Our favorite St. Louis farm is ready for visitors!! This year they’re offering a special “sneak peek” of the Clydesdale Stables during spring break.
Last year the staff put the FARM back in Grant’s Farm, with more cows, more chickens, more turtles…wait, are turtles even farm animals?? They added a special barn for the parakeets, a new dairy cow exhibit and upgraded the Bauernhof.
Grant’s Farm is Now Cashless
Grant’s Farm is now plastic only! The move is to speed up lines so customers can just swipe when they make a purchase. (I’m checking to see if they’re still doing cash for animal feed.)
Spring Break Sneak Peek
Starting March 12 and running to April 24, Grant’s Farm will be open PARTIALLY open on weekends, plus the week of March 20-26 when many school kids are on Spring Break.
They are only opening up the Clydesdale Stables and paddock area, which includes a gift shop and snack area in the big barn.
As always, you only pay to park to visit Grant’s Farm. Parking is only $5 this spring — but only the horse barn area is open to the public.
There are TWO special tour packages you can buy during this special Spring access — a horse encounter and a VIP tour.
Clydesdale Close-Up
A 75 minute guided tour of the stables, plus a chance to pet, feed and get a photo with a Clydesdale. Recommended for people over 7. Tickets are $25 and everyone on the tour must have a ticket.
Private Behind-the-Scenes Tour
This special two hour tour is for a group of up to 12 people. You’ll ride in one of their safari vans and make 3 stops. New for 2022, the group will walk the grounds outside the Busch family estate home and learn the history behind the historic mansion, built in 1910 by August A. Busch. Then visit inside Grant’s Cabin, built by Ulysses S. Grant. Finally, you’ll get to drive through the Deer Park and hand-feed a variety of animals from the vehicle.
(Book a Tour & Parking Spot Here)
Do I have to Wear a Mask at Grant’s Farm in 2022?
Grant’s Farm is following St. Louis County guidance on masks and safety. Currently there is no mask mandate in St. Louis County.
RSVP Required to Visit
Admission is still free and parking is still $15 per car. BUT it looks like Grant’s Farm is still requiring visitors to reserve a time slot to visit. You can stay as long as you like once inside the park.
Grant’s Farm is the perfect place for a weekend family outing. The kids get to feed goats, lamas and parakeets, maybe ride a camel and eat lots of ice cream. Mom and dad get few free beers. What’s not to love?
So What is Grant’s Farm?
What do you get when you combine a small zoo, a historic place and a bit of corporate good citizenship? Well, if you’re in St. Louis…you’ve got Grant’s Farm! This is one of our favorite places to visit with the kids and I’m sure it will be yours too!
I have to admit, Grant’s Farm is an unusual tourist attraction! It’s basically a mini zoo run by Anheuser-Busch as a gesture of corporate goodwill. The farm is named after President Ulysses S. Grant, who’s family once owned the property.
In 1903 the land was acquired by the Busch family, who thought it would be a lovely retreat from their city home. Eventually Busch built a mansion, a German style barn and a deer park. In the 19th century it was trendy for the wealthy to play at being farmers–it’s pretty interesting stuff if you dig into it. I’m thinking he had some of the most pampered cows in town.
So how did this playground of the rich and famous become a beloved public attraction? In the 1950’s Anheuser-Busch was headed up by Gussie Busch, a real “man of the people.” He owned the St. Louis Cardinals, he built the first Busch Stadium and he was one heck of a promoter. He knew how much his friends loved visiting his animal collection, so he decided to open it to the public.
Grant’s Farm been open to the public for 67 years as of 2021. It’s changed a lot, but mostly for the better.
History Lesson Over…Let’s get back to Grant’s Farm today!
— Here’s my Tips for the Best Visit EVER! —
Wear comfy walking shoes, a hat and sunblock
(File this under “duh.”) The park 280 acres! There’s lots of shade trees and a tram to take you through the deer park pastures, but there’s still a good bit of walking.
And remember the Clydesdale’s barn is in the back of the parking lot. You’ll want to see them too!
Admission is FREE. Parking is not.
Parking is $15 a car. Right now we need to RSVP on line to reserve your time to visit. But once you in, you’re in! I’ve seen plenty of out-of-towners looking for a ticket booth that doesn’t exists.
