There is apple picking, and then there is apple picking the way I like to do it: a beautiful drive, an hour in the orchard, a glass of cider or wine at the end and a proper lunch before heading home. October is the sweet spot for apple picking in New England, when the late varieties are ready, the leaves are turning and the farm stands are full of pies, cider and donuts still warm from the fryer.

These are the orchards I think are worth the drive, from easy day trips near Boston to a few in Vermont and New Hampshire that are worth a weekend.

1. Russell Orchards, Ipswich, Massachusetts

About an hour north of Boston on Argilla Road, Russell Orchards has pick-your-own apples, a farm store, a bakery and its own farm winery with tastings. The cider donuts are famous, and the line can run up to half an hour on fall weekends.

My tip: Go when they open at 9 a.m. The farm says fall weekends get busiest from 1 to 4 p.m. It is open Tuesday through Sunday through October, with shorter hours in November. Since Crane Beach and Castle Hill are on the same road, you can make a whole North Shore day of it.

2. Carlson Orchards, Harvard, Massachusetts

Harvard is one of the prettiest orchard towns in the state, and Carlson Orchards is a family farm that also makes its own hard cider. After picking, head to The Cider Barn, its taproom, which is open Friday afternoons and evenings and on Saturday and Sunday, with food to go. The retail store is open daily for fresh cider and fruit.

This is the one I would pick for a relaxed Saturday with friends. Someone picks, someone drives and everyone gets a flight.

3. Nashoba Valley Winery, Bolton, Massachusetts

Just down the road in Bolton, Nashoba Valley Winery combines a hilltop orchard with a winery and a farm restaurant, J’s. It is the grown-up version of apple picking in its purest form: pick your own, taste wines made on the property, then sit down for a real lunch. Reserve the restaurant ahead on fall weekends.

4. Hilltop Orchards, Richmond, Massachusetts

If you are spending a weekend in the Berkshires, Hilltop Orchards is a beautiful stop. The Vittori family farm covers about 200 acres with more than 20 varieties of apples plus plums, pears and grapes, and it is home to Furnace Brook Winery. It is also one of the largest producers of fresh apple cider in the Berkshires.

Pair it with a stay in Lenox or Stockbridge. For ideas, see my list of the best fall weekend escapes from Boston.

5. Poverty Lane Orchards and Farnum Hill Ciders, Lebanon, New Hampshire

For cider lovers, this is the one. Farnum Hill Ciders is made at Poverty Lane Orchards near Hanover, and it is one of the most respected names in American cider. This season, pick-your-own and sweet cider run Thursday and Friday on an honesty-box system, with Farnum Hill ciders and staff on hand on weekends. There are also picnic tables and woodland trails.

The orchard has been upfront that frost reduced this year’s crop, and that most of the apples are uphill from the farm stand. Wear good shoes and call ahead before you go.

6. Scott Farm Orchard, Dummerston, Vermont

Outside Brattleboro, Scott Farm grows around 130 heirloom apple varieties on 571 acres owned by the nonprofit Landmark Trust USA. You will find apples here you will never see in a grocery store, along with pies and cider at the farm market. It holds an Heirloom Apple Day each October, so check the date if you want to time your visit.

This is my pick for anyone who loves to cook. Buy a mixed bag and bake with three or four varieties at once.

7. Champlain Orchards, Shoreham, Vermont

The view alone makes Champlain Orchards worth the trip, with a walking path through the orchard that looks out over Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. Its Cider Garden serves the orchard’s hard ciders, sweet cider, baked goods and small plates on weekends during the season, with fire pits and a covered pavilion. The farm market also has cheese, charcuterie and jams if you want to build a picnic.

How to Do Apple Picking in New England Like a Grown-Up

A few rules I would follow:

• Go early or go mid-week. Orchards near Boston are packed on weekend afternoons in October.
• Check what is ready. Varieties change week to week, and some orchards stop pick-your-own once the crop is picked out. Look at the website or call the morning you go.
• Plan the driver. If there are tastings, decide before you leave who is driving home.
• Bring a cooler. For cider, cheese and anything you pick up at the farm stand.
• Make it a weekend. The Vermont and New Hampshire orchards pair perfectly with a foliage drive. My fall foliage weekend getaways from Boston and this year’s leaf-peeping itinerary are good places to start.

What to Do With All Those Apples

Once you are home, put them to work. Firm, tart apples are perfect for pie, and if you would rather leave the baking to someone else, my list of the best holiday pies around Boston and New Hampshire has you covered. For a slow fall weekend morning, my pumpkin spice French toast is lovely with sautéed apples on top.

Apple picking in New England does not have to be a kids-only outing. With a good drive, a tasting room and a long lunch, it is one of my favorite ways to spend a fall day in New England.