Visiting Fair Oaks Farms with Kids: The Ultimate Family Guide (Indiana Day Trip)
If you’re looking for an easy, fun and educational (bonus!) family getaway in the Midwest, Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana should be at the top of your list. Conveniently located just off I-65 between Chicago and Indianapolis (you’ll know it when you see the HUGE signs and silverware beckoning you from the side of the road), this working farm turned interactive destination offers a full day (or two) of hands-on learning, play, and surprisingly great food.
We recently visited as a family of 5 with young kids. Here’s everything you need to know before you go, including logistics, a step-by-step itinerary, and our best tips for making the most of your trip.
Quick Overview of Fair Oaks Farms
📍 Location: 856 N 600 E, Fair Oaks, Indiana (about 1.5 hours southeast of Chicago)
⏰ Hours:
Mon–Sat: 9am–5pm
Sun: 10am–5pm
🎟️ Tickets: ~$25 per person for one-day admission; $42 per person for two days (kids 2 and under are free)
🕒 Recommended visit length: 1 full day (or 2 days if you want to see everything in more detail)
Fair Oaks Farms is a real working farm, plus an interactive museum experience with two “adventure” tours and several additional attractions:
Dairy Adventure Tour- This is an optional 75-minute tour included in the general admission that allowed us to check out a working dairy farm with over 35,000 dairy cows! We got shuttled around the farm and saw how cows are fed, housed and cared for. Our favorite part of this tour was when we stopped to see how cows are milked at both a rotary milking parlor and a robotic milking parlor. The automation really blew us away!
Dairy Adventure Museum- While we waited for our Dairy Adventure tour, we explored the 15,000 square feet interactive museum dedicated to dairy farming. Not only can adults and older kids learn about milk production and sustainable farming practices, but smaller kids can get interactive with some engaging exhibits. Our kids particularly enjoyed an exhibit where they could try to hook up milking equipment on a cow.
Pig Adventure Tour - This is the other optional tour included in the general admission, but lasted 90 minutes and allowed us to visit a breed-to-wean pig farm. What we liked most about this tour was that we literally got to see all ages and stages of pig farming, from the birth of piglets through growing, breeding and gestation, and farrowing.
Pork Adventure Museum- This building housed so many fun things, from a museum where we could learn about pork’s role in history, culture and medicine to an indoor playhouse and a three-story ropes course for kids and adults.
Crop Adventure Museum- This museum was different than the others, but really rounded out the experience because it helped us learn more broadly about agricultural innovations and the importance of farming in feeding the world’s growing population of over 8 billion people. We learned about soil and what makes crops healthy, how crop production impacts global economies and how technology and innovation ensures sustainable farming. There were also some fun kid-focused exhibits, such as getting jumbo corn kernels into a silo and another area where you felt like a bug underground.
Birthing Barn- If you weren’t already thinking Fair Oaks Farms sounded like a super cool place, there is one more thing that adds to the excitement- the birthing barn. This is just what it sounds like- a place where you can literally witness live calf births. Unfortunately, there were no births in progress when we were in this part of the farm, BUT we were able to visit the nursery to see about 5 babies born the day of our visit. Cuteness explosion!
Mooville and the Orchard- seasonal attractions that are definitely worth a visit if you’re at the farm during the right time of year.
🗓️ When to visit
We visited in June, which featured perfect weather and the ability for our kids to enjoy Mooville, an outdoor play area. Note: Mooville is a seasonal attraction (open from Memorial Day through Labor Day and then Saturday and Sunday through October). It is included in purchased adventure tickets, but can also be bought separately if you’re not interested in going on the tours. My kids loved taking a ride on the Milk Chug Express Train, jumping on the Dairy Air giant jumping pillow and pedaling on little John Deere tractors. There’s also a 22-foot tall, milk carton- themed climbing wall, but my kids didn’t meet the weight limit (40 lbs minimum) at the time of our visit (wah, wah).
With all the tours, museums and other attractions, there really is so muchto do here. My recommendation is to arrive right when the farm opens so you can fit everything in that you want to do. Arriving at farm opening also allowed us to have options for tour times and determine how we wanted to structure our day instead of being forced into taking available time slots.
As with any popular destination, though, you can likely avoid higher crowd numbers by visiting during weekdays and shoulder seasons (hint: the farm offers trips to the orchard and pumpkin patch in the fall, which sounds SO FUN!).
A Step-by-Step Family Itinerary
We spent one full day at Fair Oaks Farms. Here’s how we structured our day—and it worked perfectly.
🐄 9:00 AM – Dairy Adventure
Kick off your day here to beat the crowds.
