Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas in Connecticut

If you’re looking for something unique and family-friendly to do in Connecticut, check out Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas in Voluntown. This farm offers visitors a chance to meet alpacas and shop handmade alpaca products. Whether you’re planning a weekend outing or just want something different, this spot is worth the trip.

Three alpacas, one white, one brown, and one black, from Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas are grazing on grass in a sunlit field with trees in the background. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

I discovered this farm in 2022 on Facebook. I saw an event for their Festive Lights and Alpacas and I was immediately interested. During the event, you’re able to enjoy festive lights while you visit with the alpacas in the barn. I went to that event in 2022 and I’ve being going back every year since then!

A small barn at Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas, decorated with Christmas lights and wreaths, sits in a snowy yard, surrounded by trees and festive string lights. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

About The Farm

Lavender Hill Farm is a family-owned farm in Voluntown, Connecticut. They offer farm tours that allow you to visit their alpaca herd up-close and personal. While you visit with the alpacas, you’ll get to learn all about alpacas and about the individuals that live at the farm. These tours are completely free, although donations are greatly appreciated.

Two recently shorn alpacas from Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas stand on grass; one grazes with its head down while the other looks to the side. Trees and a fence are visible in the background. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

In addition to farm tours, there is also a gift shop. The gift shop offers alpaca apparel that was made in Peru, yarn and roving made from the fiber of the alpacas at the farm, and more. The shop is super cute and it’s fun to shop around!

A rustic gift shop at Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas, decorated with Christmas lights, garlands, and a large inflatable Santa Claus, stands behind a white picket fence. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

Getting There

The farm is located in Voluntown where Route 165 and Route 138 meet. The farm is located very close to the border of Rhode Island and it’s only about five minutes from Buttonwood Farm in Griswold, Connecticut. It’s located in a very scenic and rural part of Connecticut.

A sign for Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas welcomes visitors by the roadside, adorned with corn stalks and pumpkins beside an old rusty piece of farm equipment. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

There are a couple ways to get here. It really just depends on where you’re coming from. The best way to get here from Connecticut is to take I-395. If you’re looking for the most direct way, I’d recommend taking Exit 22 to Route 138. Going this way, you’ll drive through Voluntown.

If you’re looking for a more scenic route and you’re coming from further south, you can take I-395 to Route 2A and go by Mohegan Sun. You’ll follow 2A to Route 2. When you get to the Route 2 and Route 164 junction, you’ll turn left on to Route 164 (if you go straight at this intersection, you’ll go towards Foxwoods Resort Casino and Westerly, Rhode Island). When you get to the junction of Route 164 and Route 165, you’ll turn right on to Route 165. It’s a straight shot from there.

If you’re coming from Rhode Island, you’ll take I-95 and get off in Exeter. Once off the exit, you’ll take Route 102 to Route 3 to Route 165. It’s only a couple quick turns before you get on to Route 165 once you get off the highway. Once you get on to Route 165, it’s a straight shot from there.

Farm Tours

The farm tours are the top reason to visit the farm. They’re completely free to do. While you can just show up at the farm, it’s best to make an appointment for a farm tour. You can easily do this on their website. By booking an appointment, it ensures that you’ll be able to visit the alpacas. This is especially important if you’re traveling to visit.

During the farm tour, you will get to visit with the alpacas. While you visit, you’ll learn all about alpacas, from their behavior to their fiber. The tours are given by Rose and she is not only friendly, but also extremely knowledgeable about alpacas. She can answer pretty much any question you might have.

Three alpacas with recently trimmed fur graze on green grass under the sun at Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas, their fenced outdoor area bordered by trees in the background. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

The experience you get depends on when you go. The tour will either take place inside of the barn or out in the field. Most of my visits to the farm were in the colder months and I had only had tours inside the barn.

The barn tours are nice because you have the opportunity to feed the alpacas hay. Additionally, you may be able to pet them. However, the alpacas are very shy and they might not want to take the hay from you or be pet. If they’re not interested, they’ll just walk away. There are a few that do let people pet them and that do like to eat hay from people.

