Meet a real-life Rudolph at Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch in Rantoul just north of Champaign-Urbana.
In 1995, Julie and Mark Hardy bought two reindeer to help them sell Christmas trees on their farm. The animals were so popular that in 1997, the couple traveled to Alaska and brought 13 more reindeer back to the Prairie State. Today, guests can visit the ranch’s 15 reindeer, who have names like Klondike, Flurry and Mistletoe.
Along with reindeer visits, Hardy’s also offers 5 acres of choose-and-cut Christmas trees, providing saws, a tree shaker and a baler to make it easy for families. Be sure to stop by the barn shop before you leave to pick up one of their unique ornaments.
To plan your visit, go to ReindeerRanch.com.
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