Embrace the Farm Life on Vacation

Feed fuzzy chickens, collect vegetables and try other fun tasks at working farms across the country

a multi-generational family walking through a field at a farm

Visitors can stay overnight and participate in fun farm activities at working farms across the country.

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Terri Colby,

AARP

En español

Published June 13, 2024

Farm life has always been a bit romanticized in the U.S. It combines history and a sense of place with the culture of American individualism and homesteading. Now, urban and suburban dwellers can find proverbial greener pastures on vacation at working farms across America.

Visitors can milk cows or sheep, collect (and cook) eggs from resident hens, explore trails on horseback or simply kick back on a porch and let their minds wander along with the roaming sheep.

If this sounds appealing to you, you’re not alone. A recent trend report from Grand View Research found an increased interest in agritourism, or engaging in activities on a farm, among older adults on both sides of the barn. In 2022, the average age of U.S. farm producers was 58. Nearly 30,000 farms are involved in agritourism, according to the latest census from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Here are a few working farms to consider for inspiration to turn some of that romance into reality.

a cow and a barn in the background at Wegmueller Farms

Travelers can see a traditional red barn and ride horses at Wegmueller Farm in Wisconsin.

Courtesy Wegmueller Farms

Wegmueller Farm, Monroe, Wisconsin

A fourth-generation working dairy operation in southern Wisconsin’s cheese country, Wegmueller Farm sets the tone for a traditional experience, including a red barn and white farmhouse. Just listen for the cowbells on some of the Brown Swiss that live here.

The farm is open to the public for tours. The interactive tour offers the opportunity to milk cows, bottle-feed calves, laugh at the comical miniature pigs and meet the rest of the farm animals.

Horses are a highlight, and with a stable of 23, Dan Wegmueller takes pride in matching each rider with the perfect horse. Visitors can book long or short trail rides or an introductory lesson with tips on grooming, tacking and building a relationship with the horse.

The on-site farmhouse, with its big front porch, fireplace and fully equipped kitchen, sleeps up to 12 people.

Rates are $350 per night, two-night minimum.

the inside a guest room at Mar Vista Farm

The cottages at Mar Vista Farm boast full kitchens, gas fireplaces and different views of the property and surrounding area.

Courtesy Mar Vista Farm

Mar Vista Farm + Cottages, Gualala, California

This 9-acre property across Highway 1 from the Pacific Ocean offers water and forest settings, along with bunnies, goats and chickens.

In 1929, Louis Kovacs, a Hungarian immigrant, purchased the land and set it up as a chicken ranch. He added Scandinavian-style cottages to rent to sport fishermen.

Each of Mar Vista’s 11 cottages has a fireplace and full kitchen with a sweet retro style. Some cottages have ocean views; all are close to the forest. One has an outdoor space with an arbor swing and hammock facing the sea.

The bunnies (Biscuit and Bunz) frolic in the late afternoons around the time the goats (triplets named Willy, Wally and Wiley) feast on hay and oats. Guests can also feed the chickens and help collect eggs or sign up in advance for backyard chicken-keeping classes.

The organic gardens are filled with veggies, herbs and flowers, all available for guests to pick.

Rates start at $270 per night for a one-bedroom cottage.

An aerial view of the 60-acre Fat Sheep Farm & Cabins in Hartland, Vermont.

Courtesy Fat Sheep Farm

Fat Sheep Farm & Cabins, Hartland, Vermont

The 60-acre working farm in central Vermont has five cabins, each with a full kitchen and living room (three are pet friendly).

In the morning, guests can join in on farm chores, which might mean wrangling escaped chickens, milking sheep or taking goats for a stroll. Or head to the easy 1-mile walking trail through the woods. For a little extra dough, you can sign up for a class to learn how to make cheese or bake sourdough bread.

Visitors can book tours to see the garden and the specialty items grown here such as red heirloom corn from the Italian Alps. The produce is sold to local farmers markets, restaurants and stores. Rates start at $200 per night, and guests receive fresh scones and fresh eggs as a welcome gift on the first night.

The luxury Brush Creek Ranch property in Wyoming offers three separate lodging options. Here, a view of the private cabins.

Courtesy Brush Creek Ranch

Brush Creek Ranch, Saratoga, Wyoming

A huge all-inclusive property with a massive list of hands-on experiences, Brush Creek Ranch has three separate lodging options surrounded by 30,000 acres of hills, forests, river valleys and rock formations. Guests can spend the day at the on-site Farm at Brush Creek for hands-on learning at the bakery, creamery, distillery and hydroponic greenhouse. The full-day farm experience might include a pasta- or cheese-making lesson and a cooking class to bring everything you’ve learned that day to the table.

Brush Creek is upscale, but it’s still a sustainable cattle ranch. Guests can bottle-feed baby goats, take a hike with some llamas or climb atop a horse and join a cattle drive. There’s also fly fishing, archery and other outdoor activities if you’re so inclined.

Rates start at $2,100 per night for two guests.

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Terri Colby, an award-winning writer and photographer, spent decades as a journalist reporting hard news stories before she wised up and started roaming the world as a travel writer.