We visited Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch during spring break with our 6-year-old son and had such a…read moregreat time! My husband and I first visited several years ago and loved it, so we knew it would be a fun place to bring him--and it absolutely was. The animals are so interactive and entertaining. Our favorite experience was with the nectar birds that literally sit on you while they drink. It was such a unique and memorable moment for our son (and honestly for us too!). We also did the monster truck tour, which was fantastic. The guide shared so many interesting facts about ostriches and the ranch itself, and it made the experience even more engaging. It's been really fun to see how much the ranch has grown over the past several years. They've added more experiences and clearly put a lot of care into the place. This spot is truly a treasure and a perfect stop for families looking for something a little different and very memorable. Highly recommend!

I came here today for my fix of cute animal! I have been here so many times and every time I come…read morehere it is such a wonderful experience. Starting from the employees who are so friendly, to the very cute animals and the well organized operation they have for their business. I always go to each of my favorite stations and I visit sometimes twice during my stay. My favorites are the donkeys and the bunnies. I also love that the tortoises have names on their shell. My favorite ninja Turtles was always Raphael so of course I had to go say hi to him while I was there. I highly recommend anybody to come here and you will have a wonderful experience whether you're a child or an adult. My boyfriend and I love to come here for a date day and each time is fantastic.

Unexpectedly came across this place while shopping at Green Things. The sign out front stated they…read moreoffer riding lessons and a petting zoo. When I called to inquire, Tess, explained the many programs they offered along with a toddler friendly animal farm section. They had a section of bunny rabbits, chickens, ducks, mini horses, sheep and goats to pet and feed- toddler loved this part. Hours are from 7-11am then 4-6 pm during the winter months. Shocked to see this place was not on TripAdvisor's top things to do with toddlers while in Tucson...would highly recommend.

Teenage camp counselors are ill-equipped to work with children. Some are actually cruel to…read more5-yr-olds. When I approached the executive director about this problem, he said that he was aware....but he never attempted corrective action. TRAK livestock die on every holiday because Jill and Scott can't be bothered to provide adequate supervision to volunteer workers on holidays

The highlight of our trip to Buckeye! It's $10 to get in and the money is well worth it! The…read morepetting zoo is perfect for any age. There are piggies and goats to greet you when you get there.. if you'd like to feed them, it costs a little bit extra to buy veggies and snackies for them.. but it is worth it! They are so cute and so friendly! They even had tiny baby piggies .. they had some horses, a burro, and a cow. All of them were so friendly!! I highly recommend visiting the farm!

Fun place to take the grandkids! All the animals were friendly and there were a few piglets running…read morearound you also can buy veggies to feed the animals which my grandson enjoyed doing

We celebrated our son's 3rd birthday and everyone had a great time. The owner, Brittney, is super…read morefriendly and communicative. Both kids and adults enjoyed feeding the animals and hanging out at the farm!

I bought three female chicks, two of which turned out to be roosters. The website indicates they…read moresex the chickens with 90% accuracy, but were significantly less accurate with ours. When I reached out about a partial refund and offered to return the roosters, this is the response I got: No, actually, that only means it's not 100% accurate. Our policy is listed on our website. We do not guarantee, refund, return, swap, or exchange. This is an extremely standard policy across the board for any Hatchery or place of business that sells chicks. If you have a rooster you can give it away for free on Craigslist. Next time go ahead and shop at tractor supply. Buy your chicks from there and when you get a rooster try to call them and make them take it back and see what happens. Best, Brittney I'm so glad I didn't book my niece's birthday party here because the level of customer service leaves a lot to be desired. On a side note, we have bought many female chickens from Tractor Supply over the years and none have been roosters. Not even one.

Fantastic experience Superior wranglers…read moreDelicious food friendly service Wonderful to see owners socialize with guests Will return!!

one of the nicest experiences i've ever had. came here for my birthday trip and it was truly…read moreamazing! food was spectacular, service and hospitality was amazing, and scenery was so beautiful!

