Old MacDonald's Farm is donation-based petting zoo is a good way to entertain young kids for 30…read moreminutes to an hour without spending much. With a suggested $1 donation per person, visitors can step into the goat and pig pens to feed, pet, and interact with the animals. Feed is available for just 25 cents per small handful. In the back area, you'll find ducks, with pictures identifying males and females. It operates seasonally, opening in early May and closing near the end of September, so be sure to check their website for current hours and information. When we first arrived, some animals, like the bunny, pigs, and goats, were asleep, but my son still enjoyed seeing and identifying them. Young kids (3-5 years olds) can also enjoy riding and racing small tractors. While the number of animals is limited, it's an affordable way to experience farm animals. Watching the ducks was my favorite part, while my son loved seeing the goats bump heads up close. It could use some updates in certain areas, but given its affordability, I'm grateful that the Cedar Rapids Parks & Recreation Department continues to run the petting zoo. I hope it remains accessible to visitors for years to come.

We LOVE this place. Perfect for toddlers. It's pretty small and not a lot to see. But if you have…read morevery young kids who want to walk around and try their mini tractor/tricycles and pet a chicken... it's just perfect. It's right next to (or part of?) a large pond area with ducks and a walking path.

Oh my gosh. This place is amazing. I went with some friends to their "Llamamas" Christmas event…read more The llamas and goats were dressed up in festive costumes and you could feed, pet, and pose for pictures with them. There were also HUGE pigs to feed, and one of them "sits" for a treat! It was so fun. The owner and her family &team were super friendly and welcoming to everyone. There's a little adorable gift shop in the main barn. Apparently they have two separate Air B&Bs on the property, at least one of which you can wake up to llamas on your porch and in your windows! How fun would that be? This wonderful, charming place is located between Cedar Rapids and Ely. I'm going to keep an eye out on their social media pages for more events because it was so much fun!

Overpriced! Admission for the Mother's Day event was jacked up and the experience was definitely…read morenot worth it. The llamas were filthy and the barn stunk badly. I would not go back even at the normal admission price. Also, it was hard to find- no signage from the highway.

It's a cute small petting zoo. It won't take very long. Wish there was a little bit more to see…read more I loved feeding the animals and our granddaughter got to find her courage and get in with the chickens.

Cute little petting zoo with free admission, small charge if you want to feed the animals. It's a…read morepretty small petting zoo. You could probably walk around and enjoy watching the animals for a good 10 minutes and cover the whole petting zoo. Or it could take much longer if you wanted to stop and interact with the animals, pet, and feed them. We couldn't stay long enough to do this, but my son enjoyed looking at all the animals there. They had a cow, goats, alpaca, deer, peacocks, rabbits, and more. It's a great place for what it is (a small what seems to be family-owned petting zoo), but can't give this place a full five star rating if I'm comparing it to real zoos that are free. Of course this is in a slightly different category.

We had a blast here this Saturday as a family. My son loved the derecho slide and the corn palace…read more He was enamored with making bubbles so much he didn't want to leave. I enjoyed picking flowers and looking at the butterflies. The wine slushies were delicious and refreshing after picking the wildflowers/sunflowers. Ended with fries, wine and live music to wrap up the night. Beautiful farm to come enjoy the summer in. Highly recommend!

One of the first farms I visited, as a "sight-seer" and the FIRST farm I took my son to. Even as a…read morenew mom, all kinds of thoughts floating around in your head, consuming your attention, I was still able to relax and enjoy the setting - The goats were probably most interesting and active The different activity areas were cool and unexpected; swings, climbing apparatuses, "lounging"/seating areas, inflatable jumper, etc Definitely enough to keep children entertained & occupied. We could've stayed even longer, but I came unprepared for the blowout my baby had... Plenty of easy parking

How have I never written a review!?…read more Colony Acres Family Farm is an NL staple-- having been around for over 25 years! In the summer it boasts sunflowers. In the fall there's games, food/drinks, pumpkin patch picking, a market and of course, the corn maze. In the winter Colony Acres offers fresh-cut trees and Santa. I've only event ventured here during the fall-- tickets are $11-16. (*Pro Tip: order online to save a few bucks a ticket.*) My kids adored the zip line, slides, train ride, bouncy pad and corn maze. We typically don't get pumpkins here but there's a wide selection of those-- mums, corn stalks, hay bales and more. The farm is closed Mondays and Tuesdays during the fall. It allows dogs! There's plenty of parking. Staff is uber friendly. Stop by.

I am going to review this as if I had kids. If I had kids, this place would've been awesome! There…read morewere tons of activities for the kids to do, things for them to play on, some kind of bouncy thing(that's a fairly technical term), just a lot of really cool stuff for kids. However, if you don't have kids, save your money as there really isn't anything for adults to do. Sure, there is a corn maze, but that is really it. Like I said, though. If you have kids, check this out as it looks as if it would be a blast.

