Retreat Farm

The farm itself has an amazing store with tons of local farm food available. Cheeses and chips and all kinds of other great things! The store was clean, will maintained, and the staff was extremely helpful. There is also an area with working animals that I did not have time to see on this trip. There are also a fair amount of hiking trails behind the farm, including one that goes up a large ski lift! If you're looking for way off the grid, super backcountry hiking... This isn't that. Which is perfectly fine because sometimes I just want to go on a nice hike with my dog and feel comfortable being away from people, crowds, roads... Without having to spend the majority of the day driving to and from the trailhead 🙂 There are several well-maintained trails that are well marked throughout the hiking area. The ski lift has a set of maintained stairs that you can climb, or you can work your way uphill throughout the trails and come out of the top. The trails were very wide, and good for groups and families. We went on a Saturday in summer and only saw two other family groups of four, but were never actually near them. Highly recommended, and definitely plan to take my lab Leia hiking there again next year!

Nice place with plenty of parking. It appears to be wheelchair accessible and has a few bathrooms. There are plenty of games outside for the kids and adults to play like connect for and cornhole. The whole farm is pretty clean and actually really nice. The store was really nice and modern and cold inside for a hot summer day. It was 90°. There are tables outside and it look like people were doing picnics out there in the shade, the store had everything from local Vermont beers to cheese tasting. Everything was reasonable priced. It’s about a 2 Hour Dr. from Boston. We didn’t really see much animals. I saw two donkeys and there were goats in a pen in father back on the property. You can’t really get near them because there’s an electric fence around them. there are hiking trails and there are maps to look at all the trails. The area in the middle between the farms was nice and the grass was long and there was a stage I assume there is more activities during the week and it looks like they also host weddings. If you’re looking for a petting zoo, this wasn’t really yet but if you’re looking for a nice place to relax and enjoy a farm check out this cool nonprofit. Oh yeah and if you can drive around the back of the property, they have one of those ski launch things you know where someone on skis goes flying through the air like 500 feet and lands at the bottom perfectly. I believe it’s called a ski jump super cool.

Wonderful place! We only visited the store which was filled with local foodstuffs such as unique cheese varieties. Definitely a nice place to spend a couple of hours.

Even though online it says they're open, when we arrived, there was a sign on the Farm Market door that said they were closed today. Pretty disappointing, I shoukd have called i guess to verify, but still. My daughter enjoyed the obstacle balance course in the forest playground, but was disappointed that all the shovels and utensils for the mud kitchen were nowhere to be found. The storybook trail was cute, and it kept her going. Only bathrooms here are 2 port-a-potties when the market is closed.

When we first moved to Brattleboro back in 2023, the Retreat Farm was one of the first places we visited. Not only is the mission of nonprofit phenomenal, the organization hosts events that bring community together and folks closer to nature. We have spent hours attending community events, hiking trails, and just all around enjoying what Retreat Farm has to offer. When deciding on our wedding venue a year later, the Retreat Farm was one of our top choices. At the time, the North Barn was being renovated and had not yet been finished, but even then we saw the vision. I also think it is important to mention, as a queer couple, we received nothing but respect throughout the entire process. From the beginning, everyone we worked with from signing the contracts to planning the actual wedding, we received enthusiasm for our less than traditional wedding (Gothic Victorian/Halloween themed). Retreat Farm from the beginning was exceptional! I cannot reiterate enough how kind everyone was to work with. Working with Samantha as the venue coordinator was a breeze. She was accommodating, fun, and well organized. She answered every question, no matter how little. Planning a wedding is no easy task, but every step of the way, Samantha and the Retreat Farm staff were there. Franklin and the staff day of were also all so accommodating and there to help address any last minute hiccup! Everyone was also so fun and inviting to all of our guests dressed up in their costumes. We had an outdoor ceremony on Outlook Meadow and I know the work that would've gone into hauling the arbor, chairs, and sound system up that hill, but they did what they could to make our day PERFECT! We had our reception in the North Barn and even with spending time in the space before, I could not have imagined how perfect it was with all of our decor! The wood beams, tables, and lights balanced perfectly with our elegant Victorian and silly Halloween decor! No matter what style wedding you're looking for, the Retreat Farm will help you make it happen in the most beautiful spaces!

We recently hosted my daughter’s baby shower at The Retreat's newly renovated North Barn facility, and I can confidently say it exceeded all our expectations! The venue is absolutely stunning and provided the perfect backdrop for our celebration. It is beautifully designed, handicap accessible, and impeccably clean, making it welcoming for all our guests. One of the standout features was the spacious kitchen area, for our caterer to work in. Everything flowed seamlessly, allowing us to focus on enjoying the day. The bartenders were also fantastic—friendly, attentive, and eager to help, adding to the overall positive experience. Samantha, the venue coordinator, was so easy to work with. Her meticulous attention to detail made confirming everything a breeze, and she was incredibly responsive ensuring everything was just right. We hosted around 40 people, and the space allowed us to decorate tastefully and comfortably, enhancing the joyous atmosphere. I highly recommend The Retreat for any small gathering or even larger events like weddings—it's an amazing venue that caters to every need! Thank you, The Retreat, for helping us create such a memorable day! - EG

Really nice place to take a short hike they’ve got a few trails above the farm. Dogs are in allowed near the farm animals but that’s OK watch out for the electric fences. There’s some other trails on Cedar Street that lead up to a tower that was built by the retreat people, 100 years ago. Also, there’s a ski jump that is operational. I believe you can walk up the stairs, most of the way good place to just look at the marina as well.

