Hurds Family Farm Review
Hurds Family Farm- Awesome Family Day!

Hurds Family Farm was named “Best Farm for Families” by Hudson Valley Magazine and it is easy to see how the farm gained this distinction. Through a partnership with US Family Guide, our “Party of Five” spent an entire day enjoying Hurds, and it is safe to say this is our new favorite farm!

Our day started out early because I have learned a golden apple picking rule: if you’re headed out from the greater NYC area to the Hudson Valley you have to get there early. After an easy 1.5 hour drive, we made it! Our goal was to be there when they opened at 9 (kid attractions start at 10) and we arrived just in time for front row parking.

After we got everyone organized post-road trip (potty, drinks, snacks, #lifewithlittlekids stuff) we headed inside the barn to get our wrist bracelets and we immediately were sidetracked by the best thing to exist in the fall: APPLE CIDER DONUTS. Make sure you try the cinnamony, delicious treat while you’re here.

There are a few options for families, but I highly recommend the VIP wrist band because it includes everything you’ll see mentioned here, plus a few more activities we didn’t get to because the kiddos were pooped! For reference, we spent about five hours at the farm and I think the adults secretly wanted to stay longer.

Our day began with “the reason for the season” – apples! We gave each kiddo their own bag and they quickly got to work- both eating and picking! With tons of apples at their height, they happily filled their bags as we walked through the lanes and looked at the different varieties. Honey Crisp and Empire (which the children kept calling Vampire apples, lol) were our family favorites of the day.

When our bags (and tummies) were full, we got in the short line to board the cow train. One of the greatest benefits of having so many activities at Hurds is that there isn’t much wait time at any activity, so were able to walk right up and participate in everything. With individually named cows fashioned out of barrels and driven by a tractor, the cow train was the perfect ride and the cutest photo-op.

When our bags (and tummies) were full, we got in the short line to board the cow train. One of the greatest benefits of having so many activities at Hurds is that there isn’t much wait time at any activity, so were able to walk right up and participate in everything. With individually named cows fashioned out of barrels and driven by a tractor, the cow train was the perfect ride and the cutest photo-op.

Then, we entered and conquered the Apple Obstacle Course. Designed as a rustic ninja course, Hurds Farm recycled wood and plastic into a challenging, kid-friendly ninja trail, and much like the bounce area, we had to pull the kids away! The “Pallet Hop” was our favorite part of the course.

By that point we were hungry, so we unpacked our lunch at the picnic area for a break. Hurds also has a cafe where you can purchase hot dogs ($8), apple turkey chili ($8), and a few other items. While we were eating Charlie spotted… The Giant Slide. For the next hour Lily, Charlie, and Natalia howled with laughter as they ran up the side of the hill, and plunged down the slide. Fair Warning for you: I went on it with Lily and it’s fast!

After tons of slides, we realized that we had not even done the Hay Ride yet! We settled in for the ride and I have to tell you that we were all smiles. Mom and Dad were smiling because we got to sit down for a moment and the kids were smiling because they were having such a great day. In fact, if there are any Daniel Tiger fans out there, Lily kept calling it a “Tiger Family Trip”. The train took us all the way to the back, and that’s how we discovered there are also Christmas Trees at Hurds Family Farm. We are definitely planning on coming back to cut our own tree.

While on the Hay Ride, we spotted the Corn Maze and even more apple orchards. A pasture of sheep delighted all the kids on the ride, and they loved pointing out the farm sights. To finish off the day, we took the kids to the Kid Corral. Featuring a huge sand box, and tons of playground toys, this was the perfect ending to our day.

I’m constantly amazed when we find new family things to do that are perfect for pre-school aged kids, and a great family value. We found the prices to be be fair and the activities to be awesome. Our next big hurdle to tackle is… what will we make with all of these apples? I’m currently searching through all of my apple cake and apple sauce recipes.

If you are planning a trip to Hurds Family Farm, keep these things in mind:

1. Get there early!
2. Dress in layers- we started with sweaters, went down to t-shirts, then back to sweaters.
3. The bathrooms are port-a potties- plan accordingly for kids.
4. Most Important of All: Don’t miss the apple cider donuts!

Happy Fall!