Where to see farm animals with kids around Washington DC

The moment a 2-year-old locks eyes with a goat beats any museum. The DC area is lucky to have two free public farms, and a little farther out, petting farms where one ticket fills a day, plus George Washington's own cows and sheep.

Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon is Northern Virginia's best free farm: 1930s Kidwell Farm keeps dairy cows, pigs, sheep and a yard full of chickens, with wagon rides and an antique carousel on weekends. Oxon Hill Farm, just off the Beltway, is run by the National Park Service, and rangers lead cow-milking on weekends. To actually touch animals, Clark's Elioak Farm near Columbia pairs storybook sculptures with ponies, and Green Meadows in Frederick County includes chick-holding, milking and pony rides in the ticket; Kinder Farm Park near Annapolis puts farm animals next to a huge playground. The Pioneer Farm at Mount Vernon sneaks in a little history for the big kids.

• 6 places
• 3 free
• 6 stroller-friendly
• closest is 35 min away