Just visited their fall pumpkin patch and had a great time! It's free to enter but the children's zoo is paid. There was a great selection of cute fall decor items and giant pumpkins plus mini gourds. They also had the fullest mums I have seen all year- gorgeous!! The fall treats were delish. We indulged in the apple cider slushie and donuts. There is also a section set up with several cute photo opportunities, it was a lot of fun for a fall activity! We spent a little over an hour but I'll be going back again in a few weeks! read more

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AUTUMN INDECISION I want to like Johansen Farms, but the cynical part of me sees through their charade. To me, dunking on a small business is usually 'no bueno', but after two visits to Johansen's fall petting zoo I find myself wondering "THIS is what we paid for??" Very few things are truly free these days, and I get that, but admission to Johansen's does not fall in the realm of good value. Located along Boughton Rd in Bolingbrook, Johansen's is open during the spring/summer as a nursery and farm (April-July), during autumn as a pumpkin patch, and briefly in the winter to sell Christmas trees. On busy weekends in October, police have a lane blocked off to shepherd traffic in & out of the parking lot. On that note, parking is free, thankfully, as is walking around their pumpkin patch. I saw a review from 2017 - a mere seven years ago - that mentions admission was $13.50. It's nearly doubled since that time! $23 allows you to feed the goats, enjoy a small corn maze, hayride, a "train" (actually just a bumpy trailer pull with tiny, uncomfortable carriages), and rinky-dink mini golf. Kids have to be 42" to bounce on the myriad inflatables, however, anyone over 2yo is full price. How many 2-4 year olds have you met that are 42" tall?? Apart from Kareem Abdul Jabbar's kids, how about NONE. I'm sure Johansen's knows this, so they're screwing plenty of people with this sneaky little exploit. The pumpkin patch is nice; we found an orange specimen that was a solid 9/10, with everyone in my group agreeing it was the roundest and most picturesque gourd they'd seen in a long time. Apple cider donuts are decent and you can buy hot cider at their bake shop counter. * TL;DR * Johansen's fall festivities are cute, though you get shockingly little for the money. You'll have to pay full price for your 3-year-old, but due to height restrictions on their bouncy houses, they won't be able to go in. Adults aren't allowed on inflatables, ditto for the ponies. In fact, grown-ups will spend most of their time standing around, which I can do for free at home (or literally anywhere else). Oh, but don't despair, as you can join their fanclub for a whopping $1 off general admission! *sprays confetti* gee, thanks guys! My wife likes them because they're local, but sorry honey, I'm done-zo with Johansen's. We'll take our annual (free) picture on the hay bales, but if it's my money we're spending, next year we're making the trip to Bengtson's. read more

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I come here every year with my young kids, mostly because it's tradition and it's the only farm in my hometown of Bolingbrook. The reason for my 3 star review is that it is overpriced without a ton to do, but I guess that's to be expected considering the size of the farm. This year was the first time we enjoyed the pony rides, which are only available weekends in October I believe. My son is now big enough to go on the bigger air slides. I was impressed with the staff manning the slide for the younger kids. There is a variety to do for different ages. Plenty of photo opportunities. Their apple caramel walnut pie is delicious. Bring quarters to feed the goats and other animals. read more

Johansen Farms - Love visiting the baby chicks - Zoos Near Me - Bolingbrook, Illinois

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Although we didn't stay to see all the attractions, it's clear that lots of care went into making this space special. Our little one needed a pumpkin for school and we thought the farm would be a great place for her to run around while we picked that up. The selection of pumpkins is vast and they also had flowers and other yard goodies for sale. We picked up a box of apple donuts to share and they were excellent! We regretted not getting a pie to take home with us... Last, but not least, they have a room with props to take family/individual photos. We got some great family shots! read more

Johansen Farms - Zoos Near Me - Bolingbrook, Illinois

I stopped by for a pastry and to check out their pumpkin patch. Pumpkins are priced at 50 cents per pound, but I wouldn't recommend the pastries. Neither the donut nor the pie were good. There are definitely better pumpkin patches around than this one. read more

