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5178 Japatul Spur Alpine, CA 91901 | (619) 320-4942|info@childrensnatureretreat.org

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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.
The Children’s Nature Retreat Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and its EIN is 20-4859019. All donations are 100% tax deductible.

Google Rating

4.9

Based on 262 reviews

Children's Nature Retreat Foundation

4.9

Cris Blackwater

06:49 29 Nov 23

This place is absolutely amazing!It’s a short drive from San Diego city center, only a little bit over half and hour.The animals are amazing and well loved and cared for, and the staff is super friendly and very sweet.I highly recommend going inside one of the enclosures. The animals will be so grateful for it! Give them all the snacks and pets!I had a truly amazing day here, and I cannot wait to come back.

Joshua Katz

00:28 27 Nov 23

We had a great time

Andrew Putnam

18:00 24 Nov 23

Utterly incredible place. The summer camp opportunities are an incredible way for kids to learn and interact with all kinds of animals. You can not only see but *feed* (and sometimes water) animals that you'll likely never see anywhere else. The staff are amazing, too.

Jung Yi

02:45 24 Nov 23

My children LOVED the experience. We were given buckets of hay to feed some of the animals and they totally got a kick out of doing it. If you are going through Japatul Valley, this is a great stop to visit!

B Howe

18:25 04 Nov 23

Animals are loved and well cared for. A lot of thought is put into this sanctuary.Produce is organic and deliciousBring your walking shoes. It's a nice little walk around the property.Got to pet a couple of animals that I've never even seen up close before! That was very cool. Good for kids to see the animals in person

Josh Pirro-Toumas

00:09 15 Oct 23

I have been wanting to visit for years. There is nothing more satisfying and wholesome than supporting animals and those who dedicate their lives to rescue. The whole experience fostered feelings of empathy, tolerance, and respect. This is a perfect place to instill these attributes in young people.The weather was perfect. No dust. Our first experience was with the sweetest peacocks 🦚 He got up and ran over to us. You can't feed any bird species, including the ostriches, hens, mallards, crows, blackbirds, turkeys, roosters, and peacocks. You also may not feed the mini ponies. They are watching their figures. 😘Before entering the sanctuary, you are shown an informative video about how to safely feed the animals. They also touch on the heights of the fences if they are over 6 feet? Don't place your hands over to feed such for the ostriches, bison, or camels. Never place fingers, wrists, forearms, or arms between the holes in the fences. They also show you how to pet the zebras through the fence. Don't take selfies with the camels. Don't race the zebras.They have food and drinks for sale. They also have a cute gift shop area. They also have ice cream!You can rent red radio flyer style wagons for those with toddlers.The property is tatefully decorated for spooky season 👻There is a beautiful garden with fresh greens. They cut us some long, fresh stems of PERFECT Kale for four dollars. We also purchased the "spicy greens" for 3 dollars. We bought their raw honey. We made a salad for dinner last night and OMG!They had a large pumpkin patch. You can purchase a pumpkin. Instead of purchasing them from big box stores. It brings awareness to youngsters about sustainability and environmental awareness. Who knows, it may spark a passion in some for gardening.We were followed by these barn kitties. We went into the Olive maze. The kitty followed us, and we sat down and hung out with the kitty.The pigs and ducks were so cool. We also met their gorgeous corn snake. This was so important. It shows kids that snakes and other reptiles deserve their love and respect, just like their furry friends.We met some sassy alpacas and llamas. I wish we got pics. We were so caught in the moment that we forgot to document. The same goes for the hilarious goats, regal horses, massive steers, and sweet cows. I had never touched a sheep before. 🐑 There was this playful kid (goat) that just had to get all our attention. The feed goes so fast. But so worth it!

manju saini

14:28 05 Oct 23

Troy Perry

04:50 04 Oct 23

Kasia Czajkowska-Aguilar

01:03 24 Sep 23

Beautiful place to visit especially with children ❤️

James Schaefer

17:16 29 Aug 23

Remember your sunscreen and water! Really enjoyed this place, at least my kid did. A lot of animals to see and feed and a knowledgeable staff. Ou can buy some of their garden items, too, which are huge. Biggest cow I've ever seen, standing at over 6'1"

Martha Rodriguez

03:00 07 Aug 23

Great place to visit, I will definitely be going back. Bring a hat and water. Buy the food the kids love feeding the ducks and large animals.

