Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

It’s that time of year again. Fall, the year’s most colorful season. This season is a fan favorite—there’s the sweet smell of cool, crisp days, the sound of leaves crunching underneath your feet and the coziness of oversize sweatshirts. So, go pull your fall gear out of storage because there are many enjoyable activities to partake in.

Minnesotans revel in everything fall has to offer. When summer is over, people still like to get out and about any chance they can while the weather permits. To some, fall might mean a road trip to the North Shore, and some may simply watch football with friends and family. But for many Minnesotans, fall is when we make our annual trip to an apple orchard.

Our apple obsession makes sense, as we are home to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, which is 2018’s number-two-rated Botanical Garden by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice. It has nearly 1,200 acres of horticultural garden and arboretum, and in fall, it’s the famous AppleHouse that attracts people from near and far.

Located in Chaska, the AppleHouse is a mile-and-a-half west of the arboretum entrance, and it has more than 50 varieties of apples throughout the season. Some may know this is where Haralson and Honeycrisp apples were originally developed. The Haralson apple was introduced in 1922 and is crisp, juicy and tart, whereas the Honeycrisp was released in 1991 and is known for its sweet/tart flavor and firmness. Today, the Honeycrisp is one of the world’s most popular apples.

In addition to world famous apples, you can also choose from “test apples” that are still in the research and development stages, some of which have not even been named yet. 

The AppleHouse opens at the beginning of September and runs through early November. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. This time of year is wonderful, so go enjoy some of the beautiful things the fall season has to offer.

Callie Larrabee is AAA Minneapolis’ marketing specialist.