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5178 Japatul Spur Alpine, CA 91901 | (619) 320-4942|info@childrensnatureretreat.org
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Event Calendarfotex2017-10-15T18:03:18-07:00

Title

Location

The Children’s Nature Retreat is located on 20-acres
about a 40 minutes east of San Diego.

Hours of Operation: 10am - 5pm
We are open to the public 7 days a week.
Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Google Rating
4.9
Based on 222 reviews
Children's Nature Retreat Foundation
Children's Nature Retreat Foundation
4.9
Roxana V
Roxana V
06:24 30 Mar 23
P Guevara (Pguevara)
P Guevara (Pguevara)
00:25 28 Mar 23
L2 Design
L2 Design
19:13 25 Mar 23
GOTTA GO SEE MY CALYPSO AND THE VERY SNOBBY FRESIANS HAHA!!!!! SPRING IS HERE°!!!
Steven Galloway
Steven Galloway
21:01 19 Mar 23
Awesome experience, lots of animals, very active and got to feed most of them.
Dona Bruening
Dona Bruening
20:24 19 Mar 23
Such a cute animal sanctuary! Super happy we were able to support this non profit and hopefully help them a little to stay afloat. ❤️ Loved the added ability to feed all the animals
Colin Dowd
Colin Dowd
20:47 05 Mar 23
Michael Anderz
Michael Anderz
18:04 01 Mar 23
Such a great experience. Well maintained place, very cute and worth it! Definitely going again and recommend for ANYONE!!!!!
Tony CHANNEL
Tony CHANNEL
01:23 26 Feb 23
I love nature spiece
Aiden Clark
Aiden Clark
23:46 24 Feb 23
Fun place
Mrs. Amy Regardie
Mrs. Amy Regardie
03:05 24 Feb 23
We had such a wonderful time at the San Diego Animal Sanctuary and Farm! This was our second visit, and we wish we lived closer so we could go more often. My 11-year-old daughter did the "Be a Keeper for a Day" experience, and it was just perfect. Everyone was so kind and friendly, and it is such a beautiful place to spend a day. The animals are so well-cared for and loved. It truly is a "sanctuary" for animals and for people!
Daniel Santillan
Daniel Santillan
14:05 23 Feb 23
There have an amazing zoo set up for the kids super sweet and they sell eggs
Mario
Mario
02:13 03 Feb 23
Phenomenal place!!!
Rebecca Powell
Rebecca Powell
05:00 29 Jan 23
My husband and I had an absolutely wonderful time. We saw an ad on Facebook and drove out to see some animals and we’ll probably keep going back because we love animals. Didn’t realize there was the different packages so we’ll probably try and do more with our favorites. The staff were friendly, loved the animals, had the best time feeding everyone, Pearl was a favorite of mine. We paid $38 each for an adult day pass and then $5 for individual buckets of hay (an absolute steal).
Ryan Kang
Ryan Kang
16:17 25 Jan 23
Great customer service. Great place for a family walk.
Jaime Sherpa
Jaime Sherpa
21:50 13 Jan 23
The best zoo experience I've had in a long time! I've visited twice now and it's just a whole wonderful and peaceful experience. Purchasing the hay buckets are absolutely worth it! Great for couples, family, or even solo trips!
Dan HB
Dan HB
18:31 28 Dec 22
Best place in SD to spend the day around animals, I feel in love with smoky the cat and all the cats there, will definitely be back
Milton Leal
Milton Leal
23:58 09 Dec 22
Pretty relax place. Nice people.
Chelsie Runyan
Chelsie Runyan
21:46 08 Dec 22
Great place to go take your little animal lover! Everyone is super nice and it's nice and peaceful out there.
Charlene Patterson
Charlene Patterson
22:25 29 Nov 22
My 2 granddaughters (3&6), son and I had the best time ever walking around and feeding the animals. Just note that one bucket of hay is NOT enough!!
