We visited the tortoise ranch today with three first grade classes, and it was honestly my favorite field trip I've been on so far, and my son's favorite too! The kids and adults all learned so much about tortoises, and the whole experience was incredibly informative, hands-on, and just so cool. How often do you get to get up close and personal with giant tortoises like that?! The owners were so knowledgeable and kind to open up their home and space to all of us. You can tell how much they care about their animals and sharing what they know with kids. Such a fun and unique experience, and we can't wait to come back again with my youngest for his field trip! read more

Well- i'm not want to give bad reviews, but I would say this particular tortoise home to learn about turtles is definitely for older children versus younger. As a mother, and a teacher for TK/kindergartners, and with a 80 year-old Owner I believe the gentleman running this tortoise ranch needs a bit of an update. He is very much a man of the times which is fine because he reminds me of my old grandpa who was short into the point but somewhat blunt. His wife also repeated everything he said and reiterated it numerous times and would get more annoyed at my five-year- old classroom children as they, like most children do, would forget things. They both seem to get rather irritated with the younger group of children. I felt bad for the children getting reprimanded, and I did have to raise my own voice to ask the wife to talk to the children in a nicer tone, and I felt bad for the children as well since they forget things right after they said. That being said, the older fifth graders that went on this tortoise tour rather enjoyed it, but they found a few vocabulary words funny, and later asked us, " what's a drug sniffing dog?" And " how can sex change an animal?" which were both statements spoken to both (younger-TK & Kinders AND older 3rd-5th graders) Group of children. Ughhhhh Since we're in Silicon Valley, verbally speaking to children for 20 minutes about concepts of tortoises or any animal without a visual aid is very cumbersome. My TK and kindergarten children cannot sit still for a five minute digital book let alone sit still for 20 minutes and three of them started to fall asleep as they sat crisscross, applesauce, and nodded their heads off. One of my five-year-olds could not sit still, and he got up a couple of times and the owner reprimanded him and raised his voice saying, "hey you take a seat! " it was rather alarming to my five year-old classroom child so I had to whisper and talk to him off to the side so he didn't start crying. The tortoise feeding is very interesting and they have strict protocols!! The owners are very aware that most parents do not watch their children, but as a educator/teacher, we are constantly supervising our children, so the ratio was 1 to 14, and we would only allow about eight children in the tortoise area with four teachers watching. We rotated through our children since we had a rather large group, but it seemed to bother the owners because not all the children were in the pin at the same time. It seemed a bit chaotic but then again we also had a group of about 35 children in a rather small space. Overall, I do not think we will ever come back to this particular tortoise ranch, but they were rather interesting, and I really do worry about the cleanliness of everything since the tortoises walk, eat and poop, and pee all in the same vicinities of where we were walking. We made sure all the children wiped off their feet at the park nearby, and some of them stepped in tortoise number two, so they were rather disgusted, and their shoes stunk. On a happier note, I'm glad some of the children got to see tortoises granted at least five of my children were terrified of the animals and their hard shells. Lol then again they are four and five years old and everything is new to them. We would've been better off going to the library.Hee read more

The Tortoise Home Campbell - Walking back to where the turtles are.... - Attraction Farms Near Me - Campbell, California

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Back in 2022, I got to come here as part of a school field trip during the summer time. The kids enjoyed riding the humongous tortoises, played in the tree house, and going down the slide. I remembered that before we went into the area to see the tortoises, the man talked about rules and details. During this his dog came up to him, and he kicked the dog, which was definitely not okay! I felt so bad for the dog. Animal cruelty. Then while the kids were riding the tortoises he came up to me saying "Ma'am, do you know how to tell which is a male or female?" Then he proceeded to talk about it. But it felt creepy. The kids were promised to get a small plant, but there were some miscommunication which they did get sorted out after we left. The kids got their small plant once we were back at school. read more

We attended a birthday party here. I had never heard of this place and was so glad that my kids got to experience it. This place is actually a residential venue, meaning the owners actually live here and run the business out of their home. So the entrance is their front gate. There is plenty of parking in the lot next door which is part of a school and has a playground as well. For the first 30-45 minutes after the event time, we stayed in the front area of the residence. There were activities out for the kids to enjoy and they have an area that is coned off with a bunch of bikes available for the kids to ride around in. After some time, the owner laid out a blanket and asked all the kids to sit down and for everyone to gather around while he shared the history behind the tortoises and went over feeding instructions. The owner and his wife came off as very strict and raised their voice a few times to ensure they captured everyone's attention, even getting in people's faces directly at some point but honestly, I get it. They want to make sure everyone is safe and doesn't get their finger bitten off by one of the tortoises. And despite the detailed instructions they gave and even doing a demonstration, there were still people that were getting it wrong once it came time for their turn - eye roll. The kids had about an hour to play in the back where the tortoises are kept. There are probably a couple dozen of them, of both genders, ranging in sizes and age. The owners will provide you with lettuce, celery, and carrots for feeding and also the tongs that you need to use to feed them. You can even "ride" on the tortoises! Even the adults were able to climb up, and I was surprised by how heavy of a load the tortoises could endure without even being fazed. There is a lot of dirt and sometimes, poop, in the enclosure so be prepared to get dirty. They do provide a modernized outhouse bathroom in the back for customers to use, although there were no towels to dry your hands. Overall, this was a great experience for the entire family, I would definitely recommend coming to check this place out if you're in the area! read more

