We have been 3 times and the experience is Almost entirely…read moredependent on the tour guide you get (and the number of people in the crowd). However we have always enjoyed ourselves and learned new things and have seen different animals each time (some repeats of course). I have to say Emily was fantastic, so enthusiastic and friendly. Super patient and didn't rush us at all. Most of the animals seem to be owner surrenders or rescues. It is really wonderful to get close to a variety of critters The tour takes about an hour, hour and 30 mins. It's not a huge place but really worth the visit if you have kids who love animals

My friend hired them for her daughters birthday and they were fantastic. The young girl who did the…read morepresentation was amazing and engaged all the kids. Animals were great, I will definitely recommend Rizzo's Wildlife!!!!

Love this business! They came to my son's school once. The kids had so much fun. Everyone was super…read morefriendly. Can't wait to visit them again!

Jack and his petting zoo came to my building it was the 3 rd year and I really enjoyed petting all…read moreof the animals Sadie the alpaca seems to be everyone's favorite. I look forward to seeing them again

This was the best part of my daughters first birthday! These ladies were so sweet and made my one…read moreyear old fearless of the animals . This was the best birthday ever Thank you so much I highly recommend, The Friendly Farmyard to everyone!

What a wonderful experience, I can't say enough great things. The friendly farmyard came for my…read moredaughters 4th birthday party and they were amazing. The animals were so friendly, the ducks and goats ate right out of the children's hands; my daughter especially loved holding the bunny and chicken and brushing the goats. The pony was a huge success, ride after ride I have never seen so many smiling faces. The staff is wonderful; no one was rushed; all of the children spent as much time as they liked with all of the animals throughout the day. Such an easy, happy day for everyone. Thank you for an amazing party!

This is a review for Christmas experience at the Zoo…read more Wow... can't believe I didn't know about this despite living in NJ for 8 years! Turtle Back Zoo turns into a complete Christmas paradise after 5 PM, and it's absolutely magical. I recently found out about this and, after seeing the lights and activities, I was genuinely impressed. During the holiday season, entry is free after 5 PM through sponsorship, which is a huge plus. Timings are 5 PM - 9 PM. Parts of the zoo remain open, so you can still see animals and birds like bison, giraffes, toucans, and more, which makes it extra special for kids. The entire park is beautifully lit with festive decorations and multiple Christmas trees. The area near the carousel looks amazing. For Kids' Activities - There's no shortage of fun for children- Face painting, Meet & greet with Santa (on specific days/times), Carousel rides, Pony rides etc... Food and beverages are well taken care of, like Starbucks or Zoo's own food sections spread across the park. Perfect for grabbing a warm drink while walking around. They also have private igloos available: You can rent for 4 hours, which can accommodate up to 10 guests, and includes hot chocolate and snacks It's located in West Orange, Essex County Parking: Two multi-level parking garages--parking is hassle-free and well organized. Overall, it was an amazing 2-3-hour evening spent with friends. Festive, family-friendly, and surprisingly delightful. Highly recommended--especially if you have kids!

This review is strictly for the holiday lights event held at the zoo. The event is totally…read morefree--they simply ask for a donation of non perishables, new or gently used coat and/or an unwrapped toy which we were excited to provide. Parking was even free. They have a small lot out front and two multi level parking garages for the overflow. The light displays were so cute and sparkly, holiday music was playing overhead, and there was a train that took us over a river and through the woods. The line for the train was lengthy, but they had a heater which helped some on the very frigid night. There were plenty of lights to admire while in line. I will say we were a little surprised that the entire train ride was pretty dark. We expected to see light displays and installations along the way, but it was really only at the beginning. Our little one loves trains and so he was content, which is all that matters. There were smores pits, a kettle corn and hot chocolate cart, and a cozy inside cafe which we really needed to warm up. Pricing for these items was a bit of an upcharge, but as everything else was free, we sort of expected it. The animals were not really on display as it was a special event after the zoo was officially closed, but we did get to see and pet the sting rays, 1 baby shark, and a large aquarium with colorful fish (Nemo, Dory & friends). All in all it was a great holiday event and was enjoyed by all.

Brought my daughter to a great birthday party here--a lot of fun checking out the animals and…read morewaking around the farm. They did a nice job turning one of the barns into a birthday space. Lots of things for kids to play with at different ages. Lots of parking. The bathroom situation is a bit tough with porta-potties, but unless you have a kid that has issues with that, you should be fine.

I had my sons 5th birthday party here. The kids ranged from 4 years old to 9 years old and they all…read morehad a blast. We had pony rides, animal feeding and animal petting, monster truck ride, and toy coaster ride down a hill. The kids couldn't get enough. They took care of pizza and cupcakes. They also had very packed goodie bags filled with snacks and toys! I can't say enough positive things about High View Farms. They hosted the party very well. All I had to do was show up! I would definitely recommend this place for birthday parties!

