One of autumn's most cherished delights is heading out on a sunny day to visit an apple orchard where picking apples and making memories is a time-honored tradition. 

At a pick-your-own orchard, pluck your favorite apples right off the tree, excited with the prospect of what's ahead when you get your bounty home: lots of apple sauce, delicious apple pies, or plenty of apples just bursting with flavor to crunch into.  

Almost as popular as apples fresh off the tree are specialty items created from fall's favorite fruit: apple cider donuts, apple cider and hard cider. Breweries have also been inspired to create autumn-forward ales and lagers. 

Apple picking, noshing on cider donuts, or trying a hard cider or brewery offering will help you make the most of fall's culinary splendors and continue old traditions or make new memories.  

For the best experience, please check a venue's website for dates and times before you go. 

Windy Ridge Orchard, North Haverhill 

The Fabrizio family has been welcoming visitors to Windy Ridge Orchard's pick-your-own experience for close to 60 years. Mother Nature has a hand in determining the beginning and ending dates, but when the weather cooperates apple picking season begins in late August with Paula Reds and finishes up in early October with Empires.  

Eighteen apple varieties just waiting to be picked draw crowds hoping to snag their favorites. Many families make it a yearly tradition to visit the orchard each fall to enjoy the camaraderie that bubbles up among the visitors all intent on taking home their preferred apples along with fun memories.  

Kids especially enjoy picking apples straight from the trees, and they won't want to miss a visit with the barnyard's pigs, sheep and goats, spend some time in the playground and explore the property's nature trails. 

The Windy Ridge store sells bags of pre-picked apples, cider, maple syrup, jams and jellies, candles and an assortment of gift items. Along with apples, fall is the season for pumpkins, squash and mums and you'll find a good variety of Windy Ridge-grown varieties here.  

After working up an appetite, visit the Cider House Café, where the sandwiches are named after popular apple varieties, and the cider donuts, apple crisp and apple pie are always a hit.  

• 1775 Benton Road, North Haverhill.

Tellman Hill Farm, Whitefield 

Doug Morin and Emily Meacham of Tellman Hill Farm will have more than 50 apple varieties available this fall to appeal to every taste and use, from apples perfect for eating out of hand to those most suitable for making the perfect apple pie.  

The farm will be open Friday through Sunday from September through mid-to-late October for pick-your-own or pre-picked apples. A nice touch: you can mix apples, so it's possible to take home several varieties in one bag.  

Apple samples, fresh-pressed cider, apple cider donuts, and cider slushies will be available. The farm's own pumpkins and gourds will be ready to take home, along with a selection of fresh vegetables from nearby farms, and White Mountain Apiary honey and Mount Cabot Maple's maple syrup. 

• Tellman Hill Farm, 25 Tellman Lane, Whitefield.

Cider Bellies Doughnuts, Meredith 

If you enjoy cider donuts don't miss a stop at Cider Bellies Doughnuts while you're out taking a foliage drive. The cider donuts are made fresh daily and offered singly, by the half-dozen or splurge on a full dozen. Try their signature Cinnamon/Sugar donut, check out the Maple Drizzle or gobble up an Old Fashioned plain donut, where the cider taste is the star.  

Handmade candles that capture the cinnamon/sugar and maple drizzle cider scents are available, along with tee-shirts and mulling spices for hot cider. 

Located on the Moulton Farm in Meredith, Cider Bellies Doughnuts is open year-round. While you're indulging in donuts, also check out Moulton Farms fresh vegetables, and pumpkins and mums. 

• Moulton Farm, 18 Quarry Rd, Meredith.

Rhythm Cider, Lincoln 

Try a tasting of Rhythm Cider at the Seven Birches Winery at the Riverwalk Resort at Loon Mountain. Choose from more than a dozen cider profiles, such as Hard Heirloom Apple Cider, Blueberry Hard Apple Cider, Hard Blood Orange Cider, Rhythm Pride Honey Cider, New Hampshire Rosè Cider, Maple Cider and Hopped Cider. 

If you'd like to know how the cider you've tasted is made, book a cidery tour and explore all all the ins and outs of the popular beverage with the winery's cider maker. Finish your tasting and tour with a stop at the Rhythm Tap & Grille with its American-style grill menu complemented by Rhythm Cider and other spirits.  

• Seven Birches Winery, 22 South Mountain Drive, Lincoln.

Crucial 10 Craft Cider, Thornton 

Handcrafted hard ciders made from local apples are Crucial 10's specialty. Whatever cider flavor profile you favor, chances are Crucial 10 has you covered with semi-dry, hazy, semi-sweet and dry varieties.  

Bonez Dry, NorthStar, New England Hazy, Hopped Blueberry, Cranberry Spiced, and Candy Cane are just a few of the hard cider combos crafted by Crucial 10's cider makers, on tap and in cans. 

Both indoor and outdoor seating are available at the cidery and taproom.  

• 2913 US Route 3, Thornton.

ALES 

Fall-inspired ales have been popular at New Hampshire breweries in past years, and are expected to be just as popular this autumn. The info below gives a short description of past offerings. Check brewery websites for hours and up-to-date information on this year's selections. 

Rek'-lis Brewing Company, Bethlehem 

Jack-a-Roe ale at Rek'-lis Brewing featured a spicy mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and Madagascar vanilla beans, a perfect complement to sweater weather.  

• 2085 Main Street, Bethlehem. 

Tuckerman Brewing, Conway 

Fall Line IPA is Tuckerman's "signature seasonal IPA." Columbus and Nugget hops combined with German Caramel and Rye malts tease tastebuds with "spice and bitterness, then smooths into a rich, malty finish."  

• 66 Hobbs Street, Conway. 

Twin Barns Brewing Co., Meredith 

Twin Barns' Granite Gourd Pumpkin Ale perfectly captured fall's seasonal vibes. "Crafted with malted rye and a careful blending of warming fall spices," it was a wonderful way to celebrate autumn's cooler weather, brightly colored foliage and fall's favorite décor — pumpkins!  

• 194 Daniel Webster Highway, Meredith. 

Woodstock Inn Brewery, North Woodstock 

Woodstock Inn Brewery's Autumn Brew Ale, a "light-bodied brown ale…with just the right touch of apple and cinnamon," evoked fall's rich flavors and the season's magic. 

• 135 Main Street, North Woodstock.

— Eileen Alexander is a former newspaper reporter and editor. A New Hampshire native, she has a yen for old homes with character, colorful flower gardens and expansive mountain views.