We went on a field trip with a kindergarten class (ages 5-6). Everyone was really excited to visit and it felt like we had discovered a hidden gem at first. Unfortunately, the experience quickly changed due to the rude behavior from the owners. During our visit, the owner yelled at the children - YELLED. This video is just a small example of what happened. There were multiple instances where both the man and his wife raised their voices not only at the kids, but also at the parents. While the children still managed to have fun, the overall environment felt stressful and uncomfortable for many of us. We understand that managing large groups of young kids can be challenging, but the way the situation was handled made what should have been a positive field trip feel uneasy and disappointing. read more

I found this place on TikTok and decided to come check it out. You have to call and set a day and time. There's a park right next door to this location so there's a big parking lot there. You wait at the front of a wooden gate. The owner comes and waits for everyone to come. There are tables and chairs. Then the owners talk about tortoises for about 20 minutes. It's very educational I really liked it. If you want to feed the tortoises you do have to bring food to feed them. You go to the back they have a lot of tortoises more then I expected. You get to feed them and feed them the pictures come out great. They do have a bathroom available. They work off donations in cash highly encourage you to be generous since it's for them to stay in business. They do give you a little plant when you leave. This is such a different and fun experience. Highly recommend even if you don't have kids. read more

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The husband and wife are so accommodating to welcome the public in their home. He made a roll call and got a phone call that 2 parties are running late he gave them a grace period of 20 minutes. . They were clear about the rules of the tortoise from feeding and he explained about tortoise . We learned so much about tortoise origin, behaviors and their existence. What a great weekends to spend and learned. read more

The Tortoise Home Campbell - Attraction Farms Near Me - Campbell, California

What a hidden gem in the city of Campbell. It's right next to a park parking lot and the entrance is kind of hidden. There's no sign to let you know where to go so we ended up calling and the owner met us outside (Such a sweet old man). When all the kids arrive, the owner sits them all down and gives a little lesson on tortoises. You then realize just how amazing these animals really are. Then he takes everyone to the back where these gentle giants live and roam. These guys are pretty awesome! Just don't let them walk on your foot! (they weigh hundreds of lbs) My mistake for not getting out of his way Call ahead and make reservations and make sure you bring some food so you could feed them. We had romaine lettuce, zucchini, carrots and celery. (Tongs provided by the owners). Wear shoes you don't care for. It's quite dirty and dusty, I definitely stepped in poop at some point. It's kind of unavoidable to be honest. But the experience was well worth seeing how much fun my son had. This is for sure a MUST DO if you have young kids. read more

The Tortoise Home Campbell - Front entrance. Make sure to park in the parking lot adjacent to this place. - Attraction Farms Near Me - Campbell, California

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Just took my family here, and I'm happy to say we'll be back! LOGISTICS: -you book a time by calling. The owner was very helpful and gave us lots of good information during the call. I do wish that booking could be done online for more efficiency and to have the information emailed to you ahead of time -wear closed toed shoes -bring some big carrots or romaine lettuce for the tortoises -wear sunscreen WHEN YOU'RE THERE: -owners give a good tour and explain info to keep everyone and the tortoises safe -be aware of your surroundings -be ready for lots of fun photo ops -know there is a bathroom with soap and water -make a nice donation and get a succulent! OTHER: -owners can reach you a lot about their tortoises -be prepared to get a little dirty -you can park in the park's parking lot and then walk -ask about the baby tortoises! -there are 2 dogs on the property, but the dogs are very comfortable with children and not aggressive FUN FACT: even adults can sit on a tortoise, which warrants a $10,000 USD fine if done in the Galápagos Islands read more

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Came here with my son and friends a few months ago. My son had a great time (a little timid at first) but was riding the biggest ones after he warmed up. We fed them, rode them, and learned so much about them. You can tell the owners really care for the tortoises. You have to call in to schedule it and they only have reservations during warm weather. It's free but give generously! We also brought romaine lettuce to feed them. read more

