We love animal experiences, and when we find the truly great ones, we can’t stop talking about them. Prehistoric World is an incredible hidden gem in Wyoming County that just blew us away. This is a fantastic family destination that kids and reptile lovers will flip over.
My son is nuts about all things prehistoric, and reptiles fit this bill, as many species of reptiles evolved from the prehistoric giants that once walked the earth. We decided that this would make a great birthday destination for him. Honestly, finding something a 14 year old would enjoy doing for his birthday during a pandemic is a feat unto itself. So, discovering this gem was a complete stroke of luck, and Prehistoric World saved the day by giving us a unique and one-of-a-kind experience.
Side note: He is a huge Jurassic Park fan, and the memorabilia on display had him drooling in envy.
Snakes, Lizards, Turtles…
If your kids are like mine, they always make a beeline for the reptile house at whatever zoo we are visiting. Well, Reptile World puts every single reptile house we have ever visited to shame. I literally have never seen such an astonishing array of reptiles in one place.
The zoo is split into 2 separate themed sites where guests can learn about animals that hail from different habitats. Be prepared because I’m about to gush about these gorgeous animals!
(please forgive the glare on some of the pictures due to the glass.)
Site A – Living Jungle
The animals in this section all come from jungle or forest settings. I think the thing that struck me the most was the colors of the reptiles in this section. I have never seen so many colorful snakes in my life. Nor did I realize how many different kinds of geckos and lizards there are. Something I noticed almost right away was how responsive the animals are to visitors. When I have seen reptiles in the zoo, they more or less ignored me. These reptiles, however, looked straight at me, almost encouraging me to touch them. They have clearly had a great deal of human attention, love, and interaction.
Site B – The Desert Lands and Turtle Town
This exhibit is located just next door and is dedicated to desert animals, as well as my personal favorites, turtles and tortoises. In addition to loads of turtles, tortoises, and, of course, desert-dwelling snakes and lizards, this exhibit is home to some Prehistoric World’s creepier inhabitance…arachnids like tarantulas and scorpions and their cutest ones, prairie dogs and a hedgehog.
Fantastic Staff
What really sets this zoo apart from other zoos is the staff. They are what really make every visitor’s experience unique and extraordinary. From the moment you step through the door, each person is treated like a special guest. The reptile expert docents walk around the zoo and will provide guests with fascinating facts about the reptiles and invite guests to touch and hold almost every animal in the zoo. This is as interactive an experience as you can ever hope to have at any zoo, and it is completely amazing.
I have always heard the phrase, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” but this is the first time I have actually seen it in practice. The docents here clearly love reptiles. I have never seen people who are as enthusiastic and passionate about what they do as those at Prehistoric World. Every time we would come to a different habitat with an interesting snake or lizard and I would exclaim, “ohhhh! Can we hold him?” and our docent would patiently reply (even after having shown us ten other animals already) “Of Course!” and go into a detailed explanation about how the animal came to live at Prehistoric World, reel off interesting facts about the species, and answer any questions we would have. Even though I am sure that they had told the same facts dozens of times, it was clear that they enjoyed teaching visitors about the reptiles.
I feel like we walked away with a great deal of new knowledge and appreciation for reptiles. During our visit, we had the opportunity to meet so many snakes and to my delight, quite a few baby snakes. Never in my life would I have ever imagined calling a snake adorable. And yet here I am, saying these snakes are pretty darn adorable.
Extra Experiences
But wait!!! There’s more!!! There are extra experiences that guests can enjoy.
ANIMAL FEEDING
Hand-feed a tortoise or lizard.
PHOTO WITH ONE OF OUR ANIMALS
Have a commemorative photo taken with your favorite reptile. Each photo is taken with a special background and comes with a protective paper frame.
ZOOKEEPER FOR A DAY (4 hours)
Get hands-on experience and learn what it is like to be a zookeeper at Prehistoric World. Go behind the scene for 4 hours and assist with cleaning enclosures, feeding, and medicating the animals.
BIRTHDAY PARTIES
Enjoy a party in the private birthday room for up to two hours with a private reptile show. Birthday parties include free admission to the zoo. (maximum group size is 15 people)
Know Before You Go
Prehistoric World keeps the temperature of the zoo very warm. I recommend leaving your coat in the car and wearing only a T-shirt. We were melting in our hoodies. The fact that it is so warm also makes this a great winter destination. You can get a welcome break from the cold and warm up while meeting some heat-loving animals.
Hours
Reservations are required to visit the Zoo. Visit their website to book your timed visit.
Hours:
MONDAY: 11AM – 3PM
FRIDAY: 11AM – 3PM
SATURDAY: 11AM – 3PM
Getting to Prehistoric World
Address: 14 LAKE ST, PERRY, NY 14530
Google Map Link
Have you visited Prehistoric World? What was your favorite animal? We want to hear all about your experience. Please leave us a comment below.