Activity Farms, Apple Orchards, and Petting Zoos Around Lake Geneva

Some Lake Geneva days need a boat. Some need cider donuts, a corn maze, a wagon ride, and a goat trying to steal your feed cup.

This guide to activity farms, apple orchards, and petting zoos around Lake Geneva covers the places I’d actually send a weekend guest: the apple stops, pumpkin patches, animal farms, and countryside places that make a fall Saturday feel like Wisconsin.

For more fall plans, pair this with the Lake Geneva Area Fall Guide and the full Things To Do Around Lake Geneva.

Quick picks for farms, orchards, and animal stops

Closest drive-through animal experience: Safari Lake Geneva in Bloomfield, about 5 miles southeast of downtown Lake Geneva. It’s a drive-through animal experience where you stay in your vehicle and can buy grain to feed animals from the window.

Best classic petting zoo stop: Animal Gardens Petting Zoo between Lake Geneva and Delavan. It has a 40-acre petting zoo setting with exotic animals and hay-eating animals.

Best apple stop close to the lake: Apple Barn Orchard & Winery in Elkhorn. It’s a farm, orchard, winery, and country-store stop at W6384 Sugar Creek Road.

Best corn maze and pumpkin stop: Pearce’s Farm Stand in Walworth. Pearce’s Farm Stand is known for fresh produce, bakery goods, seasonal fall decor, and a busy fall farm season.

Best old-school apple stop: Hafs Road Orchard in Genoa City. Hafs Road Orchard is a no-pick orchard store with Honeycrisp apples, cider, caramel apples, and a quiet country-road feel.

Best apple orchard day trip: Royal Oak Farm Orchard in Harvard, Illinois. Royal Oak Farm Orchard has U-pick apples, a bakery, a petting zoo, and the Amaze N’ Apples apple tree maze.

Here’s Everything

Safari Lake Geneva

Safari Lake Geneva is the one people keep talking about in the car afterward.

You stay in your own vehicle, buy grain if you want it, and drive through the preserve while animals roam close to the road. Safari Lake Geneva is at W1612 Litchfield Road, about 5 miles southeast of downtown Lake Geneva.

Address: W1612 Litchfield Rd., Lake Geneva / Bloomfield
Good to know: Stay in your vehicle. Book online before busy weekends.
Website: Safari Lake Geneva

Kim & Joel’s tip: Go early in the day. The animals seem more interested, the line is lighter, and you still have time for lunch in downtown Lake Geneva.

Animal Gardens Petting Zoo

Animal Gardens Petting Zoo is the true petting zoo stop between Lake Geneva and Delavan.

It sits on the same property as The Dancing Horses Theatre at 5065 State Road 50. Animal Gardens Petting Zoo. This property as a 40-acre venue with 16 exotic species and more than 40 hay-eating animals.

Address: 5065 State Road 50, Delavan
Phone: 262-728-8200
Good to know: Pair it with The Dancing Horses Theatre on the same property.
Website: Animal Gardens Petting Zoo

This is probably the easiest “animals plus a show” day around the lake.

Dan Patch Stables at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa

Dan Patch Stables sits at the entrance to Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, and it’s one of the simplest farm-animal stops inside Lake Geneva proper.

Dan Patch Stables has trail rides, pony rides, and a petting farm. Trail rides leave by reservation, and the stable notes closed-toe shoes and pants for riding.

Location: Entrance to Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, Lake Geneva
Phone: 262-215-5303
Good to know: Trail rides require reservations. Closed-toe shoes are smart here.
Website: Dan Patch Stables

For a Grand Geneva Resort & Spa day, Dan Patch Stables is an easy add-on before dinner or after a slow morning.

Apple Barn Orchard & Winery

Apple Barn Orchard & Winery is the Elkhorn orchard locals mention first.

The farm has been family-owned and operated since 1848. Apple Barn Orchard & Winery is at W6384 Sugar Creek Road in Elkhorn.

Address: W6384 Sugar Creek Rd., Elkhorn
Phone: 262-728-3266
Good to know: Call ahead to ask what’s picking. U-pick changes fast.
Website: Apple Barn Orchard & Winery

Apple Barn Orchard & Winery is the best first orchard pick for most Lake Geneva weekends. It’s close, it’s real, and the cider donut situation is handled.

Pearce’s Farm Stand

Pearce’s Farm Stand is more than a farm stand once fall hits.

Pearce’s Farm Stand is at W5740 N Walworth Road in Walworth. The farm stand focuses on fresh produce, homemade bakery goods, and seasonal fall decorations.

Pearce’s Farm Stand is known for apple cider donuts, sweet corn, weekend donuts, kettle corn, and local produce.

Address: W5740 N Walworth Rd., Walworth
Phone: 262-275-3783
Good to know: This is the easiest farm stop for Fontana, Walworth, Abbey Springs, and the west end of Geneva Lake.
Website: Pearce’s Farm Stand

Go for sweet corn in summer. Come back for pumpkins in fall.

