9 Petting Zoos & Farms Near Boston

Franklin Farm at Franklin Park ZooVisit official site →

One Franklin Park Road, Boston

The zoo's farmyard, with a Contact Corral beside the goats, donkeys and guinea hogs. The only stop on this list inside the city limits.

Dates

• Zoo open year-round, 9am–4pm, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; last ticket an hour before closing
• Opens at noon Sunday, Nov 8, 2026
• Contact Corral open weather permitting

Tickets

Prices vary by day and time and are lowest online in advance; children under 2 free. Massachusetts EBT and WIC cardholders pay $7 per person, up to four.

Know before you go

• Parking is free
• No pets; trained service dogs welcome
• Buy online at least a day ahead: gate prices are the highest
• Skip if it's raining: the Contact Corral opens weather permitting

Animal Adventures Family ZooVisit official site →

336 Sugar Rd, Bolton, MA

A small rescue zoo of exotic and farm animals. A general ticket lets kids feed the goats, pet the bunnies and meet animals at the daily shows.

Dates

• Monday–Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday 11am–5pm
• Animal presentations at 11am, 1pm and 3pm; Sundays 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm

Tickets

$17.44 online or $16 at the gate for ages 4 and up; $7.63 online or $7 at the gate for ages 2–3; under 2 free. Private tours and the capybara encounter (ages 14 and up) cost extra.

Know before you go

• Capybara encounters run in Bolton April–November
• No dogs at all, service dogs included: the sanctuary is small
• Time the visit around a show: that is when the keepers bring animals out to meet

Davis FarmlandVisit official site →

145 Redstone Hill, Sterling, MA 01564

A children's discovery farm built for kids 12 and under, with a sanctuary of endangered farm breeds. Kids hand-feed the animals, bottle-feed the babies and collect eggs.

Dates

• Reopens spring 2027

Tickets

2027 prices not posted. Animal feed cups are $5 and pony rides $10.

Know before you go

• Adults are admitted only with a child 12 or younger
• Packed lunches are welcome at the free picnic tables
• No pets; service animals only
• Cashless: cards only
• Ponies carry riders up to 95 lb

Southwick's ZooVisit official site →

2 Southwick Street, Mendon, MA 01756

A big private zoo whose 35-acre Deer Forest lets kids walk among fallow deer and hand-feed them. The petting zoo has goats to feed too.

Dates

• Closed until mid-April 2027
• In season: open daily, rain or shine, 10am–4pm

Tickets

Online, without rides: adults $33, children 3–12 and seniors $27; $5 more at the gate. Under 3 free. Feed comes from machines in the Deer Forest and petting zoo.

Know before you go

• Parking is free, in the lot across the street
• No outside food, coolers or plastic bags in the feeding areas
• Children must be with an adult in the petting zoo and Deer Forest
• No pets, and no service dogs in the Deer Forest or petting zoo

Tougas Family Farm BarnyardVisit official site →

234 Ball Street, Northborough, MA 01532

A big walk-around barnyard at an orchard farm, where the goats cross bridges over your head. Kids pet the animals and hand-feed them from a feed bag.

Dates

• Barnyard open the same days and hours as the Farm Store
• Baby goats in spring

Tickets

Animal feed is $1 a bag at the Farm Store.

Know before you go

• No dogs or pets; ADA service dogs welcome
• Pair it with the farm playground

Annie's Animal Barns at Parlee FarmsVisit official site →

95 Farwell Road, Tyngsboro, MA 01879

Barns of small goats and sheep that eat from your hand, plus a goat walk 20 feet up that kids send food to by pulley.

Dates

• Reopens June 2027

Tickets

The animal barns and the sandbox are free.

Know before you go

• Feed only from the farm's feeding machines
• Handwashing station next to the barns
• Call the farm-news hotline, 978-649-3854, before you go
• No pets or emotional support animals; service dogs only

Russell Orchards BarnyardVisit official site →

147 Argilla Rd, Ipswich, MA 01938

An orchard barnyard of goats, pigs, mini cows and poultry near Crane Beach. Kids may pet any animal within reach.

Dates

• Tuesday–Sunday 9am–6pm, May to October
• Tuesday–Sunday 9am–5pm in November, through Thanksgiving weekend

Know before you go

• Don't bring food for the animals: no bread, cookies or crackers
• Keep fingers away from the pigs' mouths
• No dogs and no emotional support animals; trained service animals welcome

Smolak Farms Animal PlaygroundVisit official site →

315 South Bradford Street, North Andover, MA 01845

A farm-stand animal yard with llamas, alpacas, calves, deer and goats beside a playground. Kids hand them treats from the feed dispensers.

Dates

• Animal Playground and Viewing Area open daily, 7am–6pm

Know before you go

• Feed only the food from the dispensers in the animal area, never food from home
• A short stop: pair it with the farm stand

Weir River Farm Open BarnyardVisit official site →

140 Turkey Hill Lane, Hingham, MA 02043

A Trustees working farm on the South Shore. Its Saturday Open Barnyard hours let families into the barnyard to meet and interact with the goats, sheep and pigs.

Dates

• Barnyard open only during scheduled programs, including Saturday Open Barnyard
• Trails open daily, sunrise to sunset

Tickets

Open Barnyard is $10 per person, $5 for Trustees members, 2 and under free; pre-registration required.

Know before you go

• Park at 140 Turkey Hill Lane and walk the grassy chute down to the barn
• No dogs on the property
• Skip if you plan to drop in: the barnyard is closed outside programs