We've taken our toddler here a couple of times and he has a great deal of fun. Besides the farm…read morezoo, where you can buy cups of carrots to feed the many varieties of animals - I wouldn't say petting zoo as you are advised to feed the animals only with the plastic shovel and not stick your fingers into the pens - there are several little play houses with play activities (train set, corn cabin, kitchen, grocery store, etc), a playground with a sandpit, and tractor and train rides. The sandpit even has toys like dump trucks - my kid would be perfectly happy to just stay there and call it a day! The condition of everything in the main areas is a little grubby, however. I appreciate that they put out plenty of chairs and benches all around for parents to sit on (cos waiting for your child while they play is an unavoidable part of the game), as well as some picnic tables. Prices are fair and reasonable, and entry for kids under 2 is free.

This little farm is super cute and is perfect for families and small children. We have been here…read more a few times, most recently for a birthday party. They have a large variety of animals that the kids can feed (they get a bucket of carrots) and there are lots of small areas to play. But the big hit with our family is the playground and sand pit with diggers and toys. My kids could stay there all day. It's a good way to spend a local day.

My family and I made a trip to come here. It was a bit far of a drive about 2 hours but we wanted…read moreto check it out. There wasnt any pumpkin left in the field to pick and the apples were not event there on the trees. I would definitely have to say hand down to the cute little store - there was a bakery side and oh my gosh the donuts , the cookies and the Tik Tok famous drink was out of this world. So the 2 hour trip was definitely worth the drive. The service was okay the individuals behind the counter to order the Tik Tok drink had a bit of a attitude when I was asking about questions. Just stay patient. Other then that I would highly recommend coming here and trying a piece of all of there different donuts and cookies are soo soo good. They even had a pumpkin cider donut which I never had before. Don't forget to stop by and check them out.

I took my kids and visiting family here on a Thursday when the kids had no school. I hear it can…read moreget crowded on the weekends, but on Thursday when we arrived a little before noon, it wasn't bad. They had a steady stream of newcomers but not too crowded. It was fairly easy to find though going there, my map told me to go down a treacherous gravel road which I wasn't terribly fond of. They have a moderately sized parking lot and you'll see this large, red barn. That's where you get your goodies (there's often a line) and where their store is. We stopped by for a treat first. They sell ice cream, cider floats, and what is a "TikTok famous" coffee float with donut. We got: Cider ($4) - I didn't actually drink this. I got it for my kid with food allergies. He wanted ice cream but they do not know if the ice cream they use contains eggs or not so we played it safe. My kid thought it was okay but finally finished it later. He typically prefers regular apple juice. Cider float with donut - you have a choice of no donut for $2 less. It's like a root beer float but with cider instead of root beer, black and orange sprinkles around the time of the cup, whipped cream, and a powdered cider donut over it all. I shared this with my daughter. That donut was delicious! Warm, tender, and crisp on the outside. The drink was great! I do wish it came with a spoon because it got difficult finishing the last of it. Warning: if you have one of these, the bees are coming for you. They use some sort of caramel-like sauce to get the sprinkles to stick. Overall, quite good. Maple cider donut ($3): my sister got this and she said it was amazing, but she said she thought $3 was a bit much (the unglazed donuts are $1.25 each). She's vegan, so didn't partake in the float, but she also wasn't going to ask if there's milk in the donut. If you're getting only donuts, they are purchased in the store. They have tables and chairs nearby for you to picnic and enjoy your treats. Going through the gates, there was a table but they were busy with other people so we walked right in. There is no entrance fee, which was nice. You go through the apple orchard first. It seems like most of the apples have been picked through, though there are a lot of developing apples. Some of the nicer ones were way too tall for us; they don't provide ladders. We only managed to find one that looked nice. At the end, there used to be a sunflower field and the corn maze. It's epic but you don't know how formidable until you're past the point of return and realize it's not a kids maze. We were in there for a while! Even met other kids that thought they'd be lost forever. The corn stalks are taller than a human and they're pretty dense so you can't look over or through them. It's a true maze and I was impressed. I wish they would provide a paper maze puzzle of the corn maze because I'm so curious how it is from above. Lots of dead ends. What I can say is don't lose hope. You'll get there! (When we finally found the exit, it was almost like a dream because we had been staring at corn for so long.) In hindsight, it was good we ate something first. Once done, we explored the sunflowers and saw the pumpkin patch. As we headed out, we went to pay for our lone apple and we discovered THE CORN MAZE IS NOT FREE. It's $10 per adult and $5 per kid. They charged us $1 for the single apple. I guess they work on the honor system? I didn't mind much because that maze clearly took planning. Before we left, we visited the store full of baked goodies. I got a few cider donuts, a dumpling, and a piece of crumb cake because they just brought out a fresh tray. Plus a lattice harvest pie. The pies with crumble aren't vegan, but the lattice pies are made of vegetable shortening. Restrooms! They have a row of port-a-potties by the parking lot. They're actually the cleanest ones I've been to before. No sinks but they do have a dispenser of antibacterial hand gel. The openings are a bit large so if your kid needs to use the toilets, hold onto them. Overall, it was quite enjoyable and I definitely think everyone should go through a corn maze of this caliber at least once in their life. The apple pickings were sparse but at least you get delicious floats and donuts! Note: they have gluten free goodies in the store but they are nut based (almond flour). They also had one gluten free-vegan item.

