What an amazing adventure! Purchase tickets in advance online or at the small drive thru hut upon…read moreyour arrival. We saved $3 per ticket by purchasing online! Kids under 3 are free-- also have additional prices for active duty military and seniors. Feed bags are very generous and an additional $4 per bag. Animal information brochures are provided with ticket purchase and show interesting facts and information about many- but not nearly all- of what you will see. The drive through park is a bit shorter than some when comparing to others around Texas and you are encouraged to throw feed and not hand feed. But the boardwalk and activities in the middle section (called Explorers Retreat) more than make up for it. The boardwalk has an additional walk through area where you can feed and view more animals and you can grab another animal brochure in your way in. This area is stroller and wheelchair friendly. The explorers area also has other fun activities like food trucks, gemstone mining for $10, feed Puzzles the giraffe for $4 or $8 depending on the feed you choose, a bar, porta potties, a gift shop, and free petting zoo. Though many of the additional activities cost $$, the boardwalk walk through and petting zoo is free and included with your ticket purchase and it's definitely worth getting out to explore. Gemstone mining was $10 and included a gem card and a large bag of dirt and gems to clean in the moving water table. Marilyn, the woman in charge of this area, made it more than worth our money by drawing out the activity and engaging the kids. She really added to the experience. Feeding the giraffe was fun but quick and could have used some more positive interactions, facts and information about giraffes from employees to enhance the experience for the kids. You are able to drive through as many times as you want after buying the day pass and we took advantage, driving through 3 times with our two bags of food. Pro tips- change drivers and seat positions during each new drive through for different perspectives, bring cups to separate food and give each person their own cup full, bring cameras and binoculars. We absolutely loved our experience and would have purchased season passes if they were a little more affordable. We can't wait to go back!

We went here for a vacation get away outside the city. The animals were so pretty and the staff was…read moreall so kind!

Such a fun place and the person doing the tour was nice and passionate about reptiles. My kid…read moreloves snakes and this was a nice close place to check out all sorts of snakes and reptiles and it was a super Fun tour and was great to check out the town of Bastrop afterwards. Close to Austin and very interesting tour. Enjoyable and a must see and will be back! Highly recommended!

This place was so much fun! My bf took me here because he knows I love animals of all sorts. And I…read moregotta say it was such a pleasant surprise I'm drawing a blank on the owners name, I believe it was Tim, but he was so helpful! And clearly very knowledgeable about all the animals in his zoo. You could just tell how much he loves those animals and you can see all the work he puts into caring for them. Very awesome dude! There were lizards of all kinds, snakes, tortoises, and even some crocodiles which I did not expect! There are so many animals comfortably hidden away in this cute little zoo. You wouldn't think it bc the outside looks so small, but once you get inside you see that the place is filled with exotic looking creatures of all walks of life! We were the only ones there at the time, probably because we got there as soon as they opened lol But the owner made sure to show us all the animals and point out the ones we couldn't find ourselves. He took us on a sort of guided tour of the place while he fed the animals and cleaned the exhibits We later learned that most of the animals were either pets of his or were rescues which I thought was pretty amazing I recommend this place if you love animals like I do, have kids or are looking for a fun little place to spend an hour or two! And they even have a gift shop :)

This was a magical experience that we will remember forever. My children couldnt wait to wake up…read morein the morning to feed the animals and we had such a lovely encounter with the giraffes, Sloths, Kangaroos, otters and Cappabaryas. We cant even name our favorite as they were all incredible, once in a lifetime experiences. The staff is kind, informative and attentive. Not a dull moment!

