This Michigan Farm Lets You Feed Zebras And Pick Apples On The Same Afternoon

Feeding a zebra and picking apples in the same afternoon sounds like something I made up. Lewis Adventure Farm and Zoo is exactly that kind of place.

One minute you are standing in an orchard pulling honeycrisps off a branch.

The next you are face to face with a camel who wants the feed cup more than you do. The zoo side has animals I did not expect to find near the Lake Michigan shore, and the farm side has enough to keep a family busy from opening to close.

I lost track of time between the giant jumping pillow and the cider donuts. My only regret is not bringing a bigger bag for the apples.

This is the kind of day trip that sounds improbable on paper and works perfectly in practice. Michigan does farm visits well, and this one goes further than most.

Match Apple Picking To The Clock

Apple picking rewards travelers who study the clock instead of simply following the scent of cider. U-pick usually begins in mid-September and continues through October, with varieties changing as the fruit ripens.

Weekday picking has typically been offered at noon, 2:00, and 4:00, while weekend access generally runs from 10:00 until 45 minutes before closing. Confirm the current crop report, schedule, and ticket details directly with the farm before driving.

Choose firm apples without yanking branches; a gentle lift and twist usually works best. Different weeks may bring Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Jonagold, Jonathan, McIntosh, or Red Delicious.

Picking what is ready tastes better and protects the trees for families arriving after your basket is full and headed home safely.

M-20 Runs Straight Into Farm Country

Lewis Adventure Farm & Zoo is located at 4180 West M-20 in New Era, Michigan, along the state highway west of the village. M-20, also known locally as Stony Lake Road, provides the direct approach to the farm from either direction.

Stay on M-20 as the road leaves New Era and crosses the surrounding farmland. The farm sits directly along the highway, so the final approach stays on the same road all the way to the entrance at the 4100 block.

Turn into the Lewis Adventure Farm & Zoo property and follow the parking signs into the visitor lot. From there, continue on foot toward the main admission and farm entrance.

Give The Farm A Full Day

A quiet glance at the map quickly reveals why a rushed visit feels unfair. More than 50 activities compete with over 100 animals, so families can easily spend several hours moving between exhibits, play zones, food stops, and seasonal attractions.

Arrive near opening when possible, especially during busy fall weekends. Put one must-do animal area and one favorite activity first, then leave open space for surprises instead of marching through a packed checklist.

The farm is at 4180 W M-20 in New Era, about an hour north of Grand Rapids near the West Michigan lakeshore. General entry ends one hour before closing, and some features may stop earlier.

Starting promptly preserves time for one last goat visit without a sprint.

Reserve Special Animal Encounters Early

Sloths have mastered the art of making humans slow down, which is exactly the point of a reserved encounter. Lewis offers upgraded experiences involving selected animals, including sloths, capybaras, kangaroos, lemurs, and Asian small-clawed otters, depending on current availability.

Book before arrival, because these sessions cost extra and can have limited spaces. Read age, clothing, arrival, and safety rules carefully; animal behavior is never guaranteed, and patient observation is part of the experience.

Zookeepers add context that a quick walk-by cannot provide. Ask one thoughtful question, keep movements calm, and let the animal set the pace.

Photos matter, but listening often produces the detail everyone repeats on the ride home. Treat the appointment like a scheduled highlight, not an afterthought.

Use Only Approved Animal Feed

Tiny pellets can turn a normal barnyard stop into a chorus of eager noses. Approved feed may be purchased for many animals in the general petting zoo, including goats, donkeys, alpacas, zebu, miniature horses, fallow deer, and camels.

Keep fingers flat when staff or signs direct hand feeding, and never tease an animal by pulling food away. Younger visitors may feel braver using an allowed feeding method with an adult close beside them.

Goats often steal the scene from grander neighbors, especially along their elevated goatwalks. Secure loose papers, watch small hands, and wash thoroughly after contact.

The exchange is funniest when everyone stays composed: offer a little feed, notice whiskers and manners, then step aside for the next guest.