You will need to pay for some of the extras like the carousel, camel rides and animal food.
If it’s a nice summer day, go a little later.*
*Currently — in 2022 — we need to RSVP for a timed ticket. This should eliminate long lines to get into the park on a nice day.
Grant’s Farm is busiest on summer weekends when the tourists are in town. We’ve noticed top crowds when you come early–but remember, the Farm stays open about 90 minutes AFTER the gate closes, so an afternoon visit could mean a shorter line to get in and fewer people in the beer garden.
Or plan a Late Friday Evening Visit!
Friday Nights at the Farm are back! Every Friday night the farm is until 10pm! Gates close at 8:30pm.
Every Friday night there will be live music in the beer garden and fun food & beer pairing for the grownups.
Please, leave your Giant Stroller or Wagon at Home!
You’ll need to ride a tram to get into the park–all strollers have to be folded up and stored in the first car. If they can’t fold it, it’s not going.
They do rent strollers once you get to the Tier Garten, but the walk part of the park really isn’t that big. If you can do without your giant SUV style stroller, you’ll be a happy camper. And so will the rest of us waiting in line behind you as you unpack your stroller to fold it up.
No Outside Food!
If your in serious need of a picnic, visit nearby Whitecliff Park. Otherwise, just grab a bite to eat at the Farm. After all, Grant’s Farm offers two free adult beverages to everyone over 21, so it balances out whatever you’re buying for the kids.
Conquer the Bauernhof!
Lunch crowds can be big at the main beer garden, so it’s better when you have at least two adults in your group. Have one stake out a table with the kids while the other tracks down snacks/lunch/daddy’s free beer.
Or hit Tier Garden Treats for lunch
If the Brat Haus line at the main beer garden looks too long, remember that you can get brats, pizza, hot dogs and ice cream at the food stand next to the amphitheater. This area is rarely crowded…probably because there’s no free beer here.
They ONLY take plastic!
For the longest time the Brat Haus and Tier Garden Treats only took cash. They’ve gotten all modern now, so leave your cash in your pocket. They’re hoping that keeping purchases down to a swipe of the card will speed up lines. (I told you, I’ve been going here a loooooooong time.)
Feed the Animals!
Grant’s Farm can be a pretty cheap outing, but don’t miss the chance to feed some adorable animals!
(Note: I haven’t received updated 2022 info on how we’re feeding all the cute animals yet. Hopefully prices will stay the same.)
You can feed camels, lamas, sheep & mini cattle–feed them for 50 cents and they’ll love you forever.
Take a spin on the carousel for $3–adults are free if you need to help a smaller child.
Feed the Parakeets for $3.
Camel rides are $10. You can grab your own photo, or let the pros do it for $5.
Want a photo with a Clydesdale? That’s $10–and they’ll let you pet him too.
Yes, there’s Free Beer.
Look for the Hospitality Bar in the Beer Garden for your 2 samples of free Anheuser Busch products. Everyone needs to step up and get their own beer, and they do check IDs if you look young. No, they won’t let you get a beer for your wife, husband or grandma who’s watching eight kids.
You’re only getting two samples at the hospitality bar. Really.
You might think with all of those people stopping by for a free beer that maybe the bartenders give out an occasional extra. Nope. I’ve seen these folks in action and they remember. Every. Visitor. They often hand you a second beer with a cheery, “see you next week!”
Do you want in free? Ride your bike.
Bike racks are located right off Grant’s Trail, an eight mile paved path that runs from Kirkwood to Lemay. The closest trail heads are at Applebee’s on Watson and next to Norrenbern’s Lumber on Tesshire Road. You’ll save some cash and burn some calories, it’s a win-win.
See the rest of General Grant’s estate at the National Historic Site next door.
Don’t even think about parking there and walking to Grant’s Farm, the Park Rangers patrol their parking lot looking for cheapskates. The Historical site has a museum and offer tours of White Haven, Julia Grant’s family homestead. Grant’s Farm, on the other hand has no problem if you leave your car in their lot at walk to the National Park. Look for the steps to Grant’s Trail over by the front gate, it’s just a few hundred feet between Grant’s Farm and the historical site.
This is part of our Summer Bucket List!
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