Cowford Farm is a residence attached to a larger farm. It is located on a residential street, and I…read morealmost missed it because the entrance isn't obvious and I needed to call for help, but they were super friendly and appreciated the 8lbs of apples we brought to feed the animals. The animals were all very sweet and hungry around dinner time! We could easily feed them through the wire fence, and everyone stayed safe that way. We didn't get there on a day with other activities but we would definitely try those next time. We were there around closing time but they graciously let us go in to feed everyone, and were super thankful. For feeding, this will take as long as the food you have to feed lasts, but again, other activities will make it more of a destination stop. We had a fun time watching and feeding as a short stop on our way to return our rental car and head to the airport.

loved and an awesome time. They had friendly animals and loved the horse rides ranges from kids…read moreall ages even adults

Our church had JCC come for Easter Sunday and they were delightful! Our kids and families loved…read moremeeting all the wonderful animals on our property. The hosts were so sweet, patient, and kind with all the kids wanting to ride the horses or pet animals. I highly recommend this team!

I entrusted the horse drawn carriage transportation services for my wedding to this company. From…read morethe the first phone call , to the meeting and pick up,(my husband had no idea this would be my transportation to meet him) until the time my new husband and I rode the carriage around the block and back to the reception venue to celebrate, our needs were closely considered. The carriage handlers and horse represented the company well as my guests are still complimenting them. The level of customer service from the staff surpassed anything I ever expected. Please don't hesitate to consider their services for your next event or a "just because" day. - Beverly

I went there for a visit on a night time feeding. It was a neat concept. They have to feed the…read moreanimals anyways, so why not invite people to educate and raise money for the sanctuary. The animals seem well taken care of and happy. The have mostly tigers but also a lion and some smaller cats. They even have two foxes and two bears! This is different than a zoo, because they have these animals as a way to save them. Some of them were from private owners and some were form closed zoos. The workers and volunteers were all happy as well.

You've never been to a place like this before... and at first, I wasn't even sure what to expect…read more The sign outside is nicely done, but when you walk in, the tables and chairs look like they're 50 years old... clean and organized, but the area clearly needs an upgrade. But that's actually the point... every dollar this nonprofit earns goes directly to animal care, facilities, and expansion. Nothing is wasted on appearances. And that mindset defines everything about this place. We signed up for a tour and arrived early to walk around a bit on our own. By chance, we ran into Curt Logiudice, the founder and owner of the sanctuary... a remarkable man who has devoted his life to this mission. Hearing him explain how it started, how it's grown, and his vision for the future was inspiring. Watching him interact with the bear they have was priceless... playful, natural, and full of trust. You couldn't tell who was enjoying it more... Curt or the bear. What they're doing here is truly admirable. Their mission is the rescue of exotic animals from serious and often tragic situations. Once an animal arrives at Catty Shack Ranch, it has a home for life. They do not breed, trade, sell, or buy animals. The sanctuary is home to tigers, a bear, lions, pumas, leopards, lynx, foxes, and coatimundis... all cared for with dignity and respect. The guided tour is absolutely worth it. The staff is knowledgeable, the experience is educational, and you get surprisingly close to the animals while still feeling completely safe. The atmosphere is calm, respectful, and not overcrowded. I noticed families with kids whose eyes were wide with amazement... it's that kind of place. This is privately funded, and even veterinarians volunteer their time to care for animals in need of medical treatment. If you see Curt on the grounds... and you probably will... stop and talk to him. His passion, humility, and genuine love for these animals is unmistakable. Please visit. Please support this place. What they're doing here truly matters. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Congaree and Penn is a special place, with a welcome vibe and incredibly nice staff. It feels like…read morea retreat tucked away somewhere in the California wine country, even though it's just 30 minutes outside Jacksonville. We've made several trips here, and we were finally able to stay in one of the bungalows in the newly opened area called The Hammock. The tiny houses are quaint and comfy, but have everything you need for a relaxing weekend away. We had breakfast both mornings in our bungalow with the farm fresh eggs they left in our kitchen's mini fridge, along with fresh sourdough and muffins from the kitchens pastry chef. We had lunch and dinner at the restaurant, as well as a less formal fish fry on Friday night at The Roost. Everything was incredible--I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Come visit as soon as you can!

