Is Hidden Valley Orchards Open Today? Season Hours, Ticket Info & What’s Ready to Pick
If you’ve been searching “is the apple orchard open today” or “apple picking open now,” here’s your answer: Hidden Valley Orchards is open for the 2026 season, and the farm is buzzing with life right now. Whether you’re planning a last-minute afternoon escape with the kids or looking to lock in a spot for one of the season’s most talked-about events, you’ve landed in exactly the right place.
Nestled at 5474 North State Route 48 in Lebanon, Ohio,Hidden Valley Orchards has been welcoming families since 1956. That’s nearly seven decades of cider donuts, fresh-picked fruit, and the kind of memories that make people come back year after year. From spring through fall, the farm transforms into a full-day destination packed with activities, food, animals, and a calendar of events that keeps growing with every season. Here’s everything you need to know before you head out the door today.
Yes, Hidden Valley Orchards Is Open Here Are the 2026 Season Hours
The 2026 season kicked off on April 2nd, and the farm is now open Thursday through Sunday every week through the fall season. But here’s something worth knowing: the experience changes significantly depending on which day and which time of day you visit. Understanding the schedule will help you make the most of your trip.
Thursday & Friday Mornings 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Thursday and Friday mornings are the quietest and most peaceful time to visit ideal for families with toddlers and young children who thrive in calmer settings. During these morning hours, guests can enjoy the Animal Area, the Red Apple section of the Play Yard, and seasonal children’s activities including Story Time. The Farm Bakery is open with freshly made donuts, pastries, and baked goods, and the Main Barn Market serves coffee, cider, and grab-and-go snacks.
Thursday & Friday Evenings 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM
The evening hours bring a completely different vibe lively, social, and perfect for date nights, family dinners, or casual meetups with friends. On Thursday evenings, the Red Apple Play Yard area remains open and oven-baked farm pizza is the star of the show. Friday evenings step it up further with both the Red and Green Apple areas of the Play Yard open, a mobile kitchen on-site, farmstand snacks, Crate Room drinks, fresh cider, and beer. Select evenings also feature fire pits, making it one of the most romantic and relaxed ways to end a week.
Saturdays The Full Farm Experience 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Saturday is when the farm truly comes alive in every corner. All attractions are open, including the full Apple Play Yard with both the Red and Green Apple areas, Jump Pillows, and the Corn Chute Slide. Every food and drink option is available, from the Farm Bakery and Main Barn Market to the Cidery, oven-baked pizza, and the mobile kitchen. If you can only choose one day for a first visit, Saturday gives you the complete Hidden Valley experience from morning to night.
Sundays All-Day Family Fun 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Sundays offer the same full range of attractions as Saturday the complete Play Yard, Animals, Jump Pillows, Corn Chute Slide, wood-fired pizza, and the Cidery with an earlier close at 6:00 PM. It’s a great option for families who want a full day without staying into the evening. Perfect for Sunday-funday outings, post-church farm trips, or winding down the weekend in the best way possible.
Quick Note on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday:
The farm is closed to the general public Monday through Wednesday. Wednesday is reserved exclusively for the Toddler Farm Adventures program and scheduled field trips. If you’re a school group or childcare provider, the Farm’s Field Trips page has everything you need to book a guided visit.
Do You Need a Ticket? Here’s How Entry & Pricing Actually Works
This is probably the most common question we hear and the answer surprises a lot of first-time visitors in the best possible way. Entry to Hidden Valley Orchards is completely free. You can walk through the gates, explore the grounds, visit the animals in the paddocks, browse the Great Barn Market, relax on the Great Lawn, wander the sunflower fields and pumpkin patch, and enjoy live music all at no cost.
The one ticketed area is the Apple Play Yard a dedicated activity zone with over 30 family-friendly attractions. Think Sproutsville, Grain Bin Basketball, the Apple Crate Crawl, Jump Pillows, the Corn Chute Slide, and much more. Tickets for the Apple Play Yard are purchased on-site and are the primary way to unlock the full hands-on fun for kids. Parking is always free as well.
