Think a fun day would be an adventure with your family to a farm or petting zoo near you? It’s hard to resist a photo of your child petting or interacting with a cute animal at a farm or petting zoo.
I know what you are thinking, “are there any petting zoos near me?”
Yes! There are quite a few! We’ve pulled together a huge list of petting zoos and farms where you can interact with animals. These farms and petting zoos are located near Greenville, SC, in Western North Carolina, Northern Georgia, as well as in Charlotte, NC, and Columbia, SC. So wherever you are, find a petting zoo near you, or a farm that makes a great day trip.
Our list includes places open year-round places to pet animals, plus seasonal farms, and mobile and event-based petting zoos. We have tried to make sure these are places that treat their animals kindly and with respect as well. If we missed any, let us know in the comments.
Is There a Petting Zoo Near Me?
Yes, there probably is a petting zoo on this list near you! Use the links below to navigate this list by location.
Have you ever heard of Two Girls and a Farm – Mobile Petting Zoo? Are you looking for a unique way to interact with adorable animals? Two Girls and a Farm in Lexington, SC will bring the farm right to you or you can go to them for a visit. More than just your average petting zoo, here you will be able to feed, pet, and even hold and snuggle a variety of different farm animals. They are available for events such as birthday parties, weddings, school celebrations, and community gatherings and it just so happens that we’ve got all the info!
Thanks to Two Girls and a Farm for having us out to explore the farm!
You’ve Got to Give Two Girls and a Farm a Try!
Two Girls and a Farm – Mobile Petting Zoo is a women-owned business based out of Lexington, SC. Trisha and Kelsey, once neighbors who turned into friends and now business partners, love to share their animals with the community in a fun and unique way. They are most known for their mobile petting zoo and mini horse rides, however, what a lot of people don’t know is that they also offer meet and greets right at the farm!
Animals at Two Girls and a Farm
At Two Girls and a Farm you can expect to see a variety of different animals! All of their animals are very friendly with humans, including the tiny tots. During our recent trip, some of my family’s favorite animals were the baby ducks, baby pig, and the Zebu cow named “Stanley”. Oh, and we can’t forget about Evelyn! She’s a baby goat who loves to strut around in her adorable outfits and tutus – the true star of the show!
Some other animals you can expect to see are:
Goats
Mini horse
Rabbits
Guinea pig
Bearded dragon
Hedgehog
They hope to add an alpaca soon as well!
Several of the animals walk around freely and enjoy wandering from family to family to get their next treat. For animals such as the ducks and rabbits, you will be allowed to join them in their enclosures to love on them and even hold them if you’d like!
Mobile Petting Zoo: Two Girls and a Farm
The mobile petting zoo is perfect for big events or celebrations! If you’ve got a birthday party coming up, Two Girls and a Farm could help make it a memorable one, for sure. Along with birthday parties, they also travel to school and daycare events, church functions, nursing homes, weddings, farmers markets, and more. Although they are based in Lexington, they travel all throughout the Midlands to help make your event an extra special one!
Mobile Petting Zoo Packages for Private Events
Two Girls and a Farm offers multiple packages for private events. Please keep in mind that if these packages do not fit within your budget or party needs, they also offer custom packages and will do their best to bring as much joy to your party as possible. Each of these packages, with the exception of the Deluxe, includes 1 hour of animal fun. More time can be added for an additional fee if needed.
Hedgehog and bearded dragon can be added if temperature is above 70 degrees
1 hour
Cost: $200
Medium Package
2 goats, 1 mini pig, 2 rabbits, 1 guinea pig, ducks, mini cow
Hedgehog and bearded dragon can be added if temperature is above 70 degrees
1 hour
Cost: $250
Meet & Greets at Two Girls and a Farm
On weekends when they aren’t booked for the Mobile Petting Zoo, Two Girls and a Farm opens up their large backyards for family meet and greets! This gives families a chance to see where the animals live, interact with them, and meet the awesome owners. Since these meet and greets are scheduled around the mobile petting zoo, the best way to stay informed on when the next one will be is by following Two Girls and a Farm on Facebook.
How Much Do the Meet & Greets Cost?
The meet and greets cost $20 for a family of four and this includes 1 bag of animal feed. If there are more than 4 people in your family, it will cost $5 for each additional member. Additionally, if 1 bag of animal food isn’t enough, you can purchase more for just $3. Please be aware that meet and greets are cash only!
