Carter Mountain Orchard and Country Store

“Carter Mountain is definitely a great place to visit in the fall! It is even more fun when you bring a child with you! The views are spectacular, the apples are delicious, the red wine is tasty and you have to get the apple cider donuts! They are the best ever! Now it feels like you have to pay for everything individually whereas a while back you just had to buy the apples. They have definitely gone overboard when it comes to sales, (tickets to be there two hours, buy a bag for apples, merchandise galore) but since they really only have one busy season, it makes sense.”

“Carter Mountain Orchard is Charlottesville fall at its finest, even on a packed weekend! Apple picking stays fun and fruitful with plenty of ripe varieties, while the hay ride delivers stunning views through the orchards. The star? Warm, cinnamon-dusted apple cider donuts—crispy, sweet, and worth every minute in line. Tips for visitors: • Arrive by 9 AM to beat crowds and secure easy parking. • Check the ripening schedule online to pick your favorite varieties. Busy, yes—but the festive vibe, friendly staff, and authentic autumn charm make it a must-do.”

“Always a nice place to visit. The views are gorgeous! The fruit picking is a nice experience and the donuts are delicious. A great place for families. Plenty of parking. I would visit again.”

“This place is so cute!! The line to get up the mountain was long. Mainly because they had one person and everyone kept stopping to talk to them which was super annoying. We went on a ticketed weekend and it really didn’t feel crowded, and it was sold out. They do a good job managing people. The cider and donuts weren’t bad price in bulk. The apples were a bit much but is very expected there plus they tasted so good so it was worth it! They even let you change your dated ticket to a different date and time online which was awesome and it was easy. Buy your ticket ahead of time. My only negative is they don’t allow dogs. I prefer to support companies that support my family. There are others around here I usually go to that are dog friendly so I know it is possible. But this place was still awesome and worth it! I am sure we will be back next year.”

“My family and I had a great time. Picked granny smith's, had hot cider and warm donuts and a warm spiced wine that was delicious! Can't wait for our next visit. The product is pricey so we didn't get any memorabilia that was a little disappointing however it was a great experience.”

“Place was cool but not much to do. They offer wine, cider, Ice cream, and light food. Probably better in the fall when the apples are grown. We still had a good time.”

“My family and I usually visit this place every year as a tradition, but this year was different. We drove almost two hours just to be informed that we were required to purchase two bags of apples because we were a party of four (little kids count in your party). This is absurd. There’s no justification for us to be forced to buy two bags of apples that are likely to go bad. This is incredibly disappointing, and I sincerely hope they change this rule. On the bright side, everyone is still as nice as can be, and the donuts are still amazing.”

“Beautiful views and worth visiting for the scenery. Staff were hit or miss—some were very friendly, others not so much. The peach cider donut was crispy outside and soft inside, but bland and very greasy. At $2 each, I didn't think it was worth it. The apple cider was also pricey. Great views, but the food wasn't worth the price.”