Always such an enjoyable trip, and the experience differs depending on the time of year. That said,…read morewe visit multiple times over the course of the year for various reasons. In the Spring, their garden center simply can't be beat. I purchase flats of vegetables for my garden here, and the plants always do incredibly well. Healthy, good producers, and for a great price. There also offer many varieties I can't find elsewhere. The market truly shines here. Fresh baked goods are incredible. Donuts, pies, cakes, etc. are all excellent. Fresh milk, vegetables, and eggs are also amazing. However, we LOVE their meats. You can't go wrong with any of them. The petting zoo is great for children and families. It is certainly elaborate and fun. Staff are kind and helpful, always willing to strike up conversation. Prices are reflective of the quality here. We love it. Try it out!

PROS: this place was amazing! Fresh food that's locally grown/made, petting zoo, staff is friendly,…read moreloads of parking, good prices, great hours CONS: on a Friday afternoon the petting zoo was closed despite all the animals out and no snow on the ground OVERALL: I will absolutely come back here with friends! As long as my friends and I aren't looking to play with the animals

5/31/26 (Update) Having been coming to this zoo forever. In…read morethe last 5- 10 years, I've really seen Turtle Back Zoo grow into a first rate zoo! It's not as large as the Bronx Zoo, but it's certainly getting there. -Animals: We saw beautiful, large flamingos, penguins, numerous wildcat species, giraffes, bald eagles, hyenas and more... -Living Conditions: All the animals are protected by high fences. The animals appear to be very healthy. Their living conditions appear to be very clean. -Sea Turtle Recovery Center: Besides the wonderful animals, there's a Sea Turtle Recovery Hospital on the premises. You can visit the "patients". It was an interesting experience. Once the sea turtles have regained their health, they're be released back into their natural habitat. -Food: You'll probably get hungry during your visit. The zoo has several food kiosks and a large indoor and outdoor café called Zanzibar. -Gift Shop: Of course, there's a cool gift shop at the zoo. Lots of adorable stuffed animals for purchase. -Parking: Parking was free this past Sunday. There's several indoor parking garages with clearly marked animal logos. Looking forward to my next visit to Essex County Turtle Back Zoo.

Besides visiting the Turtle Back Zoo a bunch as a child, I only returned a few years ago for their…read morewinter light show and again recently for an afternoon stroll through the park. For a zoo in suburban New Jersey, this one was truly impressive and would surpass most expectations. They had a wide range of creatures across various species and even interactive opportunities, like feeding lettuce to giraffes and riding on a carousel. Their train ride only went through a small part of the animal park, but also took you by a neighboring lake, which was beautiful and part of the larger, surrounding South Mountain Recreation Complex. It was clearly a favorite with children and adults alike, as acted a reprieve from navigating the zoo on foot, which could be exhausting in warmer months (lots of hills and little shade) and brutal in cooler months. There were various food carts and a very nice restaurant on-site, though we did not try any of them. Their membership passes were an affordable option for parents that planned on frequent visits, and the parking was free, so there certainly were economical ways to visit. I would recommend the Turtle Back Zoo for a fun and engaging way to spend a family-friendly afternoon. Watching the monkeys swinging about in their habitat was a particularly amusing highlight.

We've taken our toddler here a couple of times and he has a great deal of fun. Besides the farm…read morezoo, where you can buy cups of carrots to feed the many varieties of animals - I wouldn't say petting zoo as you are advised to feed the animals only with the plastic shovel and not stick your fingers into the pens - there are several little play houses with play activities (train set, corn cabin, kitchen, grocery store, etc), a playground with a sandpit, and tractor and train rides. The sandpit even has toys like dump trucks - my kid would be perfectly happy to just stay there and call it a day! The condition of everything in the main areas is a little grubby, however. I appreciate that they put out plenty of chairs and benches all around for parents to sit on (cos waiting for your child while they play is an unavoidable part of the game), as well as some picnic tables. Prices are fair and reasonable, and entry for kids under 2 is free.

This little farm is super cute and is perfect for families and small children. We have been here…read more a few times, most recently for a birthday party. They have a large variety of animals that the kids can feed (they get a bucket of carrots) and there are lots of small areas to play. But the big hit with our family is the playground and sand pit with diggers and toys. My kids could stay there all day. It's a good way to spend a local day.

