Whether you're looking to hike with llamas, do yoga with goats, see a bison up close, or pet a kangaroo, Eastern Iowa is home to some awesome animal experiences! Check out some of the farms, sanctuaries, petting zoos, and other places to visit with animals in Eastern Iowa this summer:

11 Places to Interact With Animals in Eastern Iowa This Summer

Check out some of the farms, sanctuaries, petting zoos, and other places to visit with animals in Eastern Iowa this summer!

Gallery Credit: Courtlin

GALLERY INFORMATION

Bloomsbury Farm, Atkins

A lot of people think of Bloomsbury Farm as a place you visit for fall activities, but it's actually open for special events during the spring and summer, too! That includes their annual Bunny Bash, Fields of Flight Kite Festival, and Iowa Tulip Festival. In addition to food, beverages, photo ops, and all sorts of kids' activities, tickets to the farm also get you access to Animal Town, where you can interact with goats, llamas, cows, pigs, and other animals.

Bloomsbury Farm's next event is their Baby Animal Festival, which runs June 12th through 14th and 19th through 21st from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets go on sale on June 1st via the website HERE.

Coco's Ranch, Palo

If you've ever wanted to try goat yoga, Coco's Ranch is a great place to do it! The farm is home to an adorable herd of Nigerian Dwarf Goats that are not shy about interacting with humans! It's definitely a lot more GOAT than YOGA, but we had a blast when we tried it a few years ago!

For a list of upcoming goat yoga classes at Coco's Ranch, you can check out the website and purchase a ticket HERE. They are also available for private classes for team building, birthday parties, family gatherings, etc.

Hansen's Dairy, Hudson

Did you know that there are some kangaroos here in Iowa? No, seriously! Hansen's Dairy is home to around 300 cows... and several kangaroos! That's why they chose a kangaroo for their logo. And, visitors can pet the kangaroos when touring the facility.

Hansen's Dairy is not open for walk-in visits, but you can book one of their guided tours, which are available from April through October. There's the Animal Petting Tour, the Hands On Tour (their most popular), School/Daycare Tours, and Adult Group Tours. For more information, visit the website HERE.

Hawkeye Buffalo & Cattle Ranch, Fredericksburg

Have you ever wanted to see buffalo in real life? You can at Hawkeye Buffalo & Cattle! According to the website, Hawkeye Buffalo & Cattle "is a small farm located in northeast Iowa where bison and Polled Hereford cattle are raised in woods and pastures using regenerative practices." During farm tours, the guide lures the bison over to the wagon using ears of corn, allowing visitors to see them up close.

In 2026, Hawkeye Buffalo and Cattle is open for tours May 24th (Sunday), June 6th (Saturday), and June 21st (Father's Day). Private tours for schools or other groups are also available, but require a minimum of 15 people. ALL tours require advance registration. You can read more and book your tour HERE.

Iowa Farm Sanctuary, Oxford

According to the website, the mission of the Iowa Farm Sanctuary is to "provide a safe haven to rescued farm animals in need of love and compassion while providing humans the opportunity to experience the unique sentience and intelligence found within these animals." The sanctuary is filled with all sorts of animals with unique needs, including cows, goats, pigs, sheep, ducks, turkeys, and more. Check out all of their current "residents" HERE.

From May through October, Iowa Farm Sanctuary hosts 'Sanctuary Strolls' on Sundays from 1 p.m.to 4 p.m. Private tours are also available for groups of up to 10 people. To book a visit to the sanctuary, visit the website HERE.

Koru Aronia Berry Farm, Homestead

Although Koru Berry Farm is mainly known as a wedding venue, it's also home to some adorable farm animals! The farm has chickens, cows, sheep, donkeys, pigs... even peacocks!

If you want to visit with the animals at Koru Aronia Berry Farm, the venue hosts free live music on Thursdays during the summer months. There are currently "Thursday Throwdowns" scheduled from May through July from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. You can check out all the upcoming public events HERE.

Lucky Star Farm, Iowa City

Lucky Star Farm is a 20-acre farm with beautiful countryside views, a pond with a dock, a 'food forest' and a 'mandala garden.' It's also home to a number of animal friends, like ducks, goats, sheep, and llamas!

There are several different experiences you can have at Lucky Star Farm, all of which must be booked in advance. First of all, the property has two Airbnbs that you can rent: the Milk House and a vintage camper named 'Betty.' They also host goat yoga classes in April and May when the baby goats are "abundant." And finally, there are the 45-minute, private, educational tours for small groups. For more information on all the experiences the farm offers, visit the official website HERE.

Old MacDonald's Farm, Cedar Rapids

Located at Bever Park, Old MacDonald's Farm is a petting farm run by Cedar Rapids Parks & Recreation. Not only can you hang out and pet animals like sheep, cows, chicken, pigs, and goats, but the farm also features family-friendly events like story time, a county fair, magic shows, and a weekly farmers market. You can also book the farm for goat yoga classes, group tours, and birthday parties.

Old MacDonald's Farm is open for regular business hours from May 4th through September 27th of 2026. You can visit daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (unless otherwise noted). It's free to visit, but there is a recommended donation of $1 to help support the animals. Check out a list of summer 2026 events at the farm HERE.

Prairie Patch Farm, Cedar Rapids/Shueyville

Prairie Patch Farm is a private, 50-acre wildlife refuge and nature preserve that's known for its herd of photogenic llamas! The farm hosts a wide-variety of events throughout the year, including llama hikes, yoga, kids' camps, and more. They even have a couple of Airbnbs on the property that you can rent! In addition to the 11 llamas, the farm is also home to goats, pigs, and cats.

Prairie Patch Farm is not open for regular business hours - you must have a reservation to visit. For a list of upcoming events, check out the official website HERE.

Rainbow Feathers Farm, Cedar Rapids

Alpacas, chickens, and peacocks... oh my! According to their website, Rainbow Feathers Farm is a local farm that serves as a "space where individuals can escape from the stresses of city life and reconnect with nature in a meaningful way." They have more than 20 alpacas of all sizes, colors, and ages in their herd!

Rainbow Feathers Farm hosts a number of different events throughout the year, like alpaca yoga classes, but they also host open farm visits from April through December. They are typically open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. During their open farm hours, they also open up their gift shop, which carries products from local artisans and items made with alpaca fleece. You can get more information on upcoming events HERE.

Three Pines Farm, Cedar Falls

Three Pines Farm is an event venue that's home to several different types of animals, including Flora the Pig, Cake the Sheep, Leonard the Llama, and a whole herd of goats! While the farm can be booked for weddings and other private events, it also hosts events that are open to the public, as well as winter hibernation retreats.

Three Pines Farm hasn't posted any summer 2026 events yet, but the lineup typically includes Farm Animal Yoga, Ice Cream Truck Nights, special dinners, live music, and more. For the latest updates, check out the website and sign up for their newsletter HERE.