As summer starts, now is the perfect time to plan a unique, memorable fall vacation RV rental. One fun autumn experience is to visit an apple cidery while vacationing in a luxury motorcoach with a private driver.
If you’ve never traveled in a luxury motorcoach, think of it as a plush “hotel suite on wheels” with all the comforts of home, including the convenience of an expansive kitchen, comfortable beds, multiple bathrooms, washer and dryer, a dishwasher, and plenty of storage space for your luggage.
Our LiTRV team will help you assess which fall vacation RV rental option is best for you, plan your itinerary, which might include staying a luxury RV resort, and we’ll arrange for a private driver so you and your family and friends can relax during the journey and not stress about who is the designated driver while tasting various hard ciders.
Why Schedule a Fall Vacation RV Rental to an Apple Cidery?
Apple cider is made of pressed fresh apples. Unfiltered and raw, it doesn’t contain added sugar, undergoes minimal processing, and is usually unpasteurized. It tends to be slightly darker than apple juice, opaque, and can sometimes have residue at the bottom. Many people like to drink apple cider because it contains polyphenols, which are compounds in plants that act as antioxidants. Some say these can help lower your risk of certain types of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
Cider is typically non-alcoholic, but hard cider contains an alcohol content like that of beer. Hard cider is made by fermenting the juice of apples or other pome fruits.
Throughout the country, there are thousands of varieties of apples grown, which produce cider that range in flavor from sweet and sparkling to crisp, dry, or sour. Here are five apple cideries to consider visiting while vacationing in a luxury motorcoach:
1. Finger Lakes Cider Trail, Upstate New York
One good reason to plan a trip to the Finger Lakes Region in upstate New York is that you can visit multiple cideries, tasting rooms and farms on the Finger Lakes Cider Trail. This unique collaboration between cideries and apple growers spans the Finger Lakes Region, with orchards and tasting rooms overlooking Keuka Lake to the west and clustered between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes to the east.
The Finger Lakes is home to the USDA Apple Germplasm in Geneva, one the largest collections of apples in the world. The collection includes over 6,079 samples ranging from early North American heirlooms to English and Spanish cider apples, wild apples from Central Asia, Turkey and even Bhutan. Apple varieties like Empire, Cortland, Jonagold, Spigold, Redfield and Macoun were developed at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, now named Cornell AgriTech, joining other famous New York apples like Northern Spy, Newtown Pippin and Esopus Spitzenburg.
One option for your trip may include a stay at Finger Lakes RV Resort in Hector, New York, which is about 10 minutes from Watkins Glen and 30 minutes from Ithaca. This peaceful resort is in the heart of the Seneca Lake Wine Trail with two wineries and a diner adjacent to the property, and over 30 wineries, breweries, and distilleries within 10 miles. The resort’s spacious sites feature full hookups, a gravel patio, large yard, a picnic table and a fire ring. LiTRV can check availability, make reservations, and once you arrive at the resort, your private driver will help you get set up and then stay nearby so you and your family or friends can enjoy your privacy.
There are several popular apple cideries within 25 minutes of the resort. These include Bellwether Hard Cider, Black Diamond Farm and Cider, Finger Lakes Cider House, Blackduck Cidery, New York Cider Company, and Redbyrd Orchard Cider.
2. Island Orchard Cider, Ellison Bay, Wisconsin
Visit Island Orchard Cider’s taproom to taste award-winning ciders from the nearby Washington Island orchard. Back in 2005, Island Orchard Cider’s owners bought and started the process of planting the orchard with 200 dwarf apple trees – all cider-making cultivars. Today, their orchard features more than 3,000 cider fruit trees with 41 apple cultivars and 11 pear cultivars. In May 2023, Island Orchard Cider earned four Silver Medals at the Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition (GLINTCAP). GLINTCAP is the largest and most prestigious hard cider competition in the world, with all judging done by blind taste tests.
Due to a similar climate and soil, the apple varietals planted at Island Orchard Cider are like those found in Normandy, France. In the orchard, they harvest all the fruit by hand. The harvest begins in late September and runs through mid-November. Island Orchard Cider’s taproom in Ellison Bay offers the full range of ciders, including small batch draft releases of experimental ciders from their sister Pomona Cider Co. in Milwaukee. Enjoy the tasting room inside or relax on the dog-friendly outdoor patio or quieter picnic tables out back.
