Sunset Orchard

Hadn’t been by Sunset for peaches in a couple years & remembered how good they were the last time I went. Stopped in this past weekend and was not disappointed! Fantastic peaches, I tried the «mystery» white variety. Also tried the Milton variety of apples, also excellent.
The staff was friendly and helpful. Only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is I’ve never «picked my own» here; will have to try that some time. Hoping to get back to Sunset soon for more peaches!

Upon arrival, I was greeted with a charming country store, well stocked with cinnamon buns, apple cider donuts, locally made jams, and, best of all, peaches!
I’ve had a little bit of difficulty finding a Pick Your Own peaches location this season, and this is an excellent one. There are four varieties plus nectarines. This is a great place to wander through the apple and peach orchards and come away with a huge bounty; peaches are only $ 1/​lb!
As for previous reviews, I think it’s a little crazy to lower an orchard’s rating because it requires walking and there are insects present — it’s an orchard, not a supermarket, so experiencing the outdoors is kind of the point. This is a great place to do so, a real Rhode Island hidden gem.

Sunset Orchard is a nice spot to pick some apples. They had a decent variety of apple trees, which is great for somebody like me who likes to have a variety of different types of apples. In addtion, Sunset Orchard has a great innovation for short people like me who have trouble reaching the good apples: apple pickers attached to the end of a long stick.
When you’ve finished picking apples, be sure to head inside for the true highlights of the trip: the fresh apple cider, delicious candy apples, and CIDER DONUTS. I have never had a donut like their cider donuts in my life. My mouth is watering just thinking about them!
I would have given 5 stars, but picking this orchard does require a lot of walking, which can be troublesome for some people. Also, I was stung by a yellowjacket while I was there, and I’ve never had a 5-​star experience that involved getting stung in the hand by an angry insect.

From the comments on Sunset Orchard’s Facebook page, I thought I had found a gem. The drive there was gorgeous and offered some fantastic leaf-​peeping.
However, as soon as we entered the main building, my idyllic visions of our annual autumn apple picking adventure immediately began to waver. Lawn furniture, big screen tvs, splatter painted walls, and dingy carpet aside… I’ll just sum up the décor by saying it’s a bit rough around the edges. I think a big splash of fresh, white paint would do WONDERS for Sunset Orchards.
We both got cider and cider donuts. The cider donuts were different than any others I’ve ever tried. I didn’t really like them and the glazing on top tasted of chalky powdered sugar. I didn’t even finish mine. The cider was good and tasted like… well, cider.
On to the apples. There is a 10lb minimum and the apples are $ 1.50 a pound. Most places just charge you $ 15-​$ 20 for the bag and I’ve never had an issue with that. But, for some reason being handed two bags and told we «had» to fill up these bags seemed very daunting. The orchard isn’t huge so you can walk it but there is a tractor (aka lawnmower) pulled wagon if you’ve got little ones.
Overall, the experience was just fine and we got our apples just as we’d hoped but I’m not sure they romanced me enough to get me back there next year. With all of the options for pick-​your-​own in Rhode Island, I really feel it’s important to be on top of your game.
For the orchard owners, apple picking is all about the business but for the consumer, it’s about the nostalgia and memories you’re building so a little fluff and filler can go a long way.