We recently had the awesome opportunity to visit The Reptarium Reptile Zoo in Utica, Michigan and had an absolute blast.
If you have a child that loves reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids, this is a Michigan must visit. A friend of mine had been hinting to me for awhile that we needed to go, so when I saw there were times slots available, I jumped at the chance. We’ve been missing adventures since the stay-at-home orders, and this truly was the ultimate spot for my crew of nature lovers!
NOTE: Since we visited during Covid, our visit may differ from a traditional experience {masks are currently required}. But the breathtaking reptiles speak for themselves and are absolutely worth it.
Upon stepping inside, I was blown away with how clean the place was and how well taken care of the animals appeared to be.
We were greeted by the owner — Brian Barczyk — who took the time to walk us around and let my children hold just about anything they would like. He didn’t know I was a blogger so there was no special treatment. He was a great guy. Definitely check out his amazing YouTube channel!
As we held snakes, lizards, a tarantula and more, he and the other keepers told us about them. It’s very clear this is a place looking to educate the public on reptiles. Each person we encountered was fantastic with the kids and happy to answer our questions.
We had so many laughs observing the animals that were able to roam. Bella, a rhino iguana and the skink they have were so fun and interactive.
The kids all agreed on the way home that their favorite was an albino alligator named Salt. So cool!
Turtles are one of my favorite animals, so I was partial to a tortoise named Steve.
We all fell in love with Sunrise, a gorgeous 60-pound Burmese python. I once was afraid of snakes, but my kids have made me SO much braver with their own curiosity. After learning more about them, I’ve actually started to like them too. They definitely can be misunderstood though!
They even have a two-headed snake named Ben & Jerry. It truly was beautiful in a mysterious way 😉
Other reptiles we saw included a corn snake, leopard gecko, an alligator snapping turtle named Bowser, an anaconda named Ivy, a few reticulated pythons, and more.
The Reptarium hosts private events, birthday parties, and even offers snake massages {!!!}, a fish spa, and reptile feedings for an extra fee.
Our one-hour timeslot was the perfect amount of time to see everything. After, I let the kids pick out a little something at the cute gift shop to commemorate our visit.
I cannot recommend this place enough. It’s obvious the keepers love what they are doing and the reptiles are well cared for. Kudos to Brian and his awesome team for educating families on the value of reptiles on our planet!
We will definitely be back for a future visit.
HOURS, ADMISSION AND LOCATION
The Reptarium is only open on select days {mostly Friday, Saturday and Sundays} with limited afternoon hours. To see when they are open to the public, make sure to check their calendar and purchase tickets in advance.
Tickets for children 11 and under are $11.99 and ages 12+ is $14.99. I felt that pricing was fantastic for the up-close and personal experience you receive.
The Reptarium is located at 45559 Van Dyke Ave., Utica, MI 48317. It’s near downtown Utica where there are tons of restaurants should you be hungry before or after your visit! There are limited parking spaces available in front.
Learn more about The Reptarium at their website, Facebook and Instagram.
Don’t let your reptile fears hold you back from visiting because you will miss out on such a cool experience! Have fun if you go!
A few other nature spots we love visiting: Saginaw Children’s Zoo, Howell Nature Center and the Wilderness Trails Zoo in Birch Run.
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