Please visit our new web site at Royal Oak Farm to fill out a requestfor reservation or phone!
(Contact us at 815-648-4141 for scheduling.)
School Tour Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Wednesday - Friday
Two Packages
VIDEO & EDUCATIONAL TALK
Your first stop is inside our Teepee for the viewing of our video production lasting approx. 7 minutes. Our video will explain to the children the pollination process of our apple trees by our bees and how the bees pay us back in return with the honey harvested in our "Honey House". They will also learn about the trimming of the trees and the orchard operation. We will also have a short talk about the American Indians that inhabited the orchard area in the previous centuries.
APPLE PICKING
Go on an approx. 30 minute Maze tour. We provide an experienced tour guide, who will tell you about our orchard and answer any questions you might have along the way. For those with allergy concerns, hay is not used in the wagons on these tours. See all the acres of the orchard, visit the bee hives and enjoy hearing about the history of our apple orchard. Then make a stop in the orchard to pick your 5 apples.* Picking takes 10 to 15 minutes.
SNACK/LUNCH TIME
At the conclusion of the school tour each student will receive one of our famous apple cider donuts and have an opportunity to sample our delicious apple cider inside our beautiful Pavilion. This is a perfect time to have lunch if your group has brought your School provided sack lunches. and your apple cider donut and cider can be dessert!
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES:
AMAZE 'N APPLES EXPERIENCE
Experience a trip through the winding trails of the country's first all apple tree maze, AMAZE 'N APPLES! experience the various learning activities and play one of three games as you make your way through the maze. Our Amaze 'N Apples has approximately 1 and a half miles of trails, activity areas and includes nine different varieties of apples.
PLAY TIME
Following the snack and lunch time, you can spend as much time as you like visiting our petting zoo* and playing in the play area. You may also visit our active bee hive inside our Harvest Barn and see some of our bees at work through the special viewing glass!
TAKE A RIDE
Hop on the "Royal Oak Carousel" and round up one of the 14 horses or take a seat in the chariot as you listen to old fashioned calliope music. Or take a ride on the "Royal Oak Express"- a 19th century replica train inspired by authentic railroad tradition. (Available with Deluxe Tour Packages)
