Visiting one of the dozens of Michigan cider mills is as quintessential to fall as tailgating before an American football game, raking leaves into a huge pile, or eating pumpkin pie in the Great Lakes State.
It’s no surprise, considering Michigan is the third-largest apple producer in the United States. In fact, we have 11.3 million apple trees growing at our 825 family-run farms across the state!
Whether you live in Michigan or are visiting for a scenic fall foliage tour, sipping a cup of refreshing apple cider paired with a delicious doughnut at a cider mill is a must-do fall activity.
In this post, you’ll learn where to find the best cider mills in Michigan. Also, I share what to expect at four of my favorite Michigan cider mills, and I’ve provided an interactive map of Michigan’s cider mills for you to map out your driving route.
Disclosure: This guide to Michigan’s best cider mills contains affiliate links. When you click on or purchase from one of these links, I may earn a commission.
What is apple cider?
Apple cider is a seasonal, non-alcoholic beverage made purely from fresh apples. It is typically available from late summer through early winter.
Cider is made by pressing apples at cider mills to extract their natural juice, and visitors can watch this process at many of the cider mills in Michigan.
Unlike apple juice, apple cider doesn’t undergo a filtration process to remove pulp and sediment, and neither preservatives nor sweeteners are added. Therefore, apple cider has a cloudy appearance and a delightfully sweet, tangy, and purely apple flavor.
Since apple cider is not pasteurized, it must be kept refrigerated. However, you can freeze it to consume later.
Apple cider can be served hot, cold, or as a slushie. Visitors to Michigan’s cider mills often pair their cup of apple cider with a doughnut or another sweet treat, such as apple turnovers, apple fritters, and caramel apples.
In addition to Michigan, visiting a cider mill is a popular fall activity in Vermont, New York, Washington, and other apple-growing regions of the United States.
What is the difference between apple cider and hard cider?
Though apple cider and hard cider (sometimes simply called “cider”) share a name, there are differences between these beverages.
The first difference is hard cider is an alcoholic drink. Though apple cider is delicious in fall cocktails, it does not contain alcohol.
Secondly, hard cider is made by fermenting the juice from fresh fruit. Though juice of apples is the most common, you’ll also find hard ciders made from the juices of pears, tart cherries, and other fruits.
Finally, hard cider can be fizzy, like beer or sparkling wine.
Luckily, if you hope to taste hard cider, you can at some of Michigan’s cider mills!
Where are the best cider mills in Michigan?
If you type “cider mill near me” or “cider mills near me” into a Google search, you will likely find at least one nearby cider mill in Michigan.
That is especially true in the southern and central portions of the Lower Peninsula, where Michigan’s best cider mills are mainly concentrated from the Ann Arbor area north through Mid Michigan.
Therefore, you could visit multiple Michigan cider mills in a day!
Below I’ve compiled a list of the best cider mills in Michigan based on online reviews and my own experiences.
For your convenience, I also included an interactive map pinpointing the top-rated cider mills in Michigan. Plus, I’ve created four driving routes for fun fall day trips to some of Michigan’s best cider mills.
Best Cider Mills in Southeast Michigan
- Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill in Armada
- Dexter Cider Mill in Dexter
- Diehl’s Orchard & Cider Mill in Holly
- Franklin Cider Mill in Bloomfield Hills
- Hy’s Cider Mill in Bruce Township
- Markillie Orchard in Howell
- Parshallville Cider Mill in Fenton
- Rochester Cider Mill in Rochester
- Spicer Orchards Farm Market, Cider Mill, Fudge, Bakery in Fenton
- Three Ciders Farm in Northville
- Yates Cider Mill in Rochester Hills
Southeast Michigan Cider Mill Day Trip: North Route
Want to go cider mill hopping near Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill? This Michigan cider mill day trip route through northern Macomb and Oakland counties includes:
Stop 1: Hy’s Cider Mill, 6350 37 Mile Rd, Bruce Township, MI 48065,11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 7 – Nov. 3, 2024
Stop 2: Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill, 17985 Armada Center Rd, Armada, MI 48005, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily
Stop 3: Rochester Cider Mill, 5125 Rochester Rd, Rochester, MI 48306, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily
Stop 4: Yates Cider Mill, 1950 E Avon Rd, Rochester Hills, MI 48307, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Saturday & Sunday
Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill
Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill is an all-in-one fall destination about an hour’s drive north of Detroit in Armada.
