - not bad for a bounty! After we paid, we perused the shop and then had a picnic at one of the tables. If it's busy in the main area, just walk or drive up to one of the other lots where there are plenty of picnic tables (and no one to stalk you to take your table when you're done). The apples are great quality and are tasty, the staff was super friendly and helpful. The cashier encouraged us to top off our bags to get the most bang for our buck. There are crates of already picked apples to help you fill up. You can pack a picnic or pick up some BBQ from the "food bus" parked outside of the shop, or go into the shop for some fresh pastries. Other good things to know: they take credit cards and there are a LOT of wineries nearby. read more

10/19/14 Dissatisfied with a failed apple-picking venture in Delaplane, my husband and I hit the road to head towards Marker-Miller orchard in Winchester (a place we had been multiple times and knew would satisfy our yearning for not only apples but provide us with the nostalgic autumn experience). However, as we traveled down 66, off the road I saw a sign for orchards with apple-picking and had my husband take the next exit off. We backtracked back while I searched frantically to ID the town and pin down the possible orchard we had just flown past. It seemed the area was Markum, VA and only 2 orchards popped up on my GPS. After checking the webpages of both, Stribling had listed the Nittany apple (one of my favs) as an available variety for picking and buying...SOLD! As we drove towards the farm, we were met with loads of signs for wineries in close proximity (a plus for future visits). Then over the horizon, we spotted a large ancient-appearing house in the old exposed log/stone house style...very picturesque. The property opened up in front of us with apple trees everywhere full of fruit, plenty of parking and people milling around. The smell of cooking products drew us to a table with fresh hot apple cider (to die for!) and caramel apples (dipped right in front of you). Next to that area was a small store selling baked goods, preserves, VA specific country goods like peanuts. The grounds were filled with apple trees of many many types, heavy with fruit ready for picking (however, they were closing up for the day, so no picking for us). We chose from crates filled with Nittanys, Fuji's, Granny smith's, Staymen (one of my husband's favs), red delicious, ida red's, golden delicious, and jonathan's....amazing selection under a covered area so that the bugs weren't in the process of harassing the fruit. The only downer was the "out of order" signs on both bathrooms forcing us into nearly full port-a-pottys (horrific). Eureka! this was what we were looking for in a "apple-picking" experience. Although only apple-selecting occurred, the atmosphere and selection was more in line with previous experiences in Winchester, VA. Stribling is a place I'd invite others out to and if we are lucky and have more time next time we visit, we'll hit up some of the wineries in the nearby area as well. read more

SHORT VERSION: fairly standard orchard, but not many apples, when we went at the beginning of October. Maybe we just went at the wrong time? When you go, make sure you get a picker with the wooden handle--they're easier to maneuver. tips on picking apples below (twist, don't pull!) Also, get a cup of apple cider for $1--so tasty! ----------------- It was a beautiful autumn-y week, leading up to a beautiful autumn-y weekend--but of course, by the time we drove the 1 hr to get to the orchard, it was drizzly, wet, and cold. Luckily, I had a hood on my jacket, and I took some advice from Ra's al Ghul in Batman Begins, and worried more about my core, and let my arms take care of themselves. ...also, that cup of that DEEEEEEEEEELICIOUS apple cider didn't hurt ;) I'm not typically a huge fan of apple cider, it tends to be too cinnamon-y for me--but theirs was so, so good. Plus, walking around and working the apple picker warmed me up a little. We went the first weekend of october, but for some reason, there didn't seem to be many apples left that were worth keeping (I always find it heartbreaking to toss apples I picked off their comfy perch on the tree). We wandered around the orchard, tried a great many trees, and came out with little to show for it. On the other hand, the apples in the crates, outside of the store, were in much better shape than the ones on the trees. I grabbed a few more from there, so I could make a few more pies and loaves of apple bread. This was pretty disappointing--but perhaps it was just this year? Two quibbles with Stribling...one (small, minor) quibble is that I don't think the map is laid out too well. It'd be great to have the trees labelled, so you could be sure you're getting the type of apple you want; and it'd also be great to have occasional signs in the orchard, so that we could get back to the entrance. Second quibble is about the pickers... I'm not a fan. My favorite pickers have been ones with less-sharp teeth thingers (I've used ones that are plastic--less likely to hurt yourself, or the apple!) with the fabric pouch (less likely to bruise the apple). Also, the PVC pipe versions were kinda wobbly--better to use the wood ones. A tip for those new (or relatively new) to apple picking. The key to getting the apple you want, without making 10398750 other apples fall, is to position your picker so that you encircle the apple, with the top of the picker positioned where the apple meets the branch, and TWIST -- NOT pull. You won't pierce your apples that way, and you won't shake the whole branch, causing a ton of other apples to fall...and if it happens to be raining, you won't be showered with (as many) raindrops that have gathered on the leaves. read more

