My family has been making the fall drive to Pennsylvania apple country for generations. My mom grew up visiting the orchards around Biglerville with her parents, and I have made the hour-and-a-half trip to the area north of Gettysburg every year since I was born.
Over time, the tradition has expanded to include friends, extended family and pretty much anyone who wants to come along. We still follow roughly the same route, stopping for apples, pumpkins, gourds, baked goods and, for me, an apple cider doughnut milkshake to start the day. These are the places that have become part of my annual fall ritual.
Hollabaugh Bros. Inc.
- 545 Carlisle Road, Biglerville, Pennsylvania
Hollabaugh Bros. Inc. has been part of the Biglerville landscape since twin brothers Donald and Harold Hollabaugh founded the farm in 1955. Today, the family-run operation spans nearly 500 acres, growing apples, peaches, berries, stone fruit, sweet corn and other seasonal produce.
This is where I pick my apples each year, heading into the orchard to fill a bag with several varieties before making my way back to the market. I always grab a photo in the larger-than-life Adirondack chair out front, then head inside for the apple cider doughnut milkshake, made by blending vanilla ice cream and apple cider with pieces of apple cider doughnut. It’s topped with whipped cream and a whole doughnut.
I usually make it even more indulgent by adding a second doughnut on top.
If apples are your vice, too, check out the National Apple Harvest Festival, a Biglerville tradition that dates back decades. At the annual event — held this year on Oct. 3-4 and Oct. 10-11 at 615 Narrows Road — apple butter cooks over an open fire while apple pancakes, fritters, dumplings and cider cover nearly every version of the fruit you could want.
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Sandoe’s Fruit Market
- 304 Carlisle Road, Biglerville, Pennsylvania
Pumpkins and gourds are the reason Sandoe’s Fruit Market stays on my route each year. I usually spend most of my time outside sorting through the different shapes, sizes and colors for Halloween and fall decorating before heading into the market for baked and jarred goods. And because I somehow haven’t had my fill of apples yet, I usually grab a jug of apple cider, too. The family-owned business works with more than 200 growers throughout the region, offering the market a broad selection of seasonal produce, local honey, jams and other Pennsylvania-made products.
The Historic Round Barn & Farm Market
- 298 Cashtown Road, Biglerville, Pennsylvania
The Historic Round Barn is one of the most recognizable stops on the route. The circular barn, built in 1914, measures about 90 feet across and still stands out against the surrounding farmland more than a century later. Today the lower level operates as a seasonal market with local produce, Pennsylvania Dutch baked goods, crafts and plants, including plenty of mums in the fall, while the upper level is used for weddings and private events. I mostly stop for the photo opportunity, browse for a few more snacks and seasonal plants, then continue toward Adams County Winery.
Adams County Winery
- 251 Peach Tree Road, Orrtanna, Pennsylvania
After a morning of orchards and farm markets, Adams County Winery is where we slow things down. Established in 1975, it is Pennsylvania’s fifth-oldest operating winery and the oldest in the Gettysburg region, with a historic 1860s bank barn serving as the main tasting room. The property includes vineyards, gardens and plenty of outdoor space, with yard games and live music on select weekends. Even if you do not drink, the setting alone makes it worth the stop, especially when the seasonal Terrace Bistro is open with wood-fired pizza and a garlic-Parmesan Bavarian pretzel worth ordering, too.
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