Absolutely incredible weekend at Blue Hills Ranch. We were fortunate to stay in the stunning…read moreGiraffe Villa... a hefty price, but worth it if you can afford it. The Giraffe barn is attached to one side of the house, and their pasture is on the other side. It is the most fabulous "Barndominium" with incredible finishes and clearly thoughtfully designed. That experience alone was mind-blowing.... however we also had the Gold Packages and were able to experience everything the ranch had to offer! Zebras, Capybaras, Kangaroos, Otters, Deer, Homer the Dromedary!!! Everywhere you turned there were more animals and more experiences offered. My children and I were in absolute animal heaven and will be thrilled to return. I will say, our vacation was expensive and it did not disappoint. However, I do believe you can absolutely visit this ranch on a budget.... Probably one of the best experiences was their ranch safari and that is a nominal price and totally worth it! You can see the entire property and all of the animals on the safari trip. Additionally they have fantastic cabins that are themed, and if you have children under the age of 10, the pirate themed cabins are beyond your wildest imagination.... as far as I am aware all of the sleeping accommodations include kitchens so you can absolutely cook for your family instead of paying for the delicious ranch food. That said... Chef Alan is phenomenal and out of this world excellent chef. Each meal was made with love and artistry. The staff at Blue Hills Ranch all go above and beyond to create lasting memories for you. I absolutely recommend this experience as a NOT TO BE MISSED event! We are already planning a return in October/November depending on availability . Cannot wait. Looking forward to being among these amazing staff members (shout-out to Jen, Anne, Shelby, Emily, Chesney, Alan...) the guard dogs, and all of the incredible exotic animals. Thank you, Matt!

What a great petting zoo! Great variety of animals.... and gave us our money's worth! Douglas and…read morehis helper were patient with the kids, had a joyful demeanor and helpful in teaching about all of the animals. They arrived early and had everything set up very quickly. When it came time to pack-up they cleaned up after the animals and were a genuine pleasure to work with. Highly recommend!!

I have used frys fun farm twice- the petting zoo and the barrel train. We are having them out for…read moreanother party in November. They are easily the most fun and friendly staff I have ever met. They clearly enjoy their jobs and the kids have a blast! I can't recommend them enough!

The only zoo here in Austin. has a cappaberra and easy for me (78) to get around. Family friendlyread more

TLDR: Small private zoo that's in obvious need of some repairs/upgrades (and has received safety…read morecitations in the past) but nonetheless has a rustic charm. I'd still remain vigilant and aware of surroundings as a result. No handwashing station at the petting zoo so make sure you either walk your kids to the nearby restroom or bring soap sheets (more below). Open daily including holidays (365 days a year) 9-5. They offer a variety of animal encounters for a fee. CONDITIONS: This small private zoo is definitely a bit run down and unkempt. The ramp from the office/reception area to the zoo had broken wooden boards that seemed like they were heading toward collapse. Felt a bit nervous pushing our stroller wagon over it. The owner should definitely address that. I got the vibe that the owner does really care about the animals but some of the cages did seem too small. The owner also told us he wanted to construct a train (which is always nice) but I think fixing up the zoo/improving the habitats should be a priority. Some of the exhibits seemed confusing -- there was a sign for a bear but the area seemed overgrown and inaccessible. I don't know if the exhibit was just removed or what. As far as the provenance for the animals -- I think some are rescues but not all. They are also a breeding facility for endangered animals. CITATION HISTORY: I did a little bit of digging and it turns out the zoo has received citations in the past. In 2022, the USDA issued an official warning to the zoo regarding inadequate enclosure fencing. I was able to track down the official document in APHIS. I also found a reference to an official warning in 2013 that noted inadequate veterinary care for underweight animals, inappropriate feed/diet, repeated problems maintaining facilities in good repair, sanitation/cleanliness problems, and inadequate pest control (resulting in a financial penalty). I was not able to track down the official document for this, only a senate filing (regarding an accreditation association) that referenced the warning. In theory, they could have pulled it from PETA, who has published a 10-page "fact sheet" online that details countless other USDA citations and claims that in 2022, a dog broke into an enclosure and killed 4 cavies and 1 muntjac (to simplify, rodents and deer). I have not been able to verify the dog attack claims and don't have the time to look into the other alleged citations. Ultimately, PETA is a special interest group with a dubious record. PETTING ZOO/SAFETY: It's not the sort where you can go inside but you can feed the animals through the fence. There is no handwashing station but the restroom isn't that far. Make sure you take your kids to wash their hands right after. Watch smaller kids carefully to ensure they're not putting their hands in their mouth while/after interacting with the animals. You can use hand sanitizer immediately after but you really should wash their hands ASAP. I believe hand sanitizer can kill e.coli but will not kill cryptosporidium (parasite that can be carried by farm animals). You can buy soap sheets that are good on the go (Fomin is the brand I have, available on Amazon). You just pour water and the sheet becomes soapy and then you rinse. There was some charm here -- for instance, the farm animal area was chaotic in an amusing way -- pigs and chickens and peacocks and little prairie dogs trying to steal food -- it was cute pandemonium. The talking macaws were fun and the hippo put on a show for us -- opening his huge maw. Zoo experiences are a bit subjective in that sense, depending on how the animals are feeling when you arrive. Mornings seem to be best as it's cooler. Keep your expectations low -- it's a place to see animals and entertain your kids for an hour or so. Just remain vigilant and keep an eye on surroundings for safety reasons. They also offer a variety of animal encounters which we did not partake in. Ultimately, I do hope that they take any USDA citations seriously and allocate sufficient capital to improve/fix their facility.

