Bottle-feed a piglet. Pet a pony. Tickle some sheep. Whichever you like best, you can do — and there’s lots more options at petting farms in Michigan — southeast and beyond.
Families can get up close and personal with these animals – plus, you can learn a thing or two. And who knows, you may even make a furry friend before you leave! Of course, there’s more than just animal fun. You can go on a hayride, take a farm tour and even sample homemade ice cream.
Whatever moves you, metro Detroit offers seasonal fun for the family at these local petting farms. Know of more petting farms in Michigan that you think should be on our list? Tell us about them in the comments.
Bowers School Farm
- Address: 1219 E. Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills
- Hours: 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. (April 10-May 1), Fridays 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays (May 6-June 20), summer hours coming soon.
Come pet the animals at this open barn. Grooming the horses and ponies and wagon rides available at specific times.
Calder Dairy and Farm
- Address: 9334 Finzel Road, Carleton
- Hours: 10 a.m.-7:00 p.m. daily
Schedule a tour for groups of 15 or more at this working farm, which is open year-round. Visitors can milk a cow, feed a baby calf with a bottle, go on a wagon ride and eat ice cream made with the farm’s own milk.
Carousel Acres
- Address: 12749 Nine Mile Road, South Lyon
- Hours: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday (May-September). Check website for exact times
Ride a pony, visit a donkey and much more. There are seasonal events, too. Call to schedule your visit or plan your next party.
Children’s Pony Ranch
- Address: Elizabeth Park, 4651 Elizabeth Drive, Trenton
- Hours: Noon-7 p.m. weekends Memorial Day-June 15 and Labor Day-Oct. 31, noon-7 p.m. daily June 16-Labor Day, closed Nov 1-Memorial Day
Horses and ponies are the highlight at this petting farm inside of Elizabeth Park. Feed the animals and enjoy a hayride or buggy ride.
Cook’s Farm Dairy
- Address: 2950 E. Seymour Lake Road, Ortonville
- Hours: Summer hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-10 p.m. on Sunday; seasonal hours apply, call for details.
Meet, pet and feed its cows and piglets – and sample some farm made ice cream.
CornFun Corn Maze Adventure And Pumpkin Patch
- Address: 9391 Lindsey Lane, Casco
- Hours: 3-9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday (Sept. 9-Nov. 8)
13 acres of family fun includes challenging corn mazes, petting zoo, pumpkin patch, cider and donuts, more.
Detroit Farm and Cider
- Address: 1600 Lawrence St., Detroit
- Hours: Noon-7 p.m. daily
Enjoy horse rides, hayrides, more. Special Kwanzaa event in December.
Erwin Orchards
- Address: 61475 Silver Lake Road, South Lyon
- Hours: Call for 2022 hours
Feed and pet the Nigerian dwarf goats, seasonal U-pick, cider and donuts, wagon rides, more.
Grandpa Tiny’s Farm
- Address: 7775 Weiss St., Frankenmuth
- Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (May-October), 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday (November), 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday (April)
No need to stick to southeast Michigan – travel a little farther to visit some other petting farms in Michigan, just like this one. Bottle-feed a calf, bond with a bunny and peek at colorful peacocks. Then, take a wagon ride over the historical Black Bridge.
Heritage Park Petting Farm
- Address: 12803 Pardee Road, Taylor
- Hours: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily; hours change seasonally, so call ahead
Pet animals in a heated barn or visit the nature pond and see the turtles. Open year round.
Hess-Hathaway Farm Park
- Address: 825 S. Williams Lake Road, Waterford
- Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. April 15-Labor Day; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. except Wednesday-Thursday and holidays Oct.-April.
Visit a working farm with 100-plus animals. Playground, hayrides, nature trails, more.
Jenny’s Farm Stand
- Address: 8366 Island Lake Road, Dexter
- Hours: 9 a.m.-dusk daily
Play with baby farm animals. Then, plan a picnic or bonfire with family at this 200-year-old farm.
Kensington Metropark Farm Center
- Address: 4570 Huron River Parkway, Milford
- Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
Take a ride to Kensington petting farm to tour the barn, which is more than 150 years old, pet farm animals and enjoy loads of events.
Lewis Adventure Farm & Zoo
- Address: 4180 West M-20, New Era
- Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday (May-September)
Pet a zebu nose, feel soft alpaca fur or spot a fallow deer. Other rare animals grace this farm. Have a sloth of zoo keeper experience for an additional charge.
Maybury Farm
- Address: 50165 Eight Mile Road, Northville Township
- Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Meet dozens of farm animals, enjoy a playground/picnic area and pick your own produce. Watch for maple sugaring events in March.
The Petting Farm at Domino’s Farm Office Park
- Address: 3001 Earhart Road, Ann Arbor (GPS address)
- Hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday (until May 31st), 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily after that.
Visit with an alpaca, barn cat, ducks, goats, pea fowl, pigs and other traditional farm animals. Watch for animal presentations and story times throughout the year.
Pingree Farms
- Address: 301 E. Grixdale Ave., Detroit
- Hours: Call for 2022 hours
This non-profit urban farm offers a petting zoo, educational programming for kids and tours.
Real Life Day Camp and Farm
- Address: 48700 Geddes Road, Canton
- Hours: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday
Cuddle their new bunnies, take a hayride, groom horses and even give them a ride. At the Real Life Day Camp and Farm there are both summer and fall options available for learning and experiencing life both on the farm, and in the classroom.
The Creative Conservatory
- Address: 4940 Ann Arbor-Saline Road, Ann Arbor
- Hours: 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Private Zoo and Reptile Tours are all the rage at the Creative Conservatory. Both virtual, and special events are available to the public to learn more about the different creatures in their conservatory. Take away both the learning and in-person encounter with unique animals right in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Wild Pumpkin
- Address: 5799 Beaverton Road, Beaverton
- Hours: Call for 2022 hours
Pet and feed the animals, plus try out the giant corn maze. Wagon rides, too.
Three Cedars Farm
- Address: 7897 Six Mile Road, Northville
- Hours: Vary by season
Offers live animals, hayrides, seven-acre corn maze and more. Holiday events and party rentals available, too.
Tollgate Farm/Education Center
- Address: 28115 Meadowbrook Road, Novi
- Hours: 8 a.m.-dusk Monday-Saturday
Children’s stories, workshops, camps and seasonal events from a pumpkin fest to maple syrup fun are in store on these 160 acres of farm and forest.
Upland Hills Farm
- Address: 481 Lake George Road, Oxford
- Hours: Call for 2022 hours
Stroll down the storybook trail, go on a hayride, ride a pony and even watch a magic show!
Westview Orchards & Winery
- Address: 65075 Van Dyke, Washington
- Hours: Call for 2022 hours
U-pick depending on the time of year. Playscape and petting zoo, too.
Wolcott Mill Farm Center
- Address: 65775 Wolcott Road, Ray Township
- Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Meet and greet mini horses, goats and sheep on a 250-acre farm. Maple tapping in March; wagon rides and farm trick-or-treat in fall.
This post is updated regularly.
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