It's finally fall y’all! So, with the beginning of fall that means beginning my fall bucket list! The first thing I checked off my list was visiting an apple orchard. My friends and I decided to take advantage of this warm weather and head to Sky Top!

Sky Top Orchard is a small family owned orchard located in Flat Rock, NC. The drive up to the orchard is full of scenic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There were a few windy turns and sharp embankments; so, if you get car sick, beware.

Once we arrived we scoured the mound of baskets for the perfect apple holder. Then, we received a map that outlines the types of apples Sky Top grew. Who knew there were so many beyond red, yellow and green! Then, we embarked on our adventure through the trees. Literally! The orchard is full of rows and rows of trees. All of them apple trees of course.

We had our basket, a map, a camera, and some much-needed apple cider

donuts to fuel us on this excursion. We started off heading straight, I mean you can’t get lost going straight because you can just come right back. But the apples,hanging high in the trees, were not very accepting of our vertically challenged friend group. This resulted in us climbing many limbs (illegally) to reach our prized fruit! The only problem with mounting these limbs is that once you go up you must come back down.

Eventually, we found some more height friendly trees and were able to fill our baskets!

The last thing we did before we strapped on our seat belts, was try the famous Homemade Apple Cider Donuts! Normally if you visit Sky Top, the line for these donuts is wrapped around the building twice. But luckily for us, it was shorter when we visited. So, there was not much of a wait to get our hands on the deliciousness!! OH MY GOODNESS!! They are amazing. My mouth is watering writing this if that tells you anything!! Here are some things that Sky Top offers that we sadly didn’t have time to experience:

Hayrides - There is a tractor that pulls you around the farm so you can explore the vast acreage by hay ride, instead of on foot.

Playground - Who wouldn't want to run in and out of a large apple-shaped jungle gym?!

Visit the farm animals - I was really sad I didn’t get to pet a cow or a sheep… maybe next time

Feed the Ducks - I think I was ok not doing this- we have enough ducks here at Furman

Go explore the Bamboo Forest - I already got so lost in the apple orchard, who knows how lost I would have been in the Bamboo!!

Eat everything else made of apples - There are so many things made out of apples... you have no idea.

Our visit to Sky Top was a blast! I would recommend it to any family, friend group, couple, dog, or apple lover! While there were a few things my small college budget wouldn’t let me enjoy, I hope you get the chance to take it all in.