Children love to spend time with animals, especially when they can actually pet and cuddle them. Everyone knows about the petting zoo inside Zoo Atlanta, but you don't need to drive all the way to Grant Park in order to give your children an animal experience they won't forget. Sprinkled all around the metro area, these top locations will enable your family to commune with the animals in a safe and protected environment, and some even bring the petting zoo right to your front door.
River Run Petting Zoo. 9072 River Run, Sandy Springs. 678-992-5315. www.riverrunride.com.
Easily accessible and located alongside the Chattahoochee River, the River Run Petting Zoo offers your family an opportunity to interact with horses, ducks, geese, rabbits, sheep, miniature pigs and goats. The petting zoo stretches across acres of property and is located within River Run Equestrian, which also offers horseback riding lessons as well as therapeutic horse riding. Admission is $10 per child, and proceeds from the petting zoo benefit the Atlanta Horses for Heroes and Risingstar Foundation.
Cricket's Mobile Petting Zoo. Pine Mountain Road NW, Kennesaw. 770-789-1422. www.minizooparty.com.
When Jesse and Cricket Franklin started Cricket's Mobile Petting Zoo, they did so because they discovered a lack of mobile animal encounters in the area. "The idea of the petting zoo originated because of this birthday party. We started looking around for a mobile petting zoo and were shocked at some of the prices for bringing animals to our home," explained Franklin. "Because of the lack of options with the mobile zoos in our area, we thought it would be a great idea to start one ourselves. We are now in our ninth year of business and it has truly been a wonderful experience." Prices begin at $270 per hour, $85 for each additional hour, which includes an hour-long encounter with over 20 animals, like lambs, ducklings, kids, piglets and rabbits.
Paradise Valley Farm. 2912 Paradise Valley Road, Cleveland. 706-348-7279. www.northgeorgiazoo.com.
Surround your kids with hundreds of friendly farm animals at Paradise Valley Farm, located on-site at the North Georgia Zoo. At this working farm, your children will absolutely love spending time with the diverse variety of miniature farm animals at the farm. Admission is $23 for adults, $21 for children ages 2-11 and free for children under age 2. Admission price includes interacting and feeding hundreds of farm animals, an hour-long guided Wildlife Walk to see the zoo's wild animals, including the Fennec fox, kangaroos, lemurs and deer, and experiencing live shows, demonstrations, animal encounters and more.
Hayday Farms Petting Zoo. Travels to your location. 678-902-4966. www.haydaypettingzoo.com.
When you need a petting zoo that comes right to you, the Elliott family at Hayday Farms has you covered. Located in Ball Ground, the Hayday Farms Petting Zoo travels to your location with a fleet of adorable, pettable animals, like a Shetlend pony, Cheviot sheep, a miniature ram, Guinea pigs, rabbits and bunnies, miniature pigs and even a Scottish Highland bull. "Doing petting zoos gives our family a chance to work together and to let our animals go on adventures," describes the Elliott family. "We consider our animals as a part of our family and we treat them with the utmost care." Prices will vary based on needs, with a base price of $100 and a minimum of $200.
Furkids. Cat shelter: 2650 Pleasantdale Road, Atlanta. 770-613-0009. www.furkids.org.
Teach your children to give back with a volunteer experience at Furkids, which houses around 200 cage-free cats in a daycare-like environment. At this no-kill shelter, your family can play with, brush and interact with the cats and kittens at Furkids, as well as help out by cleaning litter boxes, refilling food and water and mopping floors. Children can also take part in the Furkids Read to Cats program, which can improve reading skills while helping shelter cats socialize. All children ages 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Did you know that keeping your pet in your bedroom at night could help you sleep better? The Mayo Clinic says it just might.
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