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| At the Alligator Show |
Our next stop on our Black Hills vacation were the
Reptile Gardens. Depending on who you are, this might sound like a dream come true or your worst nightmare. For our lizard-loving four-year-old, it was fantastic. Actually, the whole family thought it was pretty fun. The Reptile Gardens is basically a reptile zoo just outside of Rapid City. The Reptile Gardens'
website boasts that it "features 225 species and subspecies of reptiles and includes more of these cold-blooded creatures than any other zoo in the world." There are also a number of exotic birds, a bald eagle, bugs and a small prairie dog town.
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| Komodo Dragon |
Upon arrival, get the schedule of shows for the day. There is an alligator show, a snake show and a bird show. We skipped the bird show but we saw the alligator show twice. We were there during peak season and while it pays to get to the show early for the best seats, there were still seats available when the show started. The shows are both fun and educational and the audience gets a chance to ask questions and pet a snake or baby alligator afterward.
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| After the Alligator Show |
The center of the park is the SkyDome. While most of the attractions are outdoors, many of the park's most interesting exhibits are inside the SkyDome. When we visited, it was hot one day and chilly another, so it was nice to escape inside for a bit. Inside the sky dome, you will find Maniac - the gigantic saltwater crocodile - and the komodo dragon. Some of the world's most venomous snakes like the king cobra and black mamba are also housed in this building. In the middle of the dome is a garden where small lizards, macaws and other exotic birds move around freely. My son was especially excited to find the elusive basilisk lizard, which had been featured on Wild Kratts - his favorite show.
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| Inside the SkyDome Garden |
Outside the SkyDome, our favorite part was the tortoise yard. There are currently two giant tortoises that roam the yard freely and don't mind being touched and hugged by gentle visitors. When we were there, we were able to see Methuselah, who was about to celebrate his 120th birthday. I was sad to read during my research for this blog post that Methuselah passed away just a month after our visit. Also outside are the prairie dog town where visitors can go underneath and look through plexi-glass domes at the cute little critters. There is a small replica of a wild west town, which is good for some silly photo ops and a peaceful garden - Tortuga Falls - that didn't interest our children much, but perhaps that's part of its appeal for others.
Reptile Gardens is located six miles outside Rapid City on the way to Mount Rushmore. Admission is $12-16 per adult (depending on the season) and $8-11 for children ages 5-12. Children under age 5 are free.
IMPORTANT: Ask for a vacation pass when you purchase your admission. This will allow you to return at no charge any time during your vacation. They actually reminded us to do this when we entered, so they aren't stingy about it. We did visit the Reptile Gardens twice during our trip. Plan for up to half a day here.
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| With Methuselah in the Giant Tortoise Yard |
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