Disclosure: This Tampa adventure idea is brought to you by GetOutPass. I received a free GetOutPass in exchange for sharing my experiences at attractions included with the pass. All opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links and an affliate code for GetOutPass, which means I may receive a commission if you make a purchase through a link or use the discount code featured in this post. There is no additional cost to you.
Want to get up close with alligators in Tampa? Croc Encounters is a remarkable non-profit animal sanctuary dedicated to rescuing unwanted reptiles.
A 15-acre Florida agritourism facility, Croc Encounters is a haven for hundreds of alligators, crocodiles and other reptiles. While crocodilians are the main focus of Croc Encounters, the Tampa animal sanctuary works to provide a home for all unwanted reptiles including snakes, lizards and turtles.
An educational facility as well as a Tampa animal sanctuary, Croc Encounters offers guided tours with opportunities to interact with alligators and other reptiles daily in Tampa. Tours include the opportunity to hold a small alligator and the chance to feed alligators of multiple sizes.
Croc Encounters is a Tampa hidden gem that I didn’t even know was in my home city until I got GetOutPass. GetOutPass is your ticket to lots of fun activities and attractions near you. Recently launched in Tampa/Central Florida, GetOutPass is available in 21 states in the U.S. Get 55% off your Tampa/Central Florida GetOutPass with code ADVENTURESEEKINGMOM.
Guided Tours of Croc Encounters Reptile Park and Alligator Farm
Using our GetOutPass, my kids and I received a small-group guided tour of the Croc Encounters reptile park and alligator farm in Tampa. As we walked along the Croc Encounters boardwalk, we got an up-close look at alligators, crocodiles, turtles, tortoises, monitor lizards, snakes and other reptiles. We also got to see a beautiful macaw and toucan that Croc Encounters took in. The tour lasted about 1.5 hours.
During our tour of the Croc Encounters reptile sanctuary, we received several hands-on animal interaction opportunities. Our guide provided information about each species as well as feeding demos. She even gave us the opportunity to feed alligators and a monitor lizard. We also held and took photos with a small turtle and a ball python. Later in the tour, we got to hand feed and pet friendly sulcata tortoises.
At the end of the tour, we got the opportunity to hold and take photos with a small American alligator. Don’t worry, the alligator’s mouth was taped for safety.
We learned so much about reptiles during our Croc Encounters Tampa animal sanctuary tour. By the end of it, all the sanctuary visitors seemed much more comfortable around reptiles than when they arrived. Once you spend some time up close with these extraordinary animals, you realize they aren’t as scary as they seem. Through its interactive tours, Croc Encounters is doing important work to fight the stigma surrounding crocodilians and other reptiles.
Guided tours of the Croc Encounters Tampa animal sanctuary are offered daily at select times. Reservations are required.
Education and Conservation Efforts at Croc Encounters Reptile Park and Alligator Farm
Many of the alligators at Croc Encounters were deemed nuisance alligators and removed from Florida properties. If Croc Encounters had not provided a home for these Florida alligators, they would have been euthanized.
In addition to providing a home for many unwanted animals that can no longer live in the wild, Croc Encounters has a captive breeding program to help enhance representation of crocodilian species and reduce pressure on wild populations. Most of the 23 species of crocodilians are threatened or endangered.
Along with guided and private tours, Croc Encounters offers educational programs for schools and other groups. You can also host a birthday party at this Tampa animal sanctuary.
Croc Camp: Summer Camp at Croc Encounters Featuring Alligators and Other Reptiles
Do you have a kid who is fascinated by reptiles? During the summer, kids from Kindergarten through 8th grade can join Croc Encounters for a wild, week-long reptile summer camp at the Tampa animal sanctuary.
Croc Camp gives kids behind-the-scenes animal care experiences, hands-on animal interactions, animal feeding opportunities and more fun and educational activities. The camp features encounters with alligators and crocodiles, turtles and tortoises, snakes, and lizards.
Places to See Alligators in the Wild in Florida
If you want to see Florida alligators in the wild after your Croc Encounters experience, check out these nearby parks or take a road trip to Lake Apopka near Orlando.
Central Florida Everglades airboat tours are also a thrilling way to see Florida alligators in the wild.
Hillsborough River State Park
Northeast of Croc Encounters, Hillsborough River State Park in Thonotosassa, FL is a popular spot for wild alligator watching. Hike or kayak down the scenic Hillsborough River and you’re sure to spot a few. Don’t worry, alligators tend to keep their distance from people. If you paddle too close, they’ll just dive under the water.
Lettuce Lake Park
As the alligator-friendly Hillsborough River flows southwest from Hillsborough River State Park toward Tampa, it passes through Lettuce Lake Conservation Park. To watch alligators from above, follow the park’s boardwalk trail and climb the observation tower that overlooks the river. Want a closer look? The park offers canoe and kayak rentals.
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
Located near Orlando in Apopka, the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive offers those who are curious about alligators the opportunity to observe them from the comfort of their car. Free to visit, the one-way 11-mile drive along the north shore of Lake Apopka is open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays between sunrise and sunset. The fourth largest lake in Florida, Lake Apopka is home to many alligators. As we slowly made our way through the preserve, we tried to keep count of how many alligators we saw. We lost count around 50! We even saw some alligators sunning themselves along the roadway.
Where to See Alligators and Manatees in Florida
Near Tallahassee in North Florida, Wakulla Springs State Park is an amazing destination for Florida wildlife watching. Daily riverboat tours give visitors a chance to see both alligators and manatees in one place. Check out our guide to visiting Wakulla Springs for all the details on this top Florida destination for nature lovers.
Tips to Safely Live with Alligators in Florida
The American alligator is a conservation success story in Florida. Florida has a healthy and stable alligator population, which is estimated at 1.3 million alligators of every size. Alligators are found in all 67 counties, inhabiting all wetlands where there’s adequate food and shelter.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) works to keep Floridians and visitors informed and recommends the following precautionary measures near alligators, including in or near the water, to reduce the chances of conflict:
- Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator. If someone is concerned about an alligator in Florida, they should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and FWC will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.
- Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge. Pets often resemble alligators’ natural prey.
- Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.
- Never feed an alligator. It’s illegal and dangerous. When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. This can lead to dangerous circumstances for yourself and other people who could encounter the alligator in the future.
More Florida Adventure Ideas
Want more Florida adventure ideas like these? Check out our Florida family adventure guides.
Which type of reptile would you most like to interact with at Croc Encounters? Let me know in the comments!
OMG, I would have been equally excited and terrified by this as a child! What a cool experience for little ‘uns. I love that you can see them in the wild in so many places!
The one part that makes me nervous is the part where they tape the aligators mouth and allow people to hold them. That doesn’t sound good from an animal welfare point of view. It makes me think of the sad baby tigers that have to have their photos taken a zillion times a day… Did the Croc camp folks say anything about that while you visited? It’s an educational camp, so it can’t be all bad, but that part seems a bit off to me…
I totally get where you’re coming from! I would be concerned about animal welfare if it was a for-profit attraction. Knowing that this is a facility committed to saving these animals, I felt confident that the tape was not harmful to the alligator.
Gators are definitely not my thing but Croc Encounters seems like a really cool place. I’ve been to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive and saw so many gators! A lot more than I would want to, that’s for sure LOL!
LOL! It’s amazing how many alligators you can see in the wild at Lake Apopka! I think you should check out Croc Encounters – the experience will help get more comfortable around gators!