Florida Outdoors: Gatorland

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Gatorland^®, Orlando
Address: 14501 South Orange Blossom Trail Orlando, FL 32837

1-800-393-5297	Contact	Gatorland	Map	Open all year	9 AM – 5 PM 9 AM – 6 PM (during Summer)

Several locations throughout the Park	At entrance	Giftshop, several Snackbars, Coffee shop	Accessible, Wheelschairs available for rent	Pearls Smoke house Snack Bar near the entrance, Coffee Shop near Flamingo Island	good signage throughout

Shelters throughout, roofed paths in the attraction area	Benches and Huts can be found in the entire park	No Pets allowed	Biking not allowed	Easy to navigate and walk	Adults: $22.99 Kids 3 -12: $14.99 Ask for Specials. Mention Florida Birding trail for a discount!
	Gatorland is a surprising Place – especially if you have the old fashioned Roadside attraction image stuck in your head. It might surprise you – that Gatorland has one of the largest Bird Rookeries of Florida on it’s property, is par5t of the Florida Birding Trail and offers a swamp walk though the Green Swamp.
	Gatorland is worth a visit at any time of the year. However early Spring to June is the time for the Wildlife Photographer. The Breeding Marsh in the back of the property is just brimming with Tri-colored Heron, Cattle Egret , Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Ibis, Woodstork, Great Blue Heron and their young.
	Both the infamous Alligators that gave the park the name – you will get close as you ever will and will be perfectly safe – but even more attractive the Bird Sanctuary, that features a boardwalk with rain huts, a three story observation Tower and tons of birds!
	Layout and cleanliness are top notch. Spring to early some the Breeding marsh attracts 100’s of Egrets and Herons for their Mating and Nesting needs. It is THE place in Florida to see and get close to the normally skiddish wading birds. If you’re lucky you may even see chicks hatching! The attractions and shows offered a interesting as well. The french fries and Onion rings at Pearl’s Smokehouse are to die for and the Coffee shop next to the petting Zoo does not have to shy away from the comparison to Starbucks
	It’s not avoidable – but at weekends and holidays the park is packed. Fortunately the boardwalk is wide and leaves enough space. Other than that there are no real downsides.
	Early Entry and late stay (additional charge) let you get in at 7am and stay to after sundown. Highly recommend. Especially the summer mornings will provide a once in a lifetime experience, when the gators, that are getting into mating mood, start bellowing all over the lake.
	February to June is definitely the time to go for the Wildlife Photographer. However – Gatorland truly is worth a visit anytime…

	An unbelievable place. Surprising and when visited in peak times mesmerizing. Best tip – pack lots of memory cards. You will need them. And you get along without long glass. 200 mm will do just fine for most shots.

Click images to enlarge

	Gatorland Map	Breeding Marsh

Observation Tower	White Gator Exhibit	Gator Sky	Up Close and Personal

Ibis Tree at Sunset	Great Egret and chicks	Egrets at Sunset	Cattle Egret feeding his young