Best Seattle-Area Farms and Petting Zoos for Springtime Fun With Kids

Spring isn’t complete without adorable baby animals and a little farmyard fun! So grab the kiddos and get ready to ooh and ahh over fluffy chicks, playful goats and all kinds of furry and feathered friends. We’ve rounded up some of the best farms and petting zoos to explore around Seattle and beyond. Just a heads-up — some spots are open year-round, while others are seasonal, so be sure to check the hours before you go.

Luckie Farms, Lake Stevens

If you’ve ever wanted to cuddle up with a Highland cow, this is your chance. This family-owned farm north of Seattle offers an immersive experience with gentle farm animals and extra snuggles, perfect for all ages. It’s extra-special to visit in the early spring, as baby cows make their debut on the farm.

The 75-acre farm has fields of flowers, beehives and plenty of space for farm animals to roam. Along with Highland cows, you can expect to meet yaks, alpacas, horses and donkeys. There’s even a trio of reindeer!

Cost: The one-hour interactive farm experience is $35 per person, free for ages 2 and younger. You can add on a 20-minute calf cuddle session to your farm experience for $20 per person, or book a one-hour Highland cow snuggle experience for $30 per person.
Hours: Interactive farm tours are offered Wednesday through Sunday, and cow snuggle experiences are offered daily, by appointment only. Available time slots are listed online. Purchase tickets in advance.
Location: 930 Sunnyside Blvd., Lake Stevens

Sammamish Animal Sanctuary, Renton

For kids with a soft spot for rescue animals, be sure to head to Sammamish Animal Sanctuary. Kids can cuddle up with cute and friendly cows, chickens, bunnies, ducks, goats, horses, donkeys, sheep, pigs and more. The volunteer-run sanctuary dedicates 100 percent of its donations to caring for the animals. Many of these animals are the stars of the “Rescue Series” books written by Diane Odegard Gockel. It’s free to visit the farm, but it’s open by reservation only. 

Bonus: You can now sign up for goat yoga. Held April–October on the first and third Tuesdays of the month (with more dates coming soon), you and the family can practice yoga with the goats! Cost: $25 per person (kids must be 12 and older to participate).

Cost: Free; donations appreciated
Hours: 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. (by reservation only) 
Location: 16515 S.E. May Valley Rd., Renton

The Red Barn Farm, Redmond

Editor’s note: The Red Barn Farm is temporarily closed to the public for necessary improvements. Check the website for updates.

The Red Barn Farm in Redmond has it all — a petting zoo, an event venue, a day camp and a produce market. It’s a great place to explore with the family, especially now that the farm has more than 300 animals available to visit. You can snuggle up with chickens, goats, mules, miniature donkeys, horses, Highland cows, pigs, livestock dogs, geese, aquatic turtles, ducks and more.

Cost: $10 per person age 2 and older. Purchase a feed bag for an additional $5, or meet the baby goats for another $7.50 per person. 
Hours: The farm is open daily, but animal visits are by reservation only, Wednesday–Saturday.
Location: 5703 208th Ave. N.E., Redmond

Pasado’s Safe Haven, Sultan

While Washington is home to many animal sanctuaries, Pasado’s Safe Haven is the state’s largest. The Sultan-based sanctuary has been working to end animal cruelty by advocating for animal protections and providing sanctuary to abused animals for more than 25 years. The 85-acre sanctuary is home to approximately 200 animals. You can hang out with cows, sheep, goats and more. 

Cost: $25 per adult; $18 for children ages 4–12. Kids younger than 4 are free. Register for a tour in advance.
Hours: By appointment. Tour dates and times vary, see the schedule online. 
Location: Sultan, Washington

Farrel-McWhirter Farm Park, Redmond

Tucked away in Redmond, Farrel-McWhirter Farm Park is a 68-acre city-owned park. For families, it’s a welcome escape from city life, boasting beautiful nature trails, large grassy fields and picnic tables with barbecue pits. It’s also a fabulous place for kids to get up close and personal with cats, pigs, goats, cows, ponies and turkeys. The park offers pony-riding classes for both toddlers and big kids, summer day camps and a preschool.

Cost: Free (fees vary for specific activities that require registration) 
Hours: The park is open daily year-round, dawn to dusk; the barnyard is open daily from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Location: 19545 N.E. Redmond Rd., Redmond

Kelsey Creek Farm Park, Bellevue

Not far from the trendy restaurants and shops of downtown Bellevue, you’ll find Kelsey Creek Farm Park, a 1930s-style working farm with white clapboard barns, open pastures and the sweet chatter of animals. It’s a scene preserved from Bellevue’s pastoral past.

The farm offers families a chance to view ponies, cows, sheep, bunnies, chickens and pigs in their pastures. If you’re just visiting, you can’t actually pet the animals, but hands-on interaction is available through farm classes, school tours and birthday parties. Woodland paths, a playground and picnic tables are open to the public. Check the website for farm camps, classes and events, including the popular and fun Kelsey Creek Sheep Shearing event on April 25.

