Buffalo Ranch and Horseback Riding- Hanover, MI

The Buffalo Ranch- Hanover, MI

Ages- 4 and up

Cost-   Horseback Riding-$5.00 for 5 minute lead around; $20.00 for 1/2 hour; $25.00 for 1 hour; and $45.00 for 2 hours

Buffalo Tour- $35.00 for a wagon ride to feed the buffalo (up to 7 people) $5.00 for each additional person;  $25.00 to take the Bronco to feed the buffalo (up to 4 people)

Check website for other prices

Location- 12770 Rountree Road, Hanover, MI 49241-    Phone- (517)563-8249 Email- cp12770@yahoo.com

Parking- Free On Site

Other attractions nearby- Not much..it is 240 acres in the middle of farm country.

Places to eat nearby- Snacks there..The Cuttyshark (American) and Backwoods Bar and Grill (American)

Why to go there:  Feeding buffalo and riding horses are both awesome.  You also have interesting and colorful wranglers to take you out to the buffalo or help your kids ride horses.  If the kids are 6 or over, they can ride their own horse (Chloe rode an older horse and she was able to do it all on own).  Max and Will

needed help.  I would recommend the 30 minute horseback ride.  We got to go through trails, across a small stream, and even got to gallop.  The kids just beamed about it both then and for the rest of the day.

The buffalo tour comes with an interesting tale of a white buffalo who was born on the premises.  Feeding the buffalo is not for the weak at heart; those dudes are really big. 

They also have zip lining and other things for families to do.

What I really liked was it was like a Michigan safari.  You get in the back of a Bronco and ride out to buffalo.  It is not well paved or overly slick.  You’re going into the woods in Michigan.  The air is fresh; you get to kick it with the animals.  A really refreshing experience.

It is a little expensive.  Basically, you have one or two of their employees with you all of the time, so you 

have to compensate those folks for their time. 

For four people to ride horses and do the buffalo tour, it is about $100.  For a safe and real ride of horses (with the buffalo thrown in), it seemed worth it.

You’ll need snacks, but my kids were so excited they didn’t realize we missed lunch until we were pulling into our hometown.

Be careful:  Eat first.  Call ahead and make reservations, so you won’t have to wait.

Summary:  They all wanted to go back on the weekend, just two days away.  Kids loved it.

Toledo Zoo

Toledo Zoo- https://www.toledozoo.org/

Ages- 4 and up

Cost- Under 2 Years FREE             Children (under 12) $12.00           Adults $15.00

Seniors $12.00                                   ($2 off for Lucas County)

They also have memberships detailed here

Location- 2 Hippo Way, Toledo, OH 43609- (419) 385-4040

Parking- $7 per vehicle
Members must present a Toledo Zoo membership card to receive free parking in the Anthony Wayne Trail lot.
*When the parking lot is at high capacity, a Zoo parking shuttle may be in service to transport visitors to the main entrance.

$15 for RVs, campers, motor coaches or any vehicle that takes up more than one parking space.
* Please note that large vehicles may be asked to park in the rear of the parking lot.

$7 per school bus used for pre-registered field trips

Other attractions nearby- Toledo Mud Hens, Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo Imagination Station (hands-on museum), Fossil Park in Sylvania, Sandpiper Cruise,  and Toledo Firefighters Museum.

Places to eat nearby- Places to eat at the zoo, Mancy’s (steakhouse), Old Spaghetti Warehouse, Scrambler Marie’s (breakfast/lunch), Charlie’s Pizza and Italian, and Sakura (Japanese).

Why to go there: It is a massive zoo that feels bigger than the Detroit Zoo.  It has over 5300 animals representing over 750 species.  The architecture makes it feel like an old city zoo.  There are lots of programs and interactive things to do.  The Lights Before Christmas have been epic since I was a kid.  For me, it is a long drive, but worth it, once I got there.  Oh..and the carousel.

What to do before hand: Their website is very interactive, with a lot of things about which you can chat and think before you go.  The most interesting is the animal cams.  Check out what other things you want to do.

Be careful:  There is a ton of walking.  It is pretty pricey.  It is packed on weekends.  If your kids are little, bring the stroller.

Summary:  If you live south of 94 in Michigan, it is well worth the trip.  If you live further up, once a year (maybe in winter) would be fun.