You don’t need a car to live downtown at Oakland’s on 9th — the skyway, the light rail and your own two feet cover almost everything. But a fall day trip to pick apples is worth renting a car or grabbing a rideshare for the day, and late September through October is exactly the window to do it.
Three good options, three directions out of downtown
Aamodt’s Apple Farm — Stillwater, about 30 minutes east
Aamodt’s (6428 Manning Ave N) is open daily 10am–6pm through late fall, with pick-your-own apples Monday through Friday, 10am–5pm, while the fruit lasts (usually through mid-October). Weekends add wagon rides (11am–5pm), a barrel-train ride for kids under 10, and a small goat farm you can walk right up to. There’s no corn maze or pumpkin patch here — it’s an orchard, not a festival, which is part of the appeal if you want a quieter afternoon.
Pine Tree Apple Orchard — White Bear Lake, about 20 minutes northeast
Pine Tree (450 Apple Orchard Rd) grows 25 apple varieties and is open 10am–4pm daily. It’s the pick for a family that wants the full checklist in one stop — a corn maze, a pick-your-own pumpkin patch, wagon rides, fresh cider and caramel apples.
Sever’s Fall Festival — Shakopee, about 25 minutes southwest
Sever’s has run its corn maze since 1997 and has grown into a 30-plus-attraction festival: pumpkin blasters, a jumping pillow, zip lines, a petting zoo and live shows, with general admission at $19 for unlimited visits through the season. It’s the biggest production of the three and the one to pick if the day is more about the kids than the apples.
Getting there without owning a car
None of these orchards are transit-reachable, so plan on a rental car or a rideshare for the round trip — figure 40 minutes to an hour each way depending on which one you pick and downtown traffic. It’s about the only day a car genuinely helps during a stay at Oakland’s; the rest of the week, walking, the skyway (one block away, not directly connected to the building) and Metro Transit’s trip planner handle groceries, the office and most nights out. If you’re bringing a dog along, check each farm’s own pet policy before you go — it varies by orchard.
Come home to a full kitchen
Whichever orchard you pick, you’ll come back with a bag of apples and nowhere to use them if you’re stuck in a hotel room. Every studio at Oakland’s on 9th has a full kitchen, so a pie, a batch of applesauce or just cider on the stove is one flight of real 1889 stairs away, not a hotel-lobby microwave. WiFi, all utilities, heat and free laundry are included whether you’re staying a night, a week or the whole month.
Good to know
- Aamodt’s Apple Farm: 6428 Manning Ave N, Stillwater — pick-your-own weekdays through mid-October, wagon rides weekends.
- Pine Tree Apple Orchard: 450 Apple Orchard Rd, White Bear Lake — apples, corn maze and pumpkin patch, daily 10am–4pm.
- Sever’s Fall Festival: 3121 150th St W, Shakopee — the biggest of the three, $19 unlimited-visit admission.
For more on getting around downtown without a car, see our guide to whether Dinkytown is worth the trip, and check what it actually costs to keep a car downtown if you’re weighing a rental against ownership for a longer stay. Book your studio or call (612) 314-5124 to plan your fall stay.
Keep reading: Things to Do in Downtown Minneapolis in December 2026.