This is an update based on booking the Tortoise Ranch for my son's birthday party - a group of mainly three year olds. 5 stars! Terry and Nadia were great to work with. Booking will reserve you the whole day, but our party was 10-1, we arrived at 9 for set up and left by 2 after finishing clean up. Super convenient - they have all the tables, chairs, some kids trikes and toys, coolers and of course the turtles! They also supplied the vegetables for feeding the tortoises. We brought decorations (disposable tablecloths, etc) and food/drinks - we ordered pizza delivery and mainly brought packaged snacks, beverages and cupcakes. Nadia was super helpful with set up and clean up. There are trash bins right there so clean up is easy. Terry started with a 20 min intro and rules, we did 1 hour of turtles, ate, then additional time with the turtles. Put down your deposit via PayPal and pay the balance day of. Terry is responsive to calls and accommodating if you want to check out the venue in advance. We parked near the gate for loading / unloading and then parked at the park parking lot next door. You can tell guests that additional parking is available at the Campbell School of Innovation. read more

The Tortoise Home Campbell - Attraction Farms Near Me - Campbell, California

This is NOT a business. It is someone's home. Do NOT show up uninvited. With that said, Terry and his wife and neighbor all do a wonderful job raising these beautiful creatures. You can call to schedule a time to visit. You should bring food (lettuce, zucchini, carrot, eggplant, etc) and wear closed toe shoes that you do not mind getting dirty and no flowy dresses, etc. What to expect: - listen to the presentation where Terry shares knowledge about tortoises - take care to listen and follow safety instructions - feed and pet the tortoises - WATCH YOUR CHILDREN And enjoy. This is such a treat! read more

Terry and Nadia care for 25 tortoises and a small pack of dogs on their private property, aka the Tortoise Ranch, which is immediately adjacent to John D. Morgan Park. What began with the gift of a baby turtle to his ex-wife in the 1980s evolved into a very unusual lifestyle choice. Terry and Nadia open their home to guests and invite you to visit with them and their menagerie for an hour or two, with donations appreciated. Visits are scheduled in advance via reservation; the process is very low tech and involves calling Terry and finding a slot on the calendar, which is literally a large desk calendar with reservations penciled in. During your visit, Terry provides information on tortoises, shares rules for interaction, then allows guest to feed and touch (and ride!) the reptiles. To some, the Tortoise Ranch may be controversial, but, regardless of your thoughts, a visit is a unique hands-on learning experience for both children and adults. read more

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Growing up in Campbell, CA I always heard of this Tortoise Farm, but I never knew it was open to the public until my future siblings in law told us they had visited. So, we booked our own appointment and experienced it for ourself! Free family fun is always the way! Terry is so informative and kind, and we all def enjoyed our time with the tortoises on the ranch! They are huge, cute, friendly and our highlight was riding them! Wow they are strong! We did make a donation and almost got to take our succulent home, however forgot it in the restroom there read more

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Great field trip! They are awesome hosts and you can see how much they love the tortoises!

This place is such a hidden gem! It is right next to the John D Morgan park parking lot, tucked away in the corner. There are a ton of tortoises of all sizes and varieties, including the largest, which I've never seen anywhere else. For example, they have huge Galapagos turtles that I thought I'd have to actually go to the Galapagos Islands to see. Some of the tortoises are even big enough to ride on! I saw a parent and toddler riding on one together. I was excited for my 2 year old to try riding a tortoise (because where else can you do something like that?!), but sadly she wasn't interested. And what's incredible is that the owners don't charge a cent for strangers to come marvel at and even feed(!!) their tortoises. They could totally charge $20/head and still have a ton of interest, but they don't. It's such a generous thing they're doing. They do have a donation jar, and I think it's appalling when people impose on them and their hospitality so much without even leaving a couple dollars behind. So please do! read more

I think this has closed. We came on a nice, sunny, Sunday afternoon and the gates were closed. We peeked above the fences and did not see any tortoise either. read more

The Tortoise Home Campbell - Gate - Attraction Farms Near Me - Campbell, California

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DO NOT BRING CHILDREN HERE! The owner is awful to children. She actually told me "I kick kids." When I asked her to confirm, she repeated that she "kicks kids, only hard enough to get their attention." She admitted to battery on children! She yelled at my four year old for not knowing the difference between lettuce and celery and made him sob (this after she put the bins of the two nearly-indistinguishable vegetables side by side, expecting small children to decipher which was which). She was clearly overwhelmed, stressed out, and out of control, and channeled those feelings into patently unacceptable treatment of children. Anyone who's running a business for children should not be behaving this way. And no one who admits to kicking children should be hosting birthday parties, field trips, etc. DO NOT GO HERE. read more

