Nothing rings in fall like a good slice of apple pie. Or apple cider. Or apple donughts. Or really, just a nice bite out of a juicy apple. And though myriad farmer's markets around the city can supply your demand for Galas, Red Delicious or Winesaps, there's nothing quite as satisfying as picking your own. The same goes for pumpkins, especially when you spot the perfect vessel for your jack-o-lantern creativity. So whether you have a car and a free weekend, or just a day and a MetroCard, here are some nearby spots to indulge in the fall harvest. more ›

October 22-28: Lance Armstrong Week at Hill Country more ›

more ›

Did you ever hear the one about the vineyard in Queens, just minutes away from the Little Neck Parkway Q46 bus stop? Even if you haven’t, it’s true. First reported three years ago, the borough is finally set to prove it has terroir in spades with the imminent production of its namesake wine. The epicenter for this oenophile revolution is the Queens County Farm Museum, described on its website as “New York City's largest remaining tract of undisturbed farmland,” and “the only working historical farm in the City.” It’s also one of the oldest farms in the entire state of New York, celebrating its 310th birthday this year. It’s about time for Queens to have its own wine. Gothamist visited the farm yesterday, and got the full story from vintner Gary Mitchell. more ›

There's a fun NY Times City section article about the Queens Museum of Art's Panorama Challenge. The Queens Museum of Art's panorama is a to-scale model of New York City: One inch equals 100 feet (the Empire State Building is 15 inches tall) and the model was originally designed for the 1964 World's Fair, as a "helicopter" ride over New York City. (And, yes, Parks Commissioner Robert Moses commissioned the panorama in 1964, just as he commissioned the Queens Museum of Art's building, the former New York City Pavilion for the 1939's World Fair.) more ›

Queens County Farm. Begun in 1697, this is the only working historical farm in the city. All kinds of vegetables are grown on site, and animals like these piglets are raised here. Today there will also be a haunted house ($4 admission, from 1-7pm) as well as a children’s fall festival with hayrides, a petting zoo, and games like the original “trinkets-in-the-haystack.” Available at the shop are farm-produced honey and apples. (Did you know the Newtown Pippin, the “prince of apples” preferred by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, was first grown in Queens in the 1700s? It’s in season now, so seek it out.) more ›

- Prospect Park has Egg-o-rama (Saturday and Sunday) at the Audobon Center, starting at noon, too. more ›

We're so glad you asked this question, because we are getting ready to kick it into gear for Autumn of Fun 05, which involves getting large-ish groups of people together for autumnal excursions such as apple picking. We found a few orchards that offer apple picking and directions by mass transit: more ›