Local Farms in Chicago with Live Animals

Animal farms in the Chicagoland area and beyond, where visitors can interact with the animals.

Photo via Enjoy Pioneer Farm’s Facebook Page

Historic Wagner Farm

1510 Wagner Rd
Glenview IL 60025

This is one of my favorite farms to take our kids; there is so much to see and learn at Wagner Farm. It’s fairly small, but it’s a great place to kill an hour or so. In addition to the livestock and poultry you can observe, there is also a 1920s farmhouse and the Heritage Center, with an interactive educational play area and exhibits, that include a 1930s grocery store and a 2-story silo. Outdoors, there is a fun playground, wagon rides and the Glenview Farmers Market every Saturday from June to October. Throughout the year, there are also special programs and events; we actually celebrated my son’s 3rd birthday here and everyone had a blast!

Enjoy Pioneer Farm

17 N 400 Big Timber Rd
Hampshire IL 60140

I first heard about Pioneer Farm a few years ago when their Baby Chick and Duck rentals became really popular. That’s right, during the springtime, you can rent 2 chicks or 2 ducks for 2 weeks. Pioneer Farm supplies the food and bedding. If you’re like me and don’t think you can handle taking home a chick or duck, you can also visit the farm [also during the springtime], and hold the baby farm animals such as the lambs, goats, piglets and more.

The Children’s Farm at the Center

12700 SW Hwy
Palos Park IL 60464

The Children’s Farm at the Center is a working farm that offers open farm visits and hands-on educational programs and events. If you visit during their open farm hours, you can visit the barns, take a hayride and explore the walking trails. Some of their exciting programs include learning how to be a farmer, an egg incubation program, sheep sheering, and also summer camps.

Kline Creek Farm

1 N 600 County Farm Rd
West Chicago IL 60185

Moreso a living history museum, I will forever remember Kline Creek Farm as the first place I took all 4 of my kids out by myself haha! But it all went successfully and I have fond memories here, because of it. What made it so lovely was how spread out it was and how easy it was to stroll through the grounds. There are a few farmstead structures to walk through and historically-costumed interpreters to educate you on the tools and techniques of the past. Animals you will see at the farm include, Heritage Milking Shorthorn cattle and the very rare Cotswold sheep.

Primrose Farm

5 N 726 Crane Rd
St Charles IL 60175

A part of the St. Charles Park District, Primrose Farm offers a lot of animal adventures, educational programs and special events. Wake up early and help out with morning chores, feeding animals, milking cows and collecting eggs, or sleep in and help out with the afternoon chores instead, which include the same interactive fun, in addition to grooming horses.

Peck Farm Park

4038 Kaneville Rd
Geneva IL 60134

Peck Farm Park is 385 acre nature park, with an outdoor educational playground, an indoor history gallery and exploration room, live animals, hiking trails and sensory gardens. One of the most unique parts of the farm is the Butterfly House, where there are hundreds of non-native butterflies that fly, feed and land around you.

Lambs Farm

14245 W Rockland Rd
Libertyville IL 60048

This farm offers visitors access to many small business on the grounds, including a garden and pet center, a cafe & bakery, a thrift shop, country store and of course the farmyard. Within the farmyard, in addition to the petting zoo area, you can also enjoy a private animal encounter, or ride a pony and camel. Kids will also love the Old World Carousel, miniature train and the miniature golf course all on site. But perhaps the best part of Lambs Farm is their mission to help “people with developmental disabilities lead productive, happy lives and connecting with the human spirit in us all.” In addition to providing employment for those with developmental disabilities, Lambs Farm also has residential services, wellness and fine arts programs and home based support.

Blackberry Farm

100 S Barnes Rd
Aurora IL 60506

This is a really fun adventure farm that you can easily spend the whole day at. Blackberry Farm has lots of animals to visit in their Discovery Barn and Hatchery. But in addition to the animals, kids will really enjoy the rides and attractions, such as the steam train, paddle boats, carousel, hayride and much more. There are also a lot of historical sites on the grounds where you can watch and learn from the educational live demonstrations and exhibits.

Susanna Farms

24153 W W Town Line Rd
Lake Villa IL 60046

A family-owned farm that has gone through a couple of generations since the 1930s, Susanna Farms is an equine-oriented facility that offers riding lessons and camps throughout the year. My kids love attending the small events they host, such as their Mommy & Me Tea and summer picnics. The farm also has resident barn cats, chickens of different breeds that raise eggs and meat for the local community and a couple of goats.

Double J Riding Club

10545 74th St
Countryside IL 60525

As the name implies, Double J Riding Club has riding stables that have equestrian lessons for kids; but this place is more than just that. On top of the horse and animal camps they offer, there are 25 species and 200+ animals at the farm. The educational programs include activities such as planting vegetables, learning how to care about the farm animals, observing insects, exploring nature and making nutritious treats for the animals.

Hephzibah Farm

13202 Hebron Rd
Hebron IL 60034

Take an interactive and educational tour of Hephzibah Farm, where you’ll be able to pet, hold and learn all about the animals at the farm. You can also take a hands-on learning class, such as Chicken Embryology and a class all about rabbits or all about goats. Don’t forget to also visit their farm store, that sells naturally raised meat and eggs from the farm, homemade bakery items, alpaca fleece, artisan gifts and much more.

Volkening Heritage Farm

201 S Plum Grove Rd
Schaumburg IL 60194

This FREE farm is located in the Vera Meineke Nature Center at Spring Valley. When visiting Volkening Heritage Farm, there are opportunities to help with seasonal chores, play games & activities from the 1880s, or you can just visit the animals. There are also authentically-dressed interpreters on the historical site.

Kamins Farm Sanctuary

23377 W Chardon Rd
Grayslake IL 60030

What started as a dream to live on a farm, became a reality for this couple, when they brought home two goats and started raising them on their farm. Soon the owners started rescuing more farm animals that were in dire situations, while they continued to build pastures and renovating the barns on site. Today they are a registered 501c3 non-profit that works solely off of donations and the money that is raised from classes and events. You cannot visit their sanctuary outside of the scheduled events and classes, so be sure to check their calendar often for when would be a good time to visit! They also host private events.

Forest View Farms

16717 Lockwood Ave
Tinley Park IL 60477

Another riding stables at heart, Forest View Farms offers riding lessons, along with pony and horse trail rides. However, this farm also has a fun little indoor petting zoo with pigs, chickens, sheep, geese, ducks, llamas, goats and a mini horse. There is even opportunity to hire them to bring a portal petting zoo to you!

Honey Bee Gardens

8405 Kearney Rd
Downers Grove IL 60516

A small family-owned farm in the west suburbs, Honey Bee Gardens houses goats, sheep, bunnies, llamas, horses and of course honey bees. There is a farm share program, classes and camps, farm tours and adult experiences.

---

Where are your favorite farms? Let me know in the comments!