Willoughby Heritage Farm and Conservation Reserve is a peaceful little escape right in…read moreCollinsville, IL that is perfect for slowing down your day and taking in some good nature vibes. They have a few miles of hiking trails, but beware they are kind of hard to follow and it's really easy to get lost, but also pretty easy to get back on track! They have farm animals you can feed, pet, and check out along with vintage farm equipment dotted all over the farm. It's free to visit and is definitely a local hidden gem in this town!

I stopped by this evening about 4:30 to take a look around. It is a gorgeous, small farm with lots…read moreto do! There is a gorgeous garden, which is a photographers playground -- bees, beautiful butterflies and hummingbirds pollinating all around and enjoying the sweet nectar. Flowers everywhere -- it is so beautiful! It was super quiet as I walked around, it was just me and two hikers that went down to the little trail and back. This is such a wonderful play for kids! There are turkeys walking around loose, that just pass by, so used to humans, obviously. There are two pigs in a pen, a few goats chilling on their tables and a horse, two donkeys in the barn. Friendly, and curious if I had treats to give. (Which you can feed some of the animals, others have signs not too.) Groundhogs running around too but they do hide! Not scary at all. Lots of space for a shaded picnic lunch and a good sized play area for kids. It's well worth checking out. It is gorgeously maintained and the animals are beautiful, so very well taken care of. Just go, already -- It's good for the soul! :) Will definitely be back.

My two boys, 9 and 7 years old, had the best time feeding the animals and walking around.read more

This place was....interesting…read more I'll be honest, it popped up as a pumpkin patch. My sister just moved to the area and was looking for one close for her kiddos, and this was around the corner, so we decided to give it a try. To start, it was $10/person to get in, which wasn't really promoted. We've lived many different places and have never had to pay to get into a pumpkin patch, so that was a surprise. Kids were the same price, also a surprise. The property is pretty cool, they have some farm animals. They sold food to buy but half the animals you couldn't feed and the other half were already full from being fed so much. We assumed it was a regular petting zoo and bought some food before seeing it, so we ended up with leftover bags of food and no animals to feed. The hay ride only went once hourly so you basically had to wait around forever if you wanted to ride it. The maze was cool and the concept seemed really fun to find a message BUT the first word on the message was "God" and honestly, nowhere did they promote this farm as a religious-based experience. Lastly - the pumpkins. We came here for one reason. They don't even grow pumpkins on site, they ship them in, and they don't keep them stocked. I think we had like 20-30 pumpkins to choose from, if that, and they were picked over. We had a 4YO and a 6YO and they couldn't pick any of the pumpkins up, all the kid size ones were already sold. I feel like this could be a good spot for what it is, and if it was marketed as that - a Christian family fun farm experience. But, that's not what we had expected based on the marketing they had, so it was a bit of a disappointment for us.

I can't say enough good things about this place but here's a start:…read more- The View: STUNNING! It is just a gorgeous place to be - The Location: Parking always available and very easy to get to downtown - The Mission: A place you can feel good about supporting (and volunteering!) - They Make It Easy: It's easy to drop in on a Saturday morning if you want to get your hands dirty and help harvest - Cool Events: You can go to yoga, chef's dinners, or just host your own event for an EXTREMELY low cost - The People: Good people know good people, and everyone who is associated with a beautiful project like this is bound to be kind, interesting, and forward-thinking

From the owner: At Urban Harvest STL, we don't just grow plants; we aspire to create a healthy city immersed in…read moreliving and thriving gardens. Our designs are intentional and exemplify the principles of placemaking to create community spaces surrounded by farms that engage people in the local food system in unexpected and delightful ways. Urban nature takes many forms - it can grow on rooftops, in vacant lots, on living walls and in orchards. As in nature, diversity is prevalent and essential for resiliency. We are growing a network of urban farms supporting the health and vitality of our community.

My companion and I had the most wonderful hour at Rush Acres Farm! We saw ducks, geese, a pigeon,…read morechickens, turkeys, goats, llamas, alpacas, miniature donkeys, and pot belly pigs! No appointments needed. Lexie showed us around and introduced many animals to us by name--impressive considering the size of the herds! She we got to pet and feed the alpacas. She didn't rush us at all as we took many photos and videos. We also pet turkeys name Simon & Garfunkel. We visited the farm store on our way out. The farm owners and staff make most of the own products. We'll be back!

