Petting Zoos and Pony Rides Near Jersey City
As animal lovers, we remember nothing more vividly than animal-filled experiences, like trips to zoos or aquariums where we witnessed innumerable beautiful and exotic animals. If your little ones love animals, petting zoos or pony rides would be the perfect endeavor to create unforgettable memories and lifelong knowledge about animals. These activities will be an excellent addition if you want to liven up your birthday festivities!
Feel free to check out the list of petting zoos and pony rides near Jersey City we’ve compiled specifically for you!
Abma’s Farms
700 Lawlins Rd, Wyckoff
After nine decades and four generations, Abma’s Farms is still Bergen County’s only produce and poultry farm. They have a barnyard full of animals for your child to interact with. They’ve rebuilt their Barnyard from the ground up, giving it a completely different educational experience for you and your family! Check out the new duck pond, Bunnyville, ‘Three Little Pigs’ homes, and much more. The barnyard is open year around. It is open Monday – Friday from 9 AM-6 PM, Saturdays from 9 AM-5:30 PM and closed on Sundays. Your ticket purchase to enter the Barnyard covers exceptional care for their animals, routine maintenance for their grounds, and the Barnyard staff. Online adult tickets are $5.50 and “at the door” tickets are $7. This farm is about an hour from Jersey City.
The Friendly Farmyard
PO Box 57, Verona, New Jersey
Phone: (917) 804-0091
Can’t make it to the animals? No worries! The Friendly Farmyard Traveling Petting Zoo and Pony Rides bring the fun straight to you! The Friendly Farmyard offers fun, interactive, and customized pony and petting zoo parties and events. This traveling zoo is open from 9 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Sunday. Experienced professionals work with you and the animals to ensure a fun and safe experience for all!
Johnson’s Corner Farm
133 Church Rd, Medford
Phone:(609) 654-8643
Like other working farms and locations on this list, Johnson’s Corner Farm offers a wide range of activities year-round, including the petting zoo. This location features the Discovery Barnyard, where kids can explore an obstacle course, ride pedal go-carts perfect for more minor and older children, and a pretend farm. Sheep, goats, and chickens are all on the animal farm, and visitors get the opportunity to feed them! They have tickets for the various activities at their farm. For fruit pickings, it is $6 online and $7 at the door. They also have membership options where it starts from $120 for 1 adult and 1 child. The membership rates differ depending on the size of families. They are open daily from 8 AM-8 PM and are located about an hour and a half from Jersey City.
Hunter Brook Horse Farm
672 Fort Plains Rd. Howell
Phone: (732) 319-0662
Get ready to saddle up! Hunter Brook Horse Farm is unlike any other equestrian center in the area! Hunter Brook Horse Farm is a full-service equestrian facility featuring boarding, horse sales, riding instruction, summer and winter camps, birthday parties, and friendly staff who are happy to work with you every step of the way. They offer lessons for any skill level! You can call Hunter Brook Horse Farm for more information on pricing options and book a lesson! Hunter Brook is located an hour from Jersey City.
New Joy Farm
Phone: (908) 376-9375
New Joy Farm has no problem traveling! They serve the NJ area along with surrounding areas! The kids can enjoy Pony Parties bounce houses, face painting, and unicorns. That’s right, a unicorn! Birthday parties are definitely the most frequently requested party event, but New Joy Farm also works with special occasions such as church functions, festivals, school functions, daycare, graduations, reunions, and company outings.
Alstede Farms
1 Alstede Farms Lane Chester
Phone: (908) 528-8823
Alstede is a great place to bring the family year-round and offers everything from fresh produce to Christmas trees. They also have had a diverse variety of livestock, including cattle, horses, sheep, goats, peacocks, miniature and large donkeys, ponies and mini horses, waterfowl, bunnies, cats, and poultry. Having a wide range of animals helps them to provide a more educational and enjoyable farm experience for every guest earning them a spot on our list of Petting Zoos and Pony Rides Near Jersey City! You can visit the animals daily from 9 AM-6 PM, located a little less than an hour from Jersey City!