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They call themselves a petting zoo, but the only animals you can pet are goats. There are baby chicks you can hold, but you have to keep them over the enclosure, which makes it incredibly difficult to try to introduce them to any little kids. There's also pony rides, but only if you are under a certain weight. The corn maze takes 30 seconds to walk through. The hayride has nothing to look at but corn stalks and a couple of wooden cutouts. There are inflatables, but you have to be a very specific size to use them. If you have toddlers, there's very little for them to do. They have a tiny little toddler area with a bounce house and ride on toys. There weren't even that many photo op areas. We went to Sonny Acres last year and that place was free and 100x better than this place. The man who ran the hay ride was very sweet, but the young kids that were "running" the other attractions, barely paid attention to anything that was going on. We definitely won't go back. read more

We had such a wonderful time at Johansens Farm today. My children did not want to leave. They had so much fun with all the animals and fun activities. Now carving our pumpkins.what a great day!! read more

The small business atmosphere is great! Been taking the kids there for years and now with my grandchildren. Always felt my grandkids were safe running from one fun activity to another. Pumpkins and mums are top quality. I think they grow their own mums, so they are beautiful. All the folks working there are nice as well. Nice easy fun day! read more

I have been taking my kids and grandkids to Johansen's for years. We always enjoy the atmosphere and petting the goats and chicks. I like the fact that it is a safe environment and once you pay the admission, all the activities are included. The mums are just gorgeous. And, the apple cider donuts are great. read more

What a beautiful Fall day to be had at Johansen Farms. I love to just walk around and take in the crisp Autumn air with absolutely BEAUTIFUL mums, so many I could not just get one color. (I get lots of compliments from my neighbors on my mums). The homemade pies are scrumptious and a great gift to bring to thanksgiving dinner. The employees are so helpful especially the cashiers :) One lovely lady helped me carry my flowers to my car. One of my faves when Fall comes. Cant wait for the Spring for the greenhouse to open on 53!! read more

Every employee was rude. The hayride driver audibly groaned when we asked if we could ride again with no one else in line bc it was such a short ride. It's just a bunch of inflatables and neglected animals. We paid to feed the animals and then the food kept getting stuck in the tubes. We had to pound the PVC pipe to get the food to go down. The best part was the apple cider slushie. Oh, and it's only porta potties. 1/10 don't recommend. read more

This place was exactly what I was looking for! I wanted a place that wasn't sooo crowded and had fun things to do for myself and my teen daughter and nieces and this place was perfect for us. We went on Saturday and were able to feed a pony, goats and even hold baby chicks! We also did a small hay ride (very basic) that was fun and a short corn maze. They have a few large inflatable slides for kids and even a mini golf area. Food prices are average and the tent to eat had plenty of tables available that were spread out (Covid friendly). There were also hand sanitizers all around the farm. Masks weren't required but we wore them anyway and felt safe. Was not overly crowded at all. We would def recommend and we'll be back next year! read more

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This place gets points mainly for the store and the fact that it has a corn maze. Otherwise, comparing to Bengston's Farm down in Mokena (which isn't that much more from a price per person) there isn't too much by way of entertainment when comparing the two. There were A LOT of adorable animals but you couldn't get close to a lot of them. (Of course that's probably for the animals benefit so I guess kudos on animal care??) Bengtson's has gourmet foods, this place has the carnival basics, so we didn't eat food. I do appreciate the corn maze, my kids went through three times and we got some cute Halloween decs at the store which had a lot of nice things, especially if your a kitschy, crafty kinda person. I think at a lower price for entry, I would say "sure, this is worth while". If you want to just enjoy the store without paying an entry fee, you can. I would suggest checking that out. They also have a bakery with pumpkin bread, cider donuts, pies, etc. read more

