We recently had the most wonderful trail riding experience at Rockin' Star Ranch with family…read moreranging in age from 2 to 72, and every single person had a fantastic time! The horses were thoughtfully matched to each rider's size and experience level, and it was clear how well cared for and well-trained they all are. The guides were absolutely phenomenal -- not only friendly and professional but they went above and beyond, even riding backwards at times to capture incredible photos and videos for us! As someone who tends to be nervous around horses, I was given the most patient, gentle, and intuitive horse, which made the entire experience enjoyable and safe. When my 2-year-old decided he had to ride with Mama AFTER everyone was saddled up, they went out of their way to help us rearrange and make it happen -- and I still felt safe and confident holding him, which speaks volumes about both the horses and the staff. We've been to Rockin' Star Ranch a few times over the years, and it's always been a special place for our family. In fact, our now 12-year-old once rode the same sweet pony on a lead ride that our 2-year-old recently did -- a true testament to the love, care, and longevity they provide for their animals. Every single interaction we've had with their staff has been warm, professional, and full of kindness and patience. They are always happy to teach, answer questions, and help everyone -- from total beginners to more experienced riders -- feel welcome and confident. I can't recommend Rockin' Star Ranch enough for families or anyone looking for a safe, fun, and memorable horseback riding experience!

After an extremely disappointing ride in Benson, with horses that could barely move I was beyond…read morefrustrated... and having only one day to myself in AZ while on a work trip I was feeling down. I called a bunch of places, and this one answered. Oh my word, this was exactly what I needed! Chris is an incredible, experienced, and funny guide, and the ride was FUN. He even took videos and photos and shared them after the ride. I lost my keys, and he helped me find them at the end of the ride, which was extra time and effort. Iris and Stormy are awesome horses, Stormy helped with finding the keys. I would say this is the single best trail ride I've ever done, and I ride A LOT but usually have a "no trail" rule--most trail rides are a snoozefest experience, and I would straight out recommend lessons with a trainer instead. Chris' place does fun trail rides, lessons, parties, you name it.... And such great horses. Can't recommend them enough!

Unexpectedly came across this place while shopping at Green Things. The sign out front stated they…read moreoffer riding lessons and a petting zoo. When I called to inquire, Tess, explained the many programs they offered along with a toddler friendly animal farm section. They had a section of bunny rabbits, chickens, ducks, mini horses, sheep and goats to pet and feed- toddler loved this part. Hours are from 7-11am then 4-6 pm during the winter months. Shocked to see this place was not on TripAdvisor's top things to do with toddlers while in Tucson...would highly recommend.

We held my daughter's 6th birthday party at TRAK and will consider more parties in the future…read more While I knew TRAK would provide staff to monitor the petting zoo area, what I didn't realize was there would be 5 people ready and eager to unload our cars and help set up the decorations. There was a gentleman who is in charge of the parties (I can't believe I forgot his name ‍), and his party assistants, Allie, Lillie, Tess and Abigail. Our party ran smoothly and the kids (plus their parents) all had a wonderful time. The kids utilized the petting zoo the entire party, played corn hole (provided by TRAK) and got the opportunity to ride a full-sized horse. The handlers even let the parents have a ride, which was a nice surprise that was very much appreciated. Thank you, TRAK team!

I would have loved to have an unforgettable experience with these folks, but unfortunately Veronica…read moredidn't put our reservation in her phone. We arrived, early... only for her to tell us that. She offered to get the horses ready but could only do a 1 hour ride. (We reserved 2.5 hour tour). We were ready just to settle and take what we could get.... but we had a party of 5, and they only had 3 horses. We are from Ohio on a family vacation and had planned the majority of our vacation around this experience. Totally let down and disappointed. They took our credit card information and made us well aware if we were a no-call no-show, the credit card would still be charged the full amount ($690) (otherwise they are cash only). So what happens when they do the same? Our family was truly looking forward to an unforgettable Tombstone horseback ride and was left walking.

My husband and I wanted to take our one year old to do something fun randomly today so we found…read morethis ranch and went their to pet all the animals they have, they have horses, pigs, a baby goat, lots more goats, sheep and alpacas that are all so friendly I definitely recommend check this place out for horseback rides to. Thank you so much. Veronica takes great care of all the animals and is so sweet.