Cadence marvin

03:48 30 Jul 23

Loved it, would recommend and wouldn’t change a thing. 10/10

Kimberly Moneymaker

20:07 17 Jul 23

What a wonderful place for all the animals. Our family enjoyed roaming the paths through the large enclosures. The black horse is amazing!! We love pigs, and there were several nice pig areas with big water holes. The peacocks are beautiful. There are places to rest and an area to picnic. Highly recommended!

erick benitez

02:27 09 Jul 23

Went there with my girlfriend for our for years together and we absolutely loved it, it is something very different you can find not so far from San Diego. The staff was very amazing and helpful and also very Informative of the animals, you can tell they really love what they do and how much they care for all the animals. I will definitely spread the word of this place to friends and family and will be sure to be back soon.

Erik Brengman

04:50 28 Jun 23

Beautiful place. Awesome cause and really welcoming. Enjoyed the atmosphere and the peaceful area outside the hustle and bustle of the San Diego burbs.

Devon Blunk

20:41 22 Jun 23

Sandra Mcwade

02:12 09 Jun 23

Fabulous experience. Couldn’t recommend enough.

lirba bonita

23:58 06 Jun 23

Steven Hanson

18:02 05 Jun 23

Olyvia Hix

19:41 04 Jun 23

We came for the behind the scenes tour. WOW!! Such a great up close and personal tour with the founder, Agnes! She was very knowledgeable about every animal, and took great care of the sanctuary! We were able to feed, pet, hold, and love on all the animals, and were given plenty of time to take it all in. Can’t say enough good things about this place! We will be back 🖤

Michael Murphy

19:33 30 May 23

My family's first time here and it's was a blast, my son loved feeding/touching the animals and just being that close to them was really cool.

kaku1981

01:50 30 May 23

The Serenity Sanctuary is an absolute gem. I can't express how thrilled I am to have stumbled upon it. We frequent the sanctuary and take delight in introducing our friends to this hidden paradise. The serenity that engulfs you while feeding and interacting with the gentle creatures is simply unparalleled. You have the freedom to meander at your own leisure, feed the animals either by reaching through or observing from above the fences, and even relish a picnic lunch amidst the tranquility. Indulging in a delectable ice cream treat from the snack bar is an added pleasure, knowing that the proceeds contribute to the noble cause. Trust me when I say, it's an experience you absolutely must not miss!

Nancy Leal

05:47 25 May 23

Very nice place. Everyone there was so helpful and nice. My grandkids loved it with lots of animals to see. We will be back again .They have a nice shady area to sit and have lunch.

Brigit Kiser

00:38 20 May 23

Couldn’t have had a better time, everyone was so friendly & sweet -especially Amanda! Our son had the best time adventuring and seeing all the different animals. Great pricing, we got two feed buckets and went to town giving all the animals a snack! We will bring anyone who visits us in San Diego here, highly recommend. Can’t wait to go again.

Emelia Katysovas

05:03 18 May 23

We love this place so much. The care they give to the animals is exceptional. The environment is a calm, beautiful escape from the city. Bring a picnic and stay the day visiting will all the sweet, very loved animals.

Sarah Draper

01:21 11 May 23

I have been here many times with my kids, but our last visit was the first we have done as a guided tour field trip. We learned SO much! Travis, the animal keeper, was beyond patient with the 18 children, many of which were incredibly young. He kept them all so engaged for several hours. The chaperones keep mentioning what a special day it was, and how much more we got out of it than we would have at the San Diego Zoo.A wonderful and special gem of a place!

Stacey S•

05:49 09 May 23

Nice place to bring animal lovers. It's not too big or small. People here are friendly. Make sure you buy a bucket of animal food. It was so much fun interacting with them. The restrooms are clean and plenty of picnic benches for a break.

Helen Hammer

22:31 08 May 23

Such an AMAZING experience!

