The two animals most commonly associated with Florida are:

  • Mickey Mouse
  • Alligators

Hunting down the world’s happiest rodent is a breeze. You’ll begin to see the telltale ears long before you arrive at the gates of Walt Disney World, with observant tourists noticing that even nearby electrical posts are topped with the iconic logo.

But where, oh where, do the alligators roam?

Headed for an alligator nest by airboat

Actually spotting an alligator in Florida can be trickier than you’d think.  On one hand, it’s rumored that there is at least one alligator living in every body of water in Florida (excluding most pools, of course).  On the other hand, alligators aren’t exactly eager to make friends with humans.  They spend most of their time trying not to be seen, and with their natural camouflage, they do a pretty good job of staying hidden.

In other words, chances are you’ll swim with alligators if you hit a Florida lake, but you’ll never even know.

(I still haven’t decide if that’s good or bad.)

If you’re dying to see an alligator, you can buy a ticket for a place like Gatorland in Orlando or the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine.  You’re guaranteed to see alligators here, but they aren’t exactly in their natural habitat.

(I still haven’t decide if that’s good or bad.)

If you want to see an alligator in the wild, your best bet might be to take an airboat tour. I went on an airboat ride recently and did, technically see alligators in the water, but they were still very difficult to spot.  Your best chances of seeing an alligator during an airboat tour is to visit in the cooler months or during the coldest parts of day during the summer.  When it’s cold outside, the gators have to get out into the open to soak up warmth from the sun.

If you want to see an alligator while spending as little money as possible, head to a state park and hope for the best.  My closest and most extended encounter with an alligator actually occured during a visit to Blue Springs State Park.  We had just finished swimming when we noticed three very large alligators lounging in the water a few feet away.

(I still haven’t decide if that’s good or bad.)

Photo by Britt Reints