International Crane Foundation — Attraction in Town of Fairfield

What a wonderful place! I have been in the past with my small children but not since the new Welcome Center was open. I went by myself this trip and thought I might spend a few hours but enjoyed it so much I stayed the whole day. I took in all 3 of the free public tours, one on Cranes in folklore, one on the African cranes, and the last on the behavior of cranes. They were not too long, and I even had the last tour to myself! Thanks Liv for being great with all my questions! I learned new and interesting things and got a deeper appreciation for the cranes of the world. I got to see and hear interesting behavior and calls and visiting the cranes more than once through the tours brought out different things. Sometimes they were very close to the fence, sometimes hunting, preening, wading. I'm glad I took the time to stay. I feel it was a great day off. Not so big like a zoo that you feel exhausted after, but rejuvenating. The exhibits were nice. The information on the cranes and where they lived and the conservation work ICF is doing to support them in the wild was great. I appreciated the detailed photos because the cranes have the option to be on view or in their indoor spaces off view. The whole place is beautiful. The sculptures and murals were lovely. Fountains and seating. The prayer wheels were magnificent. I couldn't believe the size and beauty. I love the native prairie plantings everywhere. It was so nice to see the detailed signage about the plants. I also took the time to walk 3 of the nature trails. I wasn't sure I was going to do this but it was a perfect choice. The Prairie and Stedman Landscape loops were my favorite! Kind of reminds you how important habitat is and how beautiful and diverse native plant life is. The birds were plentiful. The gift shop was well stocked with items specific to cranes as well as birds and nature in general. There was amazing art work, jewelry, clothing, ceramics, bags, and books. The staff was very helpful and even held my purchased items while I continued to enjoy the center. Next time I go I will bring a picnic lunch and enjoy their picnic area. Other things of note. The Cranes of The World exhibit was accessible for those with mobility issues. Wheelchairs, scooters, strollers and walkers would have no trouble. There are 3 different restrooms around the facility, and each had water fountains and water bottle refills. There was 2 electric charging stations with I think 2 plugs on...

We really liked our experience...at first. Despite being a hot day, the woman who was the guide did a wonderful job with my mother's more scientific questions, as she is a researcher, and entertaining my children. It has beautiful updates and additional bathrooms, places to sit and get shade, beautiful hiking trails, etc. My mother's biology background gives us a natural appreciation for the cranes and identifying the beautiful flowers, plants, animals we see.

It was at the gift shop andeaving the place, that we felt uncomfortable and not wanted. The woman who checked us out had a satanic cult star on. I'm all about freedom of religion, but she is representing the International Crane Foundation when she works there. If the ICF is representative of Satanism, then I can't go there ever again. The concern and confusiom, in part due to our history with ICF as a positive uplifting place, that it's not that anymore, made us sad . I could write why legally, scientifically, socially, this very in your face display, and what it represents, is bad. There is the Natural Law of the world we live in, but the things satanists do and their documented practices, fly in the face of harmony and being good stewards of the ecosystems and animals in our world. Also persecution and bigotry toward Christians came to mind when I saw her necklace. It is offensive and akin to wearing something that says "KKK." That if we're Christian we're not wanted. Like the Confederate flag makes some people feel. My daughter brought it up in the car later that day, although I hadn't said anything about it to her, and she said that she saw it and it scared her.

We are for inclusivity and diversity, and no tolerance of bullying. ICF should consider asking people who represent them to avoid wearing necklaces that historically represent evil.

Secondly, we were trying to charge my phone and get GPS directions, but it became stressed because they didn't wait for us to leave before going to lock the gate. They stood there as if we were in the way for being there.

Other than that, it is a beautiful place, with beautiful cranes, and a relaxing atmosphere up until the uneasimess and confusing over whether ICF aligns with the...

Visited today and it was a great experience! The only place you can visit and see all 15 kinds of cranes. Both me and my wife, along with our kids, enjoyed the outing.

The layout is in a circle, which is nice - you don't have to plan out your route just to see all the birds. There were also occasional shaded areas where you could take a quick break from the sun and heat whilst watching the cranes.

The pathway leading to each crane is paved and accessible for wheelchairs or strollers. There are also some nature trails you could head off on, but those aren't paved and don't allow things like strollers, so we skipped them this time around.

You end up in the gift shop at the end, so FYI for parents, but it's a nicer one than some I've been in.

All in all a great day out and can't wait to visit again, I just wish we lived closer!

Update: I visited again 2 years later and it's still just as great. Didn't need a stroller the whole time, so we walked the shortest nature trail. It was a pleasant walk, and the 3 year old handled it really well. I ended up carrying him the last could of minutes. We've been there 3 times now and have never seen crowds. Both times I've personally been there we've run into some people, but most of the time we're watching the cranes alone or along with only one...