This apple orchard in Georgia ranks among the nation’s best. Here’s why
A Georgia destination was named a top place for fall fun — again.
Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge ranks No. 4 on a list of the nation’s best apple orchards to visit, according to results published Wednesday, Sept. 17.
To create the list, USA Today’s 10Best asked travel experts to nominate top places that grow apples. Editors said they narrowed down the finalists before members of the public could spend a month voting on the orchards they love the most.
The resulting list of readers’ choice award winners consists of 10 places that allow “visitors to come and pick their own fruit or shop pre-picked apples in their markets, often with added autumn entertainment,” 10Best wrote in its report.
Why the GA apple orchard ranks high
Mercier Orchards was the only place in Georgia to rank among the fan-favorite U.S. apple orchards. The destination, located in the North Georgia mountains, fell from the No. 3 spot it held on last year’s 10Best list, results show.
The orchard has been family-run for four generations and now grows berries, peaches and dozens of varieties of apples. Around this time of year, “folks travel from miles away” to pick their own apples, according to the business’ website.
“The U-Pick Apple Event is the most popular occasion of the season...,” 10Best wrote in its report. “A cafe, farm market, cidery, and winery offer more to see and taste.”
The apple orchard wasn’t the only place in Georgia to rank among the nation’s favorite seasonal destinations. The state’s Blue Ridge Mountains ranked No. 7 for fall foliage, and Uncle Shuck’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch landed at No. 9 for corn mazes. But attractions in the state missed out in other categories, such as the best Oktoberfest celebrations.
Across the country, 10Best said the top apple orchard was Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, Connecticut. The ranking website has told McClatchy News it doesn’t reveal the number of people who vote in its contests.
