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!

September 6, 2026. We were excited to finally see this private zoo. I had proposed the idea of…read moreseeing Nova Wild to my husband, who was elated to go & insisted on going as early as possible. I saw the zoo website a few years ago and put it on my to do list for this area. Despite some of the negative reviews we saw online, the reviews did no affect us at all. Yet I could see how the negative reviews can affect one's perception of the zoo. Tickets are $20 for adults. Children's tickets are less. Parking is free. We came to the zoo in the morning to avoid crowds and less heat from the sun. It is true that there are additional costs for food to feed the animals, rides on the camel, and to see the butterfly garden. The prices are fair though. The zoo is small yet clean, well maintained, and has many areas & animals to see. Some of the animals are shy & avoid onlookers, yet that happens in zoos. Restrooms are limited. I only saw restrooms near the entrance. When compared to the Smithsonian zoo, this zoo was less crowded and the customers had better etiquette. Nova Wild truly went beyond our greatest expectations. I saw all the animals I wanted to see there. Despite the shyness of some of the animals, most of them seemed happy. Some had good interactions with the people and children especially when it came to being fed by children or adults. There are many sitting areas throughout the zoo. The bench by the lake and willow trees is where I spent a lot of rest time at the zoo. Highlights in the Nova Wild Zoo: Clouded Leopard, Cheetah, Fennec Fox, Giant Ant Eater, the Flamingos, the Camels, African Tortoise, Owls, Emus, Cows, and Silver Cheeked Hornbill bird. There were others as well yet I didn't spend that much time around them. My favorite place and last place to explore in the zoo was the butterfly garden. There were many blue butterflies flying inside the enclosed garden as well as other types of butterflies. It was mesmerizing watching the butterflies. We spent the most time watching the butterflies. We skipped doing the drive through safari since the line was so long and it was getting too crowded at the end of the day. It was a quiet and peaceful experience at the Nova Wild Zoo. We look forward to visiting this place again.

Reston has a zoo?!?!?!?!…read more I love it! I'm from southern California. I've been to the LA Zoo. And I have to say that this small zoo was better! Too many animals to name. The safari is really cool. You get to pet the animals. They look happy and well cared for. Because it's a small zoo, parking is tough and it can be a maze to get through traffic. The staff here is wonderful. You can cover all ground within an hour. But it's worth the ticket price. Exotic you're local. I enjoyed my visit. I went twice so I can enjoy the safari without worrying about time. Stop by, support and check it out. Thank you for a great visit.

Cindy and Paul were wonderful hosts! Our family spent the afternoon meeting their goats, rabbits,…read morehorse, pony, chickens, and Llamas. We took the llamas on a walk and learned about life on the farm, artisan goods, and animal care. Such a fun and unique interactive experience in a beautiful slice of Virginia.

From the owner: We are a family owned farm and enjoy sharing visits with families. Our menagerie includes llamas,…read moregoats, rabbits, & chickens. During a visit you could romp with goats, walk a llama, and learn about these amazing animals. Crafts for kids are an option when scheduled. Our llamas are also available to visit at your events. We also have products for sale from our llamas' fiber such as socks, blankets, rugs, and craft items. Fiber is also available for spinning and felting. We make goat milk soap and anti-poison ivy soap from jewelweed.

have been buying from this place often. Quality is wonderful. It is a bit of a drive for me. Will…read morebe visiting again now that weather is better.

If you're looking for a unique, luxurious, and relaxing outdoor experience in the DMV, look no…read morefurther than The Paca Picnic! The ladies of DMVDoes social group had the pleasure of partnering with them for a Sunday Funday, and it was hands down one of the most memorable experiences we've ever had. It's bring your own food and drink. From the moment we arrived, everything felt intentional and beautifully curated. They reserved their largest and most scenic pasture just for us nestled in nature and surrounded by the sweetest alpacas. It felt like a private oasis! The picnic setup was absolutely stunning: And included Whimsical alpaca plates, Fine glassware, Modern flatware and linen napkins and Vintage market umbrellas that gave the space a dreamy, editorial vibe . The experience also included Low boho tables, layered blankets, and plush cushions made it perfect for lounging, connecting, and enjoying good company. They even included chilled ice buckets, Bluetooth speakers, and alpaca treats to complete the experience. This wasn't your typical picnic -- it was an elevated experience, ideal for birthdays, date nights, kids' playdates, girls' outings, or just because! Huge thanks to Abraham, our incredible host, for the warm hospitality.We can't wait to come back. Highly recommend!

