With no fancy roller coasters or drenching water rides, this mom-and-pop park hearkens back to Old Florida – and is all the better for it. The "alligator capital of the world" is home to thousands of alligators big and small, as well as crocodiles, snakes and brightly colored macaws. The whole place is a lot of fun: there's a zipline, a swamp buggy ride and, if you have the nerve, the chance to feed the gators up close.
Of the 2000-odd alligators, look out for Chester, the biggest one in the park, and brothers Ferris Zombi and Trezo Je, two of only 12 leucistic alligators in the world. Their partial albinism earns them the nickname "swamp ghost" and, according to Cajun folklore, looking into their bright blue eyes is meant to bring good luck.
The rather tongue-in-cheek shows are charmingly free of special effects, dramatic music and spectacular light design. At the Jumparoo Show, 10ft-long alligators leap almost entirely out of the water to grab whole chickens from the trainer. Up-Close Encounters involves mysterious boxes holding animals the public has sent to the park. The trainers are too scared to open them, so they drag audience members down to help.
The Screamin' Gator Zipline (per two hours $70, including park admission) features various ziplines over the park. The newest attraction is the Stompin' Gator Off-Road Adventure ($10), a 10-minute swamp buggy ride of big bumps and lots of funny wordplay by the guide. There's also the chance to be a Trainer for a Day ($129), a three-hour backstage experience where you meet some of the gators and learn about taking care of them.
Note: Lonely Planet does not condone the practice of having your photo taken sitting on a gator and some of the shows feature animal interaction some might find disturbing.