LiTRV can explore nearby RV resorts that can accommodate Class A luxury motorcoaches, including HTR Door County in Egg Harbor, which is about 30 minutes from Island Orchard Cider in Ellison Bay. Conveniently located on a fun-filled peninsula between Lake Michigan and Green Bay and close to five state parks, HTR Door county is adjacent to The Orchards of Egg Harbor Golf Course and local shops and restaurants. Amenities include a small private yard, fire pit, picnic table, concrete driveway, and patio. Premier executive sites are just a stroll to the resort’s heated outdoor pool, arcade, and dog park.
3. Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Waterbury Center, Vermont
A trip to the “Green Mountain State” to see the fall foliage might also include a stop at Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury Center, Vermont. Take a free, self-guided tour of the working cider mill, watch cider donuts being made daily on an old school donut machine, and take in the breathtaking views of the Worchester Mountain Range. The cider mill also offers a chance to watch fresh raw cider being pressed the authentic way on a rare, vintage rack-and-color press from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday. Visit the café and tasting room to enjoy real Vermont McIntosh cider and other seasonal, dry hopped-based, fruit-enhanced, and traditional hard ciders.
Traveling through Vermont could include a stay at Apple Island RV Resort in South Hero, which is about an hour from Cold Hollow Cider Mill. Overlooking the beautiful Lake Champlain, this luxury resort includes professionally-designed, oversized, full hook-up sites, many of which overlook the lake in a tiered fashion to allow views for everyone. The refreshingly spacious RV sites are perfect for Class A motorcoaches. Each accommodation includes a picnic table, a fire ring, and complimentary WiFi. Guests also have the option of reserving a Platinum, Gold, or a Silver site for their luxury motorcoach.
4. 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, Oregon
With 22 rotating taps plus more available by the bottle, including rare and Tap Room-only releases, 2 Towns Ciderhouse likes to tout being ground zero for all things cider. Friends from two nearby towns started the cider house in 2010, and it has grown to offer cider, mead, beer, hard seltzer, and snacks in a friendly atmosphere that includes board games, a dog-friendly patio and a 135” big screen for watching sports.
2 Towns Ciderhouse is about an hour drive inland from Oregon’s pristine coast. When planning your fall vacation RV rental, you might consider staying at the Pacific Shores Motorcoach Resort, a five-star resort that features luxurious lots, spectacular sunsets, a private beach, and whale watching.
The 22-acre, gated resort includes many high-end amenities, such as a spacious clubhouse with an indoor pool and spa, sauna, workout center and full laundry and shower facilities. The resort’s second pool and spa in an outdoor setting is located on the north side of the property, just steps away from forest walking trails and pickleball and basketball courts.
A short stroll down the resort’s private beach trail takes you to the Pacific Ocean where you’ll find stunning views of the Yaquina Bay lighthouse and photogenic rock formations.
5. Apiary, Carpinteria, California
Fall is a great time to visit seaside towns of California, including Carpinteria in southeastern Santa Barbara County. Old Town Carpinteria is the third most expensive neighborhood in the United States, perhaps because of its appeal to surfers and for being known as the “World’s Safest Beach,” a slogan the city adopted in 1912 and still uses today.
The town is also home to Apiary, which takes a unique approach to making fresh cider. The owners met at a small Maker’s Market event for local food and beverage creators in 2015. They launched their business in a small warehouse space so they could experiment, learn, and explore the possibilities of brewing healthier alcohol. Each day, they would ferment honey, apples, fruits, and botanicals in 15-gallon kegs and then open the bar every weekend to share their latest beverage discoveries with friends. Today, they are open every day, and their taproom features a rotating selection of cider and mead, made with local honey and organic apples grown in Santa Barbara County.
Sun Outdoors Santa Barbara RV Resort is a 40-minute drive from Apiary with scenic views of the ocean. Located in Goleta, California, this luxury RV Resort was formerly known as Ocean Mesa RV Resort. The resort is situated between the Pacific Ocean and Ynez Mountains, offering spectacular views and a stunning backdrop for activities and adventure. The pet-friendly resort offers a range of amenities and activities, including hiking, swimming, horseshoes, and movie nights on the market lawn.
Book Your Fall Vacation RV Rental
Ready to plan your fall vacation RV rental? Call us at 847-833-6768 or fill out the form on our home page for a quote.
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