Cindy Cavada

18:44 02 May 23

This truly is a magical place that not many people know about. The animals are so well cared for, have huge pastures to roam, and really love attention from guests. The Farm is a great place to take your family and allow your kids to run free and enjoy the outdoors. Lots of shaded picnic areas and places to sit along the way. Highly recommend!

Chris

01:40 30 Apr 23

Awesome place. I enjoyed it more than the zoo since you can interact with the animals

Anne Guevara

06:25 13 Apr 23

Carlos Frábago

06:13 12 Apr 23

Great place to share with friends and get to know the fauna of the place by feeding the animals, taking walks around the park trails 🌳 🦒 🦓 🦔Very close driving from SD, to get out of the routine and give yourself a break from so much work It is advisable to bring your own drinks and some snacks, just relax 🚘 🏃 ☀️ ⛅️

RichFu Fu

23:40 11 Apr 23

Sarah Rheuban

21:35 11 Apr 23

This place is amazing and way easier / more fun than schlepping the kids to the Zoo or Wild Animal Park. They have so much fun getting up close to all the animals and being able to feed them. Highly recommend!

Trey Lohman

06:02 11 Apr 23

Whether you bring kids or not, this is a fantastic place to visit. The staff is super friendly and helpful, you can get up close and personal with with the animals, and the fees are fairly priced. Of all San Diego has to offer, this has to be at the top of your bucket list to see.

Hajar Homayouni

04:58 10 Apr 23

eileen logue

23:19 08 Apr 23

Today was a fantastic day at the SDAS&F! There were so many happy families and the weather was fantastic. The Easter egg hunts (one per day leading up to Easter) are super popular. This is one of the best and most wholesome places in the county to enjoy Easter 🐣 fun. It’s also a place for all seasons and can be enjoyed anytime of the year.

Natasha Self

22:40 06 Apr 23

My son and I come here often (since he was about a year old and now almost 6) and absolutely love it! In the quiet beautiful mountains surrounded by nature and animals! You get an up close experience with every animal and can feed almost all of them! Shady picnic areas with a little snack store for snacks and drinks. Their events are always fun like their Easter egg hunt, and trick or treating! The animals are so sweet and well cared for! The people who work there are so helpful and love to chat about all the projects and animals on the property! We love the Sanctuary so much and look forward to all of our future trips! I 100% recommend all families to visit this little jewel in Alpine!

Roxana V

06:24 30 Mar 23

P Guevara (Pguevara)

00:25 28 Mar 23

L2 Design

19:13 25 Mar 23

GOTTA GO SEE MY CALYPSO AND THE VERY SNOBBY FRESIANS HAHA!!!!! SPRING IS HERE°!!!

Steven Galloway

21:01 19 Mar 23

Awesome experience, lots of animals, very active and got to feed most of them.

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

20:47 05 Mar 23

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

01:23 26 Feb 23

I love nature spiece

Aiden Clark

23:46 24 Feb 23

Fun place

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

14:05 23 Feb 23

There have an amazing zoo set up for the kids super sweet and they sell eggs

Mario

02:13 03 Feb 23

Phenomenal place!!!

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

16:17 25 Jan 23

Great customer service. Great place for a family walk.

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

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

23:58 09 Dec 22

Pretty relax place. Nice people.

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

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

03:01 24 Nov 22

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

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

18:18 20 Oct 22

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

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

12:37 08 Sep 22

An amazing place that everyone should visit and support. Dedicated owner and staff.

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

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

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

02:43 23 Jul 22

Thanks for all the animal saver !!

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.

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

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

12:02 04 Jul 22

Irma Garcia

23:40 21 Jun 22

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

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

20:45 12 Jun 22

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

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

17:59 18 May 22

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

21:09 23 Apr 22

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

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

21:28 06 Mar 22

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

23:04 21 Feb 22

Very fun time my kids loved it and there were a lot of animals to see.

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

15:35 06 Feb 22

Loved all of it

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

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

12:23 26 Jan 22

Mark Quinn

20:29 20 Jan 22

Exceptional place a must see

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

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

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

00:25 03 Jan 22

A great place to enjoy with your family 🤗

Tiana La Cross

21:43 31 Dec 21

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The Foundation
The Farm
Nature
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West Africa

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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