10 Fun Things To Do In Oak Glen, California (2024)
Want to know all the fun things to do in Oak Glen? We’ve got you covered with everything you need to know!
Oak Glen is known for it’s apple orchards and variety of Fall festivities.
You can visit farms, press your own cider, enjoy wagon and tractor rides, pick your own produce, and more.
There is so much to do in Oak Glen, especially in the Fall, and it’s the perfect getaway for Southern California locals.
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Fun Things To Do In Oak Glen
Oak Glen is mostly made up of a variety of apple orchards and farms that each offer a variety of activities.
So you can choose anywhere from 1-3 of these places to see in a single day depending on how many activities you do at each place.
We’ve compiled all of our favorite things in Oak Glen that make for a perfect day trip or weekend getaway whether it’s your first visit or you visit every year.
1. Try Mini Cider Donuts at Snow-Line Orchard
Each morning, Snow-Line Orchard opens at 9 am and there is a line out the door for their famous mini cider donuts.
So you’ll want to make this your first stop of the day to be sure you get your fix while you’re here.
You can buy them by half dozen or dozen and they are served warm with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
2. Enjoy Wine and Cider Tastings at Snow-Line Orchard
Another fun activity is wine and cider tasting at Snow-Line Orchard.
In the same building where you get your cider mini donuts, there’s a wine bar in the very back.
You can mix and match a variety of wines, cider, and even brandy.
If you like the lighter, fruit wines, then you’ll enjoy most of the wines here.
There are some light-medium bodied red wines that are slightly drier than sweeter as well.
3. Drink a Cider Slushie from Snow-Line Orchard
The last must-do at Snow-Line Orchard is to try their cider slushie.
You can’t get this most places, so it’s worth a try here.
It’s very refreshing and sweet and just perfect for a day out in the apple orchards.
A word of caution: when we visited in mid-October, there were bees EVERYWHERE, so it’s best to enjoy your drinks while browsing our the gift shop or taking them to go as you move on to your next stop.
4. Feed Animals at the Petting Zoo at Oak Tree Mountain
Just down the road is another place with a variety of activities all in one spot.
Oak Tree Mountain has a little bit of everything.
You could spend a whole day here if you wanted.
For just $5 per person you can go into the petting zoo and for $2 a cup you can feed the animals.
The petting zoo has goats, deer, and a couple other animals.
They’ll tell you to not approach the male deer because they head-butt you.
5. Go Tubing at Oak Tree Mountain
Oak Tree Mountain is also well known for it’s huge mountain slide.
It’s currently only open on the weekends and it’s $8 for a ride.
You can purchase more rides at a discount with options like 3 rides for $20 or a 1 hour ride window for $35.
6. Take a Stroll Through Inspiration Forest at Oak Tree Mountain
A cute area at Oak Tree Mountain is a short walk called Inspiration Forest.
The trees are all covered with inspirational quotes and it’s a great picnic area or a place to rest or people watch.
7. Have Lunch at Apple Annie’s at Oak Tree Mountain
During our visit, right around the time we finished all of the above activities it was lunch time.
Apple Annie’s closes in-between breakfast and lunch and a line will form about 30-45 minutes before lunch begins because it’s just that popular.
Once lunch begins though, everyone is seated pretty quickly.
While you’re waiting for lunch, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to meet the real Apple Annie!
While Apple Annie’s has a pretty good sized menu, I recommend trying the bowl of chili and cornbread made from scratch or the open face hot turkey.
The open face hot turkey comes with mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
The turkey itself wasn’t my favorite, but everything else really hit the spot!
8. Go Apple Picking at Riley’s Farm at Los Rios Rancho
Just down the road from Oak Tree Mountain is Los Rios Rancho.
You’ll see a huge brown entryway that says “The Wildlands Conservancy – Southern California Montane Botanic Garden – Children’s Outdoor Discovery Center.
At the entrance, you can get a map of the area, but there will also be signs along the trail leading you to the apple orchard.
When we visited, there were 2 types of apples available for picking.
We got 4 of each so that we could take them home and bake apple dumplings.
9. Explore Scenic Walking Trails at Los Rios Rancho
While you’re walking to or from the apple orchard, there are a variety of intersecting trails along the way.
There’s a children’s butterfly garden trail, a pond with a floating boardwalk, and even a trail of giant sequoia trees.
All the trails veer off from the main path that leads to the orchard and circle back to the main path, so you can really take any route you want and you’ll always find your way back.
10. Shop Locally Handcrafted Items
Last but not least, each of the above listed places (Snow-Line Orchard, Oak Tree Mountain, and Los Rios Rancho) have local vendors selling a variety of arts and crafts.
We personally love to get Christmas ornaments everywhere we travel and each place had something unique from Christmas ornaments we’ve purchased in other destinations over the years.
Where To Stay In Oak Glen
Being a small town mostly made up of apple orchards, it’s usually easier to stay in a hotel just outside of town.
The 10 freeway passes just below Oak Glen, making that a perfect area to look for hotels if you’re staying overnight in the Oak Glen area.
I recommend Hampton Inn Banning-Beaumont, which is only about a 15 minute drive from most areas of Oak Glen.
Hampton Inn famously offers a free hot breakfast and is usually one of the more affordable options for hotels as they’re meant to be a quick road-side stop.
You can see a full walk-through of our King Room at Hampton Inn in this video on our YouTube Channel.
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More Fun Mountain Towns In Southern California
While Oak Glen isn’t quite up in the mountains like some of these other destinations, the climate and the available activities are similar to visiting mountain destinations.
⛰ Idyllwild
Just South of Oak Glen on the other side of the 10 freeway is the mountain town of Idyllwild.
It’s perfect for a Fall weekend getaway to check out the Fall foliage that is not as common in most other areas of Southern California.
⛰ Big Bear Lake
You’ll have a vastly different experience in Big Bear if you visit in the Winter versus the Summer, but both offer so many things to do.
In the Winter you have skiing and snowboarding, while in the Summer you can go boating out on the lake.
Year round you can enjoy walking the village, playing escape rooms, and browsing the gift shops.
⛰ Julian
Julian is a small mountain town outside of San Diego.
It is a gold mining town that has kept it’s historic architecture and charm throughout the years.
Today it’s best known for it’s apples.
You can try a variety of homemade apple pies, apple ciders, and even apple pancakes while you’re here.
Conclusion: Fun Things To Do In Oak Glen
Oak Glen is a great destination for families, couples, friends, and even co-workers for a day trip out to apple orchards or a cozy weekend getaway.
There are plenty of children’s activities and adult activities, with something for every interest.
