You Can Feed Kangaroos And Meet Sloths At This Amazing Tennessee Farm

You do a double take, then laugh. A kangaroo just hopped by, and somehow that’s not even the most surprising part.

In Tennessee, this farm brings you closer to animals you don’t expect to meet on a casual visit. You can feed them, watch them wander, and pause for moments that feel both fun and oddly peaceful.

A sloth hangs nearby, completely unbothered, while everything else carries on around it. It’s light, interactive, and full of small moments that stay with you long after you leave.

Kangaroo Encounters That Go Far Beyond A Simple Photo Op

Most people have seen kangaroos behind thick glass at a zoo, separated by distance and plexiglass from any real connection. At this farm, that distance disappears entirely.

Guests step into an actual encounter where bottle-feeding joeys is part of the scheduled experience, and adult kangaroos hop freely close enough to touch.

The staff guides visitors through each interaction with patience and clear instruction, making first-timers feel completely at ease. Reviewers consistently describe the kangaroo encounter as far more hands-on than anything they expected, with one guest noting that two kangaroos and a donkey named Fancy competed for her husband’s attention.

Joeys are small, warm, and surprisingly calm in human arms. The experience carries a sense of genuine connection rather than performance.

Owners have raised these animals with care from birth, which explains why the kangaroos approach visitors with curiosity rather than anxiety. For families, couples, or solo travelers, this encounter tends to be the highlight that gets mentioned first when people share their stories afterward.

Sloth Cuddles With Dash, Flash, Zoey, And Chloe

Sloths move through life at their own pace, and spending time with one has a way of slowing you down too. Ocoee Riverside Farm offers sloth encounters that range from standard sessions to full VIP experiences, and the sloths themselves, Dash, Flash, Zoey, and Chloe, have developed distinct personalities that staff members know well.

During a typical encounter, guests take turns holding and cuddling the sloths while a knowledgeable team member shares detailed information about sloth biology, behavior, and daily care. One reviewer described cuddling Dash as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, while another guest received a private sloth visit right inside their glamping wagon as part of a special evening encounter.

The farm also offers a Sloth Suite accommodation where a live sloth enclosure extends from the barn below, giving guests an up-close view of Flash from the comfort of their room. Windows in the floor look directly into the barn, creating an experience that feels almost unreal.

For anyone who has ever admired sloths from afar, this is the kind of encounter that turns admiration into something far more personal and memorable.

Glamping Accommodations That Surprise Even Seasoned Travelers

Covered wagons sound rustic until you step inside one and realize the shower has a Bluetooth speaker exhaust fan, a ceiling heat lamp, and a walk-in design that rivals a boutique hotel bathroom. The glamping options at Ocoee Riverside Farm at 1087 Reynolds Bridge Rd in Benton include the Welcome Wagon, the Band Wagon, the Chuck Wagon, and the Sloth Suite, each designed with a level of detail that catches guests off guard in the best possible way.

Guests who have stayed in the wagons often mention how well they slept, which says something considering the novelty of the surroundings. Pre-ordered firewood arrives at your wagon, fire pits sit steps from the river, and the sound of animals drifting across the pasture at night creates an atmosphere that no hotel could replicate.

The Sloth Suite, formerly called the Camel Condo, accommodates larger groups and includes multiple televisions, games, an Oculus headset, and a PlayStation, though many guests admit they barely turned on the screens. The farm sits along the Ocoee River, and the combination of water views on one side and animal pastures on the other makes the setting genuinely hard to leave behind.

Farm Tours That Introduce You To Animals You Never Expected To Meet

The farm tour at Ocoee Riverside Farm is the kind of experience that keeps surprising you long after you think you have seen everything. Guests move through the property with a knowledgeable guide who introduces them to a rotating cast of animals that includes camels, llamas, alpacas, highland cows, pigs, goats, and more.

Feeding most of the outdoor animals is part of the tour, not an add-on.

Owner John has a particular talent for appearing with yet another unexpected animal just when guests think the tour has reached its peak. One reviewer described the experience as nothing like an average petting zoo, noting that the depth of access and the variety of species set it apart from anything they had visited before.

Guides answer questions thoroughly, and the farm team clearly enjoys sharing what they know.

Children and adults respond equally well to the tour format because encounters feel personal rather than rushed. Groups are kept small enough that everyone gets real time with the animals.

For families visiting with young children or grandparents who prefer minimal walking, the layout of the farm accommodates different mobility levels without sacrificing the quality of the experience.

Fennec Fox Encounters That Leave A Lasting Impression

Fennec foxes are the kind of animals that stop people mid-sentence. With ears that seem cartoonishly large for their small bodies and eyes that hold a particular intensity, they demand attention the moment they appear.

At Ocoee Riverside Farm, guests can book a scheduled fennec fox encounter that allows for direct handling and close observation in a calm, supervised setting.