Our visit to Stribling Orchard last weekend with a group of friends was almost comically perfect. It was the ideal fall day--low 70's, bright sunshine, brilliant leaves contrasting a clear blue sky. Having never been apple picking before I have nothing to compare it to, but this was pretty cool. They have a huge orchard and everyone gets a map showing where the apples are located by type, and a very scary looking apple picking device that I can only describe as a sharp, metal lacrosse stick. We spent about 45 minutes wandering around and taking turns with the stick. While some trees had been picked clean and many were littered with apples at their bases, we did manage to get quite a large haul. Back near the entrance, If you're sick of trying to select the perfect apple off a tree you can do so from a variety of organized bins just outside the checkout area. They also have an incredibly enticing baked goods shop that wafts the sugary, cinnamony goodness of fresh baked apple pie, donuts, fritters, and other delicious goodies. Finally, if you want to eat while you're there there is a BBQ pit near the checkout as well. My only complaint would echo that of the last review as well--it was just so freaking crowded that day that it took a million years to get through any of the lines. But what's the rush when you have beautiful weather and good friends? read more

Pros: Diversity of products like breads, kettle corn, apples (duh), lots of good smells Cons: over-picked (trees bare), overcrowded, less wine than advertised, picking sticks in high demand, map of the premises was less than useful, and resorted to purchasing already picked apples Recommendation: Avoid weekends, show when they open in the AM & pick apples early in the season read more

Went apple picking last weekend and was really impressed with this orchard. You drive in and they hand you a bag and a map, You go park, and then you're pretty much on your own. The map tells you what areas have what kinds of apples, and what is okay to pick. It's pretty late in the season, and unlike Hartland Orchard down the road, Stribling still had a ton of apples on the trees. You can either pay by the peck (two pecks is a half bushel), or by the pound. A full bag is two pecks ($25), and trust me, I'm making pretty much everything with apples these days. It's really fun to walk around the orchard and use the big long stick to pick the apples high out of the trees. Definitely something my Los Angeles upbringing didn't get me. There's a little store as well that has some baked goods as well, but I didn't get anything so I can't talk about the quality. Definitely a great fall outing--I'm pretty sure kids would think it was awesome as well. read more

Nice setting, nice story, advocate of small farms, am sure nice people. BUT, regardless of weeks of rain, and maybe no customers or apples were on ground, find way to recycle them apples and dont sell them as just picked. That in itself was a red flag. Couple other negatives. I arrive, but before looking around, i take three soft drinks from fridge, and ask if I can pay later with apples or now. Answer , now. ok easier to keep track of . I go to apples outside, followed by farm hand, we chat, he is farm hand. He stated, picked same day or yesterday and pushed me to buy honey, which i would have among many other things, but wife and pet were grouchy. so, also bought honey. Difficult for me to rate honey, take their word for it. NOw, re apples, all varieties were starchy. Not one day fresh, not a week but more. I could be wrong, but i doubt it. Cannot htink of name now, between Warrenton and Luray, Thornton's ? maybe, 3 times, they batted 1000. juicy. And guess what? they told me they picked the the week before!! again, if rain was issue, make jam, cider, etc. I do not and hope farm would not fail by not selling the old apples. read more

