Farms & Petting Zoos Near St. Pete-Clearwater

Looking for petting zoos & farms near Pinellas?

We’ve got you covered! We’re two local moms who grew up in the Clearwater area and are now raising our young families here.

These are all our favorite places to take our kids to interact with animals around Pinellas. On this list you’ll find local petting zoos, farms and other attractions where you can pet animals.

My kids really love petting zoos and we like to go during the fall and winter when it’s a little cooler in Florida. A few of the farms actually close during the summer months because of the heat.

Let’s check out the petting zoos!

🤩 Our favorite petting zoos near us are HorsePower & Tarpon Aquarium

1. HorsePower for Kids

HorsePower is a non-profit rescue farm with the mission of giving families the opportunity to interact with animals. The farm has multiple petting zoo areas, pony rides, playground and play structures, and train rides.

We visit HorsePower on their $5 days, which take place on the first Thursday of the month. These days are definitely busy but HorsePower is large so the crowds can disperse. The petting zoo area in the back we found to be less crowded and more relaxed.

TIPS: Before you go, fill out the online waiver on their website. Bring cash in case the credit card ticket line is lone. And remember to dress to get very dirty.

2. Raprager’s Farm

Raprager Farms is a family-owned farm experience that is open on weekends and for holiday festivals. Admittedly, Raprager Farm’s website leaves something to be desired (its hard to find basic information like general opening times and ticket costs). That said, we still think it is worth the visit for those looking for a petting zoo.

We went for the Christmas festival and had an awesome time. The farm over is smaller than HorsePower but has a chiller vibe with a bigger petting zoo area. Plus, they also have a big bounce pillow that was a hit with my kids.

TIP: Don’t miss going in the barn enclosure in the petting zoo area. We almost did and the best animals were in there (like baby goats!)

3. Old McMicky’s Farm

Old McMicky’s farm is a different style petting zoo than the others on this list. It is a farm tour where you have a tour guide taking you through the farm. The tour is structured in a loop so you may join a tour group at any point along the tour, so the group gets progressively larger as the tour progresses.

We personally think the tour is best for elementary age kids and older who can appreciate the additional information shared on the tour. It’s tougher for the toddler-aged group. We saw toddler families leave the tour, and we found it hard to keep ours with the group by the end too.

The tour structure also means you can’t take snack breaks whenever you want, which our 3-year old did not at all appreciate.

4. DK Farms & Gardens

DK Farms and Gardens is a petting zoo and also offers lots of fun extras like holiday festivals, mini golf and games.

We haven’t made it to DK Farms yet (honestly, it feels a little pricey for the holiday festivals since we’d have to pay for our 2-year-old) but the website says that you can only go into the bunny area. The other animals you can interact with by feeding through the gate.

5. ZooTampa

ZooTampa is the nearest big zoo to Pinellas County. The zoo has expanded and improved a lot since we were little, with fun rides and lots of cool areas to explore. Plus, the manatee viewing area is a can’t miss.

The zoo also has a farm petting zoo area tucked into the Australia section. Zoo admission is more than some other petting zoos on the list, but tickets allow you to return all year so you can get a lot of bang for your buck.

We’re both zoo members and also love all the fun special events the zoo puts on, like the Halloween Creatures of the Night event, that are also included for return-for-a-year ticket holders.

Other Nearby Farms

There are a few farms in the area that you can visit by booking a private tour or on limited days.

Seasonal Petting Zoos

Here are a few petting zoos that happen only for limited times during the year. For example, during Halloween or Christmas season.