For animal-loving travelers going through Mississippi, the Wildlife Ranch is a must-see spot. Located in the town of Moss Point, Mississippi is a place called Gulf Coast Gator Ranch. This ranch is full of gators who are just waiting for their next meal. Travelers can also go on an airboat and explore the surrounding swamps as well, making for an interactive - and truly thrilling - experience.

What Is The Mississippi Gator Ranch?

Gulf Coast Gator Ranch is a protected area where some of the oldest and largest alligators in captivity are housed and fed. Visitors are able to touch and hold the alligators while on the tour but are recommended to keep fingers away from the chomping jaws despite the thick rubber bands holding their mouths closed during the interactions. All of the alligators are locally caught, and are usually troublemakers that were making issues in nearby towns.

The ranch also offers airboat tours of the surrounding swamps to see gators in their natural habitats. The airboat tours come with knowledgeable captains who are not afraid to show off a few moves while steering the boat. After visitors are piled onto the boats with their life vests and ear protection, the captains head straight off into the surrounding swamps to show off the natural beauty of Mississippi.

What To Expect When Visiting Gator Ranch

Visitors can expect to be strolling along protected pathways and walking trails and be enjoying the surrounding scenery and wildlife before suddenly stumbling upon an alligator just laying around. While he may not be acting hungry, visitors can offer food that was bought and try to feed the alligators before continuing on their walk. Once back at the base, visitors can also hold an alligator and get ready for an airboat ride.

While getting to the airboat, visitors are given a safety speech, life vests, and ear protection before heading off into the gorgeous swamps of the surrounding areas. The airboat makes visitors feel like they are flying as they zoom through the swamps in an attempt to see some of the surrounding wildlife. Some of the more daring captains with adventurous passengers might even do a few donuts or other tricks while out on the boat.

Visitors can also expect extremely knowledgeable captains and guides at the location, with answers to almost any question that they could have. These people have usually been around alligators for years and know exactly how to handle the animals, along with how they think and why they act the way they act.

RELATED: Best Zoo Hotels Around The World For Animal Lovers

Time & Costs For Gator Ranch

While there are better times than others for visitors to go to the ranch, it is open year-round, 7 days a week. Visitors are allowed to be there at any time during open hours, but the boats have different hours and visitors should be sure to plan ahead when it comes to wanting to see and do everything offered at the ranch. All of the times for the ranch and airboat are:

  • Winter hours: 8am-4pm
  • Summer hours: 8am-6pm
  • Airboat tours: Mon.-Sat: 8:30 am and every half hour after that
  • Airboat tours: Sun: 11:30 am and every half hour after that

There are different prices for the airboat tours and admission to the park, along with different tours for around the ranch, holding the alligators, and feeding them. All of these prices are:

  • Walking Tours: $8 plus tax
  • Airboat: Adults (Ages 10 and up) $35 | Children (Ages 4 to 9) $20

But no matter what the cost is, everyone who has gone in the past has collectively agreed that it is worth it. For the chance to be up close and personal with gators, or getting to go see them in their natural habitats, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that every visitor has thoroughly enjoyed. There are awesome souvenirs that visitors can buy, but none as awesome as the memories made and the pictures taken while at the ranch.

RELATED: 10 Places In Canada Made For Animal Lovers

Best Times To Visit Gator Ranch

While it is tempting to avoid peak travel times by going in the winter, that is not the best time to visit this ranch. The gators tend to get very lazy and boring during the winter, which means not much interaction or interesting photos. The other bad thing about visiting in the winter means that the airboat tours will be exceptionally cold to ride in.

So for travelers wanting to visit this awesome and interesting ranch, the best times to visit are during the spring and summer. These are the months where there may be more visitors, but it means warmer boat rides with a higher chance to meet alligators and a lot more interesting photos with the more active alligators on site. Visitors should plan for warmer months when visiting this ranch so they can have the most out of their visit.

For travelers who are wanting to know more about alligators, this is the perfect stop for all ages. Being allowed to hold, pet, feed, and see an alligator's natural habitat is not something that can be done just anywhere. Mississippi is a popular spot for gators to reside and cause trouble, which makes this location one of the best for people who love alligators. With the beauty of Mississippi nature surrounding visitors, they are sure to have an amazing visit.

NEXT: 10 Places In The UK Made For Animal Lovers