Gail Daniels
Gail Daniels
03:01 24 Nov 22
Ben M. Pugh
Ben M. Pugh
10:21 12 Nov 22
We go here on the weekends. The whole family loves it. We rent one of the wagons to pull our buckets of greens for the animals (and our toddler). We bring a picnic to eat at the picnic area next to the zebras. It's a great way to interact with the animals, and to teach kids how to care for and respect them. Plus it's just a beautiful area for a walk.
Kelsey Nelson
Kelsey Nelson
21:16 23 Oct 22
What a fun little place! I’d much rather take my kids here to experience animal life than the zoo. The animals all seem really happy to be here and excited when the saw my kids with their buckets of hay.They also have these adorable little kittens that followed us around the whole property and we’re sweet as can be!We had so much fun and everyone was super friendly and helpful.As for the price- It’s completely reasonable due to the expense of running this place.
haneen magadlh
haneen magadlh
18:18 20 Oct 22
Ethan McGregor
Ethan McGregor
17:15 08 Oct 22
Fantastic experience. The staff were extremely friendly and welcoming, you can tell the animals are loved and well taken care of. I will definitely be coming back here to support the good cause of this foundation.
Elif Oranlı
Elif Oranlı
01:51 22 Sep 22
It was amazing experience for us, we wanna go again. Thank you so much for rescue these animal friends ❤️ Love from Turkey
Josephine Gagnon
Josephine Gagnon
12:37 08 Sep 22
An amazing place that everyone should visit and support. Dedicated owner and staff.
J K
J K
16:58 31 Aug 22
Staff is super friendly! They even showed us a few things that aren't typically available for visitors to see. My son, wife, and I had a blast visiting with the animals.
Shantaya Music108
Shantaya Music108
02:12 09 Aug 22
I loved our visit today. I can’t even describe how happy I feel I went to the children’s retreat today. Please go there it will really make your heart sing and your soul dance. Animals are amazing and so is the staff. Thank you so much for a beautiful day!
Sha
Sha
00:01 24 Jul 22
Awesome place to see and feed some animals, also very well kept and friendly staff. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen if you go on a summer afternoon.
張家宇
張家宇
02:43 23 Jul 22
Thanks for all the animal saver !!
Ana Victoria Hernandez
Ana Victoria Hernandez
05:34 13 Jul 22
Summer school field trip. It was very nice, all the personal was so friendly. The kids love it.
April Koether
April Koether
05:54 10 Jul 22
Marlene Eckert
Marlene Eckert
19:57 09 Jul 22
My 8-year-old granddaughter was a Zookeeper for a Day in March. She loved it so much that she requested a return visit rather than doing something else, so we’re going back to do it again next month. This was (on the day we went) a one-on-one experience, and she got to feed more than a dozen different types of animals (including bottle feeding a baby goat), plus observe a vet work on horses’ teeth and my granddaughter also helped prepare medications for sick animals and brush miniature horses. The zookeepers she worked with were very sweet and provided lots of educational explanations. I was offered the opportunity to ride along on the golf cart with both the small and larger zookeepers. The Children’s Nature Retreat really cares about the animals, most of which were rescues. They also limit the number of guests so that it never gets crowded and offer volunteer opportunities to local disabled young people. A first rate operation!
K F
K F
19:05 08 Jul 22
Had a great time, staff is very friendly & the animals are very sweet. Definitely recommend, will be back.
Adarsh Sharma
Adarsh Sharma
12:02 04 Jul 22
Irma Garcia
Irma Garcia
23:40 21 Jun 22
Sierra Jensen
Sierra Jensen
15:00 17 Jun 22
A great little place in Alpine to either take your kids for a couple of hours or to go yourself and clear your head. She has a good assortment of animals so you’re sure to find some animal you’ll like there. She even has a bison! Highly recommend this place.
Anna Malkina
Anna Malkina
23:54 16 Jun 22
Amazing place! The animals are happy and they are really well cared for! We enjoyed our time there!
