Tilden Regional Park Little Farm

I have been to the Tilden little farm a couple of times now, even it is quite a drive for us. I just love this open farm that is free to visit, and they even allow you to feed the animals! (Celery and lettuce only). They have cows, pigs, goats, rabbits, turkeys and geese… I think I had more fun than my kid. Best of all is that the farm feels very relaxed and people just hang out and enjoy the company of the farm animals and seems very interactive. A very different feeling than going to a zoo. It is also close to trails where you can take a nice walk to jewel lake. Parking can be challenging though so do come early. This is a wonderful destination for a day out with the family.

My kids loved this. They asked if we could come back tomorrow. Success!

What’s not to love? Well-​treated farm animals, gardens and walking paths, and a great visitor learning center. It’s not that big, so your little ones won’t tire or bore easily. It can be a short or long trip depending on your mood. Up the hill there is an old fashioned, beautiful carousel and some steam trains.

Very nice place to bring the little ones to pet and feed the animals. Good parking and no parking or entrance fee. Fun day affordable day trip for the family!

Love taking my daughter here! She loves feeding the farm animals (cows, goats, sheep, pigs), just got to bring your own lettuce or celery. It smells like a farm would. I guess that’s the only thing that sometimes bothers me but what did I expect? Lol. Anyways we go here every so often when we wanna take her out but don’t wanna spend too much money because all we really have to pay for is the food to feed the animals. We don’t stay too long as there’s not that big of a selection of animals, but then again were not at a zoo or anything. There’s other parts of Tilden Park that I haven’t went to though, like I know there’s a carousel. Not sure how much it is to ride that.

This is a fun place to take the family. The drive up to the farm was really beautiful and we were blessed with a clear view of the bay. There were plenty of animals and the facilities were clean. I didn’t see any place to buy celery or lettuce, which we forgot to bring. There is always next time.

Hello I am Tony B and i am a nature geek. OK i’m glad i got that off my chest .I did not know this place existed! Who would have thought Tilden had so many hidden gems. I just happen to stumble on this place after watching my NFL team take a beating once again. #Lifeofaclevelandfan I was going to turn around and saw the little farm. I saw lots of families couples and groups of friends walking around. So hey why not park and check this place out. Once you start walking towards the entrance you see all the facts of tilden. They also have a sign that lets you know what to feed the animals Celery and Lettuce only. now i know and knowing is half the battle. once in its a small open farm with Cows, sheeps, goats and chickens. This is such a great place to check out and its free. Depending on the weather dress appropiate because it is a farm.

The drive down to the Farm was beautiful! Great views of the city from overlooks before heading downhill.
The farm is small, but so cute! The animals seem well taken care of. Clean, friendly, and healthy. Most animals you are free to feed celery & lettuce so come prepared.
The trails are beautiful! Quiet, clean, fairly easy. Great place to find serenity and tranquility.
I’ll definitely be back and recommend you go too.

It’s a great place to spend the afternoon by yourself or with your family. Don’t forget to bring lettuce to feed the animals. They have cows, sheep, goats and chickens. There is plenty of parking, bathrooms, picnic tables and a play area for children. We love this park

My son and I ventured to the Tilden Park Little Farm while my husband worked in Berkeley. It’s not very large (hence the name «little farm»), but has plenty of animals to keep small ones happy and occupied. Cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, rabbits, goats, and a few other animals make up this little farm. If allowed, my baby would have climbed right in with the chickens and ducks — he was very curious about them. One can also visit the visitor’s center with a few wildlife exhibits next door. Best of all? This is FREE! No complaints about that.

What a great spot for the kids. Bring lettuce. The animals are probably sick of the other alternative.

Why 5 stars? Because it’s a free petting zoo!
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The only negative about this experience for me is that I was the only person without a child in the entire farm area. I like animals, and I like petting them. But I definitely felt like every parent there was wondering if I was just a creep. Can’t adults like feeding celery to goats too?
There are goats, sheep, small cows, big cows, one ram, a couple pigs, chicken, and some ducks. I never saw one «employee» or city official here, and it’s funny — I think these animals would survive without any official supervision. There is a constant flood of people coming through to feed them enough to last eternally.
Pro Tip: Don’t pet the black sheep too much. Your hands will become freakishly black. Is it because their wool rubs off on you, or because they are absolutely covered in a layer of filth? Who knows, but you’ll definitely want to hit the hand washing station one or fifteen times on the way out.

I’m embarrassed to admit I have never been to the Little Farm despite being a Bay Area native because it also means I’ve deprived my little one for over six years. I have hiked in Tilden before but had never ventured to this wonderful FREE farm. We were both happy to bring lots of celery to feed the eager animals. My daughter fed calves, goats, and sheep during our walk around the barnyards on the hill. We also visited the nature center which provided some interesting exhibits about the local habitats. There is a small modern playground in the parking lot.
The merry-​go-​round is a five-​minute drive down the road and has old-​fashioned charm. It costs $ 2 per ticket.
I recommend bringing lots of celery or lettuce and wearing closed-​toe shoes since you’ll be walking around a working farm.