Great place for kids and family members The owner is very welcome and friendly. Thank you so much read more

The Tortoise Home Campbell - Attraction Farms Near Me - Campbell, California

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This was the best and amazing experience my family and I have had! Ignore the 2 negative reviews about the owners being rude. That was not the case and people just don't get animal lovers. The owner Terry and his wife Nadia were so welcoming when we arrived. We were with a group of others who also came to visit the tortoises. Terry was so informative and funny... I learned a lot about tortoises though his presentation. We saw so many cool looking tortoises... we got the chance to feed all of them... saw so many cool succulents... We also got to meet a couple of their cool and friendly dogs. Overall, this was such a great experience to share with the family and created a memorable experience. I highly recommend you check this place out. To visit: call the number listed on their Yelp. Terry will call you back promptly to make an appt to visit. Bring tortoise food like carrots, lettuce, cucumber or ask what to bring to feed them. Donate: Make a donation at the end of your visit. They aren't non-profit or a business so anything helps. At the end you can take a cool succulent home as a keepsake. This a definitely a wonderful family experience. read more

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Loved the Tortoises! You call and set up a time to go see them by the owner Terry. He only has a certain amount of folks at a time. He tells you all about some facts about them before you go and feed them. It was fascinating all the information on raising them. You bring some romaine lettuce, cucumbers, celery, and sweet potatoes for them to eat. Terry has specific instructions so no one will get bitten by them. You use tongs to feed them, and they are so sweet! If food drops on the floor, we put it in a bucket so it can get washed so the turtles don't get sick. He also has 3 dogs that my daughter enjoyed playing ball with. My daughter rode the giant 400 lb. tortoise and had a blast! There is no fee, but you can donate at the end and take home a succulent! Fun experience and can't wait to go back! read more

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Came for a kids birthday party. Very much ranch style with dogs running around. The owners do get firm with everyone paying attention, not just the children. I found it reassuring that they care that much about the safety of everyone. Overall great time learning about tortoises. read more

The Tortoise Home Campbell - Galapagos tortoise - Attraction Farms Near Me - Campbell, California

Kids loved it. They can ride tortoise and even the adults . Feed them. Majestic beings. read more

The Tortoise Home Campbell - Attraction Farms Near Me - Campbell, California

Recently visited the private ranch. It is not a business, but rather a private residence that gives tour by appointment. The owners are kind and friendly, and our group of school kids really enjoyed feeding and riding the tortoises. We brought celery, carrots, lettuce to feed the tortoises. Terry and Nadia first made sure all the vegetables were safe for the tortoises to eat, then Terry gave us detailed instructions on how to feed the tortoises safely. Terry also gave us some background information on the different tortoises he has on the ranch, such as their native habitats and such. We are grateful of Terry and Nadia allowing us into their home and sharing their joy of caring for these amazing tortoises. read more

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Great way to spend time with family and experience the world of a beautiful tortoise :) read more

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Informative, fun, one of a kind experience right in our backyard! Highly recommend especially if you have kiddos!

This place is amazing. This is not a business but private tortoise ranch. Terry and his wife used to open it to school kids as field trip. But now because social media. It became a popular place. We had a great time here. The tour is both educational and fun. Kids can feed the tortoise and ride on them. Please listen carefully about the rules. And be friendly and kind to the animals. Their garden is amazing as well, has so many lovely plants and a tree house. This place only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Need to call ahead to book a spot. And I highly recommend you made a donation to them. $10 per person will be suggested. read more

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The owners are amazing. Very knowledgeable and thoughtful of your request. They have lot of patience

We were so fortunate enough to visit during a birthday party, a d boy was it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to feed and ride Galapagos tortoises! A few of us got stepped on (not painful, but little kids got a little spooked) so make sure wear closed toed shoes/boots. Their front garden area has little ride on tractors and cars for kids too. I can see how people think the owners are "rude" just because they're protective that people listen to their (pretty long for kids' attention span) information and safety speech and don't just wander over to see the animals unsupervised. There is a restroom in the back, only street parking or in the park's lot, by event/appointment only, and make sure to leave a tip in their collection jar since they do this on their own. Apparently they used to get leftover produce from local grocery stores, but they stopped and now have to pay for all the tortoises food and heated flooring by donations. read more

The Tortoise Home Campbell - Feeding the tortoise lettuce - Attraction Farms Near Me - Campbell, California

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Very nice place for both kids and adults We had great time here with families, will definitely come back read more