We arrived at the advertised opening time of 9 only to be told they now open at 10 for winter hours…read moredespite being summer...ok. The zoo is very small. There is a small indoor section with a few rats, rabbits, a snake, a turtle and not much else. Outside there were more exhibits but either the exhibits were closed or the animals were already hiding from the heat. I did like the hawk and the whistling duck. The small walkways near the emu were closed and all in all there wasn't much there to see. You won't spend more that 35 minutes here. The parking was a small lot and was near the Pumphouse which was nice

A decent small town zoo. Not a fan of the quarters for the animals at my last visit. Small children…read moreare fascinated, but, not really a great zoo for older children, teens or adults. Zoo floods whenever the river rises and I'm sure it takes a lot to keep it in any kind of shape.

In summary, I think this is absolutely an amazing place that everyone should try to go to at least…read moreonce. Location: this is near bryan, texas and is taken care of by Aggies. I think that this also has something to do with their veterinary program as well. Service: the only people that you really interact with are the people that are going to take your ticket or that you buy food from. I will tell you. It's a okay experience, not overly crazy welcoming, but there's nothing I can complain about. Views: so this is why it's so amazing. Is every time I thought we were gonna have no animals come to us alot of animals came to us or some animals would I ignore other cars but totally came to us. Sometimes we had to work to draw them in other times they chased it down. There were very few cars in the park at that time.I 'm not sure if sunday is just a low day to go, but I thought it was great for us. My favorite thing was feeding the giraffes.I will tell you, it is incredibly expensive and you should just buy one cup and continue to get a refilled. They make you spend nine dollars on a super crappy cup. The refills are six bucks. I think that's kind of crazy for the price, but other than that, that is my only complaint.

Such a fun and exciting adventure!!! Staff were super knowledgeable, friendly, and eager to help…read more The grounds are super clean and you can tell the animals are well taken care of.

Our visit here was wonderful! Farmer Preston was kind and had a lot of information to share. The…read morekids had the opportunity to feed the animals and were thrilled to see such a variety and learn more about them at the farm and then when we got home. We will be back again. Highly recommend!!

Very pleased with the presentation given by the folks at Crowes Nest Farm to educate the folks in…read moreour area about wildlife and helping the children ace their state mandated tests! All the animals are rescued and kept their for their own health and safety that run off of donations, sponsors, and special events to keep afloat. My favorites are the birds of prey! Definitely recommend for the experience, knowledge to be gained!

From the initial contact until the actual event - Tiny Tails were amazing! Excellent communication,…read moreprovided flexibility with no hustle! Trinity arrived on time. She was very sweet and kind to our kiddos! Tiny Tails made our little one's birthday party extra special! Everyone had a great time! Thank you!

Bunnies. Guinea pigs. Hedgehogs. Chickens. Bearded dragons. And a tortoise…read more Tiny Tails To You, a mobile petting zoo, brought these cuties to our recent company staff development day and I kid you not, grown people were lining up for their chance to pet an adorable creature or three. I indulged in my inner child and cuddled as many as possible. Except for the chicken 'cos my neighbor has those. And I didn't really cuddle the bearded dragon... more like I draped him across my arm, then petted him with one finger. The TTTY staff were absolutely fantastic, dealing with both humans and animals smoothly and efficiently. They also ensured the animals took regular breaks to rest and eat. A delightfully relaxing activity. Everyone left with smiles on their faces, especially me!

We used their balloon twisting services for our son's 5th birthday party and were blown away!…read moreBooking and communication were very smooth, their pricing was excellent. The balloon art exceeded expectations completely, the designs were incredible. It was a huge hit!

We had the Homestead crew at our bakery for a fun event and they were absolutely the best! They had…read morea huge variety of animals that were all so sweet and docile. Austin was incredibly kind and generous with his time and knowledge; this team truly love their animals and sharing them with others. Highest recommendation.