There’s a small petting zoo area, which is basically a live-action meme. Goats stretch their necks over fences like nosy neighbors, and a donkey named something like “Floyd” will stare into your soul until you surrender a cracker. I made eye contact with a llama who looked deeply unimpressed by my life choices, which felt oddly therapeutic.
My favorite was a chicken that followed me for three minutes. I think it wanted my sandwich. I didn’t have a sandwich, but I apologized anyway. That’s the vibe here: you apologize to a chicken and mean it.
Rockome Gardens - All You SHOULD Know Before Going 2026 (with Reviews)
The Amish Connection: Butter and Buggies
Rockome sits right in the heart of Illinois Amish country, so you get bonus cultural immersion. A massive gift shop sells homemade jams, wooden toys, and quilts so fluffy they could double as a hug. I bought a jar of apple butter that I swear tasted like fall in a jar—cinnamon, nostalgia, and a hint of horse manure from the parking lot. In a good way.
You can also take a buggy ride, which is basically a chariot ride at three miles per hour. Our driver, an Amish teenager with incredible patience, told us the gardens were started by a man named “Rockome” who just really loved rocks. Either history is true or a very good story. I choose to believe both.
