Metro Parent / September 2011 / Best Cider Mills and Orchards in Southeast Michigan

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Best Cider Mills and Orchards in Southeast Michigan

Family fun agritainment rules the autumn in Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and Wayne counties in 2012. Check out these spots for cider, playscapes and much more.

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Erwin Orchards, Inc.

• Address: 61475 Silver Lake Road, South Lyon
• Phone: 248-437-0150
• Hours: Store: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Cider mill: 6 a.m.-7 p.m. daily until Oct 31. Nighttime haunted house: 7:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday Sept. 29-Oct. 31.

Back by popular demand, Mr. Bee's Big 3-D Adventure returns for kids, where they'll experience the world from a bee's point of view. Other activities include wagon rides, corn (or hay) maze and haunted houses.

Franklin Cider Mill

• Address: 7450 Franklin Road, Bloomfield Hills
• Phone: 248-626-2968
• Hours: 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday until Nov. 29. Also open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.

There always seems to be something fun going on at this cider mill that's now in its 177th year. This year, try out the new candy apple wheel. Doughnuts served hot!

Long Family Orchard, Farm & Cider Mill

• Address: 1540 E. Commerce Road, Commerce Township
• Phone: 248-360-3774
• Hours: Call for details

Spend your afternoon venturing through the five-acre corn maze. Then take a break with a leisurely trip on the wagon. The cider mill is available daily but it only operates on the weekends. Ready for a cup?

Miller's Big Red Greenhouses and Cider Mill

• Address: 4900 32 Mile Road, Washington Township
• Phone: 586-752-7888
• Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, till the first week of November

Race your kids to the top of Straw Mountain or visit the petting zoo at this popular outdoor spot. Don't forget to stop by the corn maze for a challenge. Educational tours available for groups of 15 or more (perfect for a unique birthday party).

Parmenter's Northville Cider Mill

• Address: 714 Baseline Road, Northville
• Phone: 248-349-3181
• Hours: Contact for details; open through Nov. 18

Taste old-fashioned goodness when you visit Parmenter's. The cider mill has been a favorite since 1873. Taste the flavors of fall by stopping into the shop, which offers everything from pumpkin butter to maple sugar candies. For kids, there's a Train Play Escape and Monster Truck area.

Plymouth Orchards

• Address: 10685 Warren Road, Plymouth
• Phone: 734-414-0366
• Hours: Call for orchard and market hours

Do you remember the first time you went to an orchard with your family? This 30-acre farm will take you back. Create new memories with your family while visiting the petting zoo, taking a wagon ride and, best of all, sipping apple cider with your cinnamon-sugar-coated doughnut.

Stony Creek Orchard and Cider Mill

• Address: 2961 W. 32 Mile Road, Romeo
• Phone: 586-752-2453
• Hours: Shop: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily till Dec. 31

The Donut House is open! Stop by for hot doughnuts right out of the oven. The store is stocked with fresh produce and locally made products including honey. For a memorable evening, reserve your spot on the Moonlight Hayride the last three Friday and Saturday evenings in October.

Westview Orchard and Adventure Farm

• Address: 65075 Van Dyke Road, Romeo
• Phone: 586-752-3123
• Hours: Orchard: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. till Oct. 31. Farm market: 8 a.m.-6 p.m., daily (Fridays till 7 p.m.) until Dec. 24 (closed Thanksgiving). Some shops/rides open only weekends.

Your kids won't know where to head first – the three-acre playground or the indoor/outdoor petting zoo. Grab something to eat at the sweet shop, café, grill or bakery. U-pick apples may be available; check ahead.

Yates Cider Mill

• Address: 1990 E. Avon Road, Rochester Hills
• Phone: 248-651-8300
• Hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday till mid-December

Visitors from all over Michigan seek out Yates' fruit pockets. They're available in several mouth-watering varieties including apple, blueberry, raspberry and cherry. After you've had your fill, let your kids take a ride on a pony and visit the petting zoo.

Wiard's Orchards & Country Fair

• Address: 5565 Merritt Road, Ypsilanti
• Phone: 734-482-7744
• Hours: Orchard & Country Fair: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday until Oct. 28. See website for Night Terrors times.

For the sights, sounds and tastes of a traditional country fair, stop by Wiard's. You'll find miniature golf, a Karaoke Kabin and a spinning vortex, to name a few. For older kids, try out the Night Terrors attraction.