Spring Meadow Farm is a staple for us every spring and fall! It's the number one place we take…read morevisitors to the area, especially if kids are tagging along. The BBQ spot is so good, beer garden usually has a rotating schedule, ice cream stand always hits, and farm zoo is free with tons of friendly animals to say hello to. Our crew always loves playing at the park after walking the zoo path. Highly recommend!

I love the Bus Stop, Delicious ice cream. The very friendly service is so much appreciated…read more The surroundings of families out for the day and the petting of the animals is a welcoming experience. I could go there every day just for the ice cream. The gardening advice is stellar.

I visited Clear Meadow Farm for the first time in my 3-4 years in Baltimore, and I'm glad I checked…read morethem out. Located about 40-45 minutes away from the city, the farm is easy to find (just type in the address on their website). The entry fee is very reasonable at $5 per car, and they also sell some food (i.e. chips, drinks, baked goods, pulled pork sandwiches) as well as sunflowers up front. Food wasn't particularly memorable but not bad, and the sunflowers were quite the deal (only $1 per stem, or 6 for $5). The actual sunflower field was reasonably sized. It was a bit difficult to navigate through the mud, and also a little hard to get good photos unless you go off the trail and into the flower beds (which you're not supposed to do), but the sunflowers were still pretty. Overall very glad I visited. Not sure if I'd necessarily make the trip out again anytime soon, but I definitely recommend it if you have not gone before!

Wonderful property to visit, a little tricky to get to, but a wonderful day. My sunflowers once…read morepicked did not stay perky too long, but I think I did not know how to care for them.

We had such a wonderful visit! The alpacas were so sweet. Especially our favorite Wakene and his…read moreyoung friends. The younger ones are curious and adorable, the older ones were also sweet and gentle.

This was spur of the moment. I doomscrolled on social media and saw this place and was like.... Why…read morenot?! Bought the tickets online. Just went and didn't know what to expect. This place was quite large. There's a dedicated parking area on rocks. There's a porta potty at the parking area. You follow the signs to the office or gift shop and you state your name that registered online and you get a container of food and you can roam the cages. Each caged area is for specific sets of alpacas and you can get to the outside through each gated area. The alpacas are friendly - some a super needy - and some just want to rest. It really depends on the time frame for each one. You can touch and feed. Some really get in your face. I was trying to kneel down to take photos and the alpacas start walking towards me. The staff is constantly taking care of them and cleaning after their... Open bathroom use. There's games and seating everywhere. It is well organized here and well maintained. The people here are nice and I got what I wanted from visiting here. Seeing tons of alpacas. There are not just 10 alpacas, there's probably around 35-60 and they are all spread out, some inside and some outside grazing and eating grass. Very humane conditions for the alpacas. You can see a horse outside too and a Shepard dog as well.

Don't waste your time going to Sunflowers of Lisbon. The parking situation is terrible. The women…read morein charge harassed me because she thought I parked in the wrong place -- turns out thought I was a black car when I was a different grey car parked in a different line with about five or six other cars. But she was very aggressive toward me and followed me and told the food vendors not to sell to me. She also told a food vendor she would give him money to not sell to me. Awful experience. Don't go here.

Nice getaway for a month with nature. Onsite free parking. $15 entry. Fheres a food truck on the…read morepremises. Sunflowers everywhere and you can take some home with you. It's lovely to see all the bees so busy at work that they don't pay you any mind. On sunny days bring a hat or small umbrella. I'd also advise long pants.

Who are these adorable, gentle, soft and playful creatures? We met these gentle friends at Breezy…read moreHill Farm in Woodbine, MD which was about an hour's drive from DC. Alpacas, a member of the camelid family, are smaller and nicer than llamas, a relative. Mainly, they don't spit, at least not intentionally. We found these alpacas to be sweet, soft and silly. It was a little difficult to find the farm. The entrance is not clearly marked and we made at least two wrong forays onto adjacent properties before finding the farm. Once there we were welcomed by Heather, one of the owners, who gave us a brief rundown before introducing us to some of their goats, sheep, turkeys, donkey. She led us to the paddocks where the alpacas were, giving us instructions on how to approach them, how to feed them, how to pet them. Most had been recently shorn and Heather provided us with feed and the alpacas eagerly ate from our outstretched palms. They were soft and plush, the females more delicate eaters and the males (separated in a different area) were gobblers. These are animals, not pets, so while they are gentle, they do have wills of their own. It was a warm day and the alpacas enjoyed a spray from the hose. It was funny to see how excited they were to feed (reminds me of my dogs) and they ran after Heather when she got the food. Afterwards, we went to the barn where Heather, a fiber artist, demonstrated how the alpaca fur can be mixed with other fibers, how the wool is felted, and how it can be spun into yarn. There are textiles, yarn, garments for sale. Reservations are required. Sign up for the first time slot. Our tour ran over by 30 minutes and the next group had to wait. It is a picturesque drive to the farm but keep in mind that it turns into a two lane road through country lanes. We had left plenty of time for the drive but with our misdirected turnarounds and some road construction we ended up cutting it close.