Step inside the cider mill at the 120-acre, family-run farm to see apples pressed into fresh cider. Then, purchase a cup of apple cider or a cider slushie, freshly baked cinnamon sugar doughnuts, caramel apples, and more from the farm store and bakery.
In addition to visiting the cider mill, your autumnal adventure at Blake’s could include picking Honeycrisp apples in the orchard (select Saturdays and Sundays only), dining and tasting hard ciders at Blake’s Tasting Room and Restaurant, or playing at Blake’s Funland.
Blake’s Funland offers 25 family-friendly fall activities, making it a destination for all ages. Kids will love the train rides, cornfield maze, storybook barn, petting farm, and more!
Book your table here for reservations at Blake’s Tasting Room and Restaurant, or call 586-784-5343.
- Address: 17985 Armada Center Rd, Armada, MI 48005
- Cider Mill Hours: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Daily (Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day)
- Honeycrisp U-pick Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Select Dates (Aug. 31, Sept. 1, 2, 7, and 8)
- Blake’s Tasting Room Hours: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Sunday
- Funland Hours: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday – Sunday
- Funland Admission: $15.95 Monday – Friday, $19.95 Saturday – Sunday, Free for children age 2 and younger with adult admission
- No Pets Allowed
- Stay near Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill: Royal Park Hotel (approx. 20 miles)
Southeast Michigan Cider Mills Day Trip: West Route
Turn your cider mill visit into a fall day trip by following this Southeast Michigan route! As you travel along this driving route, you’ll visit some of the best Michigan cider mills in the western suburbs of Metro Detroit and Ann Arbor.
Stop 1: Franklin Cider Mill, 7450 Franklin Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily
Stop 2: Three Cedars Farm, 7897 Six Mile Rd, Northville, MI 48168, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Sunday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Friday & Saturday
Stop 3: Dexter Cider Mill, 3685 Central St, Dexter, MI 48130, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday – Sunday
Franklin Cider Mill
Franklin Cider Mill, which opened in 1837 as a gristmill, is as old as Michigan’s statehood. Today, this Bloomfield Hills cider mill is a popular fall destination for fresh apple cider, cider dogs (hot dogs marinated in apple cider), and doughnuts made fresh daily from the same German spice recipe for over 80 years.
Inside the cider mill’s main visiting area, you can watch as chopped apples drop onto the pressing cloth and are pressed into apple cider during the daily presses. Each side of Franklin Cider Mill’s double press holds up to 60 bushels or 2,400 lbs of apples, and one press yields approximately 3 gallons of cider per bushel (40 lbs). That means the press can yield an average of 360 gallons of cider per press!
Once you’ve seen the mill’s original water wheel and watched the cider and doughnuts being made, purchase your cider and doughnuts. Then, head behind the mill to the Franklin Cider Mill Community Spot, where you can enjoy river views, feed the ducks, and listen to live jazz music on Saturdays and Sundays.
Though not all are always available, Franklin Cider Mill sells 25 apple varieties in the Apple Shack by the half peck (6 lbs) or bushel. You’ll also find homemade jams, honey, maple syrup, salsas, meats, cheeses, breads, pies, caramel apples, and more goodies.
Weekends at Franklin Cider Mill also feature face painting and fresh hot corn.
- Address: 7450 Franklin Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301
- 2024 Season: Aug. 31 – Dec. 1
- Hours: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily (8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Thanksgiving Day)
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Dogs Allowed
- Stay near Franklin Cider Mill: Daxton Hotel in Birmingham, Michigan
Top-Rated Cider Mills in West Michigan
- Gull Meadow Farms in Richland
- Hill Bros. Orchards & Cider Mill in Grand Rapids
- Klein Cider Mill & Market in Sparta
- Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery in Grand Rapids
- VerHage Fruit Farms & Cider Mill in Kalamazoo
West Michigan Cider Mills Day Trip Route
Take a West Michigan fall outing by driving this route to cider mills in the Grand Rapids area!
Stop 1: Hill Bros. Orchards & Cider Mill, 6159 Peach Ridge Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49544,9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday
Stop 2: Klein Cider Mill & Market, 2151 10 Mile Rd NW, Sparta, MI 49345, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily
Stop 3: Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery, 3142 4 Mile Rd NE, Grand Rapids Charter Township, MI 49525, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Saturday, Noon – 6 p.m. Sunday
Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery
Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery, which has been making apple cider since 1971, is the place in Grand Rapids for a cider mill visit. Though it is open year-round, Robinette’s is truly a fall destination for all ages.