The farm also has a few simple rules to keep in mind. Outside food and beverages are not permitted on the property but with the Farm Bakery, mobile kitchen, pizza barn, Cidery, and farmstand all operating during open hours, you’ll have plenty of delicious options waiting for you. Pets are not allowed (service dogs are welcome), and the farm is tobacco-free.
What’s Ready to Experience Right Now on the Farm
Spring and early summer at Hidden Valley Orchards are genuinely special. The fields are green, the baby animals are out, the flowers are starting to bloom, and there’s something exciting happening almost every day the farm is open. Here’s a look at what you can experience right now during this part of the season.
• Apple Play Yard: With 30+ attractions spread across the Red and Green Apple areas (availability depends on your visit day), this is the heart of the farm experience for kids. From climbing structures to interactive games, it’s built for hours of play.
• Petting Zoo & Animal Paddocks: The baby animals are especially adorable right now in the spring. Kids can meet farm animals up close in a relaxed, open-air setting.
• The Great Barn: A historic barn that anchors the farm’s gathering spaces. Great for photos, shopping local goods, and soaking in the atmosphere.
• Bee Barn & Exhibition Garden: An outdoor classroom experience featuring observation hives and a beautifully maintained exhibition garden. A hidden gem on the property that delights both kids and adults.
• Eat & Drink: From fresh cider donuts and artisan pastries to oven-baked pizza, farm-crafted cider, and cold beer, the food and drink lineup at Hidden Valley is genuinely part of the experience. The Cidery is a must-stop on weekend visits.
• Sunflower Fields & Great Lawn: Open to all guests for free exploration. Bring a blanket, grab a cider, and enjoy the view there’s no better backdrop for a family photo.
Upcoming Events at Hidden Valley Orchards Peak Season 2026
If there’s one thing that sets Hidden Valley apart from other farms in the region, it’s the events. The farm team has built an incredible lineup of seasonal celebrations, weekly recurring programs, and special ticketed experiences that give visitors a reason to come back again and again throughout the year. Here’s a full breakdown of what’s coming up during peak season and why each one is worth putting on your calendar right now.
Pizza Night Every Thursday Starting April 9 | 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Thursday evenings at the farm have a whole new energy thanks to Pizza Night. The kitchen serves up Fresh French Bread Pizzas baked right on-site, and the atmosphere is relaxed, social, and family-friendly. RSVPs are required to help the team manage capacity, so don’t wait until last minute if you’re planning a Thursday visit. This is the perfect mid-week farm escape for families and friend groups alike.
Story Time Every Friday Starting April 10 | 10:30 AM
Designed especially for toddlers and young children, Story Time is a calm, cozy morning program that brings the farm to life through books and gentle farm activities. It runs every Friday at 10:30 AM and is the kind of routine that young families start building their whole week around. RSVPs are required. If you have a little one under five, this is a non-negotiable weekly outing.
Toddler Farm Adventures Every Wednesday & Thursday, April 15 – May 20 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
This weekly program is designed specifically for children ages 18 months to 3 years and their caregivers. Toddler Farm Adventures is a structured, hands-on farm experience that makes the most of the Wednesday’s exclusive access window. Multi-session passes are available, making it a wonderful recurring investment for parents of very young children who want consistent, enriching outdoor time.
Mom’s Farm Day (Mother’s Day) Sunday, May 10 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Celebrate Mother’s Day the right way outdoors, surrounded by baby animals, spring blooms, and family. Mom’s Farm Day is a relaxed, all-ages celebration on the farm with special activities, a sweet treat for every mom, and that warm Hidden Valley hospitality. RSVP is required, and spots are expected to fill quickly for this popular annual event. If you’re looking for something more meaningful than a restaurant reservation, this is it.