The Barnyard Sanctuary
PO Box 167, Blairstown
Phone: (973) 670-4477
The Barnyard Sanctuary is an NJ 501(c)3 non-profit charity that has rescued displaced farm animals and provided a safe haven for animals for over eight years, landing it a well-deserved spot on our list of Petting Zoos and Pony Rides Near Jersey City! Since opening its doors, The Barnyard Sanctuary has saved the lives of over 3,000 farm animals, and today approximately 700 farm animals call this farm home. You can help this cause in several ways, and you can even adopt an animal needing a home. Currently, they are looking for donations for the relocation of the sanctuary.
Funny Farm Rescue
6908 Railroad Blvd, Mays Landing
Phone: (609) 742-9410
Funny Farm Rescue, where each animal has a story. They are home to over 600 rescue animals. Goats roam free, roosters, and a large white horse that will nuzzle you. Parents can purchase a bucket of food for the pigs and horses, and kids can spend some time feeding them. Their visiting hours are Tuesday and Sunday, 8 AM-4 PM, and they are located about 2 hours from Jersey City. Admission is free and they welcome donations for the noble cause.
Pony and Pals
Howell, NJ
Phone: (732) 358-7555
Pony and Pals is a family-owned traveling pony and petting zoo rental business. Make your child’s dream come true by having their own petting zoo and/or pony in their own backyard. No yard? No problem, they can set up in a driveway or garage. Pony and Pals provide fond memories that families and kids of all ages will cherish for a lifetime. Prices vary based on event location and duration. You can request a quote on their website.
Mountainside Stables
49 Sunset Inn Rd, Lafayette Township
Phone: (973) 300-3307
Mountainside Stables has been providing excellent entertainment services for events throughout the NJ Tri-State Area for 20 years! They provide traveling petting farms, pony rides, and horse and carriage ride for events of any size! The traveling farm is a unique addition to any party that all of your guests will love! They bring clean and friendly animals of all varieties, including Chicks, ducklings, Rabbits, Mini-horse, Mini-donkey, Goats, Llamas, and so much more!
Brookhollow’s Barnyard
301 Rockaway Valley Rd Boonton, NJ
This farm has small animals like ducks and bunnies to large farm animals such as goats and horses. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Admission tickets are $6.50 per person age 2 and older. You would need to buy tickets for train rides and tractor rides. They have field trips for schools. One interesting thing they have started offering is Goat Yoga. This combines the joy of doing yoga with the fun of spending time with the cuddly goats. If there’s excessive heat they will change their hours of operation for the day. Please check their website for updates before leaving for the farm. Read more on their website.
Allaire Community Farm
1923 Baileys Corner Rd, Wall Township, NJ 07719
Allaire Community Farm welcomes special needs adults and children. They are a non-profit organization focussing on helping people with teens with mental disorders, veterans with PTSD, families battling cancer, and financial hardships. They use animal therapy, equine therapy, organic gardening, and vocational training to help those in need. The admission fee is $6 for the petting zoo. Their petting zoo holds rabbits, goats, an alpaca, a cow, pigs, donkeys etc. These are all rescued animals.
Demarest Farms
244 Wierimus Rd Hillsdale, NJ 07642
About half an hour from Jersey City lies Demarest Farms, which has some friendly farm animals for you to pet and feed. They also have other activities like pumpkin and apple picking, hayrides, etc. Make sure to make reservations online before you visit.
Sugar Sweet Farms
408 US-206, Newton, NJ
Sugar Sweet Farms is permanently closed.
Sugar Sweet farms will be open every day from 10-5 pm. They have a variety of animals like pigs, chicken, goats, lambs, and more furry animals. Admission is $5 per person for their petting zoo and you can purchase the tickets there. Make sure to their website and give them a call before you go.
If you are looking for more family-friendly activities to do, you came across the right place! For a unique alternative to zoos, experience the drive-thru zoos or farms, where you witness thousands of animals from the comfort of your car. Keep the children active and entertained at a nearby playground, sprinkler park, or the carousels in Jersey City. Looking for a more notable experience? Enjoy nature’s beauty on hiking trails or strawberry picking.
Updated July 16, 2024
