Hilltop Retreat at Wendt’s Wildlife Adventure

Farm stay in Carlisle, Kentucky

  1. 7 guests
  2. 2 bedrooms
  3. 5 beds
  4. 2.5 baths
Hosted by Julie
  1. Superhost
  2. 5 years hosting

Listing highlights

Top 5% of homes

This home is highly ranked based on ratings, reviews, and reliability.

Self check-in

Check yourself in with the keypad.

Comfy bed for better sleep

The room-darkening shades and extra bedding are loved by guests.
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Take it easy at this unique and tranquil getaway. Newly remodeled home on a 125 acre farm that is home to Kentucky’s newest wildlife park & Daniel Boone’s last home in Kentucky. Expansive views, and a visit to Wendt’s Wildlife Adventure (open seasonally), which is owned & operated by your hosts, are sure to give you just the right amount of rest & adventure that you are seeking.

The space
The Hilltop Retreat is set on the back of our family’s 130 acre working farm. Although, the animals you will find here are different than the average farm. You will see camels & zebras, Percy our beloved Highland cow, and many goats & sheep as you come up the drive to your home away from home. This spacious home will sleep up to 7. The master room has a king bed, the second bedroom has 2 twin beds, the living room has a sofa sleeper & the front living room has a futon.

After breakfast in the fully stocked kitchen take a walk down to Daniel Boone’s last home in Kentucky, built by Boone in 1795. Then head down the driveway a bit further to our family’s wildlife park to see sloths, kangaroos, African tortoises, the Parakeet Encounter & much more. Please note that there is an admission fee to the wildlife park, and that it is open seasonally. However, as a registered guest you will only pay once, and then will be able to visit the zoo as many times as you wish during your stay.

If you're visiting during our off season you have the opportunity to reserve your private animal encounter. During a private animal encounter, you and your family or friends will join some of our most loved animal friends inside their enclosure. You may be able to snuggle a sloth, scratch a capybara, rock a baby kangaroo, or maybe even hold Cornelius the corn snake, feed a baby goat or kookaburras, and pet Iggy the green iguana. This is your time to enjoy the animals one on one. The Animal Encounters are an extra fee, and must be booked on the Wendt's Wildlife Adventure website in advance.

At the end of the day, cozy up by the fire pit and roast some marshmallows or snuggle up on the sofa with the gas fireplace going.

The Area:
Our guest house is centrally located to many towns and sites which makes it a great choice for exploring the surrounding areas. We are just 1 mile from Lake Carnico where you can swim at the beach, fish or bring your boat or kayak for a day on the water. We are 5 minutes from Carlisle, and within 20-30 minutes you will be in Maysville, Paris or Cynthiana where you will find history, murals, antiques, bourbon, museums, book shops, cafés, coffee roasters & more. Within 45 minutes you’ll find many things to do in the larger towns of Georgetown & Lexington, including beautiful horse farms and the Kentucky Horse Park. And in the other direction you’ll find Historic Augusta right on the Ohio River. And then you can make a day trip to the Ark Encounter (1 hour drive) or The Creation Museum (1.5 hour drive), and then come back to the quiet of the farm for some stargazing. And of course, right here on the property we have our wildlife park, which you won’t want to miss!

Winter Activities - There are many amazing Christmas events happening nearby during the holiday season. When you make your reservation we will make sure you get all that information so you can plan a Hallmark Christmas Movie style stay!

Guest access
You will have use of the entire home except for the garage, which will remain locked.

Other things to note
You should note that you may hear animal sounds like donkeys braying, goats bleating, cows mooing and coyotes howling.

We also have children and work out on the farm daily. So you may hear children playing, tractors and lawnmowers running, trucks coming & going during the day.

But all of these things only make your farm stay more authentic!

Where you’ll sleep

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What this place offers

Shared beach access
Kitchen
Dedicated workspace
Free driveway parking on premises
HDTV

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Rated 4.99 out of 5 from 170 reviews.

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This home is in the top 5% of eligible listings based on ratings, reviews, and reliability
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Overall rating

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Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for location

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for value

Where you’ll be

Carlisle, Kentucky, United States
This listing's location is verified and the exact location will be provided after booking.

Neighborhood highlights

Nicholas County is full of friendly people. I suggest going into Carlisle for breakfast or lunch, visit the several shops in town, the Neal Welcome Center & the Kentucky Doll & Toy Museum, take a swim at Lake Carnico, visit the historic sites nearby such as the Abner Mill Chapel, Tanner’s Station & covered bridges. Go up the road a bit and stop in at Allyson’s Concrete, then a few more minutes will take you to Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park where you can visit the museum, see where the last battle of the Revolutionary War was fought, and enjoy a meal in the lodge. Then a bit further down the road you’ll find Pleasant View Amish store. Then continue into historic Maysville stopping first in Old Washington.

Then on another day go the other direction to explore Paris or Cynthiana. History, Shops, murals, coffee shops and coffee roasters. And just a bit further, a breathtaking drive through horse farm country will take you to the Kentucky Horse Park, Keeneland, the Kentucky Castle, historic Midway. There is so much to discover!

There is so much history and small town charm in every direction from our centrally located retreat on the hill. We invite you to come & explore!

Meet your hosts

Where I went to school: Midway College, Kentucky
My work: Owner of Wendt’s Wildlife Adventure, owner of Wendt Properties LLC, Owner of Thunderstruck Fireworks LLC, owner of Bluegrass Kettle Korn Co.
I am a wife & a homeschooling mama of 3 (although 2 are grown). My husband and I own a zoo in Kentucky, have rental property & love to travel.
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Things to know

Cancellation policy
House rules
Check-in after 4:00 PM
Checkout before 11:00 AM
7 guests maximum
Safety & property
Nearby lake, river, other body of water
Carbon monoxide alarm
Smoke alarm