NEWSLETTER
The Historic Apple Farm in Central New York just Won First Place on USA Today’s 10Best list.
Lafayette, N.Y. — Beak & Skiff, a 100-year-old family-owned apple orchard, has once again been named the Best Apple Orchard in the Country, earning the top honor for the sixth time in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, an annual poll where the public votes to select their favorite destinations and experiences nationwide.
The latest recognition adds another chapter to Beak & Skiff’s considerable history of national recognition. The orchard took the No. 1 spot in 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2024. Which makes it one of the most consistently recognized apple orchards in the country. Beak & Skiff has also appeared in other spots on the list in previous years.
Over five generations, Beak & Skiff has grown from a family apple farm into a community destination where families return year after year for apple picking, cider donuts, live music, food, drinks, and quality time. Today, Beak & Skiff continues to build on that tradition by expanding their Apple Hill campus to give guests more reason to visit year-round. Photos of Beak & Skiff can be found here.
In late August of this year, Beak & Skiff unveiled Apple Grove Adventure Park, a $1 million expansion of its Apple Hill campus. This is the farm’s largest single investment since the construction of the acclaimed 1911 Tasting Room. The family-friendly six-acre destination features the largest mountain slide at any orchard in the country, a zip line, a petting zoo, multiple playground installations and more.
The continued evolution of Apple Hill reflects Beak & Skiff’s commitment to creating experiences that bring people back to the orchard. From its roots as a family-owned apple farm to its growth into a year-round destination, Beak & Skiff continues to give visitors reasons to make memories.
That commitment has helped make Beak & Skiff a destination recognized by visitors nationwide. For the sixth time, that recognition led to the honor of being named USA Today’s Best Apple Orchard in the Country. Proof of the enduring appeal of Apple Hill to the families who continue to make Beak & Skiff part of their traditions.
About Beak & Skiff Apple Hill
Beak & Skiff Apple Hill is a family-owned orchard and agritourism destination in LaFayette, New York, home to the historic 1911 Tasting Room, Apple Hill Farm activities, and now, Apple Grove Adventure Park. For generations, Beak & Skiff has invited guests to experience the orchard firsthand — through apple picking, hard cider, spirits, and family-friendly programming set against the backdrop of the Central New York countryside.
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