We came here for a dinner in the lavender farm on Saturday night and had a great time. It was only…read moreabout a 40 minute drive from my location in Tucson. It was raining earlier in the day but they were able to keep the event happening on time. They had a buffet style dinner set up. They served pork meatballs for an appetizer which I could not try since I don't eat pork. I didn't see any water. It would have been cool if they had a lavender infused water option. They had earl grey tea (I can't have caffeine) and a delicious lavender wine spritzer. The wine spritzer was really weak though (alcohol content). They ran out of salad so we only got a couple bites. I wish they had made more. It looked really good with blueberries and strawberries. I wasn't really a fan of the main dish (pasta with chicken). The chicken was dried out and it wasn't warm by the time we got our food. The carrots were really good. We took pictures in the lavender farm and they turned out great. There were lots of bees in the lavender field but they didn't bother us. Expect porta potties and a short walk between the dinner tables and the lavender farm. They also had woman playing guitar for the dinner.

OH my goodness! What a real life fairy tale farm! I took my 75yr old mom there for a belated…read moremother's day yesterday. First off, the little bathroom/outhouse at the top of the path was ADORABLE! (Yes, it's an outhouse, but located in a shed and decorated very cute and it didn't smell bad and there was an outdoor faucet to wash your hands.) then you walk down a little path towards their gift shop/check in. The gentleman that checked us in was very very nice and friendly, then you walk down a bit farther and pick up your picnic basket. The picnic area was so cute ! that whole area would've been the perfect spot for a small wedding or outdoor high tea. There were some chunky lizards running around, beautiful butterflies and lots of songbirds. We loved it! My mom can't walk far and there were so many little places to sit along the trail as we headed toward the lavender fields so she didn't have a hard time getting up to the lavender. The only drawback was the hill to the animals she couldn't do and the parking lot was a little sketchy when we first pulled up - i felt it was hard to park and it was gravelly and hilly. But I took so many pictures of my mom that I will cherish long after she's gone. the lavender was just starting to bloom and it was stunning! Whoever decorated the little sitting areas throughout the place really knew what they were doing, because it was BEAUTIFUL! The picnic was fabulous, all the food delicious and I bought my mom a scone gift box to take home and she loved them! it was absolutely the PERFECT day! Thanks for the wonderful memories with my mom! We will be back next spring hopefully and now she wants to do a tea at the Manor in Tucson! I'll be researching that!

We visited Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch during spring break with our 6-year-old son and had such a…read moregreat time! My husband and I first visited several years ago and loved it, so we knew it would be a fun place to bring him--and it absolutely was. The animals are so interactive and entertaining. Our favorite experience was with the nectar birds that literally sit on you while they drink. It was such a unique and memorable moment for our son (and honestly for us too!). We also did the monster truck tour, which was fantastic. The guide shared so many interesting facts about ostriches and the ranch itself, and it made the experience even more engaging. It's been really fun to see how much the ranch has grown over the past several years. They've added more experiences and clearly put a lot of care into the place. This spot is truly a treasure and a perfect stop for families looking for something a little different and very memorable. Highly recommend!

I came here today for my fix of cute animal! I have been here so many times and every time I come…read morehere it is such a wonderful experience. Starting from the employees who are so friendly, to the very cute animals and the well organized operation they have for their business. I always go to each of my favorite stations and I visit sometimes twice during my stay. My favorites are the donkeys and the bunnies. I also love that the tortoises have names on their shell. My favorite ninja Turtles was always Raphael so of course I had to go say hi to him while I was there. I highly recommend anybody to come here and you will have a wonderful experience whether you're a child or an adult. My boyfriend and I love to come here for a date day and each time is fantastic.

So we're in Sanoita to do some wine tasting and thought we'd stop at this alpaca farm first thing…read morein the morning before starting. What a great place to take the kids, and even as adults we enjoyed ourselves as a tour guide was friendly and informative. They have about 40 alpacas on site as well as a few other farm animals. You can tell host enjoy what he was doing was very knowledgeable about everything from feeding, shearing, and turning their wool into products. The tour is only $5, so white reasonably priced. A great way to spend an hour or two. They have a place for the kids to play some Putt-Putt golf. You can find them on harvest house if you want to camp there. They do have a 30 amp plug-in also.

Very well and educational tour and great teaching on how to make yarn from alpaca hair.read more

Spent a chilly and windy day at Tombstone and it captured the mood of a real Wild West! Dusty,…read moreunpaved roads, people in costumes of the era, stagecoach making rounds, and hearing the accent of that bygone era sounded very amusing! One has to come to Tombstone with unabashed humor and imagination. I definitely enjoyed my time walking around the historic district. The reenactment of the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral was hilarious and entertaining. Food at Big Nose Kate's Saloon such as the Elote and Rueben Sandwich with fries were delicious and service was great. I'd say my time at Tombstone was worth it and unforgettable.