We visited Johansen Farms earlier this fall and enjoyed our visit here. The farm is pretty big and offers a little something for everyone being on 4 acres! There was ample parking spots and even a few attendants out there directing traffic. Loved the hand sanitizer stations throughout and the social distancing signage. If you're looking to grab a few pumpkins and some apple cider donuts, it's free admission to do that and peek around. If you want to get into the zoo area / rides it's $15 admission per person. I thought this fee was pricey because a lot of things in the zoo area were only viewable, not interactive. We however understand the social distancing and new practices that people are taking during this time. The goats are always my favorite animals to peek at. They were lively here and always love a little corn snack! It was nice to see that the complimentary hay rides were still happening. Our small group had a blast on it and everyone on the ride was wearing a mask. The apple cider donuts here were hot and fresh and worth the line. The dough was fluffy and they tasted homemade. You can be them as a single or dozen. The caramel apples were SO good. Those has to be freshly dipped. Definitely recommend those. The day we went was a little chilly so a cup of hot apple cider was also a win. They had about 6 or 8 picnic tables set up and spaced out well for people to sit down and have a few bites. Overall, we had a good time and would come back again. My family has been coming here for years so it was nice to see how things have or haven't changes throughout. read more

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This place is trying to ensure everyone is safe with lots of cleaning, and social distanced visits of the animals. We enjoyed our visit and I do think $15 a pp is worth it. Skip the $5 hand wipes, they have hand washing and hand sanitizing stations everywhere. Some tips: Visit and hold a chick! So cute. Visit the Mamma Pig and piglets Play all the included games! Skip the hayride (short and slow...waited longer to get on) Try their pumpkin pie and bread, skip the apple cider it's from a store bought. Skip the pumpkin patch...unless it's for pictures read more

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This review is for Johansen Farms Children's Zoo & Pumpkin Farm, not the nursery and garden center, though they have all their beautiful mums on display and for sale. If you're looking to take the family out in the Fall or go on a cute date, Johansen Farms is an attractive option. It offers free parking, a nice outdoor storefront with free samples of their pies and apple cider donuts, and pumpkins galore. The zoo portion requires an admission fee ($13.50 on the weekends), but it includes everything inside. Pony rides, giant inflatables, a 9 hole mini golf course, and a corn maze! I kind of balked at the price at first, but after seeing everything that's included and how much my kids enjoyed it, I found it worth the price of admission. Bring quarters, if you want to feed the animals. The goats are cute, and your heart will melt when you see the little baby chickies. If it doesn't then you might want to get checked for ice in your veins. Johansen Farms is not as large as other farms I've been to, but the variety of activities makes it worthwhile IMO. read more

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We visited the petting zoo, which had a few attractions. They don't have as much going on as other pumpkin farms we've visited. I was shocked at the price being higher than expected. I have smaller kids and this pumpkin farm was appropriately sized for smaller kids.They were pretty worn out after. With the exception of the train ride, the lines for the attractions were not long. This farm may not be as exciting for older kids. read more

I've had better experiences other places. Not very clean restrooms, and sticky eating areas. Food prices really are absurd. 4.50 for a plain ol' hot dog and no sides, 5.50 for a mini little hamburger ( steamed) and no sides. I would get the donuts however. I like how small it is for smaller children up to age 5. Sort of boring shopping but they do however have great looking mums ( fall flowers) for purchase. I would say weekday pricing is one of the cheapest of the area 14.95 each ( coupon for 1 dollar off each entry is posted) but you also get what you pay for. read more

Johansen Farms - Food court- expensive for what it is. I would skip the food but order the desserts. - Zoos Near Me - Bolingbrook, Illinois

Sunday, October 3, 2010 Ah yes, the yearly debate of which pumpkin farm do we take the kids too? We chose to go to Johansen Farms Fall Festival because it was closest to our house and seemed to be targeted toward smaller kids - we have a 2 year old daughter. First & foremost print the $1 off coupon off their website - that will put you at $9.50 per person and children under 2 are free. Once you get inside the only extra cost is the $.25 for corn for the animals (or the kids can pick the extra off the ground for free - there was plenty!) and any refreshments from the Bakery - which I'll admit we tasted a few of the apple cider donuts and they were fabulous! As you walk in the first thing you'll see are the pens with animals, they had a baby goat there - only 2 days old, a donkey, some sheep etc that you can feed by dropping corn down a shoot to them. On the otherside are the baby chicks - you can walk right over and pick one up (careful no squeezing!) and my daughter LOVED that. There's also a mini petting zoo where a few goats/sheep are free to roam with the kids. There's a train that takes you through a corn maze and bounce houses and a giant slide (must be 42" to slide) there is one bounce house that is sectioned off for the toddlers so they don't get trampled by the big kids. There's an ostrich, bunnies, geese, pheasants, and pigs. The best part for us were the free pony rides! (75lb weight limit) My daughter loved that the most. On your way out you can visit the Halloween/Fall shop, buy some fudge or candy apples, pick out a pumpkin or one of their gorgeous mums -- but it will cost you! I found the prices in these places to be a bit high. The bakery was moderately priced. All in all my 2 year had a blast seeing all the animals, the establishment was very clean and I didn't think the animals looked neglected or abused. We'd go back. read more