I love this place. The only thing holding it back from a 5 star rating is that it is not an organic farm, and I worry about the white dust on some of the apples I pick. I won't let my kids eat them until after they've been washed since they seem pretty pesticide laden. The views here of the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge are terrific. It is truly a great place to spend a Saturday or Sunday. They have a grill going on the weekend selling dogs and burgers, and the bake shop has fresh baked donuts and pastries. The lines to pay for picking can get long, but the orchard is vast, and you never feel crowded when you're out among the fragrant autumnal trees. read more

Stribling Orchard - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Markham, Virginia

With nearby Hartland Orchard having jumped the shark (out of apples for picking early in the season, overcharging for everything), Stribling is definitely the orchard of choice in the Markham area. Friendly staff, lots of room to roam...and lots of Romes (and other apples) to choose form. We went mid-late season (weekend of 10/16) and there were still LOTS of fruit on the trees. Four stars instead of five because it is a bit pricey ($15 for the first peck, slightly less for additional). But, with lots of room, picnic tables and a great view, it's definitely worth the drive and slightly inflated prices. read more

Stribling Orchard - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Markham, Virginia

Stribling Orchard is fantastic for apple picking. A few of us went in September and couldn't have asked for a better place to go. The workers circled which apples were currently picking and pointed out how to get to each area. They also supplied an apple picker that you can use for the high up apples. We spent about two hours picking apples and then had lunch at one of their picnic tables. Great way to spend a Saturday morning and afternoon. NOTE: If you don't want to bring your lunch like we did, there is a place to buy typical BBQ foods. Part of me wished we'd done that since it smelled sooo good. We picked 12lbs of apples and grabbed a few cans of jelly/butter and fresh apple cider and spent less than $30 total. Definitely stop in their store- so many delicious goodies. I highly recommend the apple butter and apple cinnamon jelly! read more

This was the first time our family (and me personally) had ever gone peach-picking. Despite it being one of the hottest days ever (literally, in the 2011 heat wave!), we had a blast! Tons of delicious peaches and, since we went on a Friday morning (in the heat), there was nobody else there! Lots of room to run and explore. One caveat (and the reason for the 3 stars...): The website is either waaaay out of date or completely misleading. Animals? Nope. Nice buildings to look around? Nuh-uh. Just peaches. And the store? It's kinda sad. Just some honey, peach butter, peach salsa (all of which we bought), peach preserves, and a couple of cookbooks. About two shelves of merchandise and the rest of the place was empty and messy. The guy working there is very friendly and will answer any questions. But the orchard itself sort of felt like a ghost town. Again, maybe it was just the heat, but don't trust the info on the website. Go to get peaches (or apples)...that's it. read more

This was our family's second visit to this place (1st in 2010), and it was amazing yet again. Friendly staff, nice pick of apples, the weather was beautiful on our day of visit, and great picnic spots. read more

Stribling Orchard - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Markham, Virginia

We've been going to Stribling Orchard every year for well over a decade. We love the apple picking, but another important aspect of the trip was the fresh baked pies and breads available in the orchard store. We went back this year on October 21. Apples were still available to be picked, but the orchard store was barren. No bread, no pies, no goodies, just a few lonely jars of applesauce and pumpkin butter. What a disappointment! I also noticed that the farm animals they always had around for kids to pet or watch were no longer there. Again, a big change from what we have been accustomed to see. We still enjoyed the trip. We had a picnic at the top of the orchard and witnessed breathtaking fall foliage. We would like to know if a business decision has been made to eliminate the animals and if the bread and pies are being deemphasized. If so, we would be very disappointed. This year's visit was not like prior visits. :-( read more

Came here for some apple picking and had a blast. I loved the easy map that showed us the location of the various apples and the trails leading up to them. The drive from DC was around an hour, so it is a perfect location for a day trip outside of the metro area. Once we got there, we picked up some awesome apple picking sticks that lets you get way high up in the tree to get the really good ones. We came as a group of friends and spent at least 2 hours walking around the orchard. On top of the apple picking, this place sells some delicious cider and pie. We took home a gallon of cider and some slices of pie. As for the actual apples, they look picturesque. So far we have made an apple pie and apple crumble with these apples, and these are some of the best desserts we have made. All we added was some cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar into the chopped apples and the sweetness and tartness of the apples shine each every bite. Would definitely recommend coming here next apple picking season! read more

