The Best Farms and Petting Zoos Near Omaha for Families

The goat has your kid's sleeve and your kid is somewhere between delighted and terrified. That's the moment. That's the whole reason you drove twenty minutes out of the city to stand in a barn that smells like a barn. A screen can't do that, and around Omaha you don't have to go far to find it.

The metro's ringed with real working farms and animal parks, and a bunch of them open their gates to families. Some run year-round-ish, some are strictly fall, and the cost swings from a few bucks to a real ticket. Here's the honest rundown of where to point the car, what your kids actually get to touch, and when each one's open.

Start with the one that's open the biggest chunk of the year. Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park out in Ashland, just off I-80 between here and Lincoln, is a four-mile drive-through where you roll past bison, elk, deer, and pronghorn from your own car. That alone sells it with little kids. But the part they'll beg for is the Hands-On Corral, a walk-through area with farm animals they can actually pet. It's open daily April through October, 9 to 5, and 2026 admission runs about $14 for adults, $12 for kids 3 to 11, seniors $13, and 2-and-under free (as of July 2026 — check current prices and hours at their site). Tickets are timed by arrival window, so buy online and grab your slot ahead of time, especially on a nice Saturday.

For a genuine working farm with a barn full of animals, Nelson Produce Farm up in Valley is the pick. There's a quonset barn packed with goats, cows, pigs, an alpaca, horses, and donkeys, plus pick-your-own produce and a whole slate of festivals. It runs seasonally, June through October, closed Mondays, open Tuesday through Sunday with late Friday and Saturday hours until 9 (as of July 2026 — confirm current hours at their site). General admission's required for anyone 4 and up, and veterans and active-duty military get in free with ID. It's a real farm, so wear shoes you don't mind getting dirty and let the kids slow down. If you're already headed that direction, the countryside out past Valley is a nice pairing with a day at things to do in Papillion with kids on the way back through Sarpy County.

Now the fall stuff, and there's a lot of it, because this is Nebraska. Bellevue Berry Farm & Pumpkin Ranch over on South 48th in Papillion is part farm, part frontier-town playground, with livestock, hayrides through 20 acres of woods, treehouses, and a three-story pirate ship the kids lose their minds over. Raspberry and blackberry picking kicks off mid-July, and the big pumpkin season runs September 13 through October 31, open daily. Heads up for 2026, the strawberry crop got frosted out, so don't drive out expecting to pick berries in spring.

The giant of the season is Vala's Pumpkin Patch in Gretna, one of the largest fall festivals in the country and celebrating its 40th year in 2026. It's open mid-September through October 31, seven days a week, with pumpkins, apples, dozens of food stands, live shows, and 50-plus attractions including animals the kids can get close to. It's a full day and a real ticket, so plan on it being the main event, not a quick stop. Pick a weekday if you can stomach fewer crowds.

One more for the fall list, a little farther out but worth it. Bloom Where You're Planted Farm down in Avoca, about 35 minutes south of Omaha, is a smaller, gentler pumpkin patch with farm animals, hayrides, nature trails, and play areas. Admission's around $4.75 with the hayride included and 2-and-under free (as of July 2026 — check current prices at their site), which makes it one of the cheapest farm days on this list. Its Pumpkin Festival runs from the third Saturday in September through Halloween. For a family that wants the farm-animal experience without the theme-park scale of Vala's, this is the calmer call.

A few things I've learned dragging my crew to these. Check the season first, because more than half of these are fall-only, and a locked gate in July is a rough surprise. For a summer animal fix, your reliable bets are the Wildlife Safari Park and Nelson's. Bring hand sanitizer or wipes; petting animals means washing hands before the snack comes out, every time. Dress for dirt and sun both, since shade at a lot of these is thin. And go in the morning at the fall places, because by mid-afternoon on an October Saturday the parking and the lines get real.

If the barn day gets rained out, you've got backups close to home. A splash pad, a shady trail, a good playground. We keep the best of those in the best parks in Omaha for families and the best splash pads and spray parks in Omaha.

Pick your season. Pack the wipes. Let the goat nibble the sleeve. That's the one they'll be talking about at dinner.

Handy links:

Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park→ Nelson Produce Farm→ Bellevue Berry Farm & Pumpkin Ranch→ Vala's Pumpkin Patch→

Prices and hours change, so always confirm the latest on each place's official website before you go — the figures in this guide are current as of July 2026.