Welp.... We had high hopes, maybe TOO high for a summer Monday?!…read more Just about the corniest tourist thing to do, but whatcha gonna do when you bring tourists in from out of state?! Set was cute and the actors were kind and so hard working.... But that's 30-45 minutes I cannot get back. Next time I'd opt for the street-fight shootout show instead.

First time at Old Tucson! This place is a Tucson classic…read more Old Tucson is a historic film studio and Western-themed attraction located just outside Tucson, and it was originally built in 1939 for the movie "Arizona." Over the years, it has been a major filming location for various Western films and has been preserved as an old Western town for the public to visit. The summer night markets have begun with free parking and admission. There are various vendors selling their crafts and food, and it's nice to be able to support a local establishment and vendors.

Sooo... this was WEIRD. There was a bunch of people who pulled up to visit Old Tucson (a…read moreWestern-themed movie lot/ Knott's-esque attraction) and the staff ran away and hid from us. I'm talking over 50 people wanting to buy tickets and enter the gift shop, only to be shut out by the staff. There was a weird "back in 10 mins" sign and the ticket booth never opened. This was a disappointment considering the good things I heard from Tucson locals. Prices are posted on my pic, but it's about $35 per person (5 years and up). We opted for taking a couple pics in front of the park and left. We didn't have time to wait around. I saw people express disappointment that the park was particularly decked out either, they mentioned a "Yuletide" theme but it looked like standard Western fare. We weren't there for a Christmas event, I just wanted ghost town pics, guess not. Thank you... next.

I don't think our zoo gets enough credit. My views may have changed now that I have a toddler…read more After recently visiting a big city zoo, I have come to really appreciate the benefit of our cozier zoo! Getting from animal to animal isn't a huge hike and the animals are fairly close, easier for toddlers to find and take in! They also have a beautiful family playground space for kids, toddler playground included. I wish the playground was completely covered, but some shade is better than none with Tucsons heat. We have an annual pass, great deal and makes us feel much less pressure to rush around to see everything at every visit. If we only make it to the elephants and giraffe, no big deal, we will come back. Right now we love the giraffes and they have a new baby, make sure to visit soon!

What to say about this zoo. I grew up around two of the best zoos in the country: The San Diego Zoo…read moreand Riverbanks Zoo. So, this zoo leaves me a little nonplussed. First, it's generally quite crowded on weekends. And when I say crowded I mean large family groups who have little regard for personal space or visitor rules. On my last visit I was nearly knocked down multiple times by groups of children who appeared to have little to no supervision. Visitors often hog exhibits trying to take selfies or sitting children on rails to get photos with animals. And let's not get into kids and adults banging on glass exhibits trying to get the attention of the animals. Staff is nonexistent to prevent this it seems. Beyond that the place just feels rundown and a bit dreary. Exhibit glass is often so dirty you can't see through. Exhibits are sort of drab and small. Water is often very unclean and full of debris and even trash. There is one food option which is very expensive and the dining area unkempt. You'd think they would have some options to buy water or cold treats considering our weather but I've never seen any open on my visits. It's nice to have a zoo in town but it just seems this could be so much better. Your kids will probably love it but if you're used to world class zoos it will be a bit depressing.

I've lived in Arizona my entire life, and have driven past this place more times than I can count…read more Finally after going to the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Bisbee and every other wonderful place to see in Arizona the wife and I decided to check it out. We've always wondered if it was as good as the hype. The easy answer: Yes, yes it is! The weather was perfect on the day we went and I would certainly suggest going before it warms up during the summer as all their attractions are outside with the exception of the Stingrays. We had such a fun time, feeding the goats, rabbits and of course the ostriches. The entry fee wasn't bad, and the price of admission gets you tokens for animal food for the various critters here. Love the names painted on the tortoises too. All in all it's good clean family fun, for the youngsters and just the young at heart.

We stopped in to see what it was all about. Pleasantly…read moresurprised. When there are a lot of people the animals get full and don't eat. Ostriches were crazy! Donkeys were so sweet! Lorikeets were the favorite! Deer- beautiful. Ok the kissing' of goats....‍ All in all we had a good time.