Pack For The Right Season

Michigan weather changes the farm more dramatically than any painted sign could. The main season typically runs from May through October, but summer and fall deliver very different kinds of fun.

Warm days bring Splash Acres, with water cannons, showers, a tipping bucket, and piggy puddles. Pack swimsuits, towels, sunscreen, and dry clothes in a separate bag so orchard dust does not become suitcase mud.

Fall adds U-pick apples, pumpkins, wagon rides, pig races, a corn maze, and other festival features. Layers beat one bulky coat when mornings start cool and afternoons warm up.

Check the operating calendar before leaving, since flowers, fruit, water play, and harvest events follow crops and conditions. Seasonality is part of the farm’s character, naturally.

Balance Big Energy With Quiet Stops

An apple launched toward a target makes a surprisingly satisfying thump. The apple cannons are among the farm’s best-known action stops, while giant jumping pillows, pedal cart tracks, a barrel train, and a 150-foot slide keep the pace lively.

Set a clear meeting point before older children scatter toward different favorites. Closed-toe shoes provide better control on pedals and climbing areas, and pockets should be emptied before bouncing or sliding.

Not every activity suits every age, height, or weather condition, so read signs and follow staff guidance. I like alternating one energetic attraction with one calm animal stop; the rhythm prevents the afternoon from becoming one long blur.

Save a favorite for later, but not so late that it closes.

Expect Corn In Surprising Places

Corn appears here in two wonderfully different forms: as a maze outside and a soft sea of kernels indoors. The Corny Barn holds about 2,000 bushels of corn, offering a slower sensory break after slides and animal feeding.

The large corn maze is generally included with admission and opens during the fall season, around early to mid-September. Take a phone photo of the maze rules or map before entering, then give children simple jobs such as choosing turns or spotting markers.

Kernels travel into socks with comic efficiency, so check cuffs and shoes before returning to the car. Anyone sensitive to dust may prefer a shorter barn visit.

Both attractions prove that ordinary farm materials can become memorable play.

Save The Farm Market For Later

Butter and cinnamon announce the bakery before the display case comes into view. The market connects the attraction side of Lewis with its roots as a working farm and roadside produce business begun by the Lewis family in the 1970s.

Look for homegrown produce alongside pies, donuts, cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, cookies, specialty breads, and fudge. Apple cinnamon donuts make a practical shareable treat, while fall’s apple cider sundae is a much messier commitment best handled at a table.

Shop after active attractions so baked goods are not carried around all afternoon. Ask what was harvested recently, because the 700-acre farm grows apples, peaches, pears, cherries, asparagus, sweet corn, and other crops.

A cooler in the car helps purchases travel.

Check The Flower Field Before Visiting

Rows of zinnias and sunflowers bring a bright change of pace to a day full of brown hooves and green fields. The U-pick flower area usually opens around August 1, with bloom conditions deciding what visitors can actually cut.

Check current availability before planning portraits or bouquets, since flowers follow weather rather than vacation calendars. Use only the cutting tools and containers allowed by the farm, and choose stems with care instead of stripping one photogenic patch.

The flower house offers another picture setting, but midday sun can create harsh faces and hot children. Earlier light is softer, and water keeps everyone cooperative.

Keep the bouquet shaded afterward, then trim stems at home for a longer farmhouse souvenir display.

Confirm Hours Costs And Rules

A clean exit plan is not glamorous, yet it can rescue the final hour from tears. Lewis is generally open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 to 6:00, and Sunday from 10:00 to 5:00, with later fall Sunday closing sometimes offered.

Verify hours online before every trip, because seasonal dates, weather, and special programming can change access. Admission is required for animal and activity areas, while encounters and certain extras may add separate costs.

Build a budget before arrival and decide which upgrades truly matter to your group. Only certified service animals are permitted, so pets need safe arrangements elsewhere.

Leave time for bathrooms, handwashing, market purchases, and the walk back to parking. Departing calmly feels far better than squeezing everything.