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We had the most unbelievably fun time at Johansen Farm. October was about to come to an end so I took a day off work to take my kids. They absolutely loved the slides, jumping jacks, hayrides and mini train. I love that they have multiple slides. A large, medium and smaller one for toddlers. Same with the bouncy house. They have a large one for bigger kids and a tiny one for under 2 year olds. My 15 month old boy was able to get into the bouncy house and really enjoyed it. My kids could not get enough of feeding the goats and chickens either. I loved that because we went on a Monday morning we avoided long lines and a crowded pumpkin patch. JF also advertises "all of the fun, none of the fright". I had been to this farm many years ago with a second grade class of mine and I'm glad I was able to go back and experience it with my own little ones. They have a great gift shop and they make their own pumpkin, apple and apple caramel pies! Delicious!!! Free parking! Cannot wait to go back next year. They open around September 15th and end on October 31st. read more

Animals are in small cages, the mother pig was shivering and the staff didn't seem to care when we told them that.

Yes I cannot recommend this for family activities my granddaughter who is in first grade went there and was made to get on a scale before she could ride a pony. I called today To see how they determine if everyone got weighed in the assured me they weighed everyone so that nobody would feel left out after speaking with a group of moms and grandmas that was there that is not true they went through a line and picked people out to get on the scale they body shame children and that is totally unacceptable. read more

Not sure why they have 3 stars. This place was amazing for the kids! Definitely maybe 10 and under. You pay one flat price for EVERYTHING! All the rides! And if you text their fanclub # you get $1 off! Pumpkin patch itself is free, you just pay for your pumpkin! Such a great thing to do with the little ones! They even have little baby chicks to hold and play with! We loved it! read more

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We went to grab some fresh flowers for spring! I was amazed by the amount of selections and how beautiful their flowers were! It's just wonderful to walk around so much gorgeous plants on a spring day. Prices were slightly higher than places like homedepot but it's worth it. read more

I visited the farm today and left rather sad and very upset to say the least. There were two dead rabbits. One appeared to have died recently and the second one was so stiff, he may have been dead for quite some time. I notified one of the employees immediately and stayed until they came to pick up the dead rabbits. I only hope they died of natural causes and I realize animals die all the time.. Still, the employees need to monitor all the animals and I don't think they're doing a good job doing so. I hate leaving bad reviews and this is not to get anyone in any trouble, but the owners need to monitor their own animals too. read more

Johansen Farms - 2 rabbits laying dead. An employees was notified. All living creatures deserve respect too. - Zoos Near Me - Bolingbrook, Illinois

Once again, I am totally disappointed with the selection. Fortunately I only needed 6 geranium plants and some potting soil. It was close and it was late on a Friday and they are open until 7, otherwise, I would not even have bothered. Trying to beautify the outside with plants is a ton of work. Drive to a place with more variety and a larger selection. You will be glad you did. read more

I would never go here again, bought 3 simular plants, the next day 1 is half dead, the day after that it is totally dead with a 2nd one almost dead. The 3rd plant trying to keep alive. I bring the 2 dead plants back, in a bag so as not to let others see me walk in with dead plants, i was looking out for the business, didn't want them to look bad. I had the receipt and have pics to show them of the following days to show they died right away. They tell me I killed them and won't refund or give store credit. I literally had proof to show them they started dying, the one fell over from the stem, it was rotted and the man laughed at me and told me I killed them in less than a day, actually 14 hours later. He actually laughed at me to my face. That is such poor business and simply just not how you treat people. Shame on him. read more

