Discover 7 Sweet Orchards for Peach Picking this Summer

Get your exercise in while indulging in this nutrient-rich fruit

images of peach picking orchards next to peaches and overlaid on an orange and white checkered background

From coast to coast, discover fun pick-your-own peach orchards. From left, Bishop’s Orchards in Connecticut, Warm Springs Ranch in Washington and Chiles Peach Orchard in Virginia.

AARP (Bishop's Orchards; Warm Springs Ranch; Aaron Watson/Chiles Peach Orchard; Getty Images, 3)

Ana Gascón

AARP

Published July 25, 2025

There’s nothing like sweet summer peaches picked directly from a tree. Not only are they bursting with flavor, but they’re also ripe with health benefits. We know, for example, that peaches contain fiber. A diet high in fiber can aid with digestive regularity, lower cholesterol and may help prevent breast cancer.

Peaches are also packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are beneficial as people get older. These nutrients may slow the progression of vision loss from macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Plus, peaches are low in fat and calories, making them ideal for weight loss or maintenance.

Picking peaches at a local orchard provides the added perk of exercise. Walking lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes and dementia while improving sleep and mental cognition. Reaching for peaches means stretching, and stretching promotes joint flexibility and range of motion. What’s more, spending time outdoors boosts mood, self-esteem and energy.

For a day of peach-picking, wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes and loose-fitting clothes. Bring a water bottle and slather on sunscreen. Call first or check the orchard’s social media or website before heading out. Some orchards close unexpectedly, depending on the weather and fruit availability. Most farms provide containers for a small cost and wagons to carry your haul. You can also bring your own boxes.

Bishop’s Orchards

Guilford, Connecticut

Bishop’s Orchards is more than a peach farm. It’s a specialty grocery store, bakery, winery and creamery. They host trivia on Thursday nights and live bands on Fridays and Saturdays, all for free.

Peach-picking season runs from the beginning to the middle of September. Cost is $30 to $55, depending on bag size. Open: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.

the exterior of the Brecknock Orchard entrance

There are 30 peach varieties on the 60-acre Brecknock Orchard farm.

Lydia Martin/Brecknock Orchard

Brecknock Orchard

Mohnton, Pennsylvania

Andrea and Daryl Martin married in 1996 and decided to become fruit and vegetable growers. That same year, they purchased land from Daryl Martin’s father and developed Brecknock Orchard. They have been running the farm ever since, now with the help of their seven children.

“Our core values revolve around serving fruits and vegetables while providing an educational experience,” says Andrea Martin.

Brecknock Orchard boasts 30 peach varieties on its 60-acre farm. They are $3 per pound or $2.25 per pound for 10 or more pounds. The orchard will host peach festivals from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the first three Saturdays in August. Admission is free. Open: Through October, the farm hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturday; closed Sunday.

Visitors attend the pick-your-own peaches event in 2024 at the Paul L. Byrne Memorial University Farm at California State University, Chico.

Jason Halley/University Photographer/Chico State

California State University, Chico Farm

Chico, California

The farm at California State University, Chico is home to sheep, pigs, cattle, an organic dairy, almond and walnut trees and other crops, such as sweet corn, watermelon and pumpkins. But it’s the peaches that bring the locals together.

“For many families in our community, picking peaches is an annual event,” says Kevin Patton, interim associate dean and farm director for the College of Agriculture at CSU Chico.

For anyone with limited mobility, the Paul L. Byrne Memorial University Farm provides parking next to the peach orchard, and staff will help carry and load boxes.

Pick-your-own peach season starts in August. The cost is $3 per pound. Call the peach hotline at 530-898-4989 for dates, times and updates.

The first orchard at Chiles Peach Orchard in Virginia was planted in 1912.

Aaron Watson Photography

Chiles Peach Orchard

Crozet, Virginia

Cynthia Chiles’ great-grandfathers planted the family’s first orchard in 1912. More than 100 years later, the family now owns three orchards and a winery. Their orchard in Crozet, Virginia, will have peaches available through Labor Day. It costs $15 for a half peck, $22 for a peck, $40 for half a bushel and $65 for a bushel.

Other activities on the farm include pick-your-own berries, cherries, nectarines, apples and pumpkins. There’s also a wine bar and ice cream shop. Open: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Rancho Zaragoza

Brentwood, California

This charming, family-owned and operated farm offers a slice of the American dream. Owners Leticia and Macario Zaragoza, who are from Michoacan, Mexico, purchased their orchard more than 20 years ago. Today, they run the 10-acre orchard with their four children and nine grandchildren.

In addition to white and yellow peaches, they grow pluots, nectarines, pears, plums and pomegranates. Pick-your-own peaches cost $3 per pound. Open: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

a closeup of a person using a knife to cut a peach

Peach season runs through August at Penelope’s Peaches in Georgia.

Olivia Patten/Penelope’s Peaches

Penelope’s Peaches

Newnan, Georgia

In the heart of Coweta County, Georgia, 40 miles south of Atlanta, sits the 6-acre orchard known as Penelope’s Peaches. It’s owned and run by Scott and Teresa Clements, a soon-to-be retired airline pilot and a retired schoolteacher.

Peach season runs through the end of August. It costs $3 per pound.

“When you can get a product that’s locally grown, you get a better, more sustainable product,” says Olivia Patten, the Clements’ daughter and the farm’s marketing director. Open by appointment only. Text 404-520-1420 to schedule.

Warm Springs Ranch

LaCrosse, Washington

Warm Springs Ranch is a quaint farm in rural Washington in a community formerly known as Penawawa. The farm’s approximately 300 trees produce various pick-your-own fruit, including peaches, nectarines, apricots and Lodi apples. Peaches cost $2.50 per pound and will be available through early September.

Farm manager Bryan Jones suggests you call 509-710-8778 if you’re visiting for the first time. “We’re out in the country and hard to find,” he says. “GPS doesn’t always work out here.”

If you visit on a warm day, plan to take a dip in the Snake River, which runs along the property. Open: 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

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