Twenty minutes from downtown Lincoln, rows of apple trees climb a gentle rise on Yankee Hill Road. Picnic Hill is a small, family-owned orchard — about 2,000 trees and more than 25 varieties across five tidy acres, with cherries and blackberries earlier in the season and apples running August through October.
The Orchard Market is the other half of the visit: warm apple cider donuts, fresh-pressed cider, small-batch ice cream made on site (the apple pie sorbet is the signature), and apple butter. The orchard leans into its name — grab a picnic table, and they provide blankets and games. It’s open weekends during the season (Saturday 10–5, Sunday 1–5), and school groups do weekday field trips. Check before you drive out; the window closes fast once harvest ends.