El Dorado Orchards Inc

DON’T RIDE THE TRAIN!!! We stopped her yesterday during our Apple Hill experience and I went on the train with my two children while my husband and friends stayed behind. We made it part way through the track and then the ride became a bit rough and then the train car we were in fell completely over sideways, off the track and part way down the side surrounded by berry bushes. Do you know how awesome it is to be on a train ride and then to get jolted backwards with babies and kids screaming? Yes, please sense the sarcasm. I luckily was the one falling backwards so I could help hold up my children. I felt horrible for one of the other dads in the train with me as he was trying to hold on to his 1 ½ year old! The best part was (again, please read this with sarcasm) that the workers were all about trying to fix the train while I was still trying to get my kids and myself out. NO one who worked there asked how we were, checked on us — nothing! I had to go and ask myself to get our money back. I had minor cuts and a bruise on my calf and they never checked on us or the poor children who were very shaken up and crying. So then what did they do? Oh, try to fix the train as much as they could and then started running it again!!! The reason they could do this was because the train derailed behind a bunch of bushes and trees so no one saw it happen!!!
Unbelievable!

While driving down the streets, El Dorado Orchards caught my eye so I decided to see what this place is all about. There wasn’t much going on here. They do have a train ride for kids that they can enjoy. An extra cost might apply. This «orchard» mainly has tents with vendors selling their good. No apples or other fruits for sale that I saw. They do sell food like BBQ and pastries. Is it worth a stop… uh maybe.

This was just one of a few stops on our Apple Hill crawl in mid-​October, with an emphasis on the crawl because the traffic sometimes gets surprisingly intense!
This place is basically vendors on vendors on vendors. Come here if you’re looking for hot chocolate powder, some food and baked goods, candles, signs, memo boards, etc. but don’t come if you’re looking for fresh fruit or pumpkins. There was a tiny corner of fresh fruit in boxes, but it was a meager selection compared to some of the other farms down the road.
Overall, the crowd seemed mostly composed of older folks, and there was plenty of parking mid-​morning on an October Saturday. As far as things kids would enjoy, they do have a train ride ($ 3.50 per person) with a decent sized track that curves around a pitiful lake; of course, we are in a drought. They also had face painting, yo-​yo balloons, and rubber band guns. But that’s all for the kids, folks, so I wouldn’t recommend this as your prime stop for the day!
The only thing I was impressed by aside from the unique rubber band guns was a vendor selling homemade grocery bags that zipped in on themselves. Highlight of my trip here…

Ugh. We wasted our lunch at this place with their «famous turkey and tri tip.»
Famous? Really? It cold and thrown on a hotdog bun, all for the wonderful price of $ 9.50. Rip off!
Good news is they have a train, but it’s not that amazing. I don’t even think I saw any Apple products, now that I think of it. Anyway, just skip this place and thank me later.

One star because we called this place and asked if they are open, to which they replied, «yes».
We drove there but the place was a ghost town. The buildings to the righ of the train ride entrance were boarded up and there wasn’t a single person around. No cars. No customers. No staff. Nada. No one. Not even a zombie, which is exactly what I would have expected after seeing the desolate parking lot! No joke, take a look at the photo I uploaded.
The general area (just so you don’t have to read between the lines, I mean «farms other than this one») was really nice though with many family friendly activities.

Fun Romp in Apple Hill Hood During Autumnal Celebrations
SITREP
Apples Pies and Pumpkin Patches are what I think about when I come here! Usually during September and October is when I make the trip too. In 20 years, come to think of it, I’ve never been to this area other than in September and October. So for me, it is what it is, and that’s an enjoyable seasonable diversion from Sacramento.
SETUP
Produce and Fruits and Children and Fun Activities and TRAINS! I love choo-​choos and this is a fun activity to do here. Obviously the kids have a lot doing the rides, both on the trains and on the horse.
FOOD & BEVERAGES
There are a considerable number of food vendors. Some are quite pricey, especially for the hot sandwiches. But the nice thing about a place like this is that you can picnic it if you want and cut costs down low on a large group. However, there are all sorts of fixens and drinks available to get should you need them.
COSTS
I can’t say that there are really any good «deals» that you can’t find at the grocery stores down deeper in the Sacramento Valley — unless you actually plan on buying a bushels worth of apples or a pick-​up truck’s worth of Pumpkins (and I’m sure then an arrangement via «economies of scale» will be reached) — but I think it is all part of the rustic fun experience of being closer to where the produce you obtained was created.
THE LOWDOWN
Truly an enjoyable seasonable adventure, and one that I will continue probably every year.

We stopped here for one reason, and one reason alone: the train. My nephews are obsessed with trains, so like a good auntie, I took them here. One of them even got a train painted on his face in preparation for his adventure. It may not seem exciting to adults to go around a pond on a train, but the boys were thrilled. There’s a nice picnic area, too, where you can watch said train and pond, and the geese that call it home.
The vendors are pretty typical for the area, with a few unique places. All in all, I’d only make an effort to stop here if I had a train-​obsessed kid in the backseat.

This place isn’t very big, and normally their vendors aren’t the greatest variety, however this trip was lucky. We purchased some really delicious spicy bbq sauce and the lady who started the business was just so friendly and sweet. There was also a jewelry stand with some kick ass rings. Oh wallet, why did you have to be empty this trip!?!
Smoked tri tip sandwiches were tasty, meat was tender and had good flavor, albeit a little on the thin side for what we paid. MOAR MEAT PLZ.

Oh here’s the quick rundown for this spot:
CONS:
1. limited selection of apples and baked goods
2. they do have a food stand, but more of a snack shop than a restaurant
PROS:
1. Best horse ride around (Abel’s track is WAY too small/​short). Nice ride and the girls are very friendly and great with kids.
2. The train ride is great here too around a lake filled with geese & duck. Nice long ride and I think it’s like $ 3. Very relaxing and if you have young toddlers they’re more interested in the ride. But what can I say my 2 girls are easily entertained. =)
But I don’t go here for lunch, apples or pie. But we did pick up some Fuji’s last time since the other orchards didn’t have any.

this place should not even be on the map with the other great farms!
i have been here a couple of times and both times no apples and just a dozen or so art and craft booths. they do have a kids train that goes around a pond but that is as exciting as it gets. they have food here and list smoked fresh turkey and smoked applewood cherry tri tip but where are they making this? i don’t see any smokers or any bbq and only this small shack selling the food. how fresh is it really? i PASS!
avoid this place and spend more time at some of the other really great places on the apple hill map.

The third star is for the lady at the pistachio stand. Loved her. Otherwise it’s pretty lame.
The train has a creepy santa with a severed leg on the front and it goes around a pond. weeeee.
They had turkey something there… I wasn’t interested. Only interesting thing was the wonderful nut lady lol. We tried a few different kinds though i’m not sure what we ended up buying. She had pistachios with wasabi and with jalapeño somethings. She said «For this one you need to suck on the whole thing for a minute and then get the nut out to get the full flavor» and then clasped her mouth hahahahahaha!!! Hilarious.