One of the most rewarding (and photogenic!) forms of agritourism is inviting the public onto your homestead for farm tours and up-close animal encounters. Whether you’re hosting curious schoolchildren, city families, or nature-loving tourists, farm tours and petting zoos can become a cornerstone of your agritourism offerings.
Why Offer Farm Tours or Petting Zoos?
These experiences aren’t just fun—they’re impactful. They give people a firsthand look at where their food comes from, how animals are cared for, and what it really takes to keep a farm running.
Key benefits:
- Education meets entertainment—perfect for schools and families
- High-volume visitor potential (especially in spring and fall)
- Opportunities for merchandise and produce sales
- A way to involve your family or staff in the business
Options for Farm Tours
🚜 General Farm Tour
A walk-through of the property highlighting crops, animals, and daily routines. Perfect for homeschool groups or weekend visitors.
🐄 Animal-Focused Tour
For guests more interested in livestock and poultry—great for petting zoos, small animal enclosures, and feeding demonstrations.
🌱 Specialized Tour
Highlight a niche: beekeeping, heirloom gardening, regenerative practices, etc. Great for adults or agricultural students.
🎓 Educational Field Trip
Tailored for schools—shorter duration, focused learning objectives, printable worksheets or activity pages.
Setting Up Your Petting Zoo
🐐 Best Animals for Petting Zoos
- Goats
- Sheep
- Chickens
- Rabbits
- Miniature horses or donkeys
- Ducks
Choose animals that are friendly, calm, and accustomed to people. Regular handling and a peaceful environment make a big difference.
🧼 Safety and Sanitation
- Handwashing stations or sanitizing stations are essential
- Clear signage for rules and safe handling
- Separate feeding areas from petting zones
- Supervision is key—especially with kids
Farm Tours – Planning an Experience
🛤️ Tour Route Design
Create a loop or clear path with stopping points, such as:
- Chicken coop
- Milking station
- Vegetable beds
- Equipment barn
Use signs, benches, and shade spots to enhance the experience.
⏱️ Duration
Most farm tours should run 45–60 minutes, followed by optional Q&A or a visit to the farm stand.
👩🏫 Tour Guide Tips
- Know your talking points, but keep it casual
- Encourage questions and interaction
- Share fun facts and personal anecdotes—it brings your farm to life
What to Charge
- General tours: $5–$15 per person
- Petting zoo add-ons: $3–$10 depending on experience
- School field trips: Flat group rates or per-student pricing
- Offer group discounts or family rates to encourage bookings
Add Value With:
- A small farm store or produce stand at the end
- Photo op spots (signage, hay bales, or flower arches)
- Branded merchandise (stickers, t-shirts, kids’ coloring books)
Up Next: We’ll dive into the delicious world of Farm-to-Table Events and how you can host seasonal meals or tastings right on your land.
We have multiple new series starting now to give you the best in information and instructional posts in all areas of homesteading. Join our community so that you never miss anything, plus get some great exclusive insight!
MORE WAYS TO CONNECT
We also, as a homesteading family, have a variety of blogs that might interest you. A Life on the Farm focuses on the more personal side of the homesteading life. We discuss subjects like family, parenting, relationships, homeschooling, cooking, canning and so much more.
Two Oaks Farm Talk concerns the more technical side of homesteading. We discuss subjects like gardening, food prep, and farm building and construction with lots of tutorials!
Farm Raised Family is basically a hub for everything under the Two Oaks Farmstead umbrella. You can learn a great deal about all parts of the farmstead there. The Farm Raised Family blog focuses on financial matters such as budgeting, saving, and more and on current events affecting families.
You can also have a more in depth look at all that we do by visiting our Two Oaks Farmstead YouTube Channel and be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss a thing!
Farm Life and Freedom is the new podcast we are in the process of launching! It is going to be so much fun! You could also check in with our Farm Life and Freedom Youtube Channel.
Two Oaks Farmstead is the farm store… the one that holds the umbrella! Check us all out and join us, not only on our blogs and Farm Life and Freedom podcast but come join the fun on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… wherever you get social!