One guest described holding a fennec fox as surreal, placing it alongside a baby sloth encounter as one of the two most memorable moments of their entire stay. Staff members who lead these encounters are clearly comfortable with the animals and skilled at helping guests feel the same way.

The fennec fox responds well to calm handling, and the team communicates exactly how to approach and hold them.

Scheduled encounters like this one are part of what sets the farm apart from open-admission animal attractions. Because each session is booked in advance, crowds never become an issue, and the animals are not overstimulated by constant foot traffic.

Guests get quality time rather than a hurried glimpse, which is precisely why so many visitors leave saying the experience felt personal rather than commercial.

Spider Monkey Experiences That Show The Farm’s Flexibility And Heart

Joy and George, the farm’s spider monkeys, became a highlight for guests who originally booked a different encounter entirely. When baby zebra Zeke was unavailable for encounters one particular week, the farm team did not simply issue a refund and move on.

Instead, they crafted an entirely new experience around the spider monkeys, complete with a handler named Vlad who shared his knowledge and enthusiasm throughout the session.

Spider monkeys are social, curious, and expressive in ways that make them fascinating to spend time with. Guests who have had unplanned encounters with Joy and George tend to walk away saying it was one of the best surprises of the trip.

That kind of adaptability reflects something genuine about how the farm operates: animal welfare and guest satisfaction are treated as equally important, and neither gets sacrificed for the other.

Monkey encounters are available as scheduled bookings and attract visitors who want something beyond the standard farm animal experience. The primates are raised in a stimulating environment and interact with staff daily, which contributes to their relaxed and engaged behavior during guest sessions.

For anyone curious about what a primate encounter actually feels like, this is a remarkably accessible opportunity.

Zebras, Camels, And Highland Cows Roaming The Scenic Property

Driving up to a farm and spotting zebras grazing in a pasture is not something most people anticipate on a Tennessee back road. Ocoee Riverside Farm keeps a genuinely diverse animal population that includes zebras, camels, miniature highland cows, and a variety of other species that visitors encounter simply by walking the grounds.

Many of these animals roam freely enough that guests cross paths with them even outside of scheduled encounters.

Prince Ali, a white camel, became one reviewer’s favorite animal on the entire farm, which is saying something given the competition. Baby camels and baby kangaroos can be observed from the windows of the Sloth Suite, adding an unexpected layer to the glamping experience.

Camel rides are also available, giving guests a perspective of the farm that few other activities can match.

Highland cows, with their distinctive shaggy coats and calm temperament, draw consistent attention from visitors who want to get close for photographs. The farm’s setting along the Ocoee River frames all of these animals in a landscape that feels genuinely picturesque without trying too hard.

Scenic views of the river sit on one side of the property while animal pastures stretch across the other, creating a balance that feels both wild and welcoming.

Horseback Riding Along The Farm’s Beautiful Grounds

Horseback riding at Ocoee Riverside Farm is offered as a standalone experience and as part of larger weekend packages. The trails move through the farm’s scenic grounds, offering views of the river and the surrounding pastures that make the ride feel like something out of a countryside painting.

Guests with no prior riding experience are welcomed and guided through the basics before setting off.

One memorable review came from a solo traveler who had never been around horses at all. She was honest about her inexperience when checking in, and the farm staff not only arranged for her to participate but also organized a photographer to document her entire birthday trip.

She described the horse experience as her first and last ride, but said the time spent near the animal was something she would always carry with her.

That story captures something important about the way the farm operates. Staff members here treat guests as individuals rather than ticket numbers, adjusting plans and going out of their way to make each visit meaningful.

Horseback riding is just one activity among many, but the care that surrounds it reflects the broader spirit of a place that takes hospitality seriously without making it feel rehearsed.

What Makes Ocoee Riverside Farm Worth The Drive To Benton, Tennessee

There are animal experiences scattered across Tennessee, but few carry the combination of variety, quality, and personal attention that defines a visit to this farm in Benton. The farm holds a 4.9-star rating across more than 700 reviews, a number that reflects consistent excellence rather than a single lucky season.

Guests return multiple times, often upgrading their experience with each visit.

Owners John and Donna built something here that resists easy categorization. It is not a zoo, not a petting farm, and not a glamping resort in the conventional sense.

It sits somewhere between all three, with a character shaped by genuine passion for animal welfare and an equally genuine interest in giving visitors something they cannot find anywhere else within a reasonable drive.

The farm’s location in the Ocoee River valley adds a natural beauty that enhances every part of the visit. Getting there requires a drive through winding Tennessee roads, but GPS handles it reliably and signs guide guests from the gate.

The phone number for reservations and inquiries is +1 423-241-3738, and the official website at ocoeeriversidefarm.com provides detailed booking information. For anyone searching for a travel experience that feels both uncommon and completely real, this farm delivers on that promise with remarkable consistency.