Alpacas and llamas hold very special place in my heart, and I've chased them all over South America for the last few years. From the streets of Cuzco and family farms in Bolivia to the highways of Argentina and up the wonder of Machu Picchu, I've had so much fun trying following them around hoping I don't get spit on and taking selfies to add to the collection. I can definitely confirm that they are my spirit animals.
While llamas and alpacas are abundant in South American, you can certainly find them in farms the United States as well. One of the alpaca farms I visited last month is Bluebird Farm Alpacas, an 11-acre farm with over 175+ acres of adjacent farmlands. Located in Somerset Hills in Peapack, New Jersey, it's only about an hours' drive away from NYC- the perfect weekend day-trip for both kids and adults who want to frolick with alpacas. Bluebird Farm offers both 1 hour long farm tours and 2 hour long halter training classes, which cost $10 and $20 per person (adults), respectively. Farm tours consist of a brief alpacas history lesson, followed by 50 minutes of hang-out time with a dozen or so alpacas. You also have them option to feed them by pre-purchasing $1 bags of food at the beginning of the tour. The halter training option allows you to take an alpaca for a walk through the fields or woods using a halter and lead line. Be sure to make a reservation online prior to your visit!
Don't get me wrong, Autumn in New York City is beautiful, but there's nothing like getting out of the city for a few hours and being with nature that isn't only Battery Park or Central Park. If you're local in NYC, take a step out of the concrete jungle and head to the alpaca farm for some Fall frolicking.