So Many Activities for Family Fun
Trisha and Kelsey, the owners of Two Girls and a Farm, have done an excellent job at making sure there is plenty to do when you come for a visit. With a quaint, friendly atmosphere you will feel welcome as soon as you enter. Here are a few things my family enjoyed during our visit:
Animals
All of the animals discussed above will be available for petting, holding, feeding, etc.
My daughter (1 year-old) loved the ducks and my son (4 year-old) enjoyed the mini pig the best
Face Painting
Two Girls and a Farm often partners with Ladybugs Face Painting. She sets up near the entrance and this was a huge hit with several of the kiddos!
Face painting will cost an additional charge that is not included with admission
Swings and Trampoline
Tire swing, saucer swing, large trampoline are all included in the admission price
Photo Credit: Ladybug’s Facepainting
Know Then Go!
Here are a few helpful hints to consider before loading your family up for your petting zoo adventure:
Wear boots or closed-toed shoes that you don’t mind getting a little dirty
Bring cash – like we stated above, meet and greets are CASH ONLY
Talk to your kiddos about properly petting, feeding, and respecting the animals before arriving – feeding with a flat hand, being gentle when petting, approaching them slowly, etc.
P.S. – you’re probably going to fall in love with their animals and leave trying to convince your spouse you need cute ducks and a zebu cow for your own home…you’ve been warned!
Would your family enjoy a farm experience, complete with adorable animal interactions and fun learning experiences? Little Creek Farm, right outside of Lexington, SC, might be just the spot you’re looking for. Local mom and Kidding Around guest contributor, Mary Thomas, brought her kids for a day at Little Creek Farm. They all had such an amazing time she wanted to share their experience so others could enjoy this amazing little farm. In this article she’s telling us all about their visit, and how you can plan your own visit to Little Creek Farm!
What is Little Creek Farm?
As a mom, I’m always looking for new experiences to share with my two young boys (ages 7-9). If you have an hour to kill and are looking for a neat activity, I highly recommend Little Creek Farm (LCF). This hidden gem is a privately-owned animal sanctuary that provides permanent placements for abused, neglected, or disabled livestock. Located right outside of Lexington, SC, LCF offers farm tours, weddings, birthday parties, and photography venue rentals.
My family and I planned a tour for our youngest son’s birthday back in December. Booking was super easy and convenient, not to mention very reasonably priced, just $50 for a one hour tour for up to 5 people. You can add additional people for $10.
LCF is not quite visible from the road, but once we pulled up the driveway we were surrounded by horses and other livestock. We managed to keep the birthday plans a surprise from my son, so having the privacy of a hidden venue added to the experience- he was so excited!
The Little Creek Farm Tour
We were greeted by Anne Kershner, the owner, who explained what all the tour would involve. Anne was super helpful with planning this trip. Prior to arriving, we had discussed taking family photos at the venue. She so kindly took our photos on the front porch which was decorated with the cutest Christmas decorations. My family and I loved them so much, we decided to use them as our Christmas cards!
Anne gave us some background information about the farm and what animals we would be visiting during our time at LCF. After the photos, we met Diddley, the 27-year-old horse. My sons were able to pet, brush, and give treats to him. While the boys were busy at work, Anne was telling them Diddley’s background and other horse facts.
After loading some feed for other animals, we continued on our tour. We stopped by a garden and Anne explained all the produce LCF locally grows to feed the animal residents. My sons were able to help resource some of the vegetables they would need to feed the other animals we would be visiting. From the garden, we stopped at the bunny cages. Here my sons were able to feed the bunnies and learn from Anne all of their names.
The next stop was the chickens. Anne was very generous and gifted each of my sons an egg. She explained that they could eat the egg or “grow” a chicken. She explained the incubating process to them and the life cycle of a developing chick. Of course, my sons opted for the latter choice, so now we currently have an incubator and are rotating chicken eggs in hopes to hatch one (LOL, thanks Anne!).
Our tour continued on as we met a mini donkey, goats, a sheep, an alpaca, ducks, an emu, and pigs. Not only did we get to learn about all the animals, but we also learned about composting. At each stop, Anne was educating the boys on every animal each step of the way. I am thankful to Anne for allowing my family and I to visit LCF. I was surprised how much of the tour was interactive, as it was a new experience for us all.
I enjoyed watching my sons light up with excitement every step of the way. I was able to snap some photos of them during this learning experience. I used to own a photography business but gave it up once I had the boys. This trip reminded me of my passion and why I had fallen in love with photography in the first place.