Levi Riggenbach
Levi Riggenbach
20:45 12 Jun 22
Randee Ferry
Randee Ferry
03:33 28 May 22
Went with grandson’s preschool. Very fun, interactive with animals, kids got to feed the animals hay. Nice area to eat picnic lunch. Guides were informative and friendly. Not sure of cost.
Deborah Branton
Deborah Branton
12:48 24 May 22
Wonderful experience for all families. Large array of animals. Beautiful place very serene and peaceful. They sale buckets of hay to feed the animals and they also sale a pull wagon for your visit.
Benjamin Hammett
Benjamin Hammett
17:59 18 May 22
Kelley Serrano
Kelley Serrano
23:31 29 Apr 22
This place was amazing the owned was super nice and very personable with everybody and my son loved the up close and personal with the barnyard animals and the keeper was super nice and didn't rush us at all and answered all my questions about all the animals and the zebras were awesome to feed!! I loved how far away it is from everything and super relaxing!!
Drake's Unknown
Drake's Unknown
21:09 23 Apr 22
Monica Chu
Monica Chu
21:00 31 Mar 22
My boys said, "This is more than amazing? What words are better than amazing?" It's a neat rescue that allows you to take the time and enjoy the animals without the crowd. The $5 feeding bucket is totally worth it!
Phil Ortiz
Phil Ortiz
01:46 07 Mar 22
Thank you April, Liz, Travis for an amazing experience. We all had a very relaxing, enjoyable time. It was great, being able to enjoy every animal for as long as we wanted to spend time with. Every animal seemed to have their own fun personality. A must visit, the rules are simple and you will love this place. It is well cared for! You can bring snack, and water and there is seating throughout the property for you to relax and enjoy at your pace❤️❤️❤️🙏, well done!
Shenea White
Shenea White
21:28 06 Mar 22
Daniel Alvarez
Daniel Alvarez
01:42 22 Feb 22
It was a great experience! Very caring staff and animals were very nice to look at! Feeding them was fun for the kids. Zebras are cool to look at up close!
Giga Hz
Giga Hz
23:04 21 Feb 22
Very fun time my kids loved it and there were a lot of animals to see.
Angine Auggie
Angine Auggie
17:15 12 Feb 22
Such an incredible place. Please visit and support Agnes! Ended up purchasing a membership on the way out. We have been back at least 5x already. Grab a bucket of hay for $5 and head towards the horses, camel and sheep to feed them. Restrooms are very clean, and they have a handful of picnic tables so bring your lunch. They have snacks for purchase in case you forget to pack extra.
Leslie Rice
Leslie Rice
15:35 06 Feb 22
Loved all of it
Kimberly VanGerpen
Kimberly VanGerpen
22:42 29 Jan 22
Had so much fun at the Children's Nature Retreat (parents, grandparent and 4 y/o). Everyone that worked there was very nice and full of knowledge. Easy drive from North County and definitely worth it to spend a half of a day. Take a picnic!
Anna Milos
Anna Milos
17:55 29 Jan 22
My kids age 7 and 10 took a half day "farmer for a day" tour which they spent assisting the farmer in their daily routine. They spent 4 hours there and absolutely loved it, my daughter who wants to become animal caretaker couldn't stop talking about it. They learned many new things about animal training, feeding, healthcare and such. After the tour they showed me around and told me everything. They even cleaned poop so it was very much real work. It was a great bonding experience for my kids too. The farm is huge and beautiful. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere which makes it even more magical. The farm takes care of rescued animals so I felt like my money was spent for a good cause too. Thank you so much to Agnes, Adam and the others who made it such a beautiful experience!