Absolutely loved this! My husband and I had a 9A picnic with the alpacas and it was absolutely…read moreperfect! The customer service is wonderful, and everyone was friendly. A perfect way to de-compress and just relax. Highly recommend this experience

I hosted my son's first rodeo at Cock-a-doodle Cottage in November and my friends and family still…read morerave about it. Justyna was very responsive and her attention to detail was great. I attempted to DIY a lot of stuff and was overwhelmed on event day however, when I dropped off the stuff; she and her team took over and bought my vision to reality. Their property is so beautiful and they went above and beyond for my son's first birthday party. They even surprised us when her husband dressed up as a chicken and did the chicken dance which the kids loved. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for an amazing venue for your event. I cannot thank her family enough for such an easy event planning experience!

My family hosted a birthday party for my two-year-old daughter at Cock-a-Doodle Cottage last month,…read moreand we had a wonderful time. The entire event was flawless and I really cannot recommend this place enough. The backyard area where we ate was lovely and spacious. My toddler loved watching, feeding, and visiting with the animals, and frankly, they were a hit with many of the adults, too! There were also lawn games provided to keep the adults busy. Justyna was very accommodating, helpful, and responsive regarding setup and preparation. Thank you, Justyna and family for helping us put on such a lovely event!

Súper fun would recommend it to anyone looking for a petting zoo experience. Also very nice animalsread more

Great experience! Super cute small highland cows. You scratch and pet them. Even lay down with…read morethem. They'll nibble your shirt. The animals all look well taken care of. There is a small gift shop and a cute cat in sweater that is free to pet, although they do charge $20/hour to pet the bald cat. There are other animals there (goats, horses) and I think it costs more to cuddle/pet those animals. Be warned - this is a small cow pasture, so expect mud I don't know what a fair price is, but these seems decent Kind of a schlep to get there The bathroom is in their house!

Mary's Go Round was wonderful. We got the larger zoo and the animals were so great and gentle with…read moretoddlers. The animals have little neckerchiefs that are themed and so cute. The team arrived early, set up quickly and cleaned up so there was no trace when they left! Would definitely book again!

I've done 2 events with Mary and she does not disappoint! The kids loved the pony rides and petting…read morezoo. They worked with our theme and have very reasonable rates!

Couldn't even begin to tell you the last time I visited the zoo but when I got invited this time I…read morecouldn't say no. Especially knowing we'd get a chance to see the zoo's newest star, baby elephant Linh Mai. She was the very first animal we saw that morning happily playing with her mom and aunt and she was absolutely adorable. My friend insisted on getting there right when the zoo opened and while I was dreading an 8:00 a.m. arrival on a Sunday, it ended up being the perfect time to visit. The temperatures were still cool and most of the animals were out, active, and moving around. As the day warmed up it was easy to see why arriving early makes such a difference. For anyone who's never been, admission to the zoo is completely free. However, you'll need to reserve passes online ahead of time which are scanned at the entrance when you arrive. Another big plus is that you're allowed to bring in outside food and drinks which can save you quite a bit of money if you're trying to avoid paying theme park-style food prices. The zoo is also easily accessible by Metro. If you're driving, parking is available for $40 but if you're lucky arriving early might help you score free street parking like I did. Between seeing the adorable baby elephant, enjoying a beautiful morning, and getting to watch so many animals actively roaming around, this ended up being a much better experience than I expected. I definitely won't wait as long before making another trip back.

With kids in tow while in Washington D.C., of course we had to check out the local zoo…read more Fortunately, the zoo was a close walk from the Washington Hilton where we were staying but it also is a short walk from the metro station. The zoo covers a large area and there is plenty to see and do to make a day of it. We spent most of the day there but still had to rush through some of it to see everything. The zoo offers a free activity in a beautiful setting, you can make what you want of it. One word of warning, the entrance to the zoo is on a higher plane than the back of the zoo. If you are tired and hot after a whole day of fun and find yourself in the back, prepare yourself and your kids for a trek back up! :)