The first time I visited The Pretzel Hut and its petting zoo, I determined it was one of the best kept secrets around! The petting zoo is in the woods so it is nice and shaded on hot days, the animals are friendly and used to people, and there are so many different types of animals and areas to explore. There is even access to the Horseshoe Trail if you want to go on a hike after visiting the animals!
The Pretzel Hut is located north of Lititz at, 2224 Furnace Hill Pike Newmanstown PA 17073. If you are coming from the south, it will be on your left. It comes up quickly, so be careful not to miss it!
Please note that it is CLOSED on Mondays. It is open from 11am to 8pm, Tuesdays thru Sundays.
I share a little about their menu options at the end of this post and how you can get 50% off coupons for their yummy food!!
The Animals & Petting Zoo
While the food is amazing, the number one reason we love the Pretzel Hut is for its petting zoo / animal area. It is so unique!
As you enter the gated wooded area, you see a quaint little kids town and picnic grove.
On your right is General Mitchell’s Headquarters – Fort Collin. Kids love to go inside and walk up to the top, looking out over the animal area.
They can then continue on with their imaginative pioneer play to the “little town”.
As they approach this area they will more than likely be greeted by free range chickens (of all sorts!) and goats too. The animals are very friendly, and don’t mind being approached or pet by little kids.
And they aren’t just normal looking chickens – I think the kids loved them because they said they looked silly!
The goats are very interactive with the kids – almost playing games with them!
You can walk up a slight incline of stairs to see some more gated goats and wild birds.
And then there are more types of chickens!
The turkey seemed friendly. I just don’t trust birds that big around my little kids, so we kept our distance. The kids loved to hear him gobble. 🙂
And of course the well-known pig!
The favorite for my children was the peacock. Ever since they saw the peacock open its feathers at Lapp Valley the other week, they are just amazed by peacocks! This guy wasn’t ready to open up for us just yet.
The baby goats were the cutest by far. Perfect size for little kids to pet.
We went first thing in the morning (because we are early risers!), so I think the rabbits were still waking up. Either that or they were already enjoying their mid-morning nap.
More birds to observe . . .
And more birds . . .
And finally, as we were about to leave, the peacock showed us his feathers!
Pretzels, Soups, Bison Burger, Ice Cream and More!
The Pretzel Hut itself was originally known for serving fresh, hot soft pretzels — over 50 years ago when they first opened! Today, it still serves soft pretzels, but it is also known for its peanut butter ice cream, bison burgers, cheesesteaks, broasted chicken, strombolli, loaded potatoes, and much more!
I took a quick picture of their menu board – tons of options! – but you can also find a more complete listing on their website. Just in case you are like me and prefer to know what you can order before you arrive. It makes ordering with little kids easier, doesn’t it?!
Deal Alert >> Pretzel Hut regularly offers special coupon deals including this $15 worth of casual food coupon for just $7.50.
I must say that I absolutely LOVED that they had a basket of toys for the kids to play with while we waited. Any interlocking gear building type of toy is a huge hit with our kids and this made waiting go so much faster!!
And on a nice day, eating outside in their cute little picnic area is a must!
Pretzel Hut Coupon
Pretzel Hut regularly offers 50% off coupons. You can use them for ice cream, snacks, kids meals, sandwiches, drinks, or our family favorite—fried chicken by the bucket!! To get access to the discount, click here.
>> Get $15 worth of Pretzel Hut food for just $7.50. <<
This is definitely one of our favorite before-naptime trips in the Lancaster County area! Check out these fourteen other ideas for before-naptime trips in Lancaster County.
Alli Swords says
LOVE this place! Kiddie ice cream cones are super cheap. Just don’t forget they are closed on Mondays!! I’ve done this way too many times.