Seth A.
Yelp
Ostrichland USA, a quick little roadside attraction located in Solvang, California. It's a farm where guests can feed ostriches and emus! How cool is that! I liked everything about the experience. It's a simple $7 entry fee per person. Then it's $1 per bowl to feed the birds. I purchased $3 worth of food along with taking plenty of time saying hello to these larger than life animals.
I think normally most visitors can stop by and accomplish hanging out and feeding the ostriches in 30 - 45 minutes. I needed 2 full hours, lol. The whole process though is fast and efficient. No frills. No extras. Just, straight to the barn area and start greeting the residents!
There is a gift shop right in the front entrance if interested in purchasing a souvenir. There is no fee for parking. Just $7 per person. What a great and affordable way to spend a portion of the day.
Now, they do provide makeshift "dog bowls" with pebbles inside them and extended handles for you to hold onto while feeding the ostriches and emus. It's sort of like grasping a large sized pan and then extending your arm out whenever you want.
I initially tried using this "dog bowl pan" but found I lost that face-to-face, human to animal interaction I was hoping to discover with the ostriches and emus. No problem...I had an idea.
I grabbed the pebbles out of the bowl and hand fed them. This was 100% a better solution. Most people would say pecking by the ostriches and emus can hurt your hands, but really, it's their natural way of eating.
I thoroughly enjoyed letting them chomp away. It flipped the whole narrative 180 degrees for the better.
And now reflecting back, I'm happy I hand fed them. It also gave me a chance to pet their heads and the back of their necks. I just connected with them on a whole new level.
I'm sure if staff saw me feeding the ostriches out of the palms of my hands, I would have been advised it's against policy, but it was a risk I was willing to take to capture memorable moments. I'm not suggesting to hand feed, but it is possible to not have to use the "dog bowl pan", lol.
The grounds around the farm aren't big. It takes a few minutes to walk around and explore on your own terms. You have different ostriches and emus maintained in their own stables. It's your choice of where you'd like to stop, maybe whomever you make eye contact and form a bond with.
There are water faucets to clean your hands off afterwards. I'd say the farm is surrounded by mostly desert terrain so you sort of feel dirty at the end.
Lastly, after visiting here at the farm, you can venture into downtown Solvang and walk the charming streets known as the "Danish Capital of America".
Overall, for an efficient roadside stop along Highways 101 and 246, Ostrichland is terrific. Getting up close to ostriches and emus is priceless. I cherished my visit.