Founded in 1949 with only a handful of alligators living in huts and pens, Gatorland now houses thousands of alligators and crocodiles on its 70-acre spread. Breeding pens, nurseries, and rearing ponds are situated throughout the park, which also displays toads, insects, turtles, and a Galápagos tortoise. Its 2,000-foot boardwalk winds through a cypress swamp and breeding marsh. There are three shows. Gator Wrestlin' uses the old "put-them-to-sleep" trick, but it's more of an environmental awareness program. The Gator Jumparoo is a crowd-pleaser in which the big reptiles lunge 4 or 5 feet out of the water to snatch a hunk of meat from a trainer's hand. And Jungle Crocs of the World showcases some of the world's toothiest carnivores. While you're here, try the smoked gator ribs or nuggets in the open-air restaurant, or grab a gator-skin souvenir in the gift shop. Allow 4 to 5 hours.

Note: Gatorland's new Adventure Tours program lets up to five guests become a Trainer for a Day. The $190 experience puts you side by side with trainers and includes a chance to wrangle and doctor some alligators (minimum age 12). You get a disposable camera to help record your experience. Other Adventure Tours include half-day airboat rides ($55 adults, $45 kids), a nighttime airboat ride ($38 adults, $28 kids), and a spring alligator egg-collecting excursion ($49, minimum age 12).