We had my daughter's birthday party here today and we're pretty disappointed. We just did the…read moreunicorn encounter because we were doing a small group with just a few kiddos. The whole reason we did this for her birthday is because my daughter is a strong believer in unicorns and absolutely loves them. Upon arriving the kids immediately noticed the "unicorn" and his horn was lopsided, falling off of his head. My daughter went up to the employee and told her that the horn was falling off. Later she told me that it broke her heart it wasn't a real unicorn. If you have a group coming specifically for a unicorn encounter that unicorn should be ready and looking magical as can be for their arrival. Additionally, the second reason we chose this experience was because the website said you would get to hold bunnies. My daughter loves bunnies and told me all leading up to the party that she couldn't wait to hold a bunny. The employee did NOT let the girls hold bunnies at all, she only let them pet the bunny. It also said they would feed alpacas, sheep, and goats. They didn't have the girls feed any animals at all. In fact no one was guiding through the process at all aside from a lady taking the girls in a circle twice on the pony. Then she disappeared for a long time until she finally came back out and brought out one bunny for them to pet. The AC was not turned on in the castle until we were about to leave and it was 2:30 in the afternoon so almost 100 degrees outside. Overall very disappointed and would not recommend going here. We paid $125 for the kids to basically run around a farm for an hour in 100 degrees. The reviews had been so great saying they make it a magical experience and sadly the magic was exactly what we were missing today.

We celebrated our daughter's 5th birthday at Charming Pony Parties yesterday, and it was truly a…read morewonderful experience from start to finish! Leading up to the party, Christy was incredibly responsive and patient, answering all of my questions via email and even giving us a tour of the venue ahead of time. The space was absolutely perfect for our princess unicorn theme. During the party, Rebecca and DJ were so kind, patient, and attentive with all 15 kids, allowing them to ride the ponies multiple times, helping with photos while riding, and bringing out the hare and baby goat for petting--which the kids absolutely loved. All of the animals, including the miniature horses, donkey, sheep, alpaca, chickens, geese, and ducks, were very friendly and tolerant with the children. It was obvious how well cared for and loved the animals are. DJ even went above and beyond by helping my husband lift a heavy cooler full of drinks during setup, which was greatly appreciated. The party setup looked beautiful, and everyone--kids and parents alike--had an amazing time. We couldn't have asked for a better experience and would highly recommend Charming Pony Parties to anyone looking for a truly special and memorable celebration!

Great experience! Definable book, you won't regret. Took my 10 year old niece, perfect for all ages.read more

We recently had the most wonderful trail riding experience at Rockin' Star Ranch with family…read moreranging in age from 2 to 72, and every single person had a fantastic time! The horses were thoughtfully matched to each rider's size and experience level, and it was clear how well cared for and well-trained they all are. The guides were absolutely phenomenal -- not only friendly and professional but they went above and beyond, even riding backwards at times to capture incredible photos and videos for us! As someone who tends to be nervous around horses, I was given the most patient, gentle, and intuitive horse, which made the entire experience enjoyable and safe. When my 2-year-old decided he had to ride with Mama AFTER everyone was saddled up, they went out of their way to help us rearrange and make it happen -- and I still felt safe and confident holding him, which speaks volumes about both the horses and the staff. We've been to Rockin' Star Ranch a few times over the years, and it's always been a special place for our family. In fact, our now 12-year-old once rode the same sweet pony on a lead ride that our 2-year-old recently did -- a true testament to the love, care, and longevity they provide for their animals. Every single interaction we've had with their staff has been warm, professional, and full of kindness and patience. They are always happy to teach, answer questions, and help everyone -- from total beginners to more experienced riders -- feel welcome and confident. I can't recommend Rockin' Star Ranch enough for families or anyone looking for a safe, fun, and memorable horseback riding experience!

