By Gina Horan
Trade the Daily Grind for a Few Fluffy Faces at LunaSea Alpaca Farm
Out past the busy roads, new developments and strip malls, a winding drive through a quieter side of Clermont leads to a five-acre farm made for animal lovers of all ages. There, visitors trade the noise of everyday life for a few peaceful hours with resident alpacas, a species known as one of the gentlest on the planet.
LunaSea Alpaca Farm, a registered agritourism destination, welcomes guests—by reservation—for hands-on tours to meet the herd, visit the nursery and spend a few serene hours surrounded by nature.
The working farm owned by King and Lucy Lee Fowler is home to more than 35 Suri alpacas, along with five llamas, ducks, geese and chickens that roam the property.
Owners Lucy Lee and King Fowler
Known for their soft fleece and gentle temperament, alpacas are naturally curious herd animals, which makes them especially well-suited for interactive tours and starring roles among other animals, especially the “crias,” or babies.
King describes them as being a lot like cats: curious, gentle and always happy to get treats. They have front bottom teeth only, with molars in the back, soft upper lips, two toes and soft feet. Their silky fleece and what seems like permanent smiles add to their charm.
Visitors who reserve a tour can step inside the pen to meet the herd up close, feed them treats and pet them. During a guided walk around the farm, guests can learn about their personalities, care and history.
One of the most popular stops is the nursery, where the farm’s youngest residents grow and play. The crias are born throughout the year and often steal the spotlight by becoming the center of attention.
Recent arrivals include Tuffnut, a spirited fawn-colored cria born just before Christmas who escaped the nursery within hours, and Stormfly, a striking snow-white baby also born in December. Astrid arrived last May weighing just over 15 pounds, while Hiccup, born last spring, has already charmed visitors with his rich brown fleece and playful energy.
The naming traditions add another layer of personality for the animals. The newest crias follow a “How to Train Your Dragon” theme with the names: Hiccup, Astrid and Stormfly. A previous group carried the Marvel-inspired names of Jubilee, Dazzler and Gambit. Some of the older males, like Journey, Zeppelin and Rush, are named after classic rock bands.
While farm tours are the biggest draw, LunaSea also hosts creative events throughout the year, including yoga sessions held in the nursery, painting outdoors during guided art classes or decorating cookies and spending time with the baby alpacas for Cookies & Crias.
Farm tours are offered by reservation only. For schedules and upcoming events, call or text the farm for more information.
Photos: Nicole Hamel
Gina moved to Central Florida in August 2021 from the San Francisco Bay Area. She has a degree in linguistics and worked as a fashion editor, photo stylist lifestyle columnist and food writer for the Knight Ridder Newspaper Group. She also covered and photographed music festivals, fashion shows and sports throughout Northern California. In 2000, she joined KSAN radio as a morning show co-host and produced the news and sports content there for four years. She later covered travel, events and the restaurant scene for KRON-Bay TV. A veteran bartender, Gina has worked in hospitality on and off since high school. She has been with Akers Media since 2022 and hosts the Healthy Living Central Florida podcast. Her passions include travel, road trips, baseball, history books and podcasts, tasting menus and arriving in a new city without a map or guidebook.
