Where To See Alligators Near Orlando

Ask almost any visitor what they want to see in Florida besides the theme parks, and "a real alligator" is near the top of the list. Good news: you are in the right state. Florida wildlife officials estimate there are about 1.3 million alligators here, living in all 67 counties. The trick is knowing where to look.

1. On An Airboat Tour At Boggy Creek

Airboats were made for gator country. They skim across the shallow marsh and grass where alligators live, and the captains know where to find them. Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures in Kissimmee runs tours through the headwaters of the Everglades, about 35 minutes from Disney.

• Daytime tours (30 minutes or 1 hour) often spot gators sunning on the banks, along with bald eagles, sandhill cranes, herons and turtles. Because the animals are wild, daytime sightings are never guaranteed.
• The night tour is the one tour that guarantees alligators. After dark is when they come out to feed, and you will see their eyes glowing in the grass. Night tours do not run when it is colder than 55°F.

First time on an airboat? Read our first-timer's airboat guide for what to wear and which tour to pick.

2. Up Close At The Boggy Creek Gator Pond

Want a guaranteed, up-close look during the day? Boggy Creek keeps about 35 juvenile alligators in an enclosure on property. You can watch them from a safe distance and buy gator food in the gift shop to see them in action. For everyone's safety, the gators are not held or handled for photos. It is an easy stop while you wait for your airboat, and it is right in the same park as Mini Moo Land.

3. Orlando Wetlands Park (Free)

East of Orlando in Christmas, Florida, this city-run wetland park is a maze of marshes and berm trails. Admission and parking are free, it is open from sunrise to sunset, and the city says hundreds of alligators live there along with a huge variety of birds. Bring water and sun protection, stay on the trails and keep your distance. Pets are not allowed. Some berm roads may be closed for wetland work, so check the city's page before you go.

4. Circle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland (Free)

About an hour southwest of Kissimmee, this former cattle ranch is now a Polk County nature preserve famous among wildlife photographers for its alligators and wading birds. Admission and parking are free. Gators often rest right beside the trails, so give them plenty of room. Some trails close in spring and summer during nesting season.

5. Any Central Florida Lake

Honestly, if there is fresh water, there is a decent chance there is a gator in it. Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, retention ponds and the creeks at places like Shingle Creek Regional Park are all alligator habitat. That is exactly why Florida wildlife officials remind everyone to swim only in designated areas during daylight hours.

When Is The Best Time To See Alligators?

Alligators are cold-blooded, so the weather makes a big difference:

• Warm months (about April through October): Alligators are most active when it is around 82 to 92°F. In the heat of summer, look early or late in the day, when they are moving and feeding.
• Cool months (about November through March): They stop feeding below about 70°F and become dormant below about 55°F. On sunny winter days, look for them basking on banks in the late morning and afternoon.
• Spring: Courtship starts in early April and mating happens in May and June, when you might hear males bellowing across the water.
• Late summer: Nests hatch from about mid-August through early September, so you may spot tiny striped babies near their mothers. Give them extra space, because mother alligators guard their young.

Alligator Or Crocodile?

Around Orlando, it is an alligator. Florida does have American crocodiles, but they live in the coastal, brackish waters of South Florida, and there are only a couple thousand adults. To tell them apart, look at the snout. Alligators have a broad, rounded, U-shaped snout and are dark, almost black. Crocodiles have a narrower, pointed snout, are a lighter grayish green, and show teeth from the lower jaw even with their mouth closed.

How To Watch Alligators Safely

Serious alligator injuries are rare in Florida, and following a few simple rules keeps it that way:

• Keep a safe distance. If an alligator hisses or moves toward you, you are too close.
• Never feed a wild alligator. It is illegal in Florida, and it teaches gators to associate people with food.
• Swim only in designated areas during daylight, and never at dusk or after dark.
• Keep pets on a leash and away from the water's edge.
• Leave babies alone. A mother is usually nearby.

The easiest way to see gators safely is with someone who does it every day, which is where a guided airboat tour comes in.

Make It A Boggy Creek Day

After the gators, the rest of Boggy Creek is right there, including our own herd of Highland cows at Mini Moo Land:

• Ride an airboat through the headwaters of the Everglades and look for wild alligators, bald eagles and wading birds. Choose a 30-minute or one-hour tour, a sunset tour, or a night tour that guarantees gators.
• Dig for gems at the 70-foot Prospector Gem Mine, where kids sift for semi-precious stones, fossils and crystals.
• Walk through Lily's Butterfly Garden and its native butterflies and plants.
• Visit the Gator Pond.
• Eat lakeside at Boggy Bottom BBQ.

The easiest way to do it all is the 1-hour airboat ride and Mini Moo Land combo, which costs $10 less than booking both separately.