Cost: Free, though donations are welcome
Hours: Open year-round, the park is open daily from dawn to dusk; farm animals are available for viewing, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Location: 410 130th Pl. S.E., Bellevue

Remlinger Farms, Carnation

At 350 acres, Remlinger Farms is the mother of all kid-friendly farms, with animals, amusement rides, a train, U-pick berry fields, concessions galore — and lots more. In the Family Fun Park, kids can interact with goats, peacocks and bunnies. Pony rides are also available! Be sure to purchase/reserve your spot online, and check-in for your ride when you arrive. All check-ins for pony rides must be before 2:30 p.m.

Be sure to check out the awesome hay maze and impressive farmers market. And the rides! Beyond the train, there’s a canoe float ride, mini roller coaster, a pedal bike track and much more.

Cost: Watch the website for 2026 rates to be announced. Pony rides for kids ages 2–10 are $7.
Hours: Opening for the season Mother’s Day weekend, May 9, 2026. Check the website or Facebook page for updates.
Location: 32610 N.E. 32nd St., Carnation

Old McDebbie’s Farm and Jim’s U Fish, Spanaway

The owners of Old McDebbie’s Farm and Jim’s U-Fish — farmers Debbie and Jim — love sharing their farm and trout pond in Spanaway with families. Kids can fish for rainbow trout, walk the I-Spy trail, discover the musical forest and go on a wildlife scavenger hunt. The owners invite families to come visit and feed the animals, including goats, pigs, ponies, donkeys, sheep, rabbits, tortoises, alpacas, kangaroos, camels, emus, wallabies, zebus, cavies, deer, prairie dogs and a zebra!

Cost: $14 admission for ages 18 and older; $12 admission for ages 3–17; ages 2 and younger free. Extras include $6 for each fish caught; bring your own fishing gear or rent on site; $4 for a veggie bucket to feed the animals.
Hours: Open hours vary by season; check the website for details.
Location: 4924 268th St. E., Spanaway

Pioneer Farm Museum & Ohop Indian Village, Eatonville

The Pioneer Farm Museum & Ohop Indian Village in Eatonville offers two distinct hands-on tours for families. The Farm Tour lets families explore homestead cabins and a barn while getting to practice pioneer family activities, such as milking a cow and churning cream into butter. Kids of all ages can have fun playing in the hay loft.

The Native American Seasons Tour gives participants a chance to learn how local Native people lived from season to season, with activities like bow-and-arrow target practice and playing a plank drum. 

Cost: Pioneer Farm tour and Native American Seasons tour: Children (ages 3–18) or seniors (61 and older) are $12. Adults (ages 19–60) are $14.
Hours: Check the website for seasonal hours (opens for spring the first weekend in May)
Location: 7716 Ohop Valley Rd. E., Eatonville

The Produce Market at Flower World, Snohomish

The Produce Market, located across the street from (and owned by) Flower World, operates an on-site animal farm. Kids can get close to alpacas, goats, chickens, waterfowl, peacocks and more. Pro tip: You can enter the peacock enclosure and be surrounded by a couple of dozen peacocks — watch for poop — and find a little barn that sometimes houses cute baby animals. Round out the experience by shopping for farm-fresh produce, herbs and eggs. Note: Dogs are not allowed.

Cost: Free
Hours: Open daily, year-round.
Location: 19523 Broadway Ave., Snohomish

The Outback Kangaroo Farm, Arlington

For something different, check out The Outback Kangaroo Farm in Arlington. This farm offers 45-minute tours to see kangaroos, peacocks, parrots, tortoises, mini donkeys and more! 

Cost: $15–$25; ages 2 and younger free; group rates available
Hours: Tours are available March through October, Thursday–Sunday. Check the website for details. 
Location: 10030 State Route 530 N.E., Arlington

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma

Round up the family and check out Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s Kids’ Zone — a bright, colorful area of the zoo designed to encourage play. Kids may be able to feed or groom resident goats and sheep and get a closer look at some of the zoo’s animals, like wallabies and meerkats. Check out the private experiences, including the Groovy Goats Experience, for even more hands-on fun.

Cost: Included with admission ($16–$27; ages 2 and younger free) or membership. Private experiences prices vary. 
Hours: Open daily, year-round. Hours vary seasonally, so check the website.
Location: 5400 N. Pearl St., Tacoma

Woodland Park Zoo Family Farm, Seattle

We love mountain goats, siamangs and hippos, but it’s always fun to wander over to Woodland Park Zoo’s Family Farm area, part of the Temperate Forest exhibit. Here you can say hello to the more, well … domestic inhabitants. Kiddos can interact with goats, sheep and more. Learn how a cow is milked, take a peek at the chicks and play on a tractor by a farmers market.

Note: Big changes are coming to the Family Farm! Woodland Park Zoo will be transforming the area into Wild Encounters, giving visitors more up-close and hands-on experiences with animals. The goats and sheep are staying, but their area will be upgraded. Two giant tortoises and colorful lorikeets will soon find a home here, too. The first phase of the transformation opens this summer. 

Cost: Included with zoo admission ($16.16–$34.95; ages 2 and younger are free) or membership
Hours: The zoo is open daily, hours vary seasonally. Check the website for current operating hours.
Location: 5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle

Editor’s note: This article was originally published several years ago and updated most recently on March 10, 2026, by ParentMap’s editorial team with a new farm for families to visit and a thorough fact-check of all information.