Imagine you’ve just picked up a dozen delicious donut holes. Now multiply those donut holes by 2,568. Got that picture in your mind? Your grand total is over 30,000 individual bite-size donut treats. That’s approximately how many donut holes are sold at the Conner Prairie Apple Store each year. For over 35 years, visiting the Conner Prairie Apple Store has been a beloved fall tradition for Northside families and visitors. Kids and adults love the famous caramel apples and other delectable fall treats.
Apple Everything at the Conner Prairie Apple Store
Run by the Conner Prairie Alliance, the Conner Prairie Apple Store’s primary purpose is to raise funds to support various initiatives and needs throughout the Smithsonian-affiliated living history museum. It’s possible the store’s secondary purpose is simply to bring joy to all who step through the doors. Each and every day, customers can select from a satisfying selection of fall delicacies.
You can shop for adorable trinkets and home decor, but the best items are edible. Enjoy hand-dipped caramel apples, apple fritters & pumpkin donuts, apple pie, popcorn, and more. The donut holes are the perfect size for pint-sized kiddos. Don’t forget to try specialty caramel apples, like Salted Chocolate Caramel or Chocolate Toffee apples. Cider in either warmed or frozen slushie form is also popular here! Since the weather in September and October in Central Indiana can be unpredictable, it’s nice to have both options available.
Looking for the perfect recipe to make with ingredients purchased from the Apple Store? Check out the Apple Store’s webpage for several tasty options with directions for you to try.
Conner Prairie Apple Store Hours
Hours listed are accurate at the time of publishing but subject to change. Please verify directly with the venue to ensure it will be open when you visit.
The Conner Prairie Apple Store opens for the 2024 season on September 5! Stop by for your caramel apple fix until October 31 (which happens to be National Caramel Apple Day). The store is open Wednesdays – Sundays from 12-5 pm.
On Friday and Saturday nights of the Jupiter Flights Balloon Festival (September 6 & 7), and on evenings during the Headless Horseman Festival, the store will remain open until 9 pm so you can grab a snack on your way into the festival!
More to Do at Conner Prairie
The Conner Prairie Apple Store can be accessed from the parking lot, so you can swing by for treats without entering the museum and paying the accompanying admission fee. However, if you want to enjoy all that this impressive institution has to offer, you can spend the whole day exploring and learning with your crew.
Conner Prairie is best known for its outdoor living history elements. Step back in time to 1836 Prairietown to meet costumed actors who will invite you and your children into their daily lives. You’ll learn about business, agriculture, household duties, faith, and more from the perspective of Prairietown residents. More historical environments can be found in the 1816 Lenape Indian Camp, the 1859 Balloon Voyage, and the 1863 Civil War Journey.
Young children can play all day at the farm-themed playground near the Balloon Voyage or at the nature-inspired Treetop Outpost where they can climb to the top of the treehouse and play in sandboxes, on a nature playground, or play musical instruments. On warm days, cool down at the River Crossing splash park complete with water canons, tugboats to maneuver in the water, and a steamboat to crawl aboard.
On rainy or cold days, take your littles indoors to Discovery Station. This beautiful playspace is geared towards preschoolers and toddlers and includes historically-themed pretend play stations, fort-building, a play structure, and a corner set up for open-ended creativity and crafts. The Spark!Lab caters to a slightly older audience and encourages STEM-based innovation, exploration, and creativity. (The indoor areas of Conner Prairie are currently under construction and will reopen in late 2025).
Jupiter Balloon Flights Festival
On September 6 through 8, make your way to Conner Prairie to behold the magnificent sight of over 40 hot air balloons in the sky. The Jupiter Balloon Flights Festival will have activities for the whole family, including live music, bounce houses, a variety of food options, and more. Arrive early to experience a breathtaking balloon race that will kick off the picturesque balloon glow where you can get up close to the balloons and meet the pilots. You can also visit the Headless Horseman corn maze before it opens to the public.
Headless Horseman Festival
Fall at Conner Prairie means the Headless Horseman Festival. This family-friendly Halloween extravaganza centers around the classic Legend of Sleepy Hollow and the ill-fated adventures of Ichabod Crane. Enjoy endless themed activities and hop on a spooky hayride through the grounds for a chance to catch a glimpse of the Headless Horseman himself. This is my family’s favorite Conner Prairie event and the Apple Store will be open from 6 pm – 9 pm!
Fall is such a fun time in Central Indiana. With apple picking, pumpkin patches, and fall festivals throughout the city, you can enjoy delicious and fresh treats all fall long. We love visiting the apple orchard to pick our own apples right off of the tree. Many farms offer hayrides through the orchards. Indy goes big with pumpkin patches and fall festivals. You can find a fall festival near you to don those costumes while picking pumpkins and enjoying the many activities and play opportunities the kids will love.
Have you been apple-picking? Check out the best apple orchards in town.
Looking for more fall fun? See our guide to all of the Central Indiana fall festivals and pumpkin patches.
What are your favorite fall treats to grab at the Conner Prairie Apple Store? Share your Apple Store pictures and comments with us below or tag us on social media using #PLAYindy. Follow Indy with Kids on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest for all of the best ideas and things to do with kids in Indy!
Address
13400 Allisonville Road
Fishers
in
Visit Conner Prairie Apple Store | Stop By in 2024 for a Delicious Treat
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