Think you have to head far out of the city to enjoy getting up close and personal with animals? Think again! Ottawa has a variety of places and spaces to meet, nurture, pet, and interact with many different kinds of animals. From animal rescue centres, nature zoos, farms and larger parks there is a variety of fun farms and petting zoos in Ottawa waiting for you and your family.
Fun Farms & Petting Zoos in Ottawa
The Log Farm
Located right in the city, in Nepean, you can enjoy this small local farm in all seasons. See, touch, feed, and interact with the animals on site. Make sure to carve out time to spend time for the play structures and enjoy an outdoor picnic. Different seasons bring different activities at the farm so check out their website before heading out.
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Parc Omega
Only 45 minutes from downtown Ottawa head to Montebello for a wonderful adventure! Parc Omega is an oasis where you can get up close with familiar Canadian animals and watch them interact in their natural habitat. From bison to wolves to deer and black bears there is a large variety of animals to see. Don’t forget to bring lots of carrots to feed the animals along the way. Just make sure you read the signs as to which ones you can feed and which ones you need to avoid for safety reasons. You drive your car through this large natural park and can easily spend the day adventuring here. Conservation, education and preserving nature is an important aspect of Parc Omega and felt throughout the entire park.
Agricultural & Farm Museum
The Canadian Agricultural & Food Museum is part of the Ingenium family of museums and is a great place to grab a family membership to as it covers your admission to not only the Agricultural Museum but the Science & Aviation museums as well. When you visit this museum you can expect a hands on experience where you can interact and learn about the different farm animals as well as participate in workshops, classes and special events. Springtime is a very special time to visit with all the new little babies making their arrivals. You can also enjoy free admission from 4-5p.m. every opening day so this is a great way to have some fun outdoors after school before the dinner rush. This is a popular spot to see animals right here in Ottawa and we highly recommend checking out the farm during different seasons to get the full experience.
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Valleyview Little Animal Farm
Valleyview Little Animal Farm has a little animal barn, a fun play area with slides, corn maze, swings, a basketball wagon and hours of fun on the trikes and playing in the sand! Make this a destination when the weather is nice and you are keen to spend the day outdoors at one of the sweetest petting zoos in Ottawa. Your little ones (suitable for under the age of 6) will have a blast! If you enjoy your time (and most do!) you may be interested in their frequent user pass which gives you 10 visits for the price of 8. You can also enjoy their daily puppet shows and don’t forget to hop onto the train for a ride around the farm.
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Little Rays Reptiles
Crocodiles, snakes, spiders, and sloths are a part of this education and conservation centre off of Colonial Road in Ottawa. Little Rays not only has a state of the art centre to assist in the recovery of animals in need and is a leader in animal welfare but is also a place where your family can learn about the various species on site and see first hand the positive impact Little Rays has on these animals. They may refer to their team as the “Zoo Team” but it is anything but your typical zoo experience. Nurturing and compassionate experts take care of the animals on a day to day basis and this team has been known to travel all over the place to help other animals in need and to provide a safe rescue space for them. If you are on the search for animals in Ottawa to get up close with you will want to see all the cute sloths they have on site here!
Proulx Sugar Bush & Berry Farm
Located in Cumberland, Proulx Sugar Bush & Berry Farm, has a small but mighty animal farm where you can interact, learn, and enjoy the local farm animals. Take some time to visit the rest of the farm while you head out for a walk, enjoy the outdoor play space and if you are there during Sugar Bush season you can also enjoy a horse & wagon ride. Don’t forget to check out their locally made goodies and delicious produce which varies with the season.
Tagged under: fun farms,petting zoos in ottawa,fun farms in ottawa,ottawa petting zoos
Category: attractions,outdoor-play