Stribling Orchard - look at that apple! - Fruits & Veggies Near Me - Markham, Virginia

Big fan of Stribling! Having been yearly for the last five years, I will continue to patron as the variety of apples, open space, and ample parking are huge perks. Also, having been here the last three years with a then baby and now toddler, this is an incrediblely family friendly location. We have been to this orchard for all four September weekends for the last four years, and this year we went in the first week of October. Timing of arrival has always been between 10A and 12P, pending any typical NCR traffic, it takes about an hour from I-495 at the Springfield Mall mixing bowl via straight shot on I-66W. Parking has always been incrediblely easy. What's even better is that you can drive your car INTO the orchard along the toe paths. It makes for hauling bags of apples back to the entrance to pay a lot easier. Otherwise, many carry bags by hand or in a wagon. You can bring your own bag - the reusable shopping bags, or use the provided plastic or 1 peck. Check-in for the bags or apple color-coded map is at the main entrance. Regardless of walking or driving around the orchard, there is one table that needs to be passed by. paper bags. Dogs are permitted, but must be leashed and poop scooped. (Tangent) We are apple fanatics so we have easily paid for 40-50lbs (one bushel) of apples, and two gallons of cider, every time which rings up to be $1/pound and $10/gallon of fresh cider. The cider price isn't unreasonable if you price compare to folks that buy gallons of the "Chick-fil-A sweet tea" for that same price! Their prices are tier by weight, or by bag size, not by the type of apple. And pricing has stayed consistent for us over the years as we always pick more than 40lbs. The orchard is very much a "clean up after yourselves" so it is recommended to bring your own bag, and a few garbage bags if you are picnicking. Here at the entrance you'll have the heart of the operations. - --The building houses a rapid fire bakery immediately as you walk in. Pies, bread, and goodies are made fresh. On the right upon entering are rows of jams, preserves, fresh honey, and pre-made and boxed baked goods. Two fridges to the immediate left for those that want bottled soda, water, juice, etc. --Outside of this building are four "lanes" to check out. The bags are weighed and it can be paid for by cash or card (maybe by check, but I haven't gone that route...). To the left of the check out are two HUGE fridges for fresh gallons of apple cider. To the right of the check out are crates of prepicked apples labeled for ease of selection. --Before stepping into the checkout line, the enticement of fresh popped kettlecorn and hot (not spiked) apple cider will tingle the senses! Highly recommend the hot apple cider!! --BATHROOM!! There are two and the doors are about 15 feet to the left of the popcorn and cider. While it isn't a Porta potty, simply put, people can and will be gross or inconsiderate, and that is of no fault of Stribling. --To the right of the building, and the busy commotion, there is a BBQ Shack, and three picnic tables. Many families and groups, and us included, have actually brought a picnic blanket and sat under the apple trees here while enjoying the live music. Live music isn't always available, but the comfort of laying on the ground and smelling the sweetness of kettle cooked popcorn and smokey BBQ evokes a sense of a "happy day". -- I digress... The toe path for vehicles makes a full loop that goes from gate, to the back of the main building, to the right of the orchard, then comes back out along the left. There is one great scenic location up on the hill in the rear of the orchard with a few picnic tables. Also first come first serve, and clean up what you bring.. (As of this recent trip, I've seen a van with multiple Wegmen pizzas and cars of the same party full of food and drinks!) All-in-all this is definitely a great location to spend two to three hours, or more if you spend the time to eat and relax! read more

This place is great!! So many memories from my field trips here as a kid 30 years ago! Family owned and run

I find this place completely overwhelming. The parking is a mess which makes it really annoying to deal with on a busy day. In this area this might be one of my least favorite places to go and pick apples. The upside is that they have yummy foods and drinks that they sell as well as a nice selection of pumpkins. They also take credit cards which is helpful. read more

We made our first visit today together with a large group of friends, and it was a wonderful experience for all! The apple picking in itself was fun, but having a chance to buy fresh baked goods, enjoy some good music and take in the beautiful scenery made it even better. We will definitely be back! read more