We love MacDonalds Ranch! This is our happy place! We adore the animals in the petting zoo. I…read morerecommend Macdonalds Ranch to all my friends and family because it is such a rare gem in Arizona. The petting zoo is free, but they do accept donations. We enjoy petting the goats, sheep and little ponies. We were especially excited to see 3 baby goats today- they were the cutest. We love supporting this local business- go check them out! You can also hold company events or parties here too! We also love coming here in the fall for their pumpkin patch!

We had a great field trip but it was just SO SMELLY I wish they picked up after the animals more…read more I've been to plenty ranches and they never smelled this bad :(

I don't think our zoo gets enough credit. My views may have changed now that I have a toddler…read more After recently visiting a big city zoo, I have come to really appreciate the benefit of our cozier zoo! Getting from animal to animal isn't a huge hike and the animals are fairly close, easier for toddlers to find and take in! They also have a beautiful family playground space for kids, toddler playground included. I wish the playground was completely covered, but some shade is better than none with Tucsons heat. We have an annual pass, great deal and makes us feel much less pressure to rush around to see everything at every visit. If we only make it to the elephants and giraffe, no big deal, we will come back. Right now we love the giraffes and they have a new baby, make sure to visit soon!

What to say about this zoo. I grew up around two of the best zoos in the country: The San Diego Zoo…read moreand Riverbanks Zoo. So, this zoo leaves me a little nonplussed. First, it's generally quite crowded on weekends. And when I say crowded I mean large family groups who have little regard for personal space or visitor rules. On my last visit I was nearly knocked down multiple times by groups of children who appeared to have little to no supervision. Visitors often hog exhibits trying to take selfies or sitting children on rails to get photos with animals. And let's not get into kids and adults banging on glass exhibits trying to get the attention of the animals. Staff is nonexistent to prevent this it seems. Beyond that the place just feels rundown and a bit dreary. Exhibit glass is often so dirty you can't see through. Exhibits are sort of drab and small. Water is often very unclean and full of debris and even trash. There is one food option which is very expensive and the dining area unkempt. You'd think they would have some options to buy water or cold treats considering our weather but I've never seen any open on my visits. It's nice to have a zoo in town but it just seems this could be so much better. Your kids will probably love it but if you're used to world class zoos it will be a bit depressing.

Ghost Ranch Exotics came up on my Tik Tok and I was immediately influenced. I signed up for the…read morecapybara experience, which lets you go into their pen with one additional person before incurring an additional cost. The whole experience is quite entertaining, from before you step in and can hear the peacocks vocalizing to when you leave and get a brief chance to interact with other large animals. The drive over there is through some unpaved roads, so I would recommend taking the drive in something that isn't a sedan if at all possible. It is possible given that I saw other smaller cars on the roads over, but I can't imagine it's fun or great for your vehicle. To be truly prepared for the amount of dust and grime that is on your car after the drive alone, I would allot time for a car wash after everything is said and done. I will caveat that the price point is steep for an encounter that ended up being under thirty minutes, so I saved this for a special occasion. Regardless, if this is within your budget, you are pretty much guaranteed a good time.

Have you ever wanted to cuddle with capybaras, pet a porcupine, or galavant with goats? If so you…read morehave come to the right place! Our tour guide was one of the owners I believe, and you can tell she really cares for each and every animal here at the farm. There are capybaras, emus, tortoises, Patagonian maras, porcupines, warthogs, and many goats just to name a few! They all are pretty friendly so it was a cool experience to pet and give food to each animal. It was an educational tour as well since our guide had a lot of information about each animal to tell us. We went on a locals day where child admission was free with an adult ticket. Check their website for other days if you are a local. There was another day where they were bringing in a fennec fox which would be another awesome experience. The farm is a bit out of the ways if you are traveling from the Phoenix area so be sure to leave enough travel time to get there before your tour. It took us about 90 minutes driving to get there. There's not much around the farm either so be prepared. There's a small gift store near the entrance which sells all sorts of capybara laser cut wood items, water bottles and stickers. Prices at the gift store were reasonable and who can't resist a coaster that says Capyboba or a wooden snack board that says Snackybara?