Hamptons Verified

Touch animals

Petting zoos, touch tanks, heritage-breed farms, and hands-on nature centers — where East End kids (and adults) can actually meet the animal, not just look at it.

Showing 5 of 5 venues

  • 🐐 Petting zoo
  • 🦀 Touch tank
  • 🐄 Heritage farm
  • 🦌 Wildlife sanctuary
Hands-on access01 / 05

Where East End kids can physically meet the animal.

All venues

Touch tanks and petting zoos open seasonally. Always call ahead.

Staff supervision matters. Wash hands after handling animals, supervise small children, and respect the animal's cue to stop. Venues flagged “verify pending” below are tagged from secondary sources and still need on-the-ground confirmation before you show up with a classroom.

Filters5 venues

Quogue · 1 venue

  • 🦌 Wildlife sanctuary · Quogue
    Quogue Wildlife Refuge
    Touch animals
    Docent-led encounters with resident raptors and reptiles — confirm program schedule before visiting
    Verify pending — call ahead

Bridgehampton · 1 venue

  • 🦀 Touch tank · Bridgehampton
    South Fork Natural History Museum
    Touch animals
    Kids' marine touch-tank area with local intertidal species; summer butterfly house

Riverhead · 2 venues

  • 🐄 Heritage farm · Riverhead
    Hallockville Museum Farm
    Touch animals
    Heritage-breed sheep, chickens, and farm animals on the museum grounds — confirm seasonal programming at the gate
    Verify pending — call ahead
  • 🦀 Touch tank · Riverhead
    Long Island Aquarium
    Touch animals
    Touch tanks open during business hours — stingrays, horseshoe crabs, koi

Shelter Island · 1 venue

  • 🐄 Heritage farm · Shelter Island
    Sylvester Manor Educational Farm
    Touch animals
    Educational farm — confirm seasonal hours before visiting
    Verify pending — call ahead

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