Driving through Kansas, you expect cornfields and cattle. Maybe a wheat field if you are lucky.
What you do not expect is a giraffe stretching its neck over a fence or a camel giving you a lazy stare from behind a pasture gate. But that is exactly what you will find at this farm in the heart of the state. No planes.
No passports. Just a gravel parking lot, a friendly family running the place, and a collection of exotic animals that feels completely out of place in the best way. You can hand feed a giraffe, walk among kangaroos, and get up close with camels without leaving the Midwest .
I spent an afternoon here and left wondering why more people do not know about it. Kansas has hidden gems, but this one might be the most unexpected.
The Story Behind Hedrick’s Exotic Animal Farm
Joe Hedrick did not set out to build one of the most unexpected destinations in Kansas. He started out as a rodeo clown, which already tells you a lot about the kind of person he was.
Somewhere along the way in the 1970s, he began collecting exotic animals to take on the road with a traveling petting zoo, and things grew from there in the most wonderfully unpredictable way.
What began as a handful of animals on a stretch of Kansas farmland eventually became a full-scale exotic animal operation. The bunkhouse on the property slowly transformed into a cozy Bed and Breakfast Inn.
The farm did not just stay local either, as the animals here have appeared in commercials, promotions, nativity scenes, and even shows connected to the famous Rockettes outside of New York City.
There is something deeply charming about a place that grew organically out of one person’s passion rather than a business plan. The farm feels lived-in and genuine, not like a manufactured tourist attraction.
Visiting here means stepping into a story that has been unfolding for decades, one exotic animal at a time. It is the kind of backstory that makes the whole experience feel more personal and memorable long after you have driven back down that gravel road and headed home.
Meet the Animals You Never Expected to See in Kansas
Giraffes in Kansas. It sounds like the setup to a joke, but the reality is even better than the punchline.
At Hedrick’s, you can look a full-grown giraffe in the eye, and if you are lucky, it will take a piece of food right out of your hand with that surprisingly long tongue.
The roster of animals here reads like a wildlife documentary checklist. Zebras roam the property with that signature boldness that makes you forget you are not on safari.
Camels lumber around with their usual unbothered energy. Ostriches strut, rheas bob their heads, and kangaroos do exactly what you hope kangaroos will do when you see them in person.
Beyond the headliners, the farm is also home to antelope, giant tortoises, exotic cattle, and porcupines. Each animal has its own personality, and the guided tours give you enough time to actually notice those little quirks.
The giant tortoise, for example, moves with this incredibly dignified slowness that somehow commands respect. Seeing so many different species in one place, all seemingly comfortable and healthy, makes the whole experience feel genuinely special rather than just a novelty.
This is not a quick photo op. It is a real encounter with animals that most people only ever see on a screen.
What the Guided Tour Actually Feels Like
The one-hour guided walking tour is the heart of the Hedrick’s experience, and it moves at a pace that lets you actually absorb what you are seeing. There is no rushing from enclosure to enclosure.
The guide gives you context, the animals get curious, and before long you are hand-feeding something you never imagined being within arm’s reach of.
Camel rides are part of the fun too, and they are every bit as bumpy and hilarious as you would expect. Pony rides are available as well, though there is a weight limit to keep in mind before you get too excited.
The interactive elements are what set this place apart from simply watching animals from a distance behind thick glass.
Spring is the best season to visit if you want the full experience. That is when the farm has the highest number of animals on-site, and new babies are often part of the tour.
Seeing a baby exotic animal is the kind of moment that makes adults act like kids again, which is honestly one of the best things about this place. Tours are by reservation and should be booked in advance, so a little planning goes a long way toward making sure you get the experience you came for.
Call ahead and lock in your spot before the season fills up.
Staying Overnight at the Bed and Breakfast Inn
Most people do not realize you can actually spend the night here, and honestly that might be the best-kept secret about the whole place. The Bed and Breakfast Inn has nine rooms, each one decorated with an animal theme that leans into the farm’s personality without feeling kitschy.
It is the kind of place where the decor tells a story rather than just filling wall space.