An enjoyable place to spend a few hours learning about turtles and having the opportunity to interact with this ancient species.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT BEFORE COMING!!!! My friend and I visited the tortoise home and had a wonderful time! Terry was super knowledgeable and kind enough to let us visit last minute but said appointments should be made prior to visiting as it is just a normal residence. Highly recommend the experience but make sure to call first ahead of time for a group tour opening! read more

The Tortoise Home Campbell - Sweet tortoises! - Attraction Farms Near Me - Campbell, California

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What a hidden gem! I came here with my daughter's class for a field trip. My daughter loved it and was had so much fun feeding the tortoises and riding them. The owners were so nice and very informative. We will definitely visit again in the near future. read more

This place is absolutely heaven for both adults and kids! Terry and his wife are really friendly to guests, the dogs - although unleashed, are very friendly to children and do not jump on people. The tortoise are adorable, I can't believe they show affection to people and let people pet them like dogs. Other than the tortoise, the home is full of wonderful art and all kinds of plants! I got all kinds of plants for home and they fit so wonderfully! Please support the farm with lots of lettuces and zukinis! read more

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We really love this place. It's a family business, located at their property. You need to call to make a reservation. If they don't pick up, leave a message and they will call you back. Just be patient. It gets full really quick, so make an reservation. It can take a month long for any openings. Park at the park's parking lot and walk next door to their house. The owner will give you a lot of details about tortoise and what to do and what not to do. Really simply. It's totally free, but they do take donations. They will ask you to bring lettuce to feed their tortoises. They have few bigs ones and a lot of small ones. Take your time, no hurry. They have a small tree house, you can walk up. Overall, we had a great experience. They have two friendly dogs, that just wants to play all the time. Expect them to bring a tennis ball to you, if they do, just pick it up or kick it away. read more

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Such a fun experience for the kids! They loved being able to feed and ride the tortoises.

We came here as a group of 20 people. Adults and kids all from daycare. And everyone had a blast. We definitely would love to come back again. Wonderful place and owners. They have beautiful backyard and the lecture before about the turtles lives so educational. Opened up a lot of facts which didn't know before. read more

The Tortoise Home Campbell - Backyard - Attraction Farms Near Me - Campbell, California

Amazing amazing amazing. These people open their private home to share the tortoises with others. When I went the only people out of line (in the group of kids) were a few mannerless kids not listening (my parents taught me to listen and be respectful - clearly these kids had no manners) and the one parent who thought not listening and talking on his phone was appropriate. What if we went to his house and wandered off in the middle of dinner to talk on the phone. I see where his kids get his manners. This is an amazing place. I will go back again. Remember this is a private residence not a park. If they have dogs, this is there home. They aren't there to cater to your cry kid that doesn't like a dog or two running around. This is their house and their dogs. If it's not a fit don't show up. I think the experience was amazing and that this couple would share these amazing tortoises with all of us is a blessing. read more

Very friendly couple at a place with plenty of shade, cover from wind, chairs, tables in addition to the tortoise ranch, tree house, bike rides and beautiful planters. Thank you for making it a memorable experience for the kids! read more

The Tortoise Home Campbell - Thank you for making it a memorable experience! - Attraction Farms Near Me - Campbell, California

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a review from @amom2kidsandapark An unforgettable experience was had by all at The Tortoise Home. Located in what looks like just a regular ol home on a regular ol street lives more tortoises than I've ever seen in my life. Terry and his wife are wonderful people welcoming all sorts of people into their home turned tortoise haven. It's a nonprofit and you don't even need to pay for the visit. (They do have collection bins). Seriously, they simply started taking in tortoises from zoos, people who couldn't keep them as pets, and some people have even abandoned them at their home and now they have probably 20 tortoises When you enter the gate you won't be able to miss the plethora of turtle/tortoise lawn art, signage, and decorations. There's a little section for the kids to play while waiting for the tour with ride-on scooters. For the dog lovers, the ever so sweet and friendly resident dogs are there for petting and some fur love. Once you walk to the back of the house, you'll encounter all the tortoises including the 36 year old Galapagos tortoise, an Aldabras tortoise, and Sulcata tortoises. While back with the tortoises you can ride on them and feed them (bringing veggies is another way to support this nonprofit). There is a rock on riding turtle (like the kind you see at a park) and a treehouse with a spiral staircase. While it is a bit tight for the number of people and tortoises, if you're with respectful people on your tour, you won't feel the least bit worried about the situation. There is a bathroom available. Parking is a bit tough but doable. For a tour, you must call ahead. No drop-ins are allowed. I feel incredibly grateful to Terry and Nadia for taking in these special creatures, taking care of them day in and day out, and especially inviting the public into their space. read more

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