A person watches two Lavender Hill Farm alpacas eating hay in a pen, with colorful holiday lights visible through the window in the background. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

The other experience is getting to be out in the field with the alpacas. I finally got to experience that this year! It is a much different experience than visiting when they’re in the barn. For example, you cannot feed them or pet them when they’re out in the field. But, you will get to watch them just doing their thing grazing in the field. There were times when the alpacas actually came right next to me to eat some grass.

A brown alpaca with curly fur from Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas grazes on green grass in a sunlit outdoor area. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

In addition to seeing alpacas, you’ll likely also see chickens! You’ll find them around the barn and sometimes out in the field.

The Gift Shop

The gift shop is definitely worth browsing during your visit. It offers alpaca apparel that was made in Peru, yarn and roving made from the fiber of the alpacas at the farm, and more. I’ve bought a lot of winter items made from alpaca fiber such as winter headbands and gloves. Their fiber is really warm!

While there are a lot of high end items such as alpaca fiber apparel and locally hand made items, there are also some more affordable items in the shop. I’ve gotten little things for my sister here such as alpaca pens, lollipops, and magnets.

A mannequin head with painted facial features and pink blush, wearing a fluffy, light brown fur hat and matching scarf made from Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas fiber, displayed indoors next to a gold-framed mirror. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

The gift shop is usually decorated beautifully for the different seasons. The gift shop is definitely a part of the experience when visiting this farm.

A decorated Christmas tree with assorted ornaments, a white llama figure reminiscent of Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas, and large wrapped presents stands indoors near wooden doors and woven textiles. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

Her personal favorite though was a small tuft of alpaca fiber! They sell small tufts of alpaca fiber from the alpacas at the farm. This was very special to my sister because she was able to take home a piece of her favorite alpacas home with her.

Special Events

The farm does several special events throughout the year. Events depend on the season. As I mentioned earlier, I actually discovered this farm because of one of their events.

During the winter months, they decorate the farm with festive lights. They are open extended hours to enjoy the festive lights with the alpacas. I have gone to this every year since I found out about it in 2022. It’s one of my favorite things to do in Connecticut during the holiday season.

Inflatable Christmas decorations of a sleigh with reindeer and a llama, all with Santa hats, are lit up with string lights outside the barn at Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas at night. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

This May, I went to Shearing Day at the farm. The alpacas get sheared once a year to get ready for the summer. Shearing prepares the alpacas for the warm temperatures of summer. It is necessary for their well-being. Additionally, their fiber is collected to be processed into roving, yarn, and rug yarn.

Side-by-side comparison of a Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas member before shearing with a full fleece and after shearing with a short coat. — On the left is an alpaca before shearing and on the right is an alpaca after shearing. Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

In September, they have their National Alpaca Farm Days. Unfortunately, I did not make it to this event, but I’m hoping to go next year. They had fun photo ops around the farm, locally made baked goods to purchase, and weaving you could participate in!

To find upcoming events, follow them on Facebook or Instagram. You’ll also get to see a ton of photos and videos of the alpacas at the farm on their social media!

Also, I want to note that whether there’s an event going on or not, the farm is always beautifully decorated. It’s great to visit year-round because they’re great about decorating both the farm and inside the gift shop for the different seasons and holidays. Their attention to detail is amazing.

A metal wagon with colorful flowers sits next to a fence decorated with cutouts of llama figures and autumn-themed shapes, beside a green shed at Lavender Hill Farm Alpacas. — Photo credit: Kailey MarcAurele.

Is Lavender Hill Farm Worth A Visit?

I think it’s absolutely worth a visit!! You get to hangout with alpacas up close and personal. Plus, the gift shop is full of awesome alpaca stuff and some unique gifts. It’s family-friendly and completely free to visit the alpacas.

I’ve taken many people here and it’s always a great experience. Plus, I love to support small local businesses like this. The family who runs the farm is extremely kind and I love catching up with them and the alpacas when I visit.