Hafs Road Orchard

Hafs Road Orchard is the quiet one.

It’s 7 miles east of Lake Geneva in Genoa City, tucked off a country road instead of built like a big attraction farm. Hafs Road Orchard does not offer pick-your-own apples, but it does sell orchard apples, cider, and caramel apples from its store.

Address: W632 Hafs Rd., Genoa City
Phone: 262-279-3638
Good to know: Check harvest dates before driving. This is an apple-first stop.
Website: Hafs Road Orchard

This is where I’d go when I want apples without the carnival mood.

Royal Oak Farm Orchard

Royal Oak Farm Orchard is just south of the Wisconsin line in Harvard, and it earns the short drive.

Royal Oak Farm Orchard is at 15908 Hebron Road in Harvard, Illinois. The farm has apple picking, a bakery, a petting zoo, and seasonal activities.

Royal Oak Farm Orchard has more than 20,000 apple trees and the Amaze N’ Apples apple tree maze.

Address: 15908 Hebron Rd., Harvard, IL
Phone: 815-648-4141
Good to know: It’s across the state line, but still a clean Lake Geneva day trip.
Website: Royal Oak Farm Orchard

The apple maze is the reason to go. The donuts are the reason you’ll stay longer.

Green Meadows Petting Farm

Green Meadows Petting Farm is the East Troy petting farm stop.

Green Meadows Petting Farm is at 33603 High Drive in East Troy. Its current hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10 AM to 4 PM, they ask visitors to arrive before 2 PM for hayrides and pony rides.

Address: 33603 High Dr., East Troy
Phone: 262-534-2891
Good to know: Arrive before 2 PM for hayrides and pony rides.
Website: Green Meadows Petting Farm

Green Meadows Petting Farm is a good East Troy add-on with lunch in the village or a ride on the East Troy Electric Railroad.

Brightonwoods Orchard

Brightonwoods Orchard is the apple nerd’s orchard.

In Burlington at 1072 288th Avenue. Brightonwoods Orchard has more than 150 apple varieties, plus grapes, quince, pears, cider, Wisconsin cheese, pumpkins, jams, pies, and weekend cider donuts.

Brightonwoods Orchard is not a pick-your-own orchard, but visitors can roam the orchard and woods trails.

Address: 1072 288th Ave., Burlington
Phone: 262-878-3000
Good to know: Come for variety, cider, trails, and the country-store feel.
Website: Brightonwoods Orchard

Busy Barn Farm Adventures

Busy Barn Farm Adventures is a bigger activity farm north of Whitewater in Fort Atkinson.

Busy Barn Farm Adventures says it has 35 acres of activities, including a corn maze, pumpkin patch, sunflower field, obstacle courses, a 3-story slide, and animal experiences.

Its Fall schedule is Saturdays and Sundays from September 12 through November 1, 9 AM to 4 PM.

Address: W7675 US Hwy. 12, Fort Atkinson
Phone: 920-691-6742
Good to know: Check the calendar before driving. This one runs by season and event dates.
Website: Busy Barn Farm Adventures

For Whitewater weekends, Busy Barn Farm Adventures is one of the better farm-activity drives.

The Elegant Farmer

The Elegant Farmer is in Mukwonago, so I’d put it in the “worth the drive” bucket.

The Elegant Farmer is known for its Apple Pie Baked in a Paper Bag, and its market is open year-round from 9 AM to 6 PM, with some holiday closures.

During fall event dates, The Elegant Farmer has apple picking, pumpkins, hayrides, pony rides, train rides, and a corn maze.

Address: 1545 Main St., Mukwonago
Phone: 262-363-6770
Good to know: Pair it with the East Troy Electric Railroad for a bigger fall day.
Website: The Elegant Farmer

The pie is excellent. The orchard and train combo is the move.

Does a Home where an Apple Orchard is down the road sound nice?

Then check out Listings in the Lake Geneva Area

What should you check before going?

Farm hours change more than restaurant hours.

Check each farm’s website or Facebook page before driving, especially during u-pick season. A rainstorm, a picked-out variety, or a muddy field can change the whole day.

Bring closed-toe shoes for animal stops and orchards. Bring a cooler if you’re buying cider, cheese, berries, or donuts and plan to keep driving.

And bring cash when the farm recommends it. Some smaller places take cards, but the one time you assume they do will be the day you find the best caramel apples in Walworth County.

What’s the best Lake Geneva farm stop for a short weekend?

Lake Geneva: Safari Lake Geneva or Dan Patch Stables
Delavan: Animal Gardens Petting Zoo
Elkhorn: Apple Barn Orchard & Winery
Walworth or Fontana: Pearce’s Farm Stand
Genoa City: Hafs Road Orchard
East Troy: Green Meadows Petting Farm
Burlington: Brightonwoods Orchard
Whitewater: Busy Barn Farm Adventures

Frequently Asked Questions about Activity Farms, Apple Orchards, & Petting Zoos Around Lake Geneva