Reptile Gardens

Reptile Gardens

Reptile Gardens
4.5
About
Reptile Gardens is a unique animal park set in a beautiful botanical garden. The iconic Sky Dome houses rare and fascinating reptiles, along with a brilliant array of exotic flowers and plants in a breathtaking indoor jungle. The grounds are a colorful mosaic of flowerbeds planted each year with more than 40,000 flowers. Visiting with their knowledgeable staff and meeting their parrots, raptors, and giant tortoises will be unforgettable! Open March-November. South of Rapid City on Hwy 16. For hours and rates, check our website or give us a call. www.reptilegardens.com
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  • Heidi B
    2 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Minus the field trip kids, it was great.
    We loved the reptile gardens, but there were field trip kids that ruined a lot of it. They were running around yelling during the snake and bird show and had little to no supervision. We stayed long enough to catch the show again without the kids and it was so much better. It was awesome to see all the animals they have there.
    Thanks for the kind review. When we have school groups in May it can get a little hectic. Some teachers do a great job of supervising and some not so good. Glad you got to see the show. Thanks Rattling Yours Johnny B
    Written May 19, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written May 13, 2024
  • Caroline H
    17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Don’t Slither On By!
    Great place for family fun!! The snakes did chase me in my dreams that night but at least I knew which ones were harmless and which ones were dangerous. The snake show and bird show presenters were very knowledgeable and we loved talking to them after the show. The dome was one of my favorite parts because there are free roam lizards and frogs along with parrots, my favorite being the african grey. Amazing place for families!
    Glad you had such a good time. We have a great and knowledgeable staff. Thanks for the review. Rattling Yours Johnny B
    Written May 19, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written May 19, 2024
  • SJRODDICK
    Walla Walla, Washington323 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    AWESOME EXHIBIT OF REPTILES
    The exhibit at this reptile gardens was absolutely amazing. It boast that it has the most reptiles in captivity in the world, and I would believe it. The snake show and the alligator show was fantastic. For those who are not able to do a lot of walking, they do have loaner wheelchairs available.if you love reptiles like I do, this is a must see exhibit.
    Thank you so much for the 5 star rating. We are very proud of our show people. Thanks Rattling Yours Johnny B
    Written June 9, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written June 4, 2024
  • Lorna B.
    Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania884 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    nice flora & fauna
    We visited here as part of a two-week-long road trip from our home in southeastern PA to the Dakotas in the summer of 2023. This is a fun place for people of all ages. The grounds here are beautiful, with very colorful and creative gardens throughout; plants and beautiful display rocks are labeled like you would find at a botanical garden. We really enjoyed the indoor rainforest habitat Skydome pavilion as well as the various animals on display outdoors. There were two great shows presented, featuring alligators and snakes; both were entertaining and informative. There is a small café here, a very large gift store with beautiful decorative items for sale, and plentiful free parking. We spent two hours here in all and really enjoyed our visit.
    Thank you for the kind review. Rattling Yours Johnny B
    Written June 23, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written June 17, 2024
  • Dennis B
    Denver, Colorado189 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Super fun but crowded
    My wife and I visited here 10 years ago as a couple and brought our kids this year. The landscaping is so much nicer than it was on our last visit but I thought the gator/croc and snake shows were a little better on our previous visit. Much more crowded than it used to be though. Still lots of fun and great memories here. The hot dogs we had for lunch were pretty good too! Appreciated that there was hand sanitizer available throughout the park.
    Thank you for the positive review. The gardening dept. has really done a great job with the landscaping. Rattling Yours Johnny B
    Written June 30, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written June 23, 2024
  • donmarNorthHaven
    86 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An unexpected surprise!
    We decided to visit the Reptile Garden on a day where the weather wasn’t as conducive to some of the outdoor activities on our agenda. I must say we were very surprised and completely impressed with the Reptile Gardens. Tremendous variety of snakes, Alligators, Lizards, and many other species. Place is meticulously cared for and it’s obvious the workers take great pride in the place. We watched two live shows one with Alligators and the other with snakes. The young man Cody was fantastic! Knowledgeable and witty during the performance. Highly recommend stopping here.
    Thank you so much for the 5 star review. We are blessed with a great staff that takes pride in our attraction. Thanks again Rattling Yours Johnny B
    Written June 30, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written June 29, 2024
  • Becci W
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best part of our vacation!
    Best part of our vacation was coming here! So much fun and so up closer to the animals! The alligator/croc show and snake show were well worth it! Riley was highly entertaining and made the shows so great!
    Thank you so much for the great review. I'll let Riley know your compliment. Rattling Yours Johnny B
    Written June 30, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written June 29, 2024
  • Scott C
    16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A wonderful surprise In South Dakota.
    This venue was very well planned andstaffed. I felt a little like I was at a Disney attraction. While reptiles are the main attraction, there is also an abundance of manicured gardens and flowers. Of course, there were lots of poisonous snakes and crocodiles, alligators, etc. to see, but the highlight of our visit was in the tortoise enclosure where they have three large tortoises that you are allowed to interact with and pet. All of the staff was extremely friendly and helpful and went out of their way to try to make our visit as pleasurable as possible. Even the restrooms were clean and well maintained. It’s not the type of venue we were planning on visiting when coming to South Dakota, but definitely worth the price. Highly recommended!
    Thank you so so much for the glowing review. We have such a wonderful staff that we are very proud of. Thanks again Rattling Yours Johnny B
    Written August 4, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written July 31, 2024
  • michellemanitoba
    Brandon, Canada38 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    My favorite place in the whole area
    I loved it here. If my kids weren't pressuring me to move along, I would have looked more closely at all the species of snakes in the dome. Quite a few of them I have never seen before, or even heard of. Alligator/crocodile and snake shows were entertaining, and we got to pet a baby alligator! Lots of restrooms around, food available. Kids did the virtual realty room and enjoyed it. Nice little playground for them to get some energy out as well. Reptile Gardens is easy to find, lots of parking. There is also a pond where you can feed the fish. We easily spent about 5 hours here, but I've also very interested in reptiles. To top it all off, they have a huge gift shop with really cool fossils. I got myself a megalodon tooth!! Great range of prices in the souvenirs.
    Wow!! Thank you so much for the fantastic review. I'm glad you had so much FUN. Rattling Yours Johnny B
    Written August 11, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written August 8, 2024
  • Gaye W
    Pipestone, Minnesota50 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Reptiles and more
    Seemed a bit pricey, but only place that had a senior price! $23 -seniors, $25 -adults, $21 11-15, $19-4-10 Military-$23 Very clean. Well organized, trainers put on great shows. Snack bar or sit down eateries. The dome was fascinating. The food was good. I had not been here since 1964...they had pieces from then and the tortoise trainer knew all about the tortoise we were allowed to ride in 64! Wonder place. Gift shop was great too. Good 3 hours spent! Even have small sandy play area for littles!
    Thank you so much for the review. I'm happy we exceeded your expectations. Rattling yours Johnny B
    Written August 18, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written August 17, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles2,353 reviews
Excellent
1,565
Very good
606
Average
148
Poor
24
Terrible
10

