Prairie Patch Farm: A Llama BnB in Iowa
In the last few years, my wife started following an Instagram page out of Iowa that posts videos of all things llamas. We soon discovered that the Instagrammer runs her own llama BnB. We decided to make the trip up to Iowa to stay at the BnB as part of a brief getaway.
Getting There
Prairie Patch Farm is located not far from Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Google Maps link). The farm prefers not to widely advertise its exact location so that random people don’t drop in — and we’ll honor that here — but I can tell you that you don’t have to drive through Cedar Rapids to get there. The proprietor sends out the address to people staying there once it gets close to the reservation date.
The farm is roughly 4 to 4 1/2 hours from St. Louis County, a little less if you live in St. Charles. The main part of the drive is spent on a stretch of road that starts out as U.S. 61 near Wentzville before changing to highway 27 and later U.S. 218 in Iowa. That stretch is all 4-lane highway, making it a pretty easy drive from STL. Most of it is at highway speed, too, other than a few miles passing through Hannibal, MO.
We packed lunch in a cooler and stopped off at Wakonda State Park, about halfway along our trip, but you can find various restaurants to eat along the way, too.
Parking
Visitors arrive on a small farm situated on a short gravel road. The proprietor sends out parking instructions prior to the visit, which are good to read before going. (Don’t block the garage, please.)
Costs and Considerations
As of mid-2025, the farm now offers two accommodations on property: the Farmhouse BnB and the Dewdrop, a yurt a short walk from the farmhouse. The Dewdrop was not yet available for rental when we visited, but we did get to look inside and it is a fun “glamping” opportunity.
The Farmhouse is a more conventional AirBnB-style location, a two-story farmhouse with a master bedroom on the first floor, a living room with a sofa sleeper on the first floor, and a separate bedroom on the second floor. The farmhouse has a full kitchen and a single bathroom, both on the first floor. It’s all clean and comfortable, with modern appliances and pretty decor. It’s also an old farmhouse, so you may encounter ladybugs inside the place, something the owner warns you about ahead of time.
You’ll have to reach out to Prairie Patch about current rates, but suffice to say that we found it to be in line with other houses like this we have stayed at.
In addition to the accommodations, the farm offers a number of add-ons you can include to enhance your experience. We’ll talk about some of those add-ons below, but we found those costs to be fair, too. The breakfast part of the experience is one of those add-ons, which consists of bagels, fruit, and a few (uncooked) eggs, but the price isn’t too bad and it offers a convenience for those who would like some things waiting for them in the fridge.
It’s also worth noting that the farm is not far from local grocers and retailers, so if you need to swing by to pick up food for dinner or something else, you can be there in 10-15 minutes.
Things to Do
The farm offers a nice range of activities on property. The owner has cut several trails that meander through both prairie and woods, and they are all well-tended and scenic. The far end of the trails offers some lovely vistas of the countryside and are well worth walking if you are able. The trails are grass and dirt with a moderate grade at times, so prepare accordingly.
Visitors can also interact with animals all around the farmhouse. Pigs, goats, and — of course — llamas hang out in enclosures next to the house, and a number of cats patrol the grounds. The cats all have different dispositions, with some of them quiet friendly and affectionate, while others are more aloof. You can purchase pig, goat, and llama treats for a nominal cost, which we recommend, as it adds a lot of fun to the experience.
The centerpiece of the experience is, undoubtedly, the llamas. The enclosures are built in such a way that the llamas (and the occasional alpaca) will drift into the farmhouse’s back yard, staring into the windows with expressions that are exactly why people come here.
The owner will explain how to interact with the llamas, and as long as you follow the instructions, they’re quite friendly.
The biggest activity on the farm is the llama hike. It costs a bit — at the time of our visit our party paid $165 for the excursion — but it is the kind of experience you can’t get in many other places. For your efforts, the owner gives each person their own llama (or alpaca, if available) and leads the group out on a hike through the grounds. It is as unique and interesting as it sounds.
While most of your time is likely to be spent on the farm itself, there is plenty to do in the area. Cedar Rapids and Iowa City aren’t that far away, so if you want to journey back into city life to eat, shop, or experience local culture, you can do that. There are also some restaurants and attractions closer to the farm if you’d like to try those, too.
Our Thoughts
We went into our trip to Prairie Patch Farm knowing it would be different than anything we’d done before. That proved to be the case. Our family had a terrific time during our two-night stay, whether it was watching the pigs fight over the food, hiking the trails, or watching one of the cats settle on someone’s lap out on the back porch. The llamas were the predictable star of the show, both in the back yard and out on the trails. The llama hike was the most expensive add-on but also the highlight of the trip.
We also liked the farmhouse, which was clean, comfortable, rustic, and accommodated our family of four. The single bathroom required a little bit of planning, but it wasn’t bad, and between the dining room, living room, front porch, and back porch, there were plenty of places to go right there by the farmhouse. The trails were the perfect place to go to get out in the healing world of nature.
We enjoyed our time at the farm, and the owner was communicative and enthusiastic, especially on the hike. If you live in the region and are looking for something outdoorsy and unique, this farm is worth a look.
