DAY TRIP: Demarest Farms — Apple Picking, Cider Donuts & Fall Fun in Hillsdale

October in Bergen County means one thing for our family: apple season. And if you want the full fall experience — orchards, a petting zoo, hayrides, and donuts worth the drive alone — Demarest Farms in Hillsdale is the place. It's Bergen County's pick-your-own farm, and we've made it our annual tradition since our daughter turned two. Here's how to do it right with little kids.

📍 Place
Demarest Farms, 244 Wierimus Rd, Hillsdale, NJ 07642. A working family farm offering pick-your-own apples and pumpkins in the fall (peaches in summer), plus a petting zoo, playground, and a farm market famous for its fresh apple cider donuts. Open daily 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Important: pick-your-own visits require an online reservation made in advance — tickets are not sold at the farm. General admission is about $9.70 for ages 2 and up and includes the orchard, petting zoo, and playground; a bag for the apples you pick (roughly 10–12 pounds) costs extra.

🚗 Drive Time
From Tenafly: about 15 minutes. From Fort Lee: about 20–25 minutes. From Palisades Park: about 20 minutes. Go early on fall weekends — the farm is popular and parking fills up fast.

👶 What Kids Can Do
• Pick their own apples straight from the trees (reserve your time slot online first)
• Visit the petting zoo — small, clean, and perfect for preschoolers
• Burn energy at the playground between activities
• Take a hayride through the farm in the fall
• Pick out their own pumpkin from the pumpkin patch
• Watch wide-eyed as warm apple cider donuts come out of the market bakery

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What Adults Can Do
• Stock up at the farm market: fresh produce, pies, baked goods, and prepared foods
• Grab lunch from the salad bar, soup station, or deli counter
• Browse the greenhouse for fall plants and seasonal gifts
• Take the classic fall family photos in the orchard rows
• Plan a return trip — the farm decorates the orchard with Halloween and Christmas light displays in winter

🧭 Things to Do Nearby
• Stroll downtown Westwood for coffee and lunch, just a few minutes south
• Walk it off at Pascack Brook County Park in Westwood
• Make it a full fall day with a scenic drive through the Pascack Valley

Parent tip: outside strollers, backpacks, and pocketbooks aren't allowed in the orchard, so bring a carrier for babies and pack light. And don't skip the cider donuts — buy an extra dozen. They never survive the drive home.

What's your family's apple-picking tradition? Share your favorite fall farm in the comments!