The Quick Version
- When: Apple season in Blue Ridge runs from late August into early November, with the orchards at their best in late September and October.
- Where: Mercier Orchards, 8660 Blue Ridge Dr, is the anchor. It has grown apples since 1943 and carries more than 40 varieties. The market is open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 6 Friday through Sunday; u-pick runs 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
- U-pick: admission is per person and bought on-site, and it starts with a tractor ride into the rows. Mercier does not publish the rate, so confirm it before you go. First come, first served while the fruit lasts.
- What is best: Gala and Honeycrisp in August, Mutsu and McIntosh in September, Fuji and Pink Lady in October.
- The drive: About 90 minutes from Atlanta. Roughly 11 hours, or a short flight plus 90 minutes, from South Florida.
Planning the whole trip? See our guide to exploring Blue Ridge, Georgia for what to do once the orchards close for the day.
Apple season is the easiest time of year to fall for Blue Ridge. The mornings turn cool, wood smoke drifts through town, and the orchards north of Ellijay fill with families and bushel baskets. If you have been watching this corner of North Georgia from a screen in Florida, this is the weekend that turns browsing into a road trip.
When is apple season in Blue Ridge?
Apple season in Blue Ridge and Fannin County runs from late August through early November. The orchards peak in late September and October, when the most varieties are ripe at once and the fall color starts to move down the ridges. Peak foliage in North Georgia usually lands from late October into early November, so a mid-to-late-October trip gives you apples and color on the same day.
Autumn weekends are genuinely busy. Mercier Orchards opens u-pick first come, first served, and individual fields close once a block has been picked out. Go early. Arriving on a Saturday before 10 a.m. generally beats both the crowd and the afternoon heat, and it leaves the rest of the day open for exploring downtown.
Which apples should you pick, and when?
Pick to the calendar, not to the name you already know. North Georgia apples ripen in a steady sequence from August into October, so the variety waiting in the rows depends on the week you visit. Early apples lean sweet and snackable. The late ones store longer and bake better. Here is the order Mercier and the surrounding orchards generally follow, with what each apple does best once you get it home.
| Apple variety | Peak window | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Gala | Late August into September | Snacking, lunchboxes |
| Honeycrisp | Late August into September | Fresh eating, slicing |
| Golden Supreme | August | Snacking, applesauce |
| McIntosh | September | Sauce, fresh cider |
| Mutsu (Crispin) | September | Baking, salads |
| Ambrosia | September | Fresh eating, slow to brown |
| Fuji | October | Snacking, keeps for weeks |
| Granny Smith | October | Pie, baking |
| Pink Lady | October | Pie, fresh eating |
| Arkansas Black | October | Long storage, hard cider |
Is Mercier Orchards worth the trip?
Yes, and it is the reason most people make the drive at all. Mercier Orchards sits at 8660 Blue Ridge Dr, just north of town. It is a fourth-generation, family-owned and veteran-operated farm that has grown apples since 1943, with more than 40 varieties across the hills.
U-pick admission is charged per person and bought on-site — Mercier does not publish the rate, so call ahead rather than trust a number you read somewhere. You buy it at the farm, then ride a tractor into the rows, where the farm hands you containers and points you toward whatever variety is ripe. On the way out, the market and bakery are genuinely the other half of the visit, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 6 on the weekend. The bakery turns out its locally famous fried pies and apple cider donuts all afternoon, alongside jars of apple butter and jugs of fresh-pressed cider. Mercier is the only orchard in Georgia that grows, presses, ferments, and cans its own hard cider, and the tasting room pours it for the adults. Bring a cooler so none of it rides home warm.
What else is there to do in Blue Ridge in the fall?
Plenty, and the apples are only the first stop. In the falls Thomas Echea spends up in Blue Ridge, the orchards are the first sign the season is turning, and downtown is where the day ends. The historic district of downtown Blue Ridge is a few walkable blocks of shops, galleries, and porches, anchored by the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway and its fall-color rides: a 26-mile round trip along the Toccoa River to the sister towns of McCaysville, Georgia and Copperhill, Tennessee, with a two-hour layover to shop and eat before the train heads back. Foliage rides run roughly mid-September into early November.
The bigger event is the Georgia Apple Festival in nearby Ellijay, held over two October weekends at the Lions Club Fairgrounds on South Main Street. In 2026 those dates are October 10-11 and 17-18. It has run for more than 55 years, with hundreds of craft vendors, a Saturday parade, a 5K, live music, and every apple food you can name. Add a winery stop or a scenic drive, and the weekend fills itself.
How do you plan the drive up from Atlanta or Florida?
From Atlanta, Blue Ridge is about 90 minutes and 93 miles north, an easy half-day trip with the orchards as the turnaround. From South Florida it is a longer haul, roughly 731 miles and about 11 hours by car from Fort Lauderdale, so most weekend travelers fly into Atlanta and drive the last 90 minutes.
That second drive is the one a lot of Florida families make twice before they start looking at a cabin near downtown Blue Ridge. The first trip is the apples. The second is the quiet realization, somewhere on the way down the mountain, that they would rather not leave. If that is you, it helps to know where to buy across the Blue Ridge surrounding areas before you start. Fall is when Blue Ridge makes its best case for itself, and it makes it without anyone having to say a word.
When the trip starts stretching past the orchards, Thomas’s full Blue Ridge guide picks up where apple season leaves off — the trails, the river, and the downtown blocks worth an unhurried afternoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does apple picking start at Mercier Orchards?
U-pick usually opens in August and runs through October into early November, depending on the crop. The peak stretch is late September and October, when the most varieties are ripe. Mercier opens the fields first come, first served, and closes a block once it is picked out, so weekend mornings are the safe bet.
How much does u-pick cost at Mercier Orchards?
Mercier charges u-pick admission per person and does not publish the rate, so confirm it with the farm before you drive up. You buy it on-site only, and it includes the tractor ride into the orchard and the containers you pick into. U-pick runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Bring cash or card and a cooler for the ride home.
What apples are ripe in October in North Georgia?
October is the late-season window. Expect Fuji, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Gold Rush, and Arkansas Black. These are the apples that bake well and store for weeks, which makes October the best month to pick a big haul rather than a snack bag.
When is the Georgia Apple Festival?
The Georgia Apple Festival runs over two October weekends at the Lions Club Fairgrounds on South Main Street in Ellijay, a short drive from Blue Ridge. In 2026 the dates are October 10-11 and 17-18. Expect hundreds of vendors, a Saturday parade, a 5K, live music, and apple food from fritters to fried pies.
How far is Blue Ridge from Atlanta and South Florida?
Blue Ridge is about 90 minutes and 93 miles north of Atlanta. From Fort Lauderdale it is roughly 731 miles and about 11 hours by car, so many Florida visitors fly into Atlanta and drive the final 90 minutes into the mountains.