Excellent customer service Very helpful and pleasant …read more Would recommend and return to purchase other items

Came here to grab one and a possible Fresh cut trees ! The reviews were light and there were few…read morepics so I had a plan B. Luckily upon arrival we were greeted and offered assistance. We immediately found several trees we fell in love with and right as I had given up on perfect tree number 2 there it was !!! The team let us know they are family run and appreciated our business. The gave us some tips about our two Fraser firs and the back story of the trees. I was pleased with the over all selection. It was plenty to choose from but not enough to overwhelm. I found EXACTLY what I needed without looking through all the sheds (unsure what you call those big long white things lol) They had beautiful wreaths also, very well put together and fresh. The store was a bit light in that not to much "stuff" which is fine, they had the tree stand we needed so that's all that mattered to us. No petting zoo, hot coco, Santa's, and winter wonderlands but exactly what we needed, close to home and the boys had a great time ! Certainly suggest you check them out.

Went here a couple of months back during their Boo Bash weekend festival. We enjoyed a few hours…read morethere to do some pumpkin picking, hay rides, and the rest of the usual activities. They have several food trucks with lots of different choices. They have a nice farmer's market that is nicely decorated and has plenty of items for sale. They have a great selection of pies too. Also, there is an ice cream stand next to the market opened daily, all ice cream is homemade and fresh! Their hot apple cider and cinnamon donut was a great treat! Since finding Ort Farms is not too far from us, we'll be back next year once the crops are back in season.

I found out about Ort Farms from a billboard I saw driving down 17. I wanted to find a farm that…read morehad a pumpkin patch but still had apple picking, and Ort Farms had both - so it was perfect! It was about an hour drive from me, so it wasn't too bad. We came on the last Sunday of September, so the pumpkin patch and hayrides were already open (I believe they open mid-September) but they still had some late varieties of apples. They had some veggies available for picking too - tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. You just need to purchase a bag and you can use it for both. Admission was about $15 per adult, which you have to purchase online. Kids 3 and under are free. We did the 9:30 time slot but didn't get there until 10, which didn't seem to be an issue. It's definitely best to go early so you can avoid as much of the crowd as possible. We spent almost three hours there and it was crowded by the time we left. The good thing about going in September is that most people don't want to go until October, so you get to avoid that mess. But the bad thing is that it's still probably really hot and if you're picking fruits/veggies in hot weather, it's not the most fun. By the time we were done picking apples and veggies, we were all hot and tired by the time we got to the pumpkin patch. So I'd suggest doing all of your photo ops at the pumpkin patch first and then doing all the manual labor. They have a few food trucks in one area and the apple cider slush was nice and refreshing after picking fruit. They also have a farm store with your usual suspects - pies, apple cider donuts, pre-made salads/sandwiches, etc., but we didn't buy anything. I think I found our new go-to farm. It's nice that you can kill two birds with one stone. I saw they have U-cut Christmas trees in December so I'm interested to see if they're doing any Christmas events - I wouldn't mind making the drive back.

We found out about the Raptor Trust thanks to the friendly folks at the Great Swamp National…read moreWildlife Refuge and headed on over - it ended up being a great tip! There is a parking area located in between two sections of the Trust, with good signage pointing you towards where to find the raptors and where the restroom facilities and the like are located. When approaching the raptor area, it turned out to be a bit of a trail like space with signage and information available. It is free to walk around, though they do recommend a $2 donation per adult to help support their work. They have a quite a few raptors who are unable to be released visible, running quite the gamut of raptors - there are several bald eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, ravens, and more. There is a small souvenir shop on the premises, as well. Signage indicates that they also take care of injured raptors for later release, and because they plan to release them they are kept off view. Very nice sanctuary doing good work.

I drove 40 minutes to visit The Raptor Trust with my mother, arriving at approximately 3:15 p.m…read more The website and Google both indicated the facility was open until 4:00 p.m. Roads were clear, the parking lot was clear, and there was no signage posted indicating early closure. Instead of being greeted professionally, we were met in the parking lot by the Executive Director, Chris Soucy, who shouted "Closed! Closed! Closed!" at us after we had just exited our vehicle. The tone was abrupt, unprofessional, and bordering extremely hostile. We calmly explained that we had driven 40 minutes and only hoped to briefly see the bald eagle - we would have been in and out in 15 minutes. Rather than responding with empathy or basic courtesy, we were dismissed in a way that felt unnecessarily aggressive and unprofessional. He even tried to be insulting saying that one of their bald eagles was having health issues, acting like we should have known this. If the facility needed to close early due to weather or staffing, that's understandable. What is not understandable is berating visitors during posted operating hours. A simple explanation or even a posted notice would have gone a long way. He insisted that it said they were closed on the website, and when I attempted to show him he didn't, he pulled my phone from my hand in an attempt at a "gotcha" moment, only to realize I was correct and the website had no indication of early closure. It was deeply disappointing to be treated this way at a nonprofit dedicated to wildlife education and public engagement. Chris Soucy should re-evaluate how he approaches people.