There are family-friendly hayrides, a jumping pillow, a 6.5-acre corn maze with a unique design each year, apple picking in the orchard, and wine and hard cider tastings.
In the Apple Haus, you can drink your cider hot or cold. Pair it with various doughnuts, pies, pastries, breads, and sandwiches.
One of the tastiest fall treats is the pumpkin spice doughnut available from Labor Day through Thanksgiving. My husband loved the apple turnover, and many visitors have raved about the cheese bread and apple bread.
You’ll also find fresh, seasonal fruits grown in the orchards, apple butter, and caramel candies to take home.
- Address: 3142 4 Mile Rd NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525
- Hours: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Mon – Saturday, Noon – 6 p.m. Sunday
- Dogs Allowed
- Where to stay near Robinette’s: Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Best Cider Mills in Mid-Michigan & The Thumb
- Almar Orchards in Flushing
- Apple Barrel Cider Mill in Ithaca
- Barkham Creek Farms in Haslett
- County Mill Farms, Bakery, Orchard & Cider Mill in Charlotte
- The Fruitful Orchard & Cider Mill in Gladwin
- Leaman’s Green Applebarn in Freeland
- Miller Family Orchard in Vassar
- Montrose Orchards in Montrose
- Mueller’s Orchard in Linden
- Phillips Orchard & Cider Mill – Gatehouse Market in St Johns
- Uncle John’s Cider Mill in St Johns
Mid-Michigan Cider Mills Day Trip
From Lansing, the Michigan state capital, you can set off on this fall day trip route to the following Michigan cider mills:
Stop 1: Barkham Creek Farms, 181 Haslett Rd, Haslett, MI 48840, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday – Sunday
Stop 2: Uncle John’s Cider Mill, 8614 US-127, St Johns, MI 48879, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily
Stop 3: Apple Barrel Cider Mill, 1418 E Center St, Ithaca, MI 48847, 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday – Saturday (Open until 6 p.m. Monday – Thursday and to 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday in September and October)
Stop 4: Phillips Orchard & Cider Mill – Gatehouse Market, 1995 E Gratiot County Line Rd, St Johns, MI 48879, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday
Stop 5: Country Mill Farms, Bakery, Orchard & Cider Mill, 4648 Otto Rd, Charlotte, MI 48813, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday in September – October 2024
Uncle John’s Cider Mill
Uncle John’s Cider Mill is about a 30-minute drive north of Michigan’s capital. Therefore, this Mid-Michigan cider mill is a fun and family-friendly destination from the Lansing area.
Back in the early 1970s, John and Carolyn Beck purchased John’s parents’ wholesale fruit farm. After struggling in a depressed wholesale market, they converted the old cattle barn into a cider mill serving apple cider and doughnuts.
Since then, Uncle John’s Cider Mill has become an agritainment destination now run by the couple’s son, Mike. In 2022, Uncle John’s Cider Mill celebrated its 50th anniversary.
You can watch the cider-making process at the cider mill, eat a doughnut or caramel apple, and warm up with a cup of spiced apple cider. Then head over to the pie barn to purchase freshly baked pies and breads to bring home.
Adults ages 21+ can also sip a glass of wine or sample a flight of hard ciders at the taproom.
To round out all the fantastic fall fun are a pumpkin patch, a farm trail to walk, a corn maze, horse-drawn wagon rides, train rides, a jumping pillow, gemstone mining, live music, and more shopping in the gift shop.
- Address: 8614 US-127, St Johns, MI 48879
- Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily
- Dogs Allowed
- Where to stay near Uncle John’s Cider Mill: Saravilla Bed & Breakfast in Alma, Michigan
Why is Visiting Cider Mills the Best Michigan Fall Activity?
Visiting a cider mill is a beloved tradition each fall in Michigan. The state is home to dozens of cider mills, often family-owned, with operations handed down from generation to generation. In fact, some of Michigan’s cider mills even date back to the 19th century.
In this post, I shared Michigan’s 27 best cider mills in the Lower Peninsula’s southern and central regions.