Johansen Farms - Zoos Near Me - Bolingbrook, Illinois

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My friend bought a Groupon and invited the little guy and me to join her and her son. It was out first pumpkin patch trip and I was jazzed. Highlights: The hay room. My 22 month old had to be dragged out of there. I guess throwing hay and rolling around in it is toddler heaven. The little chick house. My kid got such a kick out of holding and petting the chicks. The train ride. It's great for the little guys, probably unimpressive for kids older than 3. The pumpkins are abundant and reasonably priced. THE DONUTS. Oh, the donuts. You gotta get the donuts. I brought donuts home and my dude was VERY thankful. read more

This place is so much fun for fall festivities! The entrance fee is worth the experience ($10 on weekdays but if you text "fanclub" to 31996, you get $1 off). There are animals and hayrides as well as a pumpkin patch and shop with donuts and pies. So much fun, no matter what age you are! read more

Johansen Farms - Zoos Near Me - Bolingbrook, Illinois

We recently went there on a dreary and wet day in October. Not ideal conditions... I think that if the weather were better, I might have viewed things in a better light, like enjoyed the attractions more. Weather is not their fault as we do live in Chicagoland, but since they had someone being paid to stand in front of all the bounce house attractions, the least they could've done was hand those people a towel to dry them off inside! We were among the first people in the place and surely dried off our fair share of bounce things with our own pants and socks....... while the workers standing in front of said bounce houses could've taken care of that for us. There was a decent amount to do, but it wasn't as big as I anticipated. Animals, hayride, train ride and pony ride (on weekend) were nice. I'm sure glad I bought the groupon for the 4 adults and 1 kid, because I thought even the $40+ I paid was probably too much. Imagine at full price! We MIGHT go back, but it would have to be a bright and sunny day to ensure the equipment was dry and enjoyable. The biggest bonus? The cafe for cider and donuts and the pumpkin patch was all free to the public. read more

This place deserves its 5 star! No issues coming in and out! Price is good for what you're getting! It gets busy as the day goes by but I recommend coming early! A lot of nice stuff for the family and especially the kids! I recommend giving it a try! read more

We came here to have some good old fashion family fun. The kids got to go on a hayride, pet some farm animals and pick out a pumpkin. We also did the maze together. What we love the most was that they sold apple cider doughnuts! We had a good time I'd recommend this farm for some family time and a short trip outside of the city life. Fresh air, and plain fun without the smartphone and electronics. read more

Great selection of pumpkins and great food! Fun decorations to look at as well. Will be going back!

If you have kids specifically girls stay away. Port of potties are a disgusting mess. My toddler walked in and wanted to throw up. Activities were scares. And the food was a joke. Pizza tasted like cardboard and for 5 dollars a slice could've put more effort. And nachos were freezing cold. First and last time visiting should've gone to bengstons read more

Went today for the very first time with my 3 year old on a field trip and let's say it's unorganized. Bathroom was extremely terrible you guys need to upgrade with all that land you have and expand it. Employee was extremely rude and races to a group of kids that were on a field trip that was by the bouncy house. Not much to do alot of attractions were down it looked dirty. I prefer Bengtons in Homer Glen best one followed by Sonny Acres read more

I called and left a message recently, but I have not heard back. We bought three Black Beauty Eggplant plants in June. They are not Black Beauty Eggplants. They are a yellow, small variety that we do not want. They are not over ripening. They were mislabeled, I believe, and sold as something they are not! I would very much like Johansen Farms to get in touch with me. read more