Located at the state of Route 39 in Brattleboro the Retreat farm has been in operation since 1837! It originally was used to provide food for patients and employees of the Brattleboro Retreat asylum. The Retreat farm has gone through many transitions formerly part petting zoo and home to Grafton Village Cheese. The Retreat farm now offers a brand new event venue for private functions, work parties, weddings etc. The Retreat farm also hosts the Food truck Round up throughout the summer on thursday nights. If you are in the Brattleboro area during the summer be sure to swing down grab some amazing food from local vendors and listen to some live music. See you there!

We have visited retreat farm quite a few times. My kids love seeing the animals. Carlos is the main attraction for us. He's the big one with the horns. You can feed him if he's in the mood. There are pigs and goats and a number of other farm animals to watch and interact with. They have a bunch of other things Last time we spent some time petting the big pigs with long brushes. The kids loved it. We live in Connecticut and every time we drive through or visit Brattleboro we will be stopping again. In the mean time my three year old will get his Carlos fix checking out their Instagram page.

We stumbled across this little gem during one of our (frequent!) visits to neighboring Grafton Village Cheese Co. If you have kids in tow or are looking to extend your visit in the area, it's definitely worth the short trek up the hill to the Retreat Farm to check out the animals that are out. It's free and open to the public, open dusk to dawn.

I loved this place and my daughter spent an hour playing in their wilderness playground (we were particularly fond of the Mud Kitchen & hauled water from the stream to play ) After some play and exploration we ate gelato in the shade. The staff was extremely helpful & id encourage visitors to the area to check it out.

Our family visited during the time of Covid and despite that we had an incredible time so I can only imagine how much better a visit would have been pre-covid. You can still see the animals from a distance and you're able to walk/hike the trails provided you have face covering. My family and I did the piggery loop trail, but then my brother and I went further up and did the 0.8 loop. I'm a Florida girl so being up on the mountain had my ears popping but our time there is definitely one that I won't soon forget. I definitely recommend coming here in the Fall when the leaves are changing colors, it was absolutely breath taking.

Just love the farm and animals ! Thanks for the nice lady guiding us today , never know bulls like bagels

We had a great afternoon at Retreat Farm during their puppets in paradise event. The farm had over a dozen puppet performances and opportunities to pet and feed the farm animals. The creemee stand, gorgeous grounds and view of the lake made this experience even more special, definitely worth checking out'

This review is for the Thursday Food truck / live music event. Really fun . Bring the family/ close friends and neighbors ! A perfect night with live music, food trucks , lawn games , animals & maple creamie with rainbow sprinkles!!!!! We spotted food trucks serving Jamaican jerk chicken, Tacos, Thai fried noodles & chicken skewers , Indian Dosai, Asian Dumplings etc etc The food was at best 3 stars but the whole atmosphere deserved an extra star .

If you happen to find yourself visiting or passing through the quaint, quiet town of Brattleboro and either have children in tow or are an animal lover, don't miss a chance to stop here! The animals are gorgeous, well kept and insanely well adapted to people! They have HUGE cattle, possibly the largest I've ever seen! Goats, chickens, sheep, llama and alpaca and Highland Scottish cattle which I had never seen in person until I visited here! They are STUNNING animals! It's a smaller, picture perfect farm. It won't take you long to 'do' it all, but if you're like me and feel like you're an "animal whisperer", you could spend a real good while here! Entrance fee is reasonable but call or check the website as they do close down to the public in the colder months. Check out the Brattleboro Retreat Tower just up the road after a visit here!

I haven't been here in a few years, so when I walked into the original barn, I was redirected to the newer barns in the back where the animals are now held. I also arrived at 3:40pm not knowing that they closed at 4:00pm (I didn't look it up on Yelp first). When we arrived, the nice lady in the gift shop told us that they don't charge after 3:30pm because our time is limited, but so are the animals out for petting. We were treated to a pair of donkeys, a troth of baby chicks, three little pigs, some bunnies that were secluded due to bad behavior, and two cows who love to eat hay. All of the animals were friendly and active, and the kids had a blast in our short time there. In addition to the animals, there is a very nice wooden tractor out front for the kids to play and climb on.