Of those 27 highly rated cider mills, I highlighted four of my personal favorites — Franklin Cider Mill and Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill in Metro Detroit, Robinette’s Apple Haus & Winery in Grand Rapids, and Uncle John’s Cider Mill in Mid Michigan.
During a visit to a Michigan cider mill, you may get to pick apples in a Michigan apple orchard, eat a caramel apple, take a hayride or wagon ride, wind your way through a corn maze, or shop for pumpkins, fresh apples, and baked goods. Of course, drinking apple cider and pairing it with a doughnut is a must!
I’ll update this post as I continue to visit Michigan cider mills. I also invite you to share your thoughts about your favorite cider mills in Michigan and elsewhere by commenting below this post.
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The biggest thing I miss about MI is the cider mills so ?I loved this post. My Louisiana born husband thought it was much ado about nothing, a trip to MI, Yates Cider Mill and Franklin changed his mind.
I know exactly how you feel! When I lived out of state, I missed cider mill visits each fall. I tried to explain it to my friends and co-workers in the DC area, but I don’t think they fully understood either. I’m glad your husband came around after a proper Michigan cider mill visit though!
Those doughnuts look so good. I wish we had cider offerings down here. 😉
Hi Erin,
Your this post amazing to understand three michigan cider mills, I have tried Franklin Cider Mill last 2 years & my experience with it was superb. I being to remember my experience as I do see the post.
Thanks for it.
I had no idea Michigan was such a big apple state. And over 100 different cider mills? Wow. Your post has made me crave cider and donuts now, thank you very much. Just as I’m leaving the country, so I will probably completely miss out on enjoying any of those fun fall traditions. ;(
Mmmm…those donuts look awesome! So ready for some fall treats…other than Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spice Latte… 😉 I had no idea Michigan was a heavy apple producer – just one more reason to visit!
What a terrific resource for Michigan cider mills and fall activities. I grew up in Chicago and we always went up to the Mitten State for apples and peaches. Still do. Can’t wait to check out your recommendations.
These all look like great places to visit this Fall. Now I am hungry for a fresh made donut and a hot glass of apple cider!
This makes me wish I lived closer to Michigan. Apple cider donuts the pie barn sound like heaven.
Oooh Erin! Your post has me feeling all excited about Fall. I’ve never visited Michigan and now there’s an incentive to visit next Fall maybe 🙂 Thanks for also sharing these recipes – I’m going to check them out now. Hope you have a lovely Fall!
Supriya
Lovely post! We know Robinette’s! There is quite a large selection of places in West Michigan to visit. It’s a kid’s dream to eat those delicious donuts too!
I’ve been to a cider production farm as well where I live (Northern Ireland), very interesting indeed! Unfortunately they didn’t have those yummie apple donuts! 🙂
I LOOOVE this post! A unique topic you never read about! I’ve definitely pinned this for when we ever happen to be in the region! #WeekendWanderlust
I’m glad you enjoyed the post. The Midwest is beautiful during the fall. If you ever visit Michigan, let me know! #WeekendWanderlust
Very informative post highlighting our fall season in the Mitten. I now have a craving for a cider mill visit. I think I will try the Plymouth Cider Mill this year in the next two weeks since I went to Franklin last year. So many mills to choose from in just the lower peninsula, I like to try a different one each time. Also love all the helpful links…have got to try the apple pecan salad, apple cinnamon pancakes and the apple caramel dip recipes for sure. The color tours link is also a wonderful resource.
I’ve only ever been to Franklin. I’ve always wanted to visit others around the state. Thanks for sharing!
These are all amazing. Thanks for sharing! Love all the cider mills you featured here!
Thanks for explaining what cider was first, I hear about it so much during the fall but didn’t know exactly what it was. Your map is very nice too!
I would like to try Franklin since it’s not to far from me. I have a list to accomplish.
As much as I love living in Florida, one thing I miss is having an actual “Fall”. Apple Cider doughnuts sounds amazing. This looks like a perfect fall trip.
This is a fun post! Puts me in the mood for a cider mill! I wouldn’t mind visiting all of these. I should make a cider mill bucket list!
How fun! And now I’m dying for an Apple Cider Donut!
I’m not a fan of cold weather. However, I do like autumn for two main reasons – honeycrisp apples and cider. I didn’t realize that Michigan has both, not to mention apple donuts. Yum!
Yep, we’re big apple growers and consumers up here!
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