So much to say about this place that really shouldn't have to be said, but because lack of common sense prevails at Johansen Farms, I thought I would add them to my special brand of Yelp Reviews. First off, let's dismiss the romanticism right away. This place is a farm. No.. not a pumpkin farm. It's a farm - that just happens to sell pumpkins in the fall. As such, it has all of the lovely smells, blowing dirt, blowing feces, fly's and irritants that a normal farm has. Although those things are not for everyone, I think that everyone arrives expecting such un-pleasantries to be mitigated best they can. I can assure you, they're not. In fact, they seemed to lack quite a bit of common sense in integrating their farm into the mainstream expectations of the roving consumer. So let's see how they did: 1. They placed the food shack directly next to the open barn. Imagine that. The cross winds smell bad enough but they take on a whole new meaning as they flow through the screened in food shack and air-marinade the food being prepared in the open kitchen. Nice. (see attached picture). 2. Bad food. Ok, maybe not all their food, but anyplace that shows a lack of common sense about number 1 above, probably isn't going to care much about the actual food they serve - And they don't. They served me a Pizza that looked like it had been under a heat lamp since morning. No really, its worse than you think and so obviously in need of a trash can. Thanks Johansen. Wait until you come over to my house so I can serve you food. (see attached picture) 3. I'm a good natured fun-loving guy so I just had to smile and shake my head when Johansens lack of common was on even on display in the picture displays (where your kids stick your head through and the parents take a picture). My kids are 8 and 6 and of average height. They walk around to stick their heads through the display and they disappear. Where did they go? Why aren't they sticking their heads through the hole? OOOHHHHhhhh... they can't reach the hole. Johansen probably thought that the adults would put their heads through the hole and the kids would take the picture. I would advise everyone to bring their own foot stool. (see attached picture). 4. Warning. Anyone with Asthma, prone to sinus infections, or those that do not want a case of environment induced bronchitis, STAY AWAY from their mini corn maze. As you walk through it, you will experience plumes of ultra fine gravel dust (seriously) and serious dirt and dust from the corn stalk walls. (corn stalks are dead). The amount of un-necessary dust has got to be called out as a health hazard, especially for the young and elderly. 5. Upon check-out, open your eyes and notice the big tent with food goods against the wall. Hundreds of people walk through each hour as they exit, kicking up even more dirt and dust as they go. Again I mention dirt and dust, not because I have dirt-phobia, but because its not a small thing. The amount of dirt and dust will allow you to write your name on your sun glasses or cell phone if you happen to be texting a yelp review. But behold, there upon the shelf are the wondrous food goods. Apple Pies, Donuts galore. A great place for "marginally sealed" food goods. (To put things into perspective, imagine if you picked up a loaf of bread off the shelf at Jewel and it was covered in dust. Would that be fine with you? Sorry, but I demand more common sense out of people. Bottom line is, I love the fall season and have gone to many of the local "pumpkin farms." In my opinionated opinion, these people don't have a lot to learn, they simply don't care about me or you. They have low standards and are too lazy to employ common sense to fix them. And for that reason I'm gone for good. read more

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7 disappointed children and two staff members is how we left Johansen Farms on Tuesday, October 12, 2021at 1:50 pm. This wasn't 4Crosses Academy Of Learning. LTD first visit to Johansen but will probably will be our last. I know the plague has caused great changes in our world but communication still needs to take place. We have visited Johansen farms several years as well as invited other family child care providers to attend in the past years post corona virus. We contacted the farm post planning to understand what to expect and never were we told no pumpkins at the end of our visit on a giving day "Tuesday". Upon leaving is when we were informed of the new rule of no pumpkins on Tuesday's. No groups acknowledged on Monday or Tuesday's. I left feeling disrespected for my children who had already begun lifting and weighing the small pumpkins for under 8 pounds. Even further disrespected when explaining to our parents that we attended the pumpkin patch on the wrong day without being informed prior. "WE CALLED JOHANSEN FARMS BEFORE ATTENDING AS WE ALWAYS HAVE DONE " Respectfully yours Mrs. JRC, President 4Crosses Academy Of Learning. LTD read more

My preschooler and his classmates have a great time at this combination pumpkin patch - kid fun zone - stinky petting zoo. There's a bunch of huge blow-up bouncing activities, and luckily my son is used to being shoved by his older sister and her friends, because those things got pretty packed - despite the half-frozen employee who tried to keep the mayhem to a minimum by only letting in a few kids at a time. But it really is nice for kids under 8, I'd say. On a good day, the pony rides are open. You can usually cruise the hayride wagon and get a better view of the grounds while learning which kids are allergic to hay. Livestock isn't really my thing. Get a hit of the hand sanitizer as you exit. read more

wow! I'm shocked at how rude the staff are. Most attractions were closed, even the chicks who are usually open. and the staff sucked the joy out of our experience. will NEVER EVER return. I will never forget the bad experience. scroll down and read the other hidden reviews! spare your family from having a horrible day. read more