With the MLK holiday weekend approaching, you may want to do yourself a favor and take time to slow down with some alpacas. Black Barn Alpacas in Finksburg, MD will host you as you feed, pet, and just commune with some of the prettiest alpacas I’ve had the pleasure to meet.

The team at Black Barn Alpacas take eco-tourism to a very approachable level with an easy entry, a cup of feed for the alpacas, and the run of the place. You can easily go into any of the pens you want (just be sure to shut the gate behind you!). Some pens lead onto grassy mounds full of adult alpacas, others lead to baby alpacas! Don’t be offended if the baby alpacas haven’t learned to take food from strangers yet, however.

Black Barn also has a lovely gift shop full of alpaca fur luxuries. If you haven’t felt alpaca fur before, run, don’t walk to make an appointment to visit Black Barn. The barn is open Saturday and Sunday, and entry is $25.

Once you are in the area, stop in nearby Reisterstown to visit The Reister’s Daughter for some specialty lattes and smoothies. Driving out into the Maryland countryside is extremely peaceful, and a lovely break from the DC winter doldrums. Sometimes you need to be outside the city, and this is a great excuse.