I love apple picking and I usually go every year, so I was excited to hear about this place after moving to the DMV area. I went with a group of friends and it was late October so a bit late for apple picking...but I actually enjoyed it because it wasn't nearly as crowded as I assume it could've been, finding and picking the apples was more of a challenge and made the expedition all the more adventurous, and the frigid weather made the apple cider all the more worth it at the end. Also the caramel corn that they sell is on point. Hope to come back here next year! read more

We have been to a few orchards in the Maryland/Virginia area for apple picking. This is our least favorite. What we liked: - this orchard is not too far off the highway (so you don't have to drive on the dirt road for a long time before getting to the orchard). - it has the apple picking pole, which made getting the apples on the high branches very easy and fun. BUT....we didn't like - - Parking: There is a parking lot near the entrance. If there is no parking there, then you can pretty much park ANYWHERE in the orchard. It was scary to drive up the dirt road in the orchard to find a parking space because there were people and little kids everywhere. - It you only like certain types of apple (which I do), it's hard to figure out where to go to find the specific type of apples. They do give you a map, but after driving in the orchard to find a parking space, I had no idea where I was in the orchard. I wouldn't know how to find the type of apples that I want to pick. I didn't see any signs near the apple trees to know the type of apples on the tree. And the same type of apple trees were planted in a group, not in a row. You would see 3 or 5 or 7 of the same type of apple trees in a group. It was just more confusing than the other orchards we have been to. - Quality of the apple: not sure if we were there too late and all the good apples have been picked already. We got a lot of golden delicious apples. They were juicy and tasty. But most of them had little dimples and spots on them. After peeling the apples, I found light brown spots all over the apples. read more

apples apples everywhere. The parking lot was super crowded at 11:00 on a sunday but the orchard is big enough that a little walking gets you away from the crowds. Armed with a map, picking stick, and a plastic sack we headed into the orchard. And literally apples are everywhere. All over every tree and covering the ground around all the trees. Trunks of trees are marked by color at the end of each row to indicate apple type, but some were hard to see. We picked until our plastic sack could hold no more. At the checkout area they have tons of other products for sale, cider, baked good, gourds and pumpkins, baked goods, caramel apples... A very good time for apple picking. read more

We went for a friends bday party. They have picnic tables all around the orchard so you can bring food and eat it. You have to get there early though bc it gets real busy! But it's a lot of fun to pick apples and they have a fresh apple bakery w pies, cakes, jams, cider etc. it's pretty cheap for everything and the people that work here are nice. We had a great time and will be returning when I have kids! :) read more

I had never been apple picking before, and it was the perfect activity for my kiddos. Stribling Orchard is in a great location-not too far off the beaten path, close to the 66, easy for me to find. I went on a super busy day, yuppies and their larvae everywhere, so I took mine up the hill and parked in the orchard. The staff that was directing cars were all so nice and helpful. They gave us a full color map listing which apples were available, and a picking pole! The little store was nice too, I didn't get in there until the end and by then the shelves were kind of picked over and I waited in a long line to get the last turnover. And a loaf of raisin-apple bread that weighs as much as a baby. So good! The bonus of the day is that they had a small pumpkin patch so we were able to get a nice Halloween pumpkin too. I will totally go back to Stribling again, it was a great day. read more

I went apple picking here and the trees were full of apples and easy to pick without a tool. The orchard is huge!!!! The orchard store had lots of treats for sale. There's a real bathroom! Nearby are lots of wineries. read more

I had an awesome time meandering my way here, though I'm not much for picking my own apples but I enjoyed some of the other things here a bit. The apples themselves are delicious okay? So don't let my bias on physical labor turn you off! It's just that it's a very dirty way to get some fruit. Pulling up to the barn you might see their cow and donkeys wandering about and that's cool and all. But it's like the closer you get the grosser it is. Like that girl you see from that back from far away and you're thinking to yourself 'I'd tap that.' then you get closer and she turns around and you're horrified. Well that's almost what happened here, they look cute until you get up close and see they're covered in thorny burrs, flies, and mud, also they smell horrible. Make sure to wash your hands afterwards if you choose to pet them! Walking into the apple orchard is an exercise in how much you can tolerate apple cider vinegar. Because all the fallen rotting apples start fermenting and pretty soon you start smelling like you got dunked in some vinegar yourself. Just deal with it and pick some apples you'll be glad you did cause like I mentioned earlier they are yummy. If it was just me, I'd just buy the apples they'd prepicked for you near the entrance seeing as the price is the same either way. But if you're the type that likes to get back to nature you can rough it out in the orchard. Make sure to give one of the farm animals on the way back home! read more

