My Visit to the Hidden Apple Trail In Wayne County, New York

Is there anything more delicious than a fresh autumn apple? The people of Wayne County, New York, don’t think so – and neither do I. This area is an epicentre of apple production, and it’s only fitting that it’s also home to the Apple Tasting Tour. As I learned firsthand, you’re unlikely to find a better New York fall road trip anywhere.

The Apple Tasting Tour is a scenic, self-guided driving route featuring approximately 12 stops (the number may vary slightly from year to year). Officially, festivities and events take place throughout October. Still, unofficially, the fun starts once the leaves begin to change color and doesn’t let up until the last one is on the ground. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or you’re obsessed with the region’s flavors and want to try more, here are some things you should know for exploring the area.

Bring Your Grocery List

There’s nothing like a food trail to help you discover phenomenal new flavours. Apples, of course, are at the very top of any autumn shopping trip, but you may just find that you’re able to take care of all your grocery needs at the participating Tour stops. During my visits, I saw fridges stocked with local butter, cheese, and meat. You can find every possible kind and color of pumpkin, squash, and gourd. I saw pears, plums, yellow beans, tomatoes, along with Brussels sprouts still on the stalk, homemade bread, and every kind of baked good imaginable. 

Get Stocked Up With Cider

The Apple Tasting Tour could really call itself the Apple, Cider, Spirits, and Wine Tasting Tour if it weren’t such an unwieldy name. Multiple stops along the tour aren’t just farm stands but beverage purveyors as well. For instance, Long Acre Farms is also home to JD Wine Cellars. Rootstock Cider & Spirits offers everything from a very dry hard cider that could easily swap places with champagne to a toothsome peach vodka. Lagoner Farm Market is also the home of Embark Craft Ciderworks. Young Sommer Winery has grape and fruit wines (including apple wines!) And at The Apple Shed, you’ll find The Old Goat Cidery. The fun name is a tribute of sorts to a rather grumpy man whom the owners adore, and the “goat” theme is found in many of their drinks.

For those who prefer their cider “soft” instead of “hard” (that is to say, non-alcoholic), you can find fresh-pressed apple cider at all locations.

Get Ready For Samples

I’m not saying that the samples are the best part about the tour….actually, maybe I am! I got the insider’s scoop and was lucky enough to sample what some participating businesses are planning, and I checked out everything from apple bread to ice cream to fudge, all in the name of “research”. 

The tasty treats aren’t limited to just the apple-based snacks. I was astonished at the sheer number of apple varieties available. Have you heard of the SnapDragon, the Autumn Crisp, the 20 Ounce, the Ginger Gold, or the Macoun? These were all new apples to me, and they were all fantastic.

Speaking of delicious things, I’d be remiss if I didn’t recommend my favorite spot in the area, even if it isn’t an official part of the Tour. Imprint Coffee in Sodus, New York, might be operating a coffee roaster instead of a cider press. Still, their lattes are killer, and there’s no denying that they’ve made an impression on nearly all of the Apple Tasting Tour businesses. You’ll find their beans everywhere!

Prepare Your Kids For Tons Of Fun

Multiple Apple Tasting Tour locations have kid-friendly activities. For example, at Long Acre Farms (where the motto is “We Grow Family Fun”), kids can enjoy New York’s longest-running corn maze, gemstone panning, giant slides, and much more. I’m told that during the summer, there are open-air concerts and plenty of special events too. Most years, the Apple Tasting Tour has included a contest or quiz, the kind of mystery you can only solve if you visit all locations. You can pick up brochures at all participating locations, along with many other regional businesses, to get the guidelines. (Sorry, I’m not giving you any hints!) 

Have Your Camera On Hand

When I asked the team at Long Acre Farms what visitors could expect as they explored the Apple Tasting Tour, property matriarch Joan Allen said, “It’s delicious to the eye”. I immediately laughed and told her she had the winning quote of the day, and, indeed, she did! Her daughter, Sarah Henning, adds that people are always amazed at how much the region offers, noting that they often tell her, “I’ve never been to Wayne County before, I live in Rochester, and I had no idea it’s so close.” It’s no exaggeration to say that there are lovely scenic vistas around every corner.

Some of my favorite photo spots in the area include the funky pumpkins and purple mums on display outside Lagoner Farm Market, the gorgeous “mellow yellow” pumpkins set against a vintage truck at The Apple Farm Stand at Stonegoose Farm, and all the apple tree-laden fields you’ll see on just about any back road.

Connect With Community Members

You don’t have to be visiting any of the Apple Tasting Tour’s stops for very long before you start feeling like one of the family. Even as someone new to the area, I was immediately included in all the community gossip and news! Nobody shied away from talking about more serious topics. At Youngman Orchards Farm Market, I had a frank conversation with Olen Youngman and his daughter, Makayla Reed, about the challenges and rewards of business growth, stocking bread, and sourcing locally. At Lagnore Farm Market, we chatted about the quandary of finding a balance between public demand for their services and the sometimes stressful reality of staff shortages. And at Rootstock Cider and Spirits, I got a sneak peek at their upcoming events and enjoyed a passionate discussion about my love of plum ciders (which the world does not see enough of! Sorry, apples.)

In short, no topic is off the table. There’s no finer place to feel like you’re a local from your very first visit.