Wildlife and wild times at Gatorland Park
Gatorland park and wildlife preserve has been around since 1949, and it's still growing. Today Gatorland is 110 acres of family fun featuring wildlife shows, play areas and nature at its finest.
Shows at Gatorland are exciting and educational. In the Gator Jumparoo, you'll see alligators jumping about 5 feet from the water to grab food. You can see gator wrestling and up close wildlife encounters. Gatorland's Very Merry Aviary features colorful Lorikeets. If you purchase a small cup of nectar, you'll have these lovely birds eating right out of your hand. See goats, sheep, deer, ducks and chickens in Allie's Barnyard.
Get around the park easily on the express railroad. The new express railroad started carrying visitors in 2001, after the park's first train, the Gatorland Iron Horse, retired. The Iron Horse, which made its debut in 1965, is still on display at the park.
Get your face painted at Jorge's Fun Face Painting booth at the train station. When your face is painted like Spiderman, it's hard not to have a good time.
When that Orlando sun is beating down on you, cool down at the Gator Gully Splash Park. The splash park opened in the spring of 2007, and now provides lots of watery fun. Shoot your friends with the mounted water guns, visit the bucket tree and run underneath large egrets spewing water from their beaks. If you want some shade, you'll find that here as well.
If you want even more action, take an adventure tour at Gatorland. For $125 you can shadow a trainer for a few hours and learn how to safely handle animals and you may even get a chance to wrestle an alligator or crocodile.
- by Jessica Bates, Orlando Reporter for HelloMetro
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Jessica BatesJessica is a freelance journalist residing in lovely southern California. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and journalism. She writes for a green living publication, which she thoroughly enjoys. Once upon a time she was an editorial board member for Steel Toe Books choosing poetry manuscripts for publication.
