Visiting Grant’s Farm with Kids? Here’s What to Expect.

Just outside St. Louis, you’ll find Grant’s Farm, an exotic animal park and home to the famous Budweiser Clydesdale horses. It makes for a fun half-day activity for budget-minded families, particularly those with kids under 13. We did a lot during our three days in St. Louis — but Grant’s Farm was my seven and ten-year-olds’ favorite attraction.

 

Admission to the farm is free, but you will have to pay a $12 parking fee. We went on a pleasant summer Sunday and were pleased to find that while the farm was busy, it wasn’t too crowded. No wait was longer than five minutes throughout the entire park.

Once we entered the gates, we boarded a tram  for a peaceful 20-minute guided tour through the animal preserve. During the ride, we spotted deer, bison, ostriches, and antelope.

 

We also got a quick look at Hardscrabble, a cabin built on the property by Ulysses S. Grant. Hardscrabble is the only remaining structure hand-built by a US president before taking office. Why yes, that is an obscure piece of trivia… You’re welcome! Grant’s Farm was originally owned by the Dent family- Ulysses S. Grant married Julia Dent and the land was given to the couple by her father as a wedding present.

 

The tram ride ended at the public farm, where the fun really starts. We had two family fun passes, which include one snow cone, one carousel ride, and two bottles of milk to feed the baby goats. At only $5 apiece, they’re definitely worth purchasing. The carousel ride and snow cones are pretty self-explanatory- My kids thoroughly enjoyed both.

 

The goat feeding requires a bit of explanation, and I’ll start by saying that it was my kids’ favorite part of the Grant’s Farm experience. A large pen was filled with dozens of baby goats, all of whom wanted nothing more than milk from the baby bottles my kids held in their hands. From the moment the children entered the pen, they were swarmed by baby goats. My kids thought it was funny, but younger children will definitely want a parent nearby to run interference. The goats put their front legs up on the children and each other in their clamorous efforts to get to the baby bottles, and it took a lot of help from my husband and me to keep them at bay.

 

Next, we walked around for a bit and looked at all of the animals. There were elephants and zebras, ostriches and eagles, camels and kangaroos, exotic birds and Galapagos tortoises. Elephant and bird shows are also scheduled throughout the day- Plan your visit around them if you can– They’re a highlight of the farm experience.

We also had passes ($2 apiece) to feed the parakeets—This was another kid favorite. The birds were small enough to not be too intimidating when they landed on the kids’ arms and hands and, in my daughter’s case, on her head!

 

We followed the feeding up with camel rides. The rides cost $5 each and parents can ride with children if they wish. The ride is short, but it makes for a great photo op.

 

By this time, we were all ready for lunch. Grant’s Farm includes a Bavarian-style open air plaza and food court built beside The Bauernhof, a 1913 farmstead, which now houses the Busch family’s carriage collection. We ordered our food from Brat Haus, which gets its brats from a local butcher. My smoked cheddar brat was literally out of this world. Other food options include a deli, a pizza/hotdog/ice cream shop, and a snack shop with funnel cakes, kettle corn and cinnamon roasted nuts.

At this point, we’d seen pretty much all there was to see. I’d say you could easily do everything in about two to three hours- which is a perfect amount of time for most kids. I find mine start getting tired/bored/cranky by the 2 ½ hour mark.

We took the tram back to the entrance (the return ride is much shorter than the tour that gets you there) and stopped in the General Store for souvenirs. My son chose a Union cap and plastic Civil War soldiers, while my daughter opted for a Breyer horse to add to her collection. It was time for our tour of the famous Budweiser Clydesdale Horses’ stable, which is located right next to the farm.

Tours sell out each day, so it’s best to make reservations first thing in the morning if you’re planning on visiting the stables. It’s a one and ½ hour walking tour where you will learn literally everything you ever wanted to know (and then some) about the Clydesdale horses. My daughter is nuts about horses, so she was particularly interested in the tour, but I would say that it’s not for small children in general or anyone who doesn’t have an interest in horses. Our kids made it about 45 minutes before they were ready to call it quits, and at $25 per ticket, leaving early is a big deal! It’s fun, though, to see parts of the stables that the general public doesn’t have access to, and to see these beautiful horses up close and even pet them.

After that, our day at Grant’s Farm came to a close. I found myself wishing we had brought our bikes along for the trip- A very popular, flat greenway runs right by the farm and along the river and it’s a great bike path for families. All told, our Grant’s Farm visit cost about $70 for our family of four– That includes parking, tickets to special attractions, food, and snacks. The Clydesdale Tour was another $100 for the four of us.

I recommend Grant’s Farm for families with younger children, animal lovers, and history buffs. It’s a fun way to see another side of the St. Louis area.

 

Grant’s Farm covered our expenses so that I could review this attraction. My opinions are entirely my own.