Half-tober Fest Saturday May 16 & Sunday May 17, 2026
This is one of the farm’s biggest events of the spring season, and it is exactly as much fun as it sounds. Half-tober Fest transforms Hidden Valley Orchards into a Bavarian-inspired bierhall experience complete with live music, communal tables, steins of craft beer, hearty farm food, traditional games, and sing-alongs. It’s a full-farm takeover event with ticketed entry, and guests are enthusiastically encouraged to dress the part in dirndls and lederhosen. Whether you’re bringing the whole family or planning a fun outing with friends, Half-tober Festdelivers the kind of atmosphere you’ll be talking about until October rolls around. Tickets sell out, so book early.
Babies & Berries Saturday, June 6, 2026
June brings one of the sweetest events of the entire season: Babies & Berries. This one-day spring celebration is designed for families with young children and brings together baby animals, hands-on farm activities, fresh berry-inspired treats, and moments made for capturing on camera. The best part? Admission is free with RSVP. It’s a wonderful early-summer outing that appeals to everyone from newborns to grandparents. Mark June 6th on your calendar now and grab your free spot before it fills up.
Girls Night Out Line Dancing Event
Looking for a night out that’s a little out of the ordinary? Hidden Valley’s Girls Night Out Line Dancing event is exactly the kind of evening that gets people talking. Boot-stomping, laughter, and a farm setting that provides the perfect backdrop for a memorable girls’ night. Check the Farm Calendar for the confirmed date and grab your tickets early this one fills up fast among local groups.
Tips for Planning the Perfect Visit to Hidden Valley Orchards
A little planning goes a long way when it comes to making the most of a farm visit. Here are a few tips to help your day run smoothly from the moment you pull into the parking lot.
• Double-check your GPS. The address is 5474 North State Route 48, Lebanon, Ohio 45036. Be sure to spell out “North” in your GPS leaving it out can send you to the wrong location in South Lebanon.
• Arrive early on Saturdays. Saturday is the most popular day by far. Arriving closer to 10:00 AM gives you first pick of everything parking, popular activities, and fresh-from-the-oven baked goods.
• RSVP for events in advance. For Pizza Night, Story Time, Toddler Farm Adventures, and seasonal events, RSVPs are required. The farm is intentionally managed for a quality experience, not maximum crowd size, so spots are genuinely limited.
• Dress for the farm. Closed-toe shoes, comfortable clothes, and a light layer in the morning (spring mornings can be cool) make all the difference when you’re spending hours outside.
• Leave outside food at home. Outside food and beverages are not permitted on the farm. The good news is that with the Farm Bakery, Cidery, pizza barn, mobile kitchen, and farmstand all on-site, you won’t miss it and you’ll probably discover a new favorite treat.
• Sign up for the email list. Hidden Valley announces new events, updated hours, and seasonal highlights through their email list first. If you want to be the first to know when something exciting is happening especially for those events that sell out quickly getting on the list is the smartest move you can make.
• Check the Farm Calendar regularly. The event lineup keeps growing, and new programs are added throughout the season. The Farm Calendar page on the website is always your most up-to-date resource.
Come Experience Why Families Keep Coming Back Since 1956
Hidden Valley Orchards is more than just a farm it’s the kind of place that becomes part of your family’s seasonal story. It’s where kids remember feeding their first goat, where couples steal a quiet moment by the waterfall, where friends laugh through a corn maze at dusk, and where grandparents watch grandchildren experience the same magic they remember from decades ago. With over 4.3 stars from nearly 1,500 reviews, it’s clear that what happens at Hidden Valley stays with people long after they leave.
The 2026 season is open and the calendar is filling up fast. Whether you’re a first-time visitor wondering if the orchard is open today or a returning family already eyeing your next event, there’s never been a better time to visit.
Ready to Plan Your Visit?
• Visit the Plan Your Visit page for full hours and day-by-day attraction details.
• Check the Farm Calendar to see what events are coming up next.
• Reserve your spot for Pizza Night, Story Time, Half-tober Fest, Babies & Berries, and more through the Events page.
• Join the email list to be first in line when new events and seasonal updates drop.