Guests who stay overnight get a genuinely different experience than day visitors. Two special guest tours are included with the stay, along with breakfast and an evening snack.
That extra access means more time with the animals, more chances to observe them at different points in the day, and a quieter, more unhurried version of the farm.
The giraffe encounters for overnight guests can be especially memorable. There is something about being on the property after the day-trippers have gone home that changes the atmosphere entirely.
The farm settles into a different rhythm, and you get to be part of it. Waking up on a Kansas morning knowing a giraffe is just outside is a genuinely surreal and wonderful feeling.
The B&B developed from the original bunkhouse on the property, which means it carries that same organic, unplanned charm that defines everything about Hedrick’s. Book a room if you can.
The extra time is absolutely worth it.
Spring Visits and Baby Animals on the Farm
Timing a visit to Hedrick’s in spring is one of those travel decisions that pays off in a big way. The farm reaches its peak animal count during these months, which means more species to see, more activity across the property, and a noticeably livelier atmosphere overall.
The landscape around Nickerson also starts to green up, which makes the whole setting feel a little more cinematic.
Baby animals are the real draw of a spring visit. Seeing a newborn exotic creature is the kind of thing that genuinely stops you mid-step.
It is hard to describe the specific joy of watching a young animal navigate the world for the first time, but once you have seen it, you understand why spring is the recommended season.
The guided tours during spring tend to feel especially rich because there is simply more to observe and more for the guide to talk about. New arrivals bring energy to the whole herd, and the adult animals often seem more engaged and curious during this time too.
If your schedule has any flexibility, aim for late spring when the weather in central Kansas is pleasant and the farm is at its most vibrant. Families with kids will find that spring visits hit differently, because children and baby animals bring out a kind of mutual fascination that is genuinely fun to watch unfold in real time.
Planning Your Visit to Nickerson, Kansas
Nickerson is a small town in Reno County, and the drive out to the farm is exactly what you would expect from central Kansas: flat, open, and surprisingly peaceful. The address is 7910 North Roy L.
Smith Road, and having a GPS locked in before you leave is a smart move since rural Kansas roads do not always come with obvious landmarks.
The farm is open year-round, seven days a week, which gives it a reliability that a lot of seasonal attractions simply do not have. That said, tours require reservations and should be booked ahead of time rather than assumed to be available on a walk-in basis.
A quick call or online check before your trip saves a lot of potential disappointment on arrival day.
The surrounding area of Nickerson is quiet and unhurried, which is part of its appeal. There are no crowds, no parking nightmares, and no overpriced tourist infrastructure to navigate.
The closest larger city is Hutchinson, which is just a short drive away and offers more dining and lodging options if the B&B is fully booked. Traveling here feels like a genuine off-the-beaten-path adventure rather than a polished tourist circuit.
That rawness is exactly what makes it stick in your memory long after the trip is over. Pack snacks, charge your camera, and give yourself more time than you think you need.
Why This Kansas Farm Deserves a Spot on Your Travel List
There are destinations that impress you with scale and polish, and then there are places that get under your skin because they are completely and unapologetically themselves. Hedrick’s Exotic Animal Farm is firmly in the second category.
It does not try to be a zoo or a theme park. It is a working farm with an extraordinary collection of animals and a history that spans decades of genuine passion.
The value of a place like this goes beyond the novelty of seeing a giraffe in Kansas. It is about slowing down and spending real time with animals in an environment that feels personal rather than institutional.
The guides know the animals by name and by personality. That familiarity is something you cannot manufacture, and it shows.
Families, couples, solo travelers, and anyone who has ever wanted to feed a camel without booking an international flight will find something meaningful here. The experience is accessible, the setting is beautiful in that wide-open Kansas way, and the memories tend to be the kind that come up years later in conversation.
Places like this remind you that extraordinary experiences do not always require a passport or a long flight. Sometimes they just require knowing where to look and being willing to take a slightly unexpected road trip through the middle of the Great Plains.
Address: 7910 North Roy L. Smith Road, Nickerson, KS 67561
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