Inside: A list of parents’ favorite petting zoos near Charlotte, NC.
Are you looking for petting zoos in or near Charlotte, NC?
If a fun trip to pet really adorable animals is something you’re interested in, you need to visit a petting zoo! Charlotte, NC has some really great options. Before you go, make sure you check the zoo’s hours of operation on their website or social media (all can be found below for you to check).
Darby Acres Farm & Darby Safari
Darby Acres offers several tour options for you to enjoy. Note: They have TWO locations so please double-check the addresses below before visiting. You must sign a liability waiver before visiting Darby Acres Farm and Safari. You must make a reservation before going as they are not open to the public. Here are the tour options:
- Farm Friends Walking Tour: This is an hour-long guided walking tour where you’ll get to see horses, water buffalo, cows, goats, sheep, camels, donkeys, and more! Admission is $15 per adult and includes a feed bucket. Children under ten are $8 and do not get a feed bucket with their admission. Kids 12 months and under are free. You can add on an additional feed bucket for $5.
- Safari Friends Walking Tour: This is an hour-long guided walking tour where you’ll get to see exotic animals. You can see zebras, camels, kangaroos, capybaras, alpacas, and more! Admission is $25 per person and includes a generous feed bucket with all of the animals’ favorite snacks.
- Kit & Caboodle Tour: This is a 2.5 hour tour where you get to see all of the exotic animals, a generous feed bucket, and up to 15 personal animal encounters. Admission is $125 per person is suitable for children 8 years or older.
- Chill and Cuddle Tour: This 45 minute exclusively indoor tour for the colder months allows you to interact with animals like bunnies, ferrets, armadillos, lemurs, porcupines, and more. This package is $45 per person and will include any snacks necessary for encounters.
- Baby Animal Encounter Package: For $75 per person, you can spend 45 minutes meeting baby animals. These could include baby spider monkeys, joeys, lemurs, baby goats, mongeese, weasels, etc, depending on availability and temperament of the babies on that day.
- They offer several add-ons you can choose from as well to tailor the experience to your interests like a monkey package, reptile package, kangaroo package, etc.
- They also have a couple different party packages starting at $650 for 25 guests, 20 feed buckets, and table/chair rentals.
Darby Acres Farm
Hutchinson Lane, Charlotte, NC 28216 (Home to the farm animals)
Darby Safari
Kelly Road, Charlotte, NC 28216 (Home to the exotic animals)
Get our Kidding Around Review of Darby Acres Farm and Safari!
Serenity Alpacas
This working alpaca farm is a total win for families who want a hands-on animal experience — complete with fuzzy snuggles, kid-friendly fun, and lots of cool alpaca facts.
Serenity Alpacas
226 Walker Valley Drive, Stony Point, NC
We visited Serenity Alpaca Farm, just outside of Statesville, NC and under an hour from Charlotte.
Get all the details on this super fun place to visit alpacas! Serenity Alpacas
Lazy 5 Ranch
Check out our visit to Lazy 5! Kailyn has gone several times and all the details on her family’s experience: Kidding Around Review of Lazy 5 Ranch.
You can walk, drive, or take a wagon through the Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville, NC. They have giraffes, birds, sheep, antelope, deer, and more! NOTE: They only take cash and NC checks. Here are the admission options they offer:
- General Admission: (ages 12-59) is $15, children (ages 2-11) are $11, and Seniors (ages 60+) are $11. This ticket includes the drive-through in your own vehicle and the walk around the petting zoo.
- General Admission + Wagon Ride: $21 per adult (ages 12-59), $15 per child (ages 2-11), and $15 per senior (ages 60+). Reservations are required for the wagon ride so please call 704.663.5100.
- Group rates are available!
- They are open Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm, and open on Sunday from 12 pm to 5 pm. Summer hours vary and are based on sunset time. Holiday hours may also vary.
- They have a fall festival that starts mid-September every year
Lazy 5 Ranch
15100 Mooresville Road, Mooresville, NC 28115
Two By Two Petting Zoo
Why Not An American Ark is a farm with over 125 acres of fun. Their Two By Two petting zoo features all kinds of animals. Here is what you need to know:
- Admission is $11 per person (cash entry) and $12 per person (credit card entry), and children under age 2 are free. A family bucket of feed is $8.
- Hours of operation are Wednesday through Friday from 11 am to 3 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. Closed on Monday and Tuesday
- They offer pony rides!
- You can rent several different structures on their property for your next party or event, starting at $350 for 15 children.
Two By Two Petting Zoo
3224 Medlin Road, Monroe, NC 28112
Sweetwater Farms
You can see animals (horses, ponies, goats, pigs, chickens, cows, etc.), play on the playground, and experience life on the farm at Sweetwater Farms in Huntersville, NC. Here is what to expect:
- Admission is $6 per person (ages 2+) when purchasing online and $7 per person if you purchase at the farm
- They are open to the public each Wednesday to Friday from 9 am to 2 pm, Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm, and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.
- They host a Fall fest in October
- They offer field trips, birthday parties, special events, summer camps, and more!
- Their Sweetwater Cafe is open during normal farm hours so you can grab lunch while visiting
Sweetwater Farms
14412 Beatties Ford Road, Huntersville, NC 28078
Circle M Livestock Safari Park
At this petting zoo in Shelby, NC, you can take a safari wagon ride where animals come up to the wagon for a snack, have fun in the petting zoo, and enjoy walking through animal exhibits. Animals featured include zebras, camels, kangaroos, cattle, reptiles, and more! Here’s what to expect:
- Admission is $15 per person (kids under 2 are free). Admission includes access to all the grounds.
- They are open March through mid-November. Friday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Field trips and private events are hosted Monday through Thursday.
We played with Capybara’s at Circle M: Here’s more about Kidding Around’s Visit to Circle M Safari.
Circle M Livestock Safari Park Website
117 Doris Dr, Shelby, NC 28152
Hunter Farm
You can pet, snuggle, and feed the farm animals at Hunter Farm in Weddington, NC. They have a wagon ride (that is required) that will take you to the petting barn. There are goats, bunnies, horses, and more! Here’s what to expect:
- Their hours of operation change seasonally and each week as they have new offerings, so check their website for up-to-date hours.
- Reservations are required for the wagon ride to the petting barn!
- Admission is $14 per person (kids under 2 are free).
- The farm offers many other experiences while you are there like strawberry picking, pumpkin patches in the fall, special santa visits in the wintertime, etc.
Hunter Farm
13624 Providence Road, Weddington, NC 28104
Good Karma Ranch
This Alpaca farm is right outside of Charlotte in Iron Station, NC. Here, you can feed/pet alpacas, learn how they sustainably harvest alpaca fiber, shop at the farm store, and more! Here’s what to expect:
- They offer hour-long farm tours with a feeding and educational component starting at $18 per person or a quicker 30 minute ‘meet and treat’ event for $10 per person (Kids 3 and under free).
- Seasonally, they also offer Alpaca yoga sessions for private/corporate events as well as special event like picnics with the alpacas.
- They offer small school group tours but no large groups.
- You can sponsor an alpaca starting at $100.
Good Karma Ranch
1041 Brevard Place Road, Iron Station, NC 28080
Want more petting zoos? Find more options all over the Carolinas in our Kidding Around Guide to Petting Zoos
Are you looking for more fun things to do in Charlotte, NC? Check out our 75+ things to do in Charlotte guide.