Day Trip Idea: Lazy 5 Ranch
By TMoM Team Member Rachel Hoeing
The Lazy 5 Ranch is a perfect day trip for you and your children. It is located in Mooresville, NC, so it is less than an hour from Winston and High Point, and about 1 hour 15 minutes from Greensboro.
The Lazy 5 Ranch is an animal drive thru park, where visitors will see over 750 animals from six different continents. You will also see several endangered species. You can drive through the park in your own car or ride in horse drawn wagons. The kids love it! They can reach out to pet animals or feed animals. My kids especially loved feeding the giraffes. Listening to your children giggle when the animals accidentally lick their hands is priceless.
The Lazy 5 Ranch is open all year round and closes one hour before sunset each day. Spring is a great time to go to see new little animal babies including zebras, giraffes, goats and cows. Summer is perfect because school is out and your family can easily spend the day here. There are plenty of picnic areas to use. Autumn is a beautiful time to visit if you enjoy seeing the changing leaves. It’s also a great time to purchase a pumpkin to take home. In the Winter, you can enjoy hot chocolate and a live nativity scene while riding in the horse-drawn covered wagon.
You can also choose to walk around many areas of the ranch. There is a petting area, which is a favorite for the kids. You may also enjoy checking out the black smith shop, horse barn, and of course the gift store. You can easily spend most of the day here by packing a picnic lunch. There is also ice cream available and a few drink machines. There are plenty of picnic areas, plus a play ground.
Hours of the Lazy 5 Ranch are Monday – Friday from 9am until 7pm. Saturdays: 9am – 2pm. Sundays: noon – 2pm. Adults are $11 and children 2-11 are $8. Babies under 1 year old are free. If you decide to use the covered wagon, it is $16 for adults and $11 for kids. I would definitely suggest getting a group together if you want to ride in the wagons. If you have a group of 15 or more people, they offer special group rates. This is a great spot to meet your Charlotte friends, too!
You can also contact the Lazy 5 Ranch to schedule a birthday party! Click here to see the packages available.
Rachel’s Tips:
They do not accept credit or debit cards, so come prepared with cash or check.
Bring your own bottled water, as there are not water fountains around. It gets very hot in the summer season.
They do have hand sanitizer stations, but I’d bring my own. Remember, your kids will be touching the animals!
If you plan to take a wagon ride, call 704.663.5100 to make your reservations.
Arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled time.
If you are taking the wagon ride and have more than one kid with you, remember that they need to be sitting down when the wagon is moving and there are no seat belts. Older kids are usually fine, but toddlers may need an adult to help them stay seated. Keep this in mind and bring another adult along if you think you’ll need help!
Check out the website for more specifics. We hope you have a great time!
See more Day Trip ideas here!
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