MAGICAL! I don't know how this does not have a full 5 stars!…read more We signed up online, expectations were provided, as well as followup communication, and text reminders to complete online waivers. On site, there are punny signs that lead you up the road that say things like, Keep Goating. Once we pulled up, we were greeted by someone who helped us to park. There is a port-a-potty on site, as well as a water spigot for access to clean water. There is a trailer on site, as well with souvenirs, ice water, local root beer that uses the goats on the labels, as well as non-aerosols bug sprays, as the goats are sensitive to aerosol sprays. There was a large group during our time slot, so there were two waves who were taken out with separate goats. If you don't feel giddiness when goats run up beside you as you start hiking, I'm sorry. It was a chill and happy vibe throughout. Our guide, Jason, was welcoming, friendly, and incorporated humor. The trek had 3 stops. Jason would talk about the history of the property, the family, how it all came to be, and the goats as breeds, as well as some of them as individuals. There is a stop where you can have your picture taken with goats, as well as feed them carrots. (Who knew the big Boer goats would be so picky about carrots that have landed in dirt?!). This could almost (in my book it could) be counted as a therapeutic experience! The goats expect nothing but company, and appreciate a scratch, and carrot slice. They're just happy to be along snacking on their favorite greens and going for a little hike!

What a hoot! We did their wine and goat hoof it event after staying a few days in Galena…read more You start out trying out Illinois wines. These are from Fergetaboutit Vineyard, and to be blunt, they were the best wines we have tasted in Illinois. If you like wine and have tried wines from France, Spain, Italy or California, yes, I mean that. The "hoof it" part was fun. You get set up with a guide (don't forget to tip the guide) who lets around a dozen goats out of the pen, and you walk with them on a 1.2 mile hike. It's mostly shaded (so shaded that we didn't wear sunscreen, and I don't tan, I scorch, and got NOTHING, so it's pretty shaded. There is poision ivy on the trail, so if you see leaves of three, let them be. The goats are quite affable, but listen to the guide. At the end before they approach the pens (which the goats will run towards) they let you feed the goats with carrots and you have to show the goats you don't have carrots in your hands (two hands up, open) or they will jump on you to get "your carrots." They stop several times. The pace is best described as "sedate" - you'll have a hard time breaking a sweat. Our advice, stick to the path, don't go off into the weeds. Some other things: Pack in, Pack out - they don't have trash cans, so what you bring in, you carry out. You will get a glass for each person who signs up for the wine event (which has the logo on it) as a momento. We got out a little late. The goats all have names, but you don't have to remember them. But you will. Little stinkers. Another tip: Once they get let out of the pen, they have a tendancy to "dump and run" so watch your step, or you'll get some fresh goat crap on your shoes or feet or LEG.

Riverview Ranch and Resort was an amazing time! So good that we had tears upon leaving because they…read morewanted to stay longer. Wraingler Roger, Sabina, and allllll of their farm animal family were incredible! If you are in the area, please consider checking them out! They are amazingly patient, understanding of safety and kids' needs when around animals, and overall it is such a relaxing and fun atmosphere. Wraingler Roger even helped our 4 year old tap into her imagination to help their unicorn fly! Our 2 year old was too little to ride, but didn't mind one bit. She loved just sitting on the unicorn and running around with the dogs, goats, chickens, rooster, pigs, etc. A personable experience and we will be back again!

My husband and I decided to try out the farm tour at Berning Acres while we were visiting Galena,…read moreIL this summer. We had visited another dairy farm in the past and though it was interesting, it didn't hold a candle to Berning Acres. Farmer Natalie reached out in advance and let us know the "ground rules" for everyone's safety. We arrived a little before our tour and waited until it was time to go inside. We were joined by a multi-generational family group, including grandparents in their sixties, their adult children, and grandchildren aged about 2 to 10. There truly was something for everyone. Natalie was very engaging with each age group and made sure we learned all the cool things about their "girls." From the time the tour begins, you are immersed in all aspects of the farm, the cows, the fermenting hay, the workers doing their jobs and the delightful Berning family (we only met her sons but I'm confident that her daughters are just as wonderful) and their other farm animals! We were able to get up close and personal with new born cows, feed three-week-old calves and learn about all of the spoiling that goes into those mama cows as they prepare to birth their calves. We even had the chance, if we wanted to try our hand at milking. Natalie was very candid about the effort and investment involved in family farming, highlighting how advancements in technology help ensure the health and proper nutrition of cows at all ages. Aside from the farm tour, they also offer a farm camp and some really cool adult adventures with craft beers and wines (great ideas for a girls' weekend!), they have amazing Berning Acres cheeses as well. #galenaadventures #familyfarms

Heard that Berning Acres was awesome and they did not disappoint! Louis was an absolutely amazing…read moretour guide and an even more impressive young man-- my seven year old and I agree that we would give him 10/10 stars! Immense respect to Natalie and her crew for the tireless work that they do. Lucky to have spent the morning learning from them! Highly recommend!

