Top Spots To Cut Your Christmas Tree
The surrounding suburbs and farms around Philadelphia are full of festive options if you're feeling adventurous and want to pick your own tree this year. Check out these great farms to make getting the tree a memorable and hands-on family fun experience!! -Jennifer Oxenford
Linvilla Orchards
137 W. Knowlton Road
Media, PA
610-876-7116
www.linvilla.com
Now through December 23rd, you can make a family outing to Linvilla Orchards in Media, PA for a truly unique "pick your own" tree experience. Take the whole family on a hayride out to orchards to select the best tree for you. You'll be equipped with your own saw to cut down your very favorite tree, and then Linvilla hauls it back, ties it up and gets it safely on your car for the drive home--all for just $59.99 plus tax. Most trees are Douglas Fir, but some Cannan Firs are available as well. And while you're there, enjoy the farm's beautiful Christmas decorations and displays, visit with the animals in their winter coats, and enjoy hot mulled cider and children's crafts. On weekends, kids can visit with Santa too from 12 - 3 p.m.
Beck Tree Farms
48 BeckTree Road
Hamburg, PA
610-562-7761
www.BeckTreeFarms.com
If your family is the adventurous type, Beck Tree Farms is the place for you! Lead your family on a hike through the more than 30 acres of gorgeous Christmas trees to choose from. Available trees this year include Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, Canaan Fir, Blue Spruce and Concolor Fir. A saw and cart are provided, so when you do find that perfect tree, you can cut it yourselves and haul it back for the ride home. Cookies and hot cocoa are provided in the barn, where they will also shake, bale and drill your perfect tree for free. Or you can pick from any of their beautiful pre-cut trees instead. Children can visit with the farm animals while you're there, too. Prices vary. Open through Dec. 20th.: Mon - Fri., 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.; Weekends, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sheerlund Forests
1000 Sheerlund Road
Reading, PA 19607
610-777-9351
www.sheerlund.com
For the full Christmas tree picking experience, head to Sheerlund Forests in Berks County, PA. Sheerlund offers fresh-cut Douglas Fir or Fraser Fir trees, or you can choose your own Douglas Fir, Blue Spruce or White Pine trees from the fields (saws provided). After you've picked the perfect tree, grab some steaming hot complimentary cocoa and cookies in the Cookie Hut before you head over to the Christmas Ornament Barn for everything you need for the tree trimming to follow. On weekends, visit the Stewart's Root Beer wagon for hot dogs, hamburgers and root beer floats. Also on weekends, Santa is there to visit with the kids, so be sure they've made out their Christmas Wish Lists to share with the big man in red. Lists can also be emailed in advanced and posted on Santa's List Boar in the Cookie Hut to surprise and delight children upon arrival. Open daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. through Dec. 22nd.
Tuckamony Farm
6320 Upper York Road
New Hope, PA
215-862-9510
tuckamony.com
Tuckamony Farm in beautiful New Hope, PA specializes in choose and cut your own trees. They provide a saw and a measuring pole so that you and your family can head out to the fields to pick the best tree of them all. Eight different tree species are offered: White Pine, Scots Pine, Norway Spruce, Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Concolor Fir and Canaan Fir. All choose and cut trees are $59 with tax. Open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday thru Sunday.
Beck's Christmas Trees
763 South Delaware Drive
Mt. Bethel, PA
610-588-7076
beckschristmastrees.com
Not to be confused with Beck Tree Farm above, Beck's Christmas Trees is in Mt. Bethel PA (just north of Easton), and offers an excellent selection of choose and cut trees (including Fraser Fir, Concolor Fir, Colorado Blue Spruce, and Douglas Fir). Beck's Christmas Trees offers the best prices for choose and cut trees we've seen yet: $45 (including tax) for Fraser and Concolor Fir, and $40 (including tax) for Douglas Fir and Blue Spruce. And if you buy your tree on a weekday, they'll give you $5 cash back! Be sure to visit their "Christmas Junction" barn for more unique train-themed gifts and Christmas decor. Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekends, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays.
Tricolor Tree Farm
1480 Hall Rd.
West Chester, PA
610-269-1034
www.tricolortree.com
Head to Tricolor Tree Farm in West Chester for a fun, family- (and pets-on-leashes!) friendly tree-picking experience. Grab your saw and head out into the field to choose and cut your tree, then Tricolor will haul it back to be drilled, bailed and put on top of your car. Tree varieties include: Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir, Hemlock and White Pine. Santa will give out free candycanes on the weekends, and customers also get free hot chocolate with the purchase of a Christmas tree. Open 9 a.m. - dark on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Belly Acres Christmas Tree Farm
665 Royal Avenue
Franklinville, NJ 08322
856-694-0350
www.bellyacresnj.com
Okay, this one already gets props in my book for the best farm name around, but they also happen to have great trees and good prices! Any tree, any size is only $46.73 plus tax. There are primarily Douglas Firs, but also some Concolor Fir, Fraser Fir and Blue Spruce. Saws and a wheelbarrow are provided, as well as free use of the shaker and baler. Hours are 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving and then every Friday – Sunday through Christmas.
Jennifer Oxenford is a mother of two and the founder of phillyfun4kids www.phillyfun4kids.com your place to find free and mostly free things to do with your kids in and around this great city of motherly love. You can also follow phillyfun4kids on twitter at twitter/phillyfun4kids.
