Looking for a place where the wild animals (and I don’t mean the kiddos!) roam free? We visited the Lazy 5 Ranch just north of Charlotte in Mooresville, NC. They offer a 3.5 mile safari ride by car or guided wagon to view over 750 animals from 6 continents. It was a wonderfully slobbery situation, and S’s squeals of excitement and delight as she fed the the many animals at the Lazy 5 Ranch brought smiles to the whole family.
There was ample parking and many areas to explore when we arrived at the Lazy 5 Ranch. Our ‘mall strollers’ would have had a hard time on the terrain, so we wrapped E in the moby which gave him a great view of the ‘business’ and S walked. The area is small enough for young walkers to handle. The petting zoo had sheep, goats and horses, and also housed non-petting animals as well, including kangaroos, camels, ring tailed lemurs, a pygmy zebu and a plethora of unique birds. The walk through the petting area was picturesque and beautifully landscaped, with many plants, shrubs and trees that I’d never seen before. We enjoyed strolling around and watching the animals and their playful antics as we waited for the wagon ride.
The wagon was pulled by three strong horses, who led us along the safari. We were given buckets of pellets to feed the animals. Initially, when the first animals trotted up to our wagon S was afraid, but once she saw everyone else feeding them she was excited to try it as well. This elicited many shrieks of glee, which the animals seemed unfettered by. We fed llamas, cattle, buffalo, brahma cattle, emus, giraffes and many other 4 footed friends. Many of the animals had crazy tongues that reached out for the pellets as S gently dropped them into their mouths. Water buffalo could be seen with only their heads sticking out of the large ponds. Car-sized cattle with enormous horns came to investigate our wagon. It was a lot of fun to get an up close and personal experience with the animals as they went from hand to hand nibbling on the feed.
After we were done with the wagon ride we were able to go and wash up in the bathrooms near the concession stand. Lots of soap, and I do mean lots, was used to get everyone’s hands clean. I’d suggest bringing sanitizing wipes for use during the ride. Next to the washroom is a large playground with swings for mom and dad, and several slides and room for the kids to burn off some steam after sitting in the car or wagon. Lazy 5 Ranch hosts events and birthday parties in their covered shelter.
The 50 minute drive from Charlotte was well worth it, The Lazy 5 Ranch was a memorable experience and we will return again. General admission (driving your own car) is $9.50 for adults, $6.50 for kids (2-11 and seniors 60+), feed is $3 per bucket. The wagon ride is $14.50 for adults, $9.50 for kids (2-11 and seniors 60+) and a bucket of feed is included.
They do not accept credit cards or debit cards – so make sure to bring cash and wear sneakers. Lazy 5 Ranch asks that you call ahead to make reservations for the wagon ride at 704-663-5100. If you pay for the wagon ride you can also take your car through the safari. We tried both and I think the wagon ride left a bigger impression on the kids and the adults.
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