5 STARS GOES TO THE BEST FREE ANIMAL FARM IN BERKLEY!
This park is amazing for all ages, I mean you have the small park for little children; you have the free farm area like the cows, sheep’s, and the chickens. It was amazing. I wish I would have known that we could feed the animals. Don’t forget to bring lettuce or celery to feed the animals! ;)
This little farm is such a great place for families and even a date. I even had fun and felt like a kid all over again! This farm is located in the Tilden Regional Park in northeast Berkeley.
Not only do they have the farm but also the small train for children up to ages 7 and they have the carousel.
Did I mention that it was FREE! Yes, makes it even better.
P.S– *Whispers…“Don’t forget the lettuce or celery“
Such a great place, you have to come and experience it to believe it!

Tilden Little Farm is a free animal farm where you can pet and feed live farm animals. The farm is located inside Tilden Regional Park in northeast Berkeley. This place is awesome, especially if you have little ones. We took my niece here and had lots of fun. Heck, I think this place can be fun for adults too (if you like animals, which I do).
Plenty of parking (by Bay Area standards) is available along Central Park Drive. There’s no charge to enter Tilden Regional Park nor to park your vehicle. The only thing you’ll be responsible for when visiting is bringing your own celery and lettuce to feed the animals. Other than celery and lettuce, no other foods are allowed because they can mess with the animals’ digestive systems.
During our Sunday afternoon visit, the park was moderately busy with several families and small children. The following animals were present:
* Cows — Shorthorn cattle
* Goats — French Alpine goats
* Sheep — Black Welsh Mountain sheep
* Pigs
* Chickens
* Ducks
* Geese
* Turkeys
There are supposedly rabbits too, but I didn’t see any. My favorite animals here are the cows. They’re huge and you get to be right up close and personal with them. The cows’ heads are massive. Likewise, their tongues, which they use to nonchalantly slurp the food up from your hands, are hilariously thick and long. Mmm… Lengua tacos! These cows are calm and peaceful.
The goats are laid back too. The horizontal pupils in their eyes, similar to octopus eyes, look freaky. These guys aren’t afraid to poke their heads out between the fence to get fed. They can quickly scarf down celery when hungry.
When I went to the sheep section, about a dozen sheep were off feeding, away from the fence. They looked fluffy and dusty. There were a couple black pigs snoozing by a red barn. They were heavy, chunky, furry fellows. The poultry (chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys) had their own section and it seemed to be the messiest section partly because they weren’t eating every celery stick and lettuce leaf handed their way. The «sociable» geese were nice and plump. Loud too. I saw a couple turkeys roaming around the farm on their own. I think it’s neat how they don’t get lost or run away.
Little Farm is open daily and closes at sunset. Note this is an actual farm with working farmers. They’ll be present and working around the grounds during your visit. The cows here are milked, the sheep’s wool is spun into yarn, and the chicken’s eggs are saved (ultimately for what purpose, I don’t know). Since this is a real farm, it can get smelly. Depending on weather conditions, your shoes and pants could potentially get dusty, dirty, or muddy since several of the walking paths are not paved.
There are men and women’s restrooms on-​site. They’re sufficiently clean and come stocked with soap and water — you’re probably going to need it after touching some of these lovely animals. :)
Cool Note: One of the pictures I took at Little Farm and uploaded to Unilocal made it into a TV feature on KRON 4 San Francisco Bay Area News. Link:
. Jump to 3:25 to see it.

Tilden Little Farm is extremely boring. Unless you have kids, celery, and lettuce. Then it’s heaven. The kids just wander around feeding animals. As long as they don’t get a finger bitten off by a too-​enthusiastic goat, you the parent are more or less guaranteed a stress-​free time. At least till you run out of celery or lettuce.
If you are not babysitting: Are you honestly so bored in Berkeley that you can’t find anything better to do? Quit the farm and instead go into the nearby Environmental Education Centre and its tunnel-​like route of displays.
Bonus: Just stand around and spy the farmhands try to rope a cow. It can be hilarious how they try to cajole the cow or hide the rope behind them so the cow won’t know what’s coming. It’ll probably take 10 minutes and a dozen attempts.

This little farm is perfect for my toddler. Took my 2 year old there for the first time and she enjoyed everything there. The park is beautiful. My daughter fed the cows, goats, sheep, ducks, hens and chicken celery and lettuce. She even petted the cow! Make sure you bring lots of celery and lettuce! They loved it! There’s also rabbits and pigs. The pigs where the biggest pigs I’ve ever seen. They have a sink there to wash your hands after feeding and touching the animals. I would definitely go back there again!

