These 17 Local Farms Near Chicago Are a Breath of Fresh Air for Your Family

Visiting a farm near home is a great way to help kids learn more about caring for animals, growing food, and being out in nature. Some of these farms are free destinations for families to explore. Others charge a fee and may offer more activities for kids, such as hands-on farm activities or chances to meet (and pet) baby farm animals.

Farms Near Me: Map of Farms Open to the Public

Locations and Features of Farms Near Chicago

Many of these farms change hours, activities, and pricing seasonally. Be sure to check online or call in advance before your trip.

Abbey Farms (Aurora)

Abbey Farms
2855 Hart Road
Aurora, IL 60502
(630) 966-7775
info@abbeyfarms.org

The non-profit Abbey Farms is run by the monks of Marmion Abbey. This family fun farm offers fresh produce, good cooking, and more. Check out their new events going on all summer, or climb on antique tractors and pick up a picnic during the Summer Ramble.

Blackberry Farm (Aurora)

Blackberry Farm
100 South Barnes Road
Aurora, IL 60506
(630) 892-1550

Admission includes unlimited rides on the train, hay wagon, pedal tractors, paddle boats, carousel and ponies. In their discovery barn, kids can see chickens, sheep, piglets, baby goats and more. Check their website for admission fees, to buy tickets in advance, and for special free family fun days that run throughout the summer. Read about my family’s visit to the farm!

SafeHouse Farm Alpacas (Barrington)

25638 West Chatham Road
Barrington, IL 60010
(847) 209-5513

Make an appointment for this one hour farm tour. Admission is $10 per person and children under 3 years old are free. They also host special events.

Angelic Organics Farm and Learning Center (Caledonia)

1547 Rockton Road
Caledonia, IL 61011
(815) 389-8455

Register for kid and family events and activities online. The farm also host tours, workshops, and group programs. Families can eat from the fields, milk goats, feed chickens, make soap, or build a compost pile. The farm also hosts day camps and week-long overnight camps for kids! Farm tours and visits must be scheduled in advance; email programs@learngrowconnect.org.

Honey Bee Gardens (Downers Grove)

Honey Bee Gardens
8405 Kearney Road
Downers Grove, IL 60516

Starting June 3, the farm is open to the public from 10:00am – 1:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Visits cost $10 per person, and include ponies, a llama, sheep, goats and chickens. A small Farm Market runs on Fridays and Saturdays, and summer programs for kids are also available.

Wagner Farm (Glenview)

1510 Wagner Road
Glenview, IL 60025
(847) 657-1506

Wagner Farm is one of the last working dairy farms in Cook County. In addition to the cows in the pasture, they have chickens, draft horses and pigs as well as a restored farmhouse, barn and Heritage Center. The grounds are open from dawn to dusk and the Heritage Center is open daily, 9:00am – 5:00pm. While you’re there, be sure to check out the new farm adventure area that was installed last year.

Enjoy Pioneer Farm (Hampshire)

17N400 Big Timber Road
Hampshire, IL 60140
(847) 683-2863

Children can hold baby lambs, goats, pigs, ducks, rabbits and chicks, walk the calf inside the barn, and even rent baby chicks at this local farm. Farm-fresh eggs and meats are also available for purchase. In the spring, families have the option to rent baby chicks or ducks to take home for two weeks. Call ahead for hours and times to hold the baby animals.

On weekends in March, April, and May, you can visit to hold the baby animals on Saturdays on Sundays from 9am to 3pm; the cost is $9/person and no appointment is needed.

Hephzibah Farms (Hebron)

Hephzibah Farms
13202 Hebron Road
Hebron, IL 60034
(847) 530-7373

Take a two hour tour of the farm for $10 per person, where you’ll see, and sometimes hold, ducks, chicks, rabbits, horses, goats, and pigs. Reservations should be made in advance on their website. Kids 18 months and younger are free.

Lamb’s Farm (Libertyville)

14245 W. Rockland Road
Libertyville, IL 60048

There are over 300 animals to visit at Lambs Farm, including pigs, donkeys, horses, cows, birds, small mammals, and reptiles. Daily admission is $5 per person, which includes the miniature golf area. The grounds also include a cafe, country store, and garden center.

Big Run Wolf Ranch (Lockport)

Big Run Wolf Ranch
14857 North Farrell Road
Lockport, IL 60441
(815) 588-0044

Check out Big Run Wolf Ranch to educate your children about North American wildlife while enjoying up-close encounters with wolves! Animals include Siberian tigers, black bears, cougars, skunks, and more. Once a month they have family days with entertainers, too!