Laura Leggs
Laura Leggs
12:23 26 Jan 22
Mark Quinn
Mark Quinn
20:29 20 Jan 22
Exceptional place a must see
Mr KM
Mr KM
04:22 17 Jan 22
This was a great little outing my girlfriend and I had. It's just opposite the next you take to get to Julian which was a nice surprise. It's HUGE! I believe it's 20 acres and most of that space goes to the animals. They have a lot of room to roam and they are very well.The staff are delightful and always willing to answer questions or offer help with anything. They offer military discounts which was a very nice gesture on their part. For $5 a bucket you get to feed the animals and that's a MUST! I couldn't imagine visiting here and not feeding then.We spent two and half hours here and would gladly spend more. Stop on by and see all that they have to offer.
Sara Wacker
Sara Wacker
00:50 06 Jan 22
The Retreat is such a magical place. I’m so happy that we discovered it. We visit often and bring new friends and try to attend their special events. There’s something so peaceful about feeding and engaging with the animals. You can explore at your own pace, feed the animals through or above the fences, and even bring a picnic lunch. We also enjoy getting an ice cream treat from the snack bar too. I love that all snacks and toys benefit the foundation. It’s a must visit!
Chica Chat
Chica Chat
06:46 04 Jan 22
I just saw on the news they need helpHow can the community help you? How do we connect to help?It is wonderful the work you do and theService you provide for children to have somewhere to go learn about animals and it is wonderful how you care for your animals
KG
KG
00:25 03 Jan 22
A great place to enjoy with your family 🤗
Tiana La Cross
Tiana La Cross
21:43 31 Dec 21
Kathy Self
Kathy Self
17:13 27 Dec 21
Lots of outdoor space to walk and enjoy the animals. Purchasing the food bucket is worth it. Great for all ages especially young kids!
Stella Kramer
Stella Kramer
23:40 20 Dec 21
We had a great time!
TRAVEL ANY
TRAVEL ANY
16:23 14 Dec 21
Long drive to find the most beautiful place lots of animals very active.Each animal has her own story there how they rescue the animals from all over and giving them a place to live.You make a reservation and you get a bucket to feed the animals food and snacks available with extra purchase lots of bathroom it’s very kid friendly kids can roam there for free without getting hurt .Displays in a desperate need of donation so every time you go and visit they make a little bit.
Sallie Vaaler
Sallie Vaaler
01:42 04 Dec 21
Nancy Prestin
Nancy Prestin
03:02 27 Nov 21
Great place for children to learn about animals and have interaction feeding them
Joseph Hairfield
Joseph Hairfield
00:41 27 Nov 21
Michele W
Michele W
17:45 13 Nov 21
Wonderful experience here. Took my 2 year old and she loved the real farm experience. Highly recommended
Edna Llanes
Edna Llanes
13:24 27 Oct 21
Natalie K
Natalie K
03:54 24 Oct 21
This is one of my favorite places to go in San Diego! I highly recommend this wonderful experience for adults and kids alike. There are plenty of unique animals you can get up close to and feed. If you’re wondering if it is worth the drive, it definitely is!
Steven Grygar
Steven Grygar
23:17 16 Oct 21
Wonderful place. The owner really cares and it shows with the animals. You can have a guide bring you in to the pens and pet and play with the animals. The also have quite a verity of animals from birds that talk to huge turtles.
Loralei Pratt
Loralei Pratt
23:17 09 Oct 21
Definitely a must see for the kiddos. It was a lot of fun seeing the different animals and being able to pet them.
Sharlene Cook
Sharlene Cook
01:32 24 Sep 21
What a peaceful and beautiful place for children to experience sweet animals!!!
Teri Tremper
Teri Tremper
04:07 20 Sep 21
A beautiful place with a variety of wild and domesticated animal - cows, zebras, horses, goats, sheep, dromedaries, bison, a variety of African cattle as well as peacocks, geese, ducks and other fowl. More importantly, one of its main missions is to provide a space for children to experience nature, so schools are especially welcome
Ashleigh Mc Daniel
Ashleigh Mc Daniel
17:59 15 Sep 21
Eduardo Rodriguez
Eduardo Rodriguez
07:36 24 Aug 21
Nice place to get away to enjoy nature and exotic animals
brenda budinich
brenda budinich
04:22 24 Aug 21
Catherine Ferguson
Catherine Ferguson
20:52 01 Aug 21
Sooo many different animals for young children to see upclose and personal. Great place to visit and to help the cause b of protecting animals...Kind and compassionate ownership and care!