AWESOME Day at Rush Acres Farm. Took the family. Mom and Dad, 4 children aged 25 to 31 and spouses…read moreand 1 grandson almost 3 years old. Grandson had best expression, " MORE ANIMALS!!!" Had a personal tour from the owner. A visit here will not dissapoint. Came home with eggs.

Pumpkin Creek Farms is an absolute gem and a fantastic destination for families and friends looking…read morefor a fun and memorable day out. The farm is beautifully maintained and offers a wide range of activities that cater to all ages. From the moment you arrive, you can feel the welcoming and festive atmosphere. One of the highlights is the pumpkin patch, where you can pick your own pumpkins--perfect for carving or decorating. The corn maze is a blast, providing just the right amount of challenge and fun. There are also hayrides, petting zoos, and plenty of photo opportunities that make for great keepsakes. The staff at Pumpkin Creek Farms are friendly and helpful, ensuring that everyone has a great experience. The farm also offers delicious seasonal treats, like cider donuts and hot apple cider, which add to the overall charm of the place. It is also incredibly affordable! Everything is included with admission. Which is $9 a person and I believe it is 2 and under that are free! Pumpkin Creek Farms is an awesome spot for a day of fun, learning, and making wonderful memories. Highly recommended for a fall outing!

Great family friendly fun place! It was cheap and offered multi things to do for the kids! The…read moredonuts were also amazing!

What a fun Holiday Drive thru!!!!…read more Highly recommend!!! I bet the walk thru is fun for families as well!

My daughter, granddaughter and I went here on a Saturday at 3:45. They close at 5:00! Grant's Farm…read moreis free but then they hit you with $27.00 twenty-seven for parking!!! W H A T?! The tram had closed for the day that drives you around the farm which we had been informed - they still had the tram that takes you to the petting zoo area and restaurant. Be prepared to pay more money if you want to feed the animals - $3.00 for the goats and birds and $10 for a camel ride and photo. An hour was plenty of time for our 18 month old. Plan ahead if you want to see the entire Farm, arrive early and bring money.

For $20, my 6 and 7 year old kids were engaged and active for 3+ hours and could have gone longer…read more Staff was very nice. I wouldn't upgrade unless you have 10+ year olds, although the Apple launcher looked pretty cool.

So disappointed!! This is not the same Eckert's. It feels overly commercialized and everything is…read moreoverpriced. They nickel-and-dime you for everything--$20 to pick 10 tulips, another $20 just to ride the wagon to look at them. Lunch in the restaurant was also really disappointing--definitely not the home-cooked quality it used to be. Sadly, we won't be back

An old family farm...which has a restaurant, general store....and at certain times of the…read moreyear.....will be a destination to pick apples, pumpkins etc. Whether kids or adults...everyone will love this place. Food is pretty darn good. A homemade apple walnut salad with homemade dressing. What a start to the meal. Fried chicken is great. Pot pie is great. All the food really hits the spot. Market is darn big. Fresh corn when it comes in grown at the farm. A really great place to spend afternoon.

Such a lovely ranch with miniature horses! We attended the free public tour that first started with…read morea presentation. It was very informative about how they rescued these horses and the work behind it to get them healthy. Very generous hosts and afterwards they let us tour the ranch and pet some of the horses. The measures they take to care for these horses is incredible. It lasted about an hour to hour and a half. Highly recommend as it is for all ages! Definitely would love to book a private tour and bring more people. It would be great for a group bonding experience as well.

Such a privilege to have been able to meet this herd of rescued ponies. The owner has such passion…read moreand love for these lil guys. Handsome the golden retriever is a great attraction himself. We loved our tour and the stories we heard today. If you've never seen a herd of rescue ponies I encourage you to email the ranch and set up a private tour. There are toddler tours, girl scout tours, any tour you can think of. If you love animals this is a great adventure. Several ponies and a bunny have their own book/stuffed animal you can purchase on-line or in the gift shop. They also visit nursing homes.

The friendliest family with delicious fruits and vegetables at very reasonable prices. When…read moreavailable, you can go out and pick the fruits yourself. My grandma loves to come here and insisted that I needed to come here while on my trip, and I am so glad I did! They also sell soaps, honey, and other products in their little shop. The farm animals are all very friendly and sweet. We even got lucky and got to buy one of the last bunches of strawberries! I am so excited to eat my fresh raspberries, cherries, strawberries, and zucchini. Biggest thanks to the Kern family for a memorable visit!

Delicious fruit! It's way better than what you can get at the grocery store and the family that…read moreruns it is very friendly and accommodating.