We love this alpaca farm! The tour was personal and we learned so much. You can feed and pet the…read morealpacas. Afterwards you go into the shop and the tour guide can show you how they turn the alpaca fiber into clothes and other things. I would definitely recommend visiting and can't wait to come back!

This spot is kids paradise. I planned most of our day here and my kids still didn't want to leave…read more I typically saw this spot whenever I rode the Strasburg Railroad. We typically would do their Christmas Train, and rarely got back to Lancaster in the warmer months. As soon as I planned my latest summer trip, I knew it had to be on the itinerary. This place has it all from gigantic slides to gold mining sluice areas to a mini kids village that mine couldn't get enough of from the mini vet office to the drive in theater. It was really impressive. From here, you can make your way up the hill where there is a restaurant, a coffee kiosk with a delicious coconut water cold brew (wild!), and plenty of shaded sections with swinging chairs. You'll find paintball, basketball, skee ball, a pedal cart for the family, launching devices. I mean, there is a lot! The place is large so it never felt overly crowded. Come with water bottles. Even with the shaded sections it gets hot. They have water fountains by the bathrooms.

Such a fun farm to take your family. I've been coming here…read moresince my daughter was about 4 years old- she's 14 now. Everyone we come, it does not disappoint. It's such a great time. Buy tickets online- tickets are cheaper. If you go during the week- it's cheaper too! They also have 50% off for active military and veterans, which is a great deal! They have all kinds of games, tug of war ropes, a play area/little town for younger kids, pig races. Some nights they have fireworks or bands. If you come- the corn maze is a must! All types of food vendors like burgers, fries, chicken fingers, ice cream and apple cider donuts. You can spend hours here and not get bored. They also have for pit and picnic table areas you can rent out and they provide logs and sticks so you can roast marshmallows or hotdogs. Definitely recommend this farm.

My partner and I had an amazing time at this petting zoo…read more There were horses, goats (like 30!), baby piglets, mama cow and calf that was born just that week, rabbits, llamas, emus, peacocks, turtles, and more! The farmers were knowledgeable and friendly teens/young adults. They were very sweet to the children and ensured that all the kids could pet the baby goat born that week. The best part of our visit was being followed around by Dolly, a goat that roamed the premises, scavenging for leftover corn and dropped treats.

I've been here a few times now and my toddler loves it every time. He especially loves the tractor…read moreyou can sit on (if you have a tractor loving kiddo)! This year, they had a great deal on Groupon, which comes with a tractor ride around the farm. There's plenty of animals to look at, from baby pigs, horses, donkeys, turkeys, goats, a camel, dogs, etc. Friendly staff, clean bathrooms (yup, you heard that right), and plenty of places to sit to snack. I've also seen a few families host birthday parties here!

