PALMDALE, Fla. — For nearly seven decades, Gatorama has been giving visitors an unforgettable look at one of Florida’s most iconic animals.
The Palmdale attraction, which opened in 1957, is one of the state’s oldest surviving roadside attractions and is home to about 2,000 alligators and crocodiles.
One of the park’s most unique experiences begins with an unusual request — take off your shoes.
Guests step into warm, shallow water alongside a handful of young alligators, creating what co-owner Alan Register calls “the most awesome event that anybody will do with an alligator.”
Customers walk among the reptiles as they swim around them, with trained staff explaining their behavior and helping guests safely hold the animals.
Before anyone picks up a gator, employees carefully secure the animal’s mouth with veterinary wrap instead of tape, which can damage the alligator’s mouth.
“And so, we always wrap their mouths. Now, we’re not using tape. Tape can harm the animal’s mouth. So, we use a vet wrap. And so, it doesn’t stick or anything like that. But they can never ever do this in the wild,” Register said.
The experience is designed to create lasting memories while teaching an important lesson: admire alligators up close in a controlled setting but always keep your distance from them in the wild.
Young visitors often come away with a new appreciation for the reptiles.
“I liked that they were calm and stuff like that. They were nice,” said Parker Lindimore, who was visiting from Ohio.
Alan and Patty Register have owned and operated Gatorama since the 1980s after first meeting in middle school.
Patty Register says the attraction is one of the few remaining reminders of Florida’s roadside tourism boom.
“In the heyday of roadside tourist attractions, there were 72 other roadside attractions in Florida,” Patty Register said.
Another popular attraction is Gatorama’s Face-to-Face Adventure, where guests stand just a few feet away from massive alligators while learning about the apex predators and the important role they play in Florida’s ecosystem.
The park’s staff has trained the alligators to respond to commands, allowing visitors to safely observe and photograph the animals from remarkably close distances.
Some of the park’s largest residents have been there since the attraction first opened.
“Some of the big alligators we have in the park here are some of the original alligators that were brought in to get them in 1957,” Alan Register said.
Beyond the close encounters, Gatorama offers a variety of educational experiences that allow visitors to observe both alligators and crocodiles while learning about their biology, behavior, and conservation.
Visitors who make the trip in August can take part in one of the park’s signature traditions—the annual Hatching Festival, where guests have the chance to hold an alligator egg as a baby gator hatches with guidance from Gatorama’s staff.
“We are thrilled to show people what Florida actually is and was,” Patty Register said.
This August, Gatorama will celebrate its 25th annual Hatching Festival, giving visitors the rare opportunity to witness one of nature’s most memorable moments up close.