If you're looking for a nice unpretentious place to pick apples, my favorite is Stribling. This is a family run orchard. Yes, it's a little pricey. Yes, the map is a little hard to figure out. Just meander around with your bag and talk to people. You'll find your way. You'll get nice apples to bring home. And the scenery is gorgeous. I've been to different orchards all over Maryland and Virginia, but this is my favorite and I keep going back. read more

Yes please! we go here twice a year, once in August for peaches, and then in October for apples. Love this place, family friendly, always fun, and tons of open space for the kiddie to run in. Tips, if you have a four wheel drive, use it! The further up you go, the more you will find and the better the views are. read more

hands down the best apple picking experience and the Apple Raisin bread, apple turnovers, apple pie awesome! Highly recommend this place...worth the drive and all! read more

Good apples--and plentiful--but two things marred our experience: 1.) The poison ivy: It was everywhere, between trees, growing up trees.... There were no signs to warn people about the poison ivy. I'm guessing lots of children on this unseasonably warm day ran through poison ivy with bare legs and will suffer the consequences tomorrow. 2.) The service. We informed a cashier about the poison ivy, and he was singularly unconcerned. Also, when we asked for a receipt for our purchase--a reasonable request--he seemed very, very put out. read more

Nice orchard. Lots of fun and great selection. Well taken care of and apple prices were very good. Prices on jams/jellies/extras, etc, seemed high. We look forward to going back!! read more

Wouldn't accept a debit or credit card because of a technical issue and we had to travel to Front Royal to get cash. Most of the staff there was read more

Stribling Orchard was an excellent apple-picking experience for my family. We've been to several you-pick orchards in northern New York, central and eastern Pennsylvania, Kansas, Belgium, and elsewhere in Virginia. We've seen good, bad, and ugly. Stribling's is as good as it gets in terms of quality, selection, value, ambiance, and location. The apples are good-sized for eating out of hand or for use in baking. Not so big you can't eat a whole one yourself, not tiny and labor-consuming. Just right. They are attractive: you don't feel the need to peel off pitted, marked skins. There is a wide variety available, and they give pickers a map to take into the orchard. The map includes info on what each variety tastes like and how to identify the trees. It was a bit difficult to find the paint on the trunks, but let that search be part of your fun. It's a lovely setting, with beautiful views. The greeter explained where to find the varieties we were interested in, but the map is critical because I get disoriented among all that beauty. Also, Stribling's provides picking poles in many places throughout the orchard, so you don't have to haul one everywhere you go. And you can drive close to the trees, which is important if you are hauling lots of apples! We bought 4 half-bushel bags, a total of probably 80 pounds of apples, for $40. There's no admission fee, so that's a straight up 50 cent per pound. The more you pick, the lower the prices, so you might end up paying more per pound, but we've not found any orchard outside fairly remote parts of New York with such low prices and such high quality. Apple-lover's tip: I rearrange my fridge before picking apples, share some with family, store some in paper bags on a concrete floor in the basement, and make lots of apple products in the weeks right after a picking trip to make good use of all these apples. If any get wrinkly or soft, I turn those into applesauce later on. Stribling's is easy to find, and less than an hour from northern Virginia/DC suburbs. That also means it could become mobbed, so aim for weekdays or right at opening on a weekend for ideal experience. The only caveat I have is that I saw plenty of poison ivy between the trees. This is inevitable in Virginia if a surface isn't paved (and we don't go to orchards for the pavements!), but wear closed shoes. read more

Drove 60 miles from Alexandria this place was close at 3 what a waste of time I even call before I left my house .

What a perfect day apple picking! It was well worth the traffic on 66 from DC. The trees had lots of apples. The little shop is charming and their baked goods are fabulous. We will be back next year. read more