There is no better place to dispose of your soon-​to-​be expiring (or fresh) celery and lettuce than Tilden Park’s Little Farm, no matter how old you are. However, it’s especially fun if you take children with you.
Even with the offensive odor lingering in the air and the promise of muddy shoes after a wet Bay Area night, the cute rabbits (which you can’t feed), goats, sheep, cows, pigs, geese, ducks, chicken, and turkeys make the drive through Tilden Park’s winding roads and towards Little Farm SO worthwhile.
There is a huge grassy field by the parking lot for picnics with the little ones and a trail to walk through. You might even run into some of the goats (which park employees occasionally take on walks) on your hike!
Admission is FREE and the farm is open every day of the year until sunset, though the Red Barn is locked at 3:30pm daily. No dogs allowed.
If you’re using AT&T, there is no reception in the area so designate a meet-​up spot by the barn or near stroller parking ahead of time if you’re planning an off-​site playdate. or an adventurous date, in which case, I hope it was their idea and not yours? Something about the smell of maneure just doesn’t scream hot passionate anything to me.

An amazing place to take anyone, young or old. The animals are well taken care of, the farm is beautifully maintained, and the area is the bay at it’s best.
Nestled on the Berkeley side of Tilden Park, this little farm is completely free of charge and open every day of the week (not sure about holidays). My little one has become increasingly bolder each time we go and is now feeding the sheep himself… cows will take more time :)
Will be regulars here as long as we live in the east bay. Don’t forget to bring celery and lettuce when you go!

I think Tilden Park is one of my favorite parks, and the Little Farm is one of the reasons why I like Tilden Park so much. The Little Farm is such a nice area for children, families, or people who like animals to come and visit. There are cows, pigs, rabbits, goats, sheep, and various fowl. The area is well maintained. There are signs around the Little Farm with descriptions of the animals and Little Farm rules (e.g., you can only feed the animals lettuce and celery.). There are bathrooms, but I haven’t used them yet. There are sinks with soap outside of the bathroom area, which is nice to use after feeding and petting the animals.
The Little Farm is pretty close to the parking lot. There are picnic benches and a playground area near the parking lot, so you could make a whole little trip out of having picnic, visiting the Little Farm, and hiking on the trails.

This place is a gem! I never even knew such an awesome little farm existed in my very own backyard! Its a great place to bring kids, friends, or a date. And its totally awesome that its completely free! Feeding the animals lettuce or celery is very fun and interactive as well. One thing that I suggest is to go on not a monday, that way you can also enjoy the discovery center that they have next to the farm (it’s closed on mondays).

What a fun time… And for free! My husband and I were babysitting and brought our 2 year old nephew here, he thoroughly enjoying feeding the cows and sheep. The bunnies are cute too!
Just remember to bring plenty of celery and lettuce for feeding.

Unilocal 100 CHALLENGE 2014 ³⁶⁄₁₀₀
It’s been about 13 years since I was last at the little farm. I took my one year old here today and we had a good time! The best thing is that it is free to visit. There were a good number of people here today but it wasn’t overcrowded at all. My son got to see his first real life cow and loved it! I recommend bringing celery and lettuce along so you can feed the animals. There’s plenty of grassy areas for picnics also. This is a great pace for kids of all ages!

Tilden’s Little Farm is conveniently located near the Nature Area and well situated near Tilden’s other main attractions such as the carousel and steam trains. Although not located directly in the same location, they are close enough to include the farm in a well-​rounded and fun family day.
The lot adjacent to the Little Farm has plentiful parking, nearby picnic tables and a small playground. It’s a short walk up to the barn area and animals. This is where the fun begins! Bring celery and lettuce only-​these are the only foods allowed to be fed to the cows, sheep, goats and ducks. Both times I’ve visited here, the cows were super friendly and allowed me to pet their heads even when I ran out of lettuce for them. The goats were a bit pushier and also picky! They only seemed to want at the celery. Most of the sheep were aloof, with only one little pudgy guy approaching the fence for some treats.
Additionally they have some pigs, chickens and bunnies (bunnies are not allowed to be fed, they could get sick, warns one of the signs !) It’s a lot of fun for me as an adult and very soothing to watch, pet and feed the animals. For the children I saw visiting, it seemed to be a joy for them. The kids were down right giddy at the fact they could feed these animals and be so close.
The farm seems well tended by East Bay Regional Park staff. On my last visit, this past 4^th of July, there were also some volunteers on hand to hold some bunnies that you could pet and tell you a bit more about them and the farm in general. This place is a lot of fun for kids of all ages!
Some additional tips:
*There are park maps as well as trailheads nearby if you wanted to add a hike on to your day
*The Nature Area’s visitor center is also right there and worth a stop. It features East Bay ecological information, models, small animal displays and educational information about the area. It also sells some park related gifts in the small gift shop.
*Entrance is free
*Nearby restrooms appear recently renovated and soap and sinks are on hand to wash up after petting the animals
*Open most days, with known exceptions of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
*Check the East Bay Regional Parks Site for Tilden to check for upcoming events at the Farm and Nature Area. When I visited last week there were some workshops and events for kids planned on the holiday weekend.
Enjoy!