Have you ever gone apple picking with your spouse? I don’t mean with the kids, as a family. I mean just the two of you. If not, you should! There are tons of reasons why apple picking is the perfect fall date idea for couples!

Why apple picking makes the best fall date idea for couples

I am all about cheap date ideas for married couples. But I think they are even better when they are tied in to the season. Fall is a beautiful time of the year in many parts of the U.S. This makes it a great time to get outdoors with loved ones and enjoy the colors, crisp air, and tastes and scents of the season.

I know of no better way to do that in the Fall than with an apple picking date!

Purposeful

I know a date is supposed to be fun. But isn’t it better when something can be more than one thing?

One of the things I love about apple picking is that it’s not just fun, it also serves a purpose. This helps me feel a little less guilty about spending time doing something fun that I want to do (because mom guilt is real). I’m able to enjoy it more because it feels a little less selfish.

At the end of the day, you have something tangible to show for your time. You get produce to take home. So it’s kinda like getting part of your grocery shopping done, too!

You also get a lot of apples. Seriously. So. Many. Apples. Which is great, because now you have tons to bake apple pies or make applesauce with, and you CAN include the kids on that activity. Double bonus!

Another great multi-tasking benefit is in the fact that it’s an activity. You won’t be going someone to just sit. You’re able to get in a little physical activity, which I totally think you can count as exercise.

Fun

Having been married for 8 years now, and part of this couple for 14 years, I’m well aware that couples together long term often forget to have fun. If you’ve been married or together a short amount of time, say 3 years, you may think I’m crazy.

Trust me. I’m not.

Married couples don’t always remember to have fun together. Time together becomes so much about the logistics of life. Or when you are thinking about fun, it’s usually focused on fun for the kids or family as a whole.

Often, parents become too stressed or engulfed by day-to-day details that need to be remembered. There is always something that needs to be done or somewhere someone needs to be go.

Alternatively, when you DO remember to have fun, it’s usually with the kids, and you’re too focused on managing the kids and helping them have fun to fully enjoy the experiences. A fun date like apple picking allows you to have fun together without the kids and also lets you REMEMBER TO HAVE FUN.

Not expensive

Cost is a huge factor in our house when it comes to date night. We are not well enough off to go spend $100 on dinner and a movie. That $100 was hard to come by and I can think of 99 other places it could go.

Apple picking is a really reasonable date. You can spend as long as you want enjoying the fall weather and colors, and enjoying each other’s company, all for whatever it costs for the price of a 1/2 peck of apples.

1/2 peck (around 5 lbs) is a pretty standard size at most pick-your-own apple orchards. Around here, a more expensive place can be as high as $20 per person (and you each get a bag to fill) and as low as $10 per person and you each get a bag. We also have a place that allows you to get 1 bag and those without a bag only pay $4, which means a date for us there would be only $14.

Spend time outdoors

There are only so many things you want to do outside when it starts getting colder. This is definitely one worth doing!

In the Midwest, winter can arrive quickly. While the weather is mild and enjoyable, I always want to be out enjoying it, but besides going for walks and one trip to the pumpkin farm, there isn’t a whole lot to do.

Apple picking is a great way to get outdoors and spend some time enjoying the season.

Great for conversing

Apple picking is a great fall date idea for couples because it allows for lots of alone time open for conversing.

There are tons of date ideas where you get to spend time alone, but most of them require a little more silence. At dinner, you’re eating, which doesn’t allow for quite as much talking. Plus, dinner is usually only about an hour. Once you’re done eating, how long can you sit and take up a table at a busy restaurant?

Movies are great too, but you have to be quiet there as well. Besides the conversation about the movie on the ride home, there’s not a whole lot of conversation.

With apply picking, you can spend as much time as you want. Additionally, being in nature tends to open people up and relax them, so it’s great for prompting open discussions about almost anything. It’s a great activity for reconnecting with your spouse, whom you normally talk to about dishes and lawn mowing.

Romantic

The final reason that apple picking makes a great fall date idea for couples is that it can be super romantic!

Between the coziness that can accompany the chilly weather, the open and engaging conversation, and the leisurely time spent together, apple picking can be a very romantic date. If you want to add romance, that is super easy to do.

Lots of apple orchards are open til later in the day, making sunset viewing during or immediately after your adventure an option. If you pack a picnic, you can have it at lunch to up the romance factor, or save it for your sunset viewing and have dinner.

Apple picking is a great activity that will remind you of the activities you did and days spent together long ago, before marriage, before kids, and before life became so busy. It brings with it the perfect opportunity for reminiscing.

How to Plan your Apple Picking Date

Find a local pick your own orchard. Pick Your Own is a great site to get started. They list all types of pick your own farms both in and outside of the United States.

Look for smaller, less commercialized orchards for less crowds/lower cost. In our area, we have a couple of highly commercialized farms. They are very busy and crowded and very expensive. If you can, find a farm further out in the county and away from the city. Also, try to choose one that you don’t see billboards, commercials, or advertisements for regularly.

Plan for a babysitter for a few hours. This is the perfect time for Grandma to spend a little time with the kids!

Dress appropriately for the weather/environment. Check the weather before you go and be sure to have the appropriate hat, scarf, sweater, or coat. Sometimes fields can be squishy if it rained recently, so check the farm’s website (if they have one) for field updates and wear boots if necessary.

Be prepared to bring home a lot of apples. Seriously. You can always take home less, but you might get more than you know what to do with.

Pack a meal if you want to picnic. Make it simple! If there is a simple, special meal from your early years together, that would be perfect.

What are you waiting for?

Now that I’ve totally convinced you that apple picking may just be the best fall date idea for couples ever, I hope you’re psyched to go try it out yourself!

Just once, leave the kids at home and go on an apple picking date with your spouse. Just the two of you.

The kids can go next time. Plus, they’ll still get to enjoy all the fun apple activities when you bring home more apples than you know what to do with!

This time, experience the amazing reconnection that can be found participating in this simple, outdoor activity. You’ll be so glad you did!