Location North Jacksonville-northwest of airport…read moreParking Large open lot Atmosphere Farm-beautiful rural area-open-vineyard, animals, ducks, fruit trees, horses, cows, emus Seating Low tables, rockers, sofa chairs by fore pit tables, hi tops, bar Note Wedding and party venue opportunities. Separate buildings and areas for private parties. Farm store sells items/food/ drinks Get a farm pass to walk the farm after eating. Service Brandon rocked it!! The best! Menu Seasonal-varies, we had the corn bread with pesto and broccoli and fresh butter. The shrimp and grits was yummy-a bit smoky spicy-great. The grilled trout was juicy and cooked perfectly-atop a bed of buttery rice and the best cooked asparagus ever! Tender all the way to the end. The kale salad was huge, fresh, loaded with toasted almonds, shredded cabbage, and quartered beets. Enough for 3-4. Okay, yes do get dessert. We saw someone else get the strawberry n had to have it-a white chocolate strawberry filled with strawberry mousse and an apricot jam middle. It came with a side of brownie covered with a chocolate creme and cookie sprinkle. Wow!! Well worth it!! The death by chocolate was served with pistachio crumbles. Strawberry was better. Summary A rural special occasion special place farm to table food venue. Love it-outstanding service, the best fresh food menu, beautiful setting.

Great place for the kids and family. They have a lot of animals for the kids to pet. The staffs are…read morevery friendly. When we were leaving, the owner greeted us and allowed my kids to pet the baby kangaroo he was holding. Now the kids want to come back again.

It is so cool and all the animals are so beautiful so clean and organized the staff are helpful and…read moreknowledgeable and very kind and caring very good talking care of the animals! It is so big space and remarkable very educational for kids good for all ages I learn and understand so much! We need to save the animals so important to save the species! Thank you so much please donate! Please come here during the fall and winter before the crowds! From Lauren

We recently took a tour with Jamie and had a terrific time at Xtreme Exotics Wildlife Foundation…read more Very well organized and thoroughly enjoyable. So many amazing animals to see and interact with!

Incredible in home show for my son's 3rd birthday! They kept a group of 2-5 year olds and their…read moreparents entertained for about 45 minutes with education, touching and holding of reptiles! It was incredible and I highly recommend

Mike and team came out to do an educational and entertaining show for my daughter's 4th birthday…read more The children and adults all enjoyed the presentation and the kids were really into it. The stories and involvement with the audience were great. The brave little and large animals were brave and very patient with the little ones. I would highly recommend this for anyone looking to have special guest come visit the party. We considered having someone come as a princess but our daughter really loves animals. Thanks again Mike and team for the great show.

The best experience for a minication. I was lucky enough to not know where I was going for my…read morebirthday and it was the perfect surprise! (My wife did great!) Not only is the location a perfect portal to a different type of Florida , but the wagons are all the way in the back so it's perfect privacy. There's also a tent outside to sit and watch pigs take a bath in the fountain. The wagon room we got was the Piggies room! Perfect decor and amenities inside(towels/shampoo/conditioner/tissues/coffee mugs /even games!) Huge bathroom with incredible shower.There is ac but we spent most of the time with the screen door and bathroom window open & it felt great. Included inside:mini fridge, toaster, coffee/tea (included),microwave and a small heater. Plenty of plugs to charge & a full length mirror. We love that there was no tv because we got to watch highland cows instead !! We also got to sleep to rain and it was so peaceful especially waking up every morning to new friends like pigs and sheep! We also saw: 4 highland cows!! , 2 different types of pigs, a family of sheep (+Anya the sassiest girl), cats, dogs, goats, turkeys (that like hugs but scared meee), guinea fowls, chickens and hens, mini horses and a peacock that sounds like Kevin from UP in the nighttime !! All the staff were super friendly including miss Elaine! Truly an incredible place to visit and get to feed pigs all day.

I've been to Rooterville Animal Sanctuary twice, and both visits were totally worth the 2 hour…read moredrive from Orlando. The animals are well taken care of, the people working there are so nice and helpful and booking a highland cow cuddling session was amazing. You can even stay on site if you want that real "outdoorsy" experience - but it's perfect even for a quick day trip. Can't wait to come back again!

Exceptional!! The place is very "real farm" vibe. The animals are very well behaved..as you can get…read moreup close and in the area with them. Even the roosters were friendly and stand off-ish which is rare and that shows that the owners have pit the work into this environment. The store is adorable. HIGHLY RECOMMEND

We are here on a harvest host stay. What a phenomenal place with phenomenal people they have a…read morepetting zoo. You can pick all the blueberries you want at least while we're here this time of year. Everybody is accommodating. This is a definite stop.

This place was absolutely beautiful and gave an amazing spot to hang out in the great outdoors and…read morespend time together as a family!

The fishing is no good but the place is absolutely beautiful. It's great to have a picnic or just…read morewalk around on the wooden platforms, but stay away if you plan to leave with any fish.