Updated September 21, 2026 · Day trips from New York City
Choose the right farm and the right address
| Destination | Why choose it? | Before you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Harbes Orchard · Riverhead | Apples, a corn maze and pumpkin picking | Every person age 3+ needs admission |
| Harbes Farms · Jamesport | Apple-and-maze packages, with conditional sunflower access | Flower access is a different package; pumpkins cost extra |
| Ochs Orchard · Warwick | Fruit picking and a farm market | Call for available varieties after the spring freeze |
Harbes Orchard, Riverhead: compare weekday and weekend entry
Address: 5698 Sound Avenue, Riverhead. The published 2026 apple admission is $20 on weekdays or $27 on weekends/holidays, including a three-pound bag. The apple-and-maze combo is $24 or $32 respectively. The pumpkin patch reopened September 19 and requires an apple-picking package for access; do not assume a pumpkin is included.
Regular hours are 10 a.m.–6 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m.–6 p.m. weekends. Last maze admission is 5 p.m. The farm is card-only, does not allow outside food or pets, and operates weather permitting. Riverhead prices and current picking update ↗
Best fit: a group that wants the experience as well as apples. If all you want is inexpensive fruit, compare a farmstand purchase instead of paying several admissions. The maze upgrade is worthwhile only if everyone has the time and interest to use it.
Harbes Jamesport: the sunflower option needs a bloom check
Address: 1223 NY-25, Jamesport. The 2026 calendar lists September 26–27, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Apple admission is $25 per person; the $30 combo adds the corn maze and jump pads. A $35 combo adds sunflower-field entry only while blooms last. Children two and under enter free without an apple bag; pumpkins are sold by the pound.
The September 19–20 sunflower festival is over. Before choosing Jamesport specifically for flower photos, confirm the field is still open and worth your planned visit. Jamesport calendar and bloom-dependent packages ↗
Avoid the wrong-location mistake: Harbes also has a Mattituck property. Save the exact address attached to the experience you want. A family review or social-media clip labeled only “Harbes” may show another site and another admission package.
Ochs Orchard, Warwick: check the crop before chasing a favorite variety
Address: 4 Ochs Lane, Warwick. Ochs confirms apples for picking but says the April freeze reduced the variety selection. Call 845-986-1591 if a particular apple is the reason for the trip. Its seasonal calendar includes September pumpkins, but current picking days and hours need a direct check.
The market is listed as open daily 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; those hours should not be assumed to be the pick-your-own schedule. A current picking price was not verified, so ask about admission, container size and fruit charges together. Ochs' current crop notice and visit details ↗
Our take: choose this option when the harvest itself matters more than a long attraction list. It is not presented as a confirmed sunflower or corn-maze destination. Ask what is actually available, then build your day around that answer.
What a four-person admission bill looks like
For four visitors who all require tickets, the Riverhead apple-and-maze combo totals $96 on a weekday or $128 on a weekend, before food, pumpkins, transport and any applicable charges. That $32 difference may matter more than a small discount on snacks. Confirm special-date pricing before using the weekday figure.
At Jamesport, four $35 sunflower combos would be $140 before extras, and only make sense if the flower field is available. These are calculations from posted individual prices, not family-package offers.
Past visitors have praised the family activities while questioning how quickly admissions and food add up. The practical response is to decide on the full outing budget first. Do not use an old review's dollar amount as a current price, and do not assume a premium package is better value for children who will skip its extras.
A better day-trip plan
- Choose Long Island or Warwick. Check driving time from your actual address, including the return journey. Allow for your own route rather than relying on one “NYC drive time” for every borough.
- Prioritize one experience. Pick apples or visit the flower field first if that is your reason for coming. Fit the maze around energy and closing times.
- Plan food deliberately. Harbes prohibits outside food; include an on-site food allowance or eat before entry. Confirm rules at other farms separately.
- Save space for the harvest. Bring a trunk liner or box, shoes that can get muddy and a change for children. Follow each farm's approved picking-container rules.
When an overnight stay is worth considering
Stay overnight if you are adding a second day in the same region, not merely to collect another farm admission. For Long Island, compare a Riverhead-area base with your onward plans. For Warwick, look near that route rather than booking across the city.
Choose a New York foliage route →
Sources and visitor context
Farm pages checked September 21, 2026. The official sunflower event dates distinguish the finished festival from conditional field access. Visitor discussion of family-farm costs informed the budget questions; experiences at different Harbes locations are not interchangeable.