Every once in a while, social media serves you something so ridiculous that there's only one…read morereasonable response. "Yep. I'm doing that." So when Destiny Dairy Bar showed up on my feed talking about "come snuggle piglets for $25!" there was no internal debate. No hesitation. No weighing the pros and cons. I immediately booked a Piglet Snuggle Session. Honestly...I don't think I've ever typed my credit card number faster. Booking online was incredibly easy, and from the moment I reserved my spot, Destiny Dairy Bar knocked the customer service out of the park. They sent multiple emails leading up to my appointment explaining exactly what to expect, reminding me about my reservation and providing the required waiver ahead of time so there weren't any surprises when I arrived. Five stars before I even touched a pig! I arrived about 15 minutes early and checked in at the farm store. The staff couldn't have been friendlier. They encouraged me to wander around the property until my session started, which turned out to be a great suggestion. There were goats. Cows. Adult pigs. A donkey named Pamela. And plenty of opportunities to wander around smiling at animals living their best lives. When it was time for my session, everything started right on schedule. My farm guide explained how to safely hold the piglets and then basically said..."Have fun!" Don't mind if I do! The best part? I wasn't rushed at all! I had the opportunity to hold any of the piglets I wanted but settled in with the tiniest little guy of the bunch. Three and a half pounds. Curled up in my arms. Completely asleep. For most of the twenty-minute session. I don't know if he chose me...or if I chose him...but we were best friends by the end. The staff member even offered to take photos for me, which I appreciated so much since I was visiting on my own. Instead of trying to awkwardly balance a piglet while taking selfies, I was able to simply enjoy the experience and leave with wonderful memories! PRO TIP: Arrive a little early so you have time to explore the rest of the property. The piglets may be the headline attraction, but they're definitely not the only adorable residents you'll meet. At $25 per group (up to four people), I honestly think this is one of the best values for a unique experience you'll find anywhere. Whether you're bringing kids, your partner or just embracing your inner animal lover like I did, it's twenty minutes of pure joy! Now...I do have one confession. After I got home...I may or may not have Googled plans for building a piglet house. I'm not saying I'm getting a pet pig. I'm just saying...the research has begun. Until then, I'll happily keep coming back to Destiny Dairy Bar whenever I need a piglet fix!

Amazing ice cream. Love it…read more However it's a shame they put up political signs ... Not a good idea and an easy way to lose half of your clientele.

What a cute spot! Best experience with horses! Those mini guys were absolutely adorable and well…read moretaken care of! Keep up the amazing work guys!

Land of Little Horses is such a hidden gem in Gettysburg! From the moment we arrived, we were…read morewelcomed with kindness and smiles. And a special gift for a special birthday girl. The animals are so well-loved and taken care of, and the shows are absolutely adorable and entertaining for all ages. You can tell the staff truly love what they do -- they go out of their way to make the experience special for each guest. Go spend the day at Land of Little Horses, you won't regret it.

I recently attended a yoga retreat at Pearlstone Center. The meeting room where we practiced was…read morenice, with a window wall overlooking a beautiful view. However, the carpet was filthy, and clearly had not been vacuumed, even though the staff must have known we would spend all our time in that room on the floor. Several of us had immediate allergic reactions to whatever was in the carpet, and I spent the rest of the weekend on benedryl. We stayed in the Fidler's Grove cabins, and I was extremely disappointed with our accommodations. Our "kitchenette with microwave and mini fridge" consisted of a tiny fridge sitting on the floor in the hallway. It was so small we couldn't even fit our water bottles in it. That was it. No microwave, no kitchenette. The room I slept in had no heat, on a night when the temperature dropped into the 20s. We had a difficult time figuring out how to operate the heater because the instructions posted on the wall were not for that particular heating unit. Slats of the mini-blinds were twisted and broken. The sitting area was functional, but depressing. I would call the cabin overall very spartan and barracks-like. We requested a vegetarian menu, which we received. We were also welcome to choose from the buffet. With a couple of notable exceptions, the food ranged from mediocre to inedible, the main problem being that none of the cooked food was actually hot. The hummus that was provided to us as a snack was excellent, as was the whitefish we had with our dinner on Saturday night, but that did not make up for the food that was served to us the rest of the weekend. I won't go back.

Just attended a conference here last week. I was impressed with the Center from beginning to end…read more Of note: the "budget" sleeping quarters reminded me of a mountain-set chalet, with all wood interior, its own kitchen with stove and refrigerator, a reasonably large bathroom, a living room/lounge area, and more than enough clean towels. Really more than I expected. There is also an organic farm attached to the retreat center with vegetable rows, chickens, ducks, and goats. They served some produce from the farm at a couple of the meals. And the meals were also impressive, with mostly vegetarian options and the occasional high quality meat. And there were always refreshments available for those moments when you need a snack. The conference facilities themselves were also beautiful, from the large open hall on the first floor to the smaller meeting rooms to the ample rocking chairs on the porch around the main building. Not to mention that the center is surrounded by forests, streams, and a pond. Yep, it was epic.