More at Little Creek Farm
Little Creek Farm also offers birthday parties for kids, parties and events for adults, and a rental photography location. You’ll find more about all these offerings under the “book now” tab on the Little Creek Farm Facebook page,
Plan Your Tour
I hope that by my sharing our experience at LCF that you will reach out to Anne and schedule a tour. All the proceeds the farms gains goes 100% back to the animals. LCF is easily accessible online through the Little Creek Farm Facebook page, where you are able to see their availability and book your visit.
If social media isn’t your speed, Anne can also be your point of contact to book via email or phone.
One hour tours are $50 for up to 5 people, and $10 for each additional person.
Have you been thinking about a visit to Fox Farm in Lexington, SC? Are you looking for a budget-friendly way to enjoy farm activities and a petting zoo with your family? At Fox Farm there are hayrides, horse rides, and animal pettings and feedings available at a really great price! We recently went here and have everything you need to know in order to have a farm load of fun!
Loads of Fun and Learning at Fox Farm
Your family will love the quaint and welcoming atmosphere at Fox Farm! There is a lot to love about this locally-owned farm, but one thing that really stood out to me were all of the great opportunities for hands-on learning. From feeding farm animals to riding horses and everything in between, your children will be able to experience so much during your visit!
You Must Schedule Your Visit in Advance
Fox Farm is open for family visits most Saturday’s throughout the year. However, it is important to note that they are by APPOINTMENT ONLY. This is to make sure they have enough staff available in order to give you and your family the best experience possible. To schedule your visit you can email foxfarmsc@yahoo.com or call 803.351.2462.
In my experience, scheduling our trip was pretty simple. The owners responded to my emails quickly and were easy to work with. When our initial date didn’t work out, they were very helpful in offering new dates and times that would work with both of our schedules.
Fox Farm is Super Budget Friendly!
At Fox Farm you truly get your money’s worth and then some! For just $7 per child, your kiddos will be able to enjoy all of the exciting things the farm has to offer – horse riding, animal feeding, a hayride, and playground. Adults are able to ride on the hayride and enjoy the barnyard for FREE. Horse rides for adults are an additional $3.
What is There To Do at Fox Farm?
Horse Rides
One unique thing about Fox Farm is that they offer horse rides! Saddle up and enjoy being led down the path and back again. Both of my kids (1 and 3 years old) loved riding the horses! My son was able to ride by himself and although he started off a little nervous and unsure, he very quickly loosened up and had the best time. They allowed me to ride on the same horse with my 1-year old which was so fun and memorable.
Barnyard and Animal Feedings
Head over to the barnyard to get up close and personal to several of the farm animals! Staff members call you into groups where they will then lead you around the barnyard and hand out food for feeding. Throughout your adventure, you will have the opportunity to pet and feed a donkey, alpaca, pony, sheep, rabbits, and more!
Hayride
Almost all of us have been on at least one hayride, but the hayrides at Fox Farm are unlike any other. Also referred to as “CRAAAZY Time”, your kiddos will have a lot of fun giggling and playing along with the driver throughout the ride. Along with this silly, bumpy ride you will also be able to see more of the property.
Play Area
The play area is in the middle of the farm and has several great obstacles and activities for kids. They’ve got traditional swings, bucket swings, slides, and my son’s personal favorite, the tractor to “drive”.
Schedule Your Next Party at Fox Farm!
Have a birthday party coming up? You might want to consider Fox Farm! Each party costs $200 and includes all of the activities mentioned above – hayride, horse riding, and a trip to the barnyard to feed and pet the animals. There are also a few add-on options available such as heater rentals for the cold months, BB gun shooting, and even the option to have a horse dressed up like a unicorn…talk about a memorable birthday!
Fox Farm 133 Virginia Pine Lane Lexington, SC 29073
What is your favorite memory from Fox Farm?
Find even more fun around Columbia, SC!
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Have you been thinking about a trip to Goat Daddy’s Farm? Want to have a family daytrip out to the country where you can hand-feed and pet a variety of animals? At Goat Daddy’s Farm, not only will your family have the opportunity to do just that, but you will also gain great knowledge about animal care. You’ll be able to discuss any questions you have with friendly and knowledgeable staff, and have the opportunity to purchase your own goat milk products made from the goats right at the farm. So, what are you waiting for?
Looking for a fun way to explore our state’s different sources of plant- and animal-based products? The South Carolina Agritourism Passport Program is an incentive program where people can earn free goodies for visiting places that are probably already on your to-do list! The good news is there are nearly two dozen farms not far from Greenville and Spartanburg. Visiting farms is more than a fun, family activity; it’s also a field trip-worthy educational opportunity!