We took my 4 year old niece here and she really enjoyed it. My wife and I liked it a lot as well. There's a lot to see and it's a very hands on experience. My niece was a little intimidated at first, but after petting some some of the smaller animals, she became more comfortable around the bigger ones. Most of the animals are in the main barn. Outside, they have a number of goats. You can feed most of the animals with the hay they have near the stalls. The staff was helpful in talking about the animals and showing you the best way to feed them. Around 11AM, they brought some of the smaller goats in the barn and let them walk around. This is q great place to visit. The Grafton store is next door, Retreat Pond is across Rt 30 and the Harris Hill ski jump is just up the road. I noticed they had a few food trucks parked in the lot next to the barn, but we didn't have a chance to sample their offerings.

Retreat Farm is a place that I visit every time I am in Brattleboro. Excellence and quality are evident throughout the property from the friendly well cared for animals to the lovely gift shop and very clean bathrooms. The staff are friendly and helpful allowing you to visit at your own pace. Children will love the baby animals and Carlos the ox. I highly recommend the goat yoga class. The instructor was outstanding and the goats were pretty great too!  It was a perfectly balanced class that blended mindfulness with nature.

Such a great community resource for kids and adults alike. It is amazing to see the outpouring of support from the community as well as visitors. The weekly Food Truck Roundup is a must.

We tried the goat yoga class at this farm and were not disappointed! The goats were with the class the entire time, munching on corn that was scattered about. The yoga class was taught by a very knowledgeable instructor. At the end, we had a chance to let the goats and take pictures with them. Very cute and fun experience!

We love the Retreat Farm. It is a wonderful place to slow down for a bit, pet some pigs and goats, go for a hike.....and give a hug to the largest bovine.... Carlos! The thursday night food truck nights are wonderful Family friendly...and adult friendly. We are actually headed to the farm right now :-)

Been there a few years ago with the grand kids.They loved it. It was sooo nice. I decided to take them there this year. Wow, how things change. Still nice and clean, but very small with only a portion of animals compared to last time. They say they are rebuilding. A little expensive for what you get, which is not much. Better wait and pass till they get up to speed. Adams Farm in Wilmington is 10 times better and worth the trip.If you have kids, they will totally love that place. Off Rt. 100.

The perfect road stop. A good size farm where kids can feed and pet all the animals. Pick up chiks, give a bottle to kids, scratch a piglets back, pet rabbits, horses, donkeys, lambs, goat... And the biggles bull you have ever seen! Clean, with lots of hand washing station and a playground too. Reasonably priced. Clean bathrooms

My daughter has always had a blast there! And they have been adding so much for children her age I feel like they truly are putting in work just for our children! Also the staff are amazing, super nice and all great with the kids. They let all children see the animals and help the kids when they don't know what animal is what.

My wife really wanted to see some animals on our recent trip to Vermont, so we decided to stop by the Retreat Farm. Unlike a petting zoo where the animals stand in depressing little cages, this is actually more like a farm. Inside the big red barn you can see horses, cows, pigs, chickens and baby chicks, rabbits, etc. The place really isn't that big and you can see all of the animals in about an hour or so.

Fun visit with our seven-year-old. Tremendous staff - and the animals were gentle. Nice little gift shop. Well located near two food trucks and a cheese store.

New is not always better. I used to love bringing kids here. They had tons of animals and a very large play area. We loved gathering quarters to feed the animals grain, and snuggling with the baby chicks. We looked forward to seeing all the animals which we new by name. We went a few times each summer. When I heard that it had new owners who fired all the old staff I should have been skeptical. I brought two kids ages 6 and 8 plus a 3m baby. It cost us just shy of $20 to go in. Why it was so expensive I have no idea. I also felt like adults should be free as they do nothing but watch their kids. The entire time I was there I never saw an adult feed an animal. Where are the animals you say? I have no idea. You walk into this new gift shop, and pas through a door with a new barn feel and no animals. You can feed anything hay but only sheep the grain. Though every animal had hay so they ignore you, unlike the old barn where everything could get grain and they loved it so they would come up to you. New bar= 5 sheep, 10 chicks, 2 older calves, 5 goats, 3 pigs, 2 mink donkeys and 2 bunnies in small cages. Oh and Carlos the bull is outside in a pen by himself and if you want to see him you have to ask. Old Barn= 2 Emus, 2 llamas, either 2/3 lambs or baby goats inside, tons of goats outside that you could go in with, a mini horse and regular horse, calves, a sow with piglets, a room full of chicks, and a room full of chickens. So its a petting farm with no animals. They have a new play area but it is half the size of the old area and aimed at very young kids with a sandbox, train play, and puppet corner. The 8 year old I brought was very bored and both kids missed the old petting farm. I have a feeling the staff gets questions about the old animals all the time because when I inquired about a few of them I got a very rude, "no we no longer have them," and they walked away. Will need to find a new petting farm to visit in the future. So disappointed.

I have a toddler and this place is great. My kid enjoyed the place quite a bit. About a dozen or so different animals. Also a nice play area in the back with rabbits and chickens. I plan on going here often. I think it's $5 for adults. Worth it.