We took our two grandchildren, aged 3 and 5. They absolutely loved the kangaroos, chocolate milk…read moreand the ice cream that was included in the ticket price. They also enjoyed bottle feeding the calves, the cheese curds and wagyu beef sticks. The 5 year old even milked a cow! It was a very well run tour! They had tables set up with our names ready to wait for everyone to arrive. They also gave out crayons and sheets for the children to color. We then loaded up on a tractor drawn trolley to take us to the farm. Our large group was divided into two groups. 1/2 went to the kangaroos and the other 1/2 to the calves. We were given slices of bread to feed the kangaroos. It was fun for the adults too, lol! When then moved on to bottle feed the calves, then visit the heifers and then the milking room. We were provided with some very interesting facts as we went along. We then visited with their 2 one year old female kangaroos. Super cute! We loaded up on the trolley to return to the main building. There they provided us with a choice of whole milk or chocolate milk, plates of curds and beef sticks. They also had jars of heavy cream for us to make butter. 5-6 minutes of shaking and we had butter! We then were able choose from around 20 flavors of ice cream. Very delicious! We watched a video on the making of their products and had the chance to purchase items. This was the second time we had visited the dairy in the last 2 years. This was just as enjoyable as the first time. I highly recommend this for anyone with young children! Or even adults! We'll take the grands again in a couple of years. Thank you for a wonderful time Hansen family!

I visited Hansen's a couple of weeks ago with my boyfriend and his family. His parents said that we…read morewere going to a farm to milk a cow, so I decided to join them. When we got there, I wasn't sure what to expect. Everything looked okay, and we were lured by all the ice cream flavors, so I was not prepared for what was to come. We jumped on an open air vehicle to begin our tour. We stopped at the place where they have the cows all separated by age: calves, younger ones, and adults. We were first given the opportunity to feed the babies, which is when my horror began. I had the chance to feed a five-day old calf that was HORRIFIED. I didn't want to play into this game at first, but I overheard that the calf was being a brat; rather than allowing others to make it more scared, I decided to step in to bottle feed it. I learned that the cows are taken from their mothers at birth so they don't attach, and the tour guide had the nerve to tell is that their moms don't care. I get that this is standard practice at milk factories, but please don't insult our intelligence. Then we move on to the factory part, where we see the cows lined up and attached to the devices that are milking them. My horror grew. We learned there about the artificial insemination, got to see some cows not wanting to be herded in, and our tour guide saying they "should get over it," as it will be over in a few minutes. And of course, this is where the tour group is invited to milk one of the cows. I couldn't do it, but the rest of my group was happy to do so. I know that what I saw isn't likely even close to the horrors of the milking practices of most milk factories, but this was enough to make me want to cry. Then we moved on to another part of the farm, where the cows are kept in filthy and crowded conditions. We were told that they prefer to be in there and not roam because they don't feel safe roaming in pastures... what?! I couldn't do it anymore; I had to step away. Then they showed us their kangaroo collection. I don't know much about kangaroos, so nothing to say here about whether or not this was a happy situation. The kangaroos were just lying there looking bored or hot. The tour ended by us trying their ice cream, cheese curds, and butter (which they had us make). This part would have been fun, had I not been traumatized already. Again, I can imagine that this is the "nice" version of what happens in most milk factories, so thank you, Hansen's for giving me a glimpse.

Fun place for apple-picking and buying delicious apple products (recommend the sparkling apple…read morecider and apple donuts). The orchard is huge, with plenty of room to roam and apple tree varieties to choose from, mostly honey crisp, but also crimson crisp, Jonagold, fuji, and gala. Admission is $5 per person and we paid $22 for a two-person you-pick peck. Which was more than enough for us! Cons: Parking was an issue (it was a weekend) with unclear traffic flow through the lot...and it became progressively more busy later in the day.

This was a most lovely orchard experience from start to finish. I began with a visit inside the…read morefarm market, which had fresh apples; frozen applesauce and pies; chilled apple cider + cans of their alcoholic ciders; and merchandise + gifts. Make your way to the register, and you can purchase donuts and turnovers as well as your u-pick bags. I made my apple turnover ala mode, which was worthwhile, and savored it outside overlooking the orchard. So picturesque! After my apple treat, I was ready to pick and made my way to the orchard. Expect some hill climbing and pretty scenery between the apple trees and flower fields. I imagine the trek could be more challenging for families with young ones. Wilson's boasts 100 varieties of apples, one of the reasons I visited the orchard in the first place. At the end of September, I filled my bags with two varieties I had never heard of, which was fun. The rows were well-marked with the apples that were ready for picking as well as the name of the variety. More importantly, the apples were delicious. Overall, I'm very happy I spent a morning here, and I imagine just about anyone else will feel similarly.