Best Petting Zoos, Animal Farms & Wildlife Parks Near Atlanta

Visit a petting zoo or animal farm in Atlanta when the weather warms up and the kids want to mingle with friendly four-legged creatures. Petting zoos and animal sanctuaries invite Atlanta families to enjoy creatures large and small, from pigs and horses to giraffes and camels. Maybe even lions, tigers and bears… oh my!

Most petting zoos and animal sanctuaries advise visitors not to feed the animals unless they provide food (either included with admission or purchased at an additional cost). So grab plenty of hand sanitizer, wet wipes, plastic gloves (bison drool is no joke) and snacks for the kids and head to a petting zoo, animal farm or an Atlanta animal sanctuary.

Check out our list of the best zoos in each state. For more family activities, check out our spring activities guide and sign up for our Mommy Poppins newsletters, delivered straight to your inbox.

1. Zoo Atlanta – Grant Park

We have to start our list with the beloved Atlanta Zoo, home to over 1,000 animals, including pandas, zebras, tigers, kangaroos, and flamingos. Take the train around the 40-acre property and visit Outback Station, the on-site petting zoo, where kids can interact with goats, sheep and more. Discover programs for toddlers, evening activities and encounters with zoo animals.

Petting Zoo, Animal Farm, and Wildlife Park in Atlanta

Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center is a free center where children can hike and interact with a variety of animals.

2. Autrey Mill Nature Reserve and Heritage Center – John’s Creek

Once home to an abandoned flour mill, this 46-acre property offers hiking trails and farm animals, like goats and chickens. Inside the visitor center, children will enjoy seeing a variety of snakes, turtles, salamanders and sliders. Autrey Mill does not charge admission but welcomes donations.

3. L&R Alpaca Haven Farm – Douglasville

Your children will love visiting this family animal farm with more than 30 alpacas. Soft alpacas are less scary to smaller children because they don’t bite (actually…they don’t have upper teeth!). The farm welcomes visitors by appointment most weekends and hosts public events, photo shoots and birthday parties.

4. North Georgia Wildlife and Safari Park – Cleveland

This sprawling wildlife park, located about an hour north of Atlanta, offers a drive-through safari experience. Admission also includes the petting zoo and a guided walking tour to see wolves, sloths and lemurs. “Add-on” interactions include capybara feedings and animal encounters.

Touch a baby alligator at Okefenokee Swamp Park.

5. Okefenokee Swamp Park – Waycross

Drive four hours to Waycross, Georgia, and your family can observe live alligators in one of the largest blackwater swamps in the world. Admission to Okefenokee Swamp Park includes a train ride and a nature show, where guests can pet snakes, turtles and a baby alligator. Sign up for the swamp boat tour to see more alligators in their natural habitat.

6. Pettit Creek Farms – Cartersville

Pettit Creek Farms is home to various animal species including camels, reindeer, emus, zebras, and more. Visitors can purchase food by entering and driving down the dirt road where exotic animals are located. Linger along the way and let the animals eat from your child’s outstretched arm! Visitors can also enter the Pettit Creek Farms Petting Zoo and ride a camel!

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7. Smith Farm – Buckhead

Most people don’t expect to find a farm in the heart of Buckhead! However, the Atlanta History Center exposes children to Robert Hiram Smith’s farm from the 1840s, complete with live chickens, sheep, goats and turkeys.

8. Southern Belle Farm – McDonough

This working farm offers the opportunity to pick your own fruit and participate in other seasonal events such as Fall on the Farm and a Christmas on the Farm. Families can interact with farm animals, such as barnyard chickens, donkeys, cows and calves, goats and horses from Belle’s barn.

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9. Wild Animal Safari – Pine Mountain

Georgia’s best-known wildlife safari, Wild Animal Safari, offers options to drive your vehicle on the safari or rent one of the zebra vans already skated by the animals. This expansive driving safari features a variety of animals that come knocking on your car window for food. Get up close with camels, zebras, watusi, American bison and more. Warn children: these animals are not above begging for food or drooling on cars, hands, and just about any surface.

10. Christmas Forest – Stockbridge

Yule Forest welcomes visitors to the petting zoo each year for its seasonal events. Take the kids to the annual pumpkin patch in the fall; the Tulip Festival in spring, or the Christmas Tree Farm during the holidays. Admission includes the petting zoo, hay rides, bee house, STEM garden, dinosaur exhibit, fun zone and much more.

Animal Sanctuaries in Atlanta

11. Bear Hollow Zoo – Athens

Located in Athens Memorial Park, Bear Hollow Zoo provides a natural habitat for non-releasable animals. You’ll find black bears, owls, a spotted skunk, a reptile house and much more. Free entry.

12. Chestatee Wildlife Preserve and Zoo – Dahlonega

Head north to Dahlonega to see more than 100 exotic and native animals, many rescued from abuse and neglect. Don’t miss Pippi, a zeedonk (?!), half zebra/half donkey! Buy bags of food for $5, but watch your little ones’ fingers when feeding the animals. For an additional fee, families can interact with the two sloths, Flash and Sissi.

13. Georgia Sea Turtle Center – Jekyll Island

If your family is planning to go to the beach this summer, make a stop at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island. Although you can’t touch the sea turtles, visitors can watch them recover in large glass tanks at this working hospital. Children will develop an appreciation for this endangered species and learn about ongoing conservation efforts.

14. Noah’s Ark Wildlife Sanctuary – Locust Grove

This 250-acre nonprofit animal sanctuary is located 30 miles south of downtown Atlanta. The sanctuary provides an oasis for abused and neglected animals, including reptiles, primates, bears, birds and exotic cats. Opportunities exist for a variety of guided tours.

Meet Simba the serval at the Yellow River Wildlife Reserve.

15. Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary – Lilburn

The Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary has devoted much care and dedication to the well-being of its animal population. The sanctuary is home to bison, porcupines, black bears, sheep, deer, lemurs, alpacas and more. Buy bags of food for $6 to feed some animals in the barnyard. Check the website for information on sloth encounters and special tours.

Unless otherwise noted, photos by the author