The ranch is only open to the general public on Family Days. Family Days for 2023 are $9 per person and will be held May 13 (Wings & Talons), June 24 (T-Rexplorers), July 29 (Incredible Bats), August 19 (Crosstown Exotics), September 16 (Wild Fest), October 14 (Incredible Bats), and November 18.

You can also check out the ranch’s website for information about booking private events, including birthday parties and onsite and offsite wildlife shows.

Graue Mill and Museum (Oak Brook)

3800 York Road
Oak Brook, IL 60523
(630) 655-2090

An operating waterwheel grist mill and homestead, built in the 1850s on the Graue Farm. Today, the museum provides programs for children that include milling, spinning and weaving and living history presentations, as well as artifacts which illustrate the way of life of area residents back then. The mill is open Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00am – 4:00pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00pm – 4:00pm. Special demonstration run on the weekends at 2:00pm. Click here for our review of the mill and museum along with ideas to make it a combo trip (hint: there’s a nature center and great trails!).

Tempel Farms (Old Mill Creek)

17000 Wadsworth Road
Old Mill Creek, IL 60083
(847) 244-5330

This dressage training facility shows off their prized Lipizzan horses. There are two performance times at 1:00pm and 6:00pm on select dates. Buy tickets online for extra savings. Prices start at $25/kids and $38/adults when purchased online; children 4 and under are free. Check out their tours for a chance to see the newest baby foals or to watch a training session in action!

The Children’s Farm at the Center (Palos Park)

The Children’s Farm at the Center
12700 Southwest Highway
Palos Park, IL 60464
(708) 361-3650

The Children’s Farm offers leisurely, self-guided tours on the weekends. Patrons are usually welcome to touch, pet and groom the animals, which change seasonally but often include chickens, ducks, turkeys, rabbits, pigs, goats, cows, sheep, horses, ponies and donkeys.

The Children’s Farm is open from 10:00am – 2:00pm on weekends in June, July, and August. They offer self-guided tours, hayrack rides, animals to see, and more. Check the website for hours and admission prices.

Volkening Heritage Farm at Spring Valley (Schaumburg)

Volkening Heritage Farm at Spring Valley
201 S. Plum Grove Road
Schaumburg, IL 60194
(847) 985-2102

Kids can learn all about life on the farm as they practice chores, play games, and visit the animals. Authentically dressed interpreters welcome and guide visitors through the site. Admission is free. The farm & visitor center are open Wednesday – Sunday, 10:00am – 4:00pm and the farm grounds & trails are open daily between 8:00am and 8:00pm. You can pair this with a visit to Bison’s Bluff Nature Playground, the trails at Spring Valley, and the nature center, which are all at Spring Valley.

Primrose Farm (St. Charles)

Primrose Farm
5N726 Crane Road
St. Charles, IL 60175
(630) 513-4370

Come see the animals, register for animal feedings with the chickens or goats, or try milking a cow. Monday through Saturday, the office is open 8:00am – 3:00pm, but the grounds are open from dawn to dusk. The main barn is open when staff is present, while the rest of the buildings are closed. If you’d like to stop by and get the full Primrose experience, staff recommends a weekday or Saturday visit, as there are only volunteers present on the weekend to help with chores.

Kline Creek Farm (West Chicago)

Kline Creek Farm
1N600 County Farm Road
West Chicago, IL 60185
(630) 876-5900

Activities and events at the farm re-create the seasonal rhythms that have governed farm life for centuries. Kids can learn about 19th-century farm activities, such as baking, canning, planting, harvesting, sheep shearing and ice cutting.

Kline Creek Farm is open Thursdays through Mondays, 9:00am – 5:00pm. It is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and select holidays. All other buildings including the Visitor Center are open to the public during open hours. The surrounding Timber Ridge Forest Preserve is open daily one hour after sunrise until one hour after sunset. There’s a suggested admission donation of $5 per person ages 3 and up to enter Kline Creek Farm.

Sonny Acres Farm (West Chicago)

29W310 North Ave
West Chicago, IL 60185
(630) 231-3859

Sonny Acres has a farm store, garden center, and small zoo to feed animals. The amusement rides and kitchen open Memorial Day weekend.

Please note, Double J Riding Club used to allow visitors to come see their animals, but is no longer open to public visits. Guests should be signed up for programming.

For more outdoor fun this summer, stop at one of the best forest preserve trails (as voted by our readers!) for an afternoon hike.