Cassandra Mills
Cassandra Mills
04:12 20 Jul 21
People are great! Animals are great!! We had the best time.
Ivan Flores
Ivan Flores
22:20 12 Jul 21
Had great time here. My kids love to interact with the animals. Ppl are very friendly
Jorge Guerrero
Jorge Guerrero
03:58 05 Jul 21
Josh Rhiz
Josh Rhiz
21:06 03 Jul 21
Little pricey but definitely worth checking out.
Nelson Berggren
Nelson Berggren
07:25 27 Jun 21
Christine Clink
Christine Clink
23:16 29 May 21
We has so much fun feeding the animals🧡
Robin Faison
Robin Faison
23:11 17 May 21
This is a great place to take your children for a family outing
Casey Mahon
Casey Mahon
20:27 16 May 21
Was a awesome family experience. Staff very friendly and informative.
Konstantin Shvebs
Konstantin Shvebs
02:15 16 May 21
Kids love the possibility to feed the animals!
Jose Aguilar
Jose Aguilar
23:02 15 May 21
Very nice place to take your kids
Brian Madrid
Brian Madrid
17:19 26 Apr 21
Daniel Marino
Daniel Marino
03:14 19 Apr 21
Fantastic place. The staff is friendly and very helpful. Very clean and well maintained.
laura giraldo
laura giraldo
23:47 17 Apr 21
INGRID CAMACHO
INGRID CAMACHO
23:30 04 Apr 21
Loved it!!! Planning on coming back. My son is only 1 but he had a blast looking at the animals and egg hunting on Easter day. Even have a chance to feed the animals. Good covid 19 protocols and there's an area to wash your hands.
K Settles
K Settles
23:13 27 Mar 21
Great experience. The girls had fun esp with the up close and personal with the donkeys
Jason Smith
Jason Smith
03:41 21 Mar 21
Nice location and friendly staff. Kids had a great time feeding the animals. Animals were very active and many enjoyed being petted. The grounds are well kept with benches throughout the park to sit back and watch the animals or eat your lunch.
Peter Kam
Peter Kam
01:14 21 Mar 21
Fun place! We went in the afternoon in March, the animals were getting fed and they didn't seem to interested in eating from out hands. But it was cool to see the animals that close. The kids loved it too.
Sarah Johnson
Sarah Johnson
17:46 20 Mar 21
A true hidden gem! Agnes is so passionate about the cause and lovely to speak to. The staff is all very friendly and patient. And best of all, the animals are so well cared for! Support this local animal sanctuary and visit today. You will not be disappointed!
Stephanie S
Stephanie S
21:35 18 Mar 21
Such an awesome place. The kids love it, I love it, and the animals who get to call this amazing place home, definitely love it!! Agnes is such a great person for opening this sanctuary for animals.
Bryan Whittenberg
Bryan Whittenberg
06:47 22 Feb 21
Very fun. Great staff. Everyone had a great time.
William odierno
William odierno
22:15 21 Feb 21
Very fun and friendly place to enjoy a family day
Brian Ellis
Brian Ellis
03:27 15 Feb 21
My family and I had such an amazing time. Staff is incredibly friendly and being able to feed the animals is an experience my girls will never forget!! We will definitely be back and letting our friends know about this little hidden zoo
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5178 Japatul Spur Alpine, CA 91901
(619) 320-4942
[email protected]

Directions from I-8 East:

-Take the Alpine/Tavern Road exit
-Turn right on Tavern Road belgesel izle
-After about 9 miles, turn left onto Japatul Spur
-The retreat entrance will be on the left after approximately 1/4 mile
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