Love this business! They came to my son's school once. The kids had so much fun. Everyone was super…read morefriendly. Can't wait to visit them again!

Jack and his petting zoo came to my building it was the 3 rd year and I really enjoyed petting all…read moreof the animals Sadie the alpaca seems to be everyone's favorite. I look forward to seeing them again

My family has visited the Country Ark Farm a couple of times over the past 2 years when they opened…read morethe entire farm to the public for "Open Farm Days". These were fantastic opportunities to interact with all of their animals, have a picnic, and basically enjoy the day with my children. So, not surprisingly, my daughter volunteered to help at some of their events (the farm is used to help those with developmental disabilities) and ultimately decided to have her 14th Birthday Party there on 8/2/15. This was, in my daughter's words, the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!! First, they have over 100 animals there ranging from camels to baby porcupines to monkeys. I don't know if it's because of their summer camp or the constant attention but the animals were all super sweet with the children. The kids fed them, picked them up, and I even fed a cracker to a camel with my mouth and got a kiss (highly recommend that). All this activity occurred around a central covered patio where the food and cake was served. They had storage for my party supplies, a fridge for the cake, and even supplied extra plates and extension cords that I had forgotten. But the absolutely best part our party at Country Ark Farm was the family that runs it. The owners themselves basically gave us free rein of the farm and provided two extremely sweet and knowledgeable young women to run the party, take care of our every need, and take us on a tour of the farm. These 2 ladies were incredible. They kept the party moving and anytime there was a lull, such as when some kids were done eating but others were still going at it, they would pull out some activity (face painting, bracelet making, water balloon fight) to keep the kids occupied. This was literally a stress free party. I would like to especially thank Rebecca for making the day such a success. She demonstrated both poise and grace in the face of over 20 kids, a family that came 45 minutes early, and an uninvited german shepherd one guest brought. You're the best!!!

From the owner: Nestled in the beautiful Delaware Valley, about 90 minutes from New York City you'll find Country…read moreArk Farm. The Ciancitto family first opened the Farm to the Special Needs community in 1989. In 2000 Country Ark Farm began offering Summer Camp as a way to provide a safe and fun environment for children to have unique interactions with animals they might see at a farm or a zoo. Each year in the late Spring, Open Farm Day provides all families an opportunity to visit and interact with our animals, enjoy music and relax.

Strawberries were super fresh, and the farm is very kid- and family-friendly. The staff are kind…read moreand welcoming, which really adds to the experience. Overall, it's a great spot for strawberry picking with friends or family! When you get a chance, feel free to check out and follow my food page for more great eats around NJ!

I visit this farm on the fall season. We enjoy our visit with family specially pick up pumpkins. It…read morewas fun but quick. We took some fruit and vegetables as we were here, and honey. You need to try a pack of six or just one of those apple cider donuts, this was my first time trying them, and I loved it something different from the traditional ones, I do recommend grabbing one. The staff was friendly, they have donkeys some chickens, some coats and a horse that we enjoy very much watching them. It's a great experience and if you want to outdoor decor this fall I believe you could find everything here for some good holiday decoration.

I recently visited this lovely little farm in Monsey NY after stumbling upon them on Google! It…read moredid not disappoint! It was clean, fun and just the perfect size! We look forward to returning!

This was my second time visiting this farm, and once again, it did not disappoint! The farm is…read morebeautiful and offers so many activities for all ages. There's a small area with animals you can feed, and they offer a hayride throughout the entire farm--which is fantastic because you get to see everything. I enjoyed visiting the pumpkin field, where they have so many options and sizes to choose from. Afterward, I stopped by the market and picked up chicken wings, macaroni and cheese, and--most importantly--cider donuts. The market is also great for fresh produce, as well as a variety of sauces and jams. The staff is super nice and helps guide guests when the lines get long. There's a seating area outside where you can relax and eat your food. I will definitely be coming back here!

Great produce, bit pricey (but you kinda get what you pay for)…read more Def a little touristy/experience-y but you know what you're getting into, if you want cheap you can stick to Trader Joe's or whatevs.