Are you near St. Augustine on your next family vacation? You’ve got to make a stop at the St Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park! I took Red and his cousin to spend 3 hours at the Zoo and we loved it! Thank you to Florida’s Historic Coast for providing 2 complimentary tickets so we could explore. I’ve included several things you need to see during your trip. Just be sure to plan 2-3 hours to see everything. For the later afternoon when it gets warm, try hitting the beach or the Old Jail that I recommend in my St. Augustine family itinerary. This city has so much to see!
Saint Augustine Alligator Farm Video
See Maximo – The Giant Crocodile
We did take this photo in front of a large carved Alligator statue, but what I didn’t get to capture was MAXIMO the largest Crocodile! Living in the pen created for the now deceased (old age) Gomek who was 17.8 feet long, Maximo is a tough 15 footer. He has a “land” viewing station as well as an underwater viewing station so you can really take a peek at him. The boys were fascinated with the GOMEK exhibit, teaching the history of the initial “saltie” and learning about his successor. You’ve got to make time to see him!
Check Out All The Other Animals
Lemurs, Sloths, and Parrots, oh my! But also Monkies, Pythons, Monitors, Fossils and more. There are a ton of exhibits here that your kids will want to see: EVERY species of crocodile is represented! Toss in several presentations/shows and twice-daily feedings, and you can easily spend 2-3 hours here having fun!
See the Feedings at The St Augustine Alligator Farm
THIS is what the boys really wanted to see. From the moment we checked in, they were chomping at the bit for the clock to hit noon, when the zookeepers hit the dock to feed the Gators (there was another show at 3pm). Feeding may actually be a misnomer, as the keepers tossed “Gator biscuits” and rats on strings to the hungry animals but the main source of food is the constant stream of kibble tossed by visitors. Bring a few quarters to put into the gumball-style machines to get kibble and feed the Gators yourself!
Play and Explore
Just need to run off some steam? Head to the playground, the fossil pit, or the many winding pathways throughout the Park. The boys took a fifteen-minute climbing break on the SPiderweb ropes, the fort that overlooks the vultures and plenty of bronze animals for photos. Bring your camera/phone for snapping fun photos in these booth stands!
Learn at the Gator Zoo!
You absolutely cannot get out of the St. Augustine Alligator Farm without learning something. The boys were reading signs, asking questions and looking at every animal they crossed paths with. They concretely remembered the difference between Alligators and Crocodiles with repetitive details like the 4th tooth, snout widths, and areas of the world they inhabited. I even picked up a few new details for myself!
The boys are still talking about the alligators and have shared what they learned. Now I know that alligators are really very interesting! I’m sure we will be returning next year!
Alligators are super cool!