What to expect:
Small bus tour, allowing you to see cows up close
Rotary milking parlor and robotic milking systems
Hands-on activities in the Dairy Adventure Museum like “milking” a model cow
⏱️ Time needed: ~2 - 3 hours
🌽 11:30 AM – Crop Adventure
This museum might not sound the most exciting, but don’t skip it!
What kids learn:
How crops are grown
Technology behind farming
Sustainability and feeding the world
What makes soil healthy and how crops are turned into things like textiles and money
How pollination works (in the nearby pollinator garden)
⏱️ Time needed: ~1- 1.5 hours
🍽️ 1:00 PM – Lunch Break
If you’re not starving by now, you will be soon! You’ve earned a break and the good news is that there are a few different restaurant choices on-site with surprisingly delicious eats!
Farmhouse Restaurant- offers a fast casual lunch and turns into a full-service restaurant at 4 pm. There’s also a brunch on Sundays!
Cowfé - located right next to the Farmhouse Restaurant and offers quicker bites like soups and sandwiches. This is where we went and had a the most delectable grilled cheese sandwiches that our kids devoured!
Red Barn Milk Bar - this is where you go if you want any other treat from the farm, including ice cream, cheese (we are in the midwest, after all!) or other souvenirs.
🐖 2:00 PM – Pig Adventure
After you’re fueled up, head over to the Pig Adventure.
Highlights:
Learn how pigs are raised through all stages of life (in a kid-friendly, educational way)
Indoor exhibits that allow you to see from up high (great if weather isn’t ideal)
Optional ropes course for older kids with an extra fee of $8 per person. In addition, our younger two kiddos were not tall enough, but thankfully, there is a little pig-themed play area right next to the ropes course that kept them occupied, so they didn’t miss out when our oldest was on it.
⏱️ Time needed: ~2 - 3 hours
🛝 🍦 4:30 PM – Outdoor Play at Mooville (seasonal) & Wind Down
If you’re visiting in summer or early fall, Mooville is a highlight for kids. Take a trip on the little train or let them play on the climbing structures, jump pillow and pedal tractors.
Make sure to leave time to get an ice cream or visit the gift shop on the way out!
⏱️ Time needed: ~60 minutes (or longer if your kids are like mine 😅)
🎒 What to Pack
Much of the experience is indoors in a museum or shuttle bus, but you’ll still want to be prepared. Bring:
Comfortable clothing and walking shoes (you’ll walk (and play!) A LOT)
Sun protection
Snacks. All the snacks.
Water bottles
Stroller or wagon for younger kids (the farm is accessible)
💡 Pro Tips from Our Visit
1. Note that the farm’s hours are on central time, not eastern.
2. Plan to visit for a full day (minimum) as each major attraction takes anywhere from 1-3 hours each depending on your pace.
3. Many things are self-guided, which is great for families with different ages and folks who like to read all the signage, but make sure to keep your tour times in mind so you don’t miss them. Also make sure to factor in time to walk from one attraction to another.
3. Don’t expect a petting zoo. This is a “biosecure” farm, so there’s no direct contact with animals, which I actually really appreciated. This keeps the animals safe, while also giving visitors the chance to observe the animals without constantly going to hand sanitizer or hand washing stations.
4. The farm is stroller-friendly, with most areas being accessible and easy to navigate, so you don’t have to choose what to bring with you and what to leave in the car.
5. Parking is free, which is especially nice since the farm itself isn’t exactly the cheapest place to visit.
Is Fair Oaks Farms Worth It for Families?
Short answer: Yes, absolutely!
What makes it unique:
Combines education + entertainment seamlessly
A full-day experience, so your dollar goes a long way
Clean, well-organized, and thoughtfully designed
Offers interesting things for all ages to see and do
Many families (ours included) spend 5–7 hours here without getting bored. And, personally, we easily could have stayed longer.
Optional: Make It a Weekend Trip
If you want a slower pace, you could spread your visit out over two days:
Stay overnight nearby or on-site at the barn- themed Farmhouse Hotel, a Marriott property
Spread activities out. For example, you could do the Dairy Adventure Tour and it’s corresponding museum along with the birthing barn the first day, followed by the Pork and Crop adventures on day 2, OR
Add seasonal activities like a visit to the orchard or pumpkin patch (late August- early November) or other holiday events throughout the year
Final Thoughts
Fair Oaks Farms surprised us in the best way. It’s not just a farm, and it’s not just a museum. It’s one of those rare places where kids and adults alike can all have fun and learn a little something along the way.
If you’re road-tripping through the Midwest or looking for a unique family day trip from Chicago, this is absolutely worth adding to your list.