Where to go to see wild gators?

[Allisonjane]

We got home yesterday and in 16 trips I've looked in every lake we've passed and I've only ever seen 2 wild alligators, so this time I was desperate to find some, as close up as possible while keeping safe obviously.
After some googling we decided to try Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. It's about 30 miles from Disney, took us 40 minutes. It's an 11 mile one way drive at 10 miles an hour, we kept stopping so it took us about 2 hour. We must have seen as least 50 gators, we lost count in the end, only 1 was lying on the bank, but it was a very hot and sunny afternoon so I'm guessing they stay in the water then. We also saw 3 turtles and 100's of birds. It was great fun trying to spot them although in the end we didn't have to try that hard. Even my 12 year old, thought it was great and she'd originally said I was a bit sad for wanting to go.
Highly recommended and I've already said I want to do it again on our next trip.
It's open from sunrise to sunset on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only.

[Themousefamily]

Wekiwa springs state park - about 40ish miles from Disney area from memory. We canoed down the river and there are always a few alligators sunning themselves on the banks. Can’t say I wasn’t a little nervous - but apparently they just need to warm up in the day. They only want to hunt at night. Some people were actually in the water - I wouldn’t want to be out of the canoe myself 😂

[CRISSY61]

Lakefront park at Kissimmee. Lovely peaceful area & always easy to spot gators in the lake by the pier & coming up on the banks

[MarkUKinOrlando]

St John's river cruise in Blue Springs state park. A two hour boar trip up and down the river. You'll see just about every part of Florida's nature. Alligators every time. Worth the trip, we've done it many times.

sjrivercruises

[minnie29]

Silver Springs - they do glass bottom boat tours and we saw quite a few wild gators during our tour

[Redrach1903]

We always see gators round the lakes in celebration !

[Lisbon]

Where there's water there's gators, often see them at Celebration and also seen one where Tom Sawyers lake meets Splash Mountain.
rob

[ROBBOTOO]

If you’re staying anywhere near a lake etc you may see them without going anywhere.

We took these from our lake view villa (with a long lens obviously)

Fascinating to watch in their own environment.

[angel_eyes]

Originally Posted by ROBBOTOO

If you’re staying anywhere near a lake etc you may see them without going anywhere.

We took these from our lake view villa (with a long lens obviously)

Fascinating to watch in their own environment.

See more...

Brilliant photos. We will be staying at a lakeside villa and I will be more than happy to see one roaming there. We didn't spot one last time: the villa owner told us it had been recently relocated as it had grown too large!

[YorkshireT]

There's hardly a body of water in Florida without gators in.
I have had them right at the back of the house in Naples. They are shy creatures and when I approached them, they make off. They were in the lake at Vista Cay, Watersong and other areas I have stopped at in Orlando. I have seen a lot in other states too, but the best I have seen is Rotonda in Florida- they were all over the place, in the little parks adjoining the canals, sunning themselves.
I have seen quite a few snakes as well.
Bears in the Smokies (one overturned a huge bin outside our cabin looking for pizza). Wolves there too. Armadillos and aggressive spiders in Texas.
By far the scariest creature I have encountered was a raccoon in Lover's Key, it was going through the bins as I went in the door, saw me, and came for me. Nasty little blighter, very aggressive.