DianeER
Falls Church, VA2,478 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Couples
The senior rate was $23 per person & we found this expensive as we only spent about 2 hours there.

This attraction is more geared to kids & was packed with kids.

We thought it was just OK but would skip it if we ever came to SD again.

I’m sure it costs a lot to feed the animals though hence the expensive admission.

The grounds were beautiful & well taken care of.

The 2 shows on snakes & alligators were great although very crowded in early June.

Small exhibits with prairie dogs & tortoises were very excellent.

Lots of different snakes in glass cages that we enjoyed seeing.

If you like my review, I hope you’ll click the “helpful” button; those of us who write reviews live for those and it motivates us to do more.
Written August 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the review. You are right it does cost a lot to take care of our animals. Spend a lot of $ on heat in the winter also. Rattling Yours Johnny B
Written September 1, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Rocks-on-vacation
Sheboygan Falls, WI142 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022 • Family
If you are at all questioning whether or not to put this on your list of attractions to visit you must no matter what age you are!

I’m just going to start off by saying of the 4 of us in our family I hate zoos, I hate the crowds, the smell, they’re always hot and to me are just gross! My wife hates snakes, The kids (age 13 and 15) absolutely loved this place!

First to address my issues. Reptile Gardens has got to be one of the most clean and well cared for facilities that I have ever visited! I was absolutely amazed at how clean the grounds were! The trees, plantings, landscaping no doubt should be winning awards if they haven’t already! We chose a day during the week and first thing in the morning when it was less busy to avoid the crowds. As far as smell and animal area cleanliness here too they are doing a great job. Naturally there is going to be that traditional zoo animal smell but it didn’t seem as bad here even in a very hot day! My wife’s issues of the snakes….well it’s a reptile place she’s just going to have to deal with it. HA! The kids loved everything too! The alligator and snake shows are worth checking out but get to the seating areas early they fill fast. We found that during the times of the shows is a great time to check out other things in the park a bit closer.

Throughout the park you can interact with different animals and caretakers. Get up close to big turtles. A rainforest like dome to see even more up close and I’ll just say again the grounds and landscaping here is amazing!

Overall 5/5! The staff here is doing a great job! Keep up the great work and again was well worth the price of admission!
Written August 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow!! Thank you so much for the great review and comments. I will share this with our staff. Rattling Yours Johnny B
Written August 28, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

MsV300
Murdock, NE4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
This attraction was one of the highlights of our trip. If you like plants, exotic animals or both, you are in for a treat. The grounds are beautifully landscaped with many different varieties & colors of plants that are kept in excellent condition.
The dome in the center of the property is deceiving at first glance. One would think there cannot be that much to see inside that little building. But walk inside, & there is three levels of animals, skeletons, fossils & plants to see & enjoy. The first floor houses many beautiful tropical plants & animals in a natural, uncaged environment. We spotted a couple of small green lizards running the length of a couple of the trees & a couple parrots perched in some of the trees observing all of the visitors. There are employees present in the tropical garden milling about to make sure no one messes with the animals. Surprisingly, there is no glaring "animal smell". With the hundreds of snakes, reptiles & insects housed there, you would think it would have "that smell". But it didn't, it was very clean & inviting. I would also recommend attending one of the hourly gator shows. The young man, Connor, did a fabulous job educating us about alligators & crocodiles & entertaining us with "dad jokes", wrangling one of the alligators & sharing a baby crocodile with us. There is also a small aviary on the premises. The birds looked like they might be injured rescues. As one of the birds was a turkey vulture missing most of a wing. But they were beautiful, interesting animals to see from a 5 - 10' distance. We did not take in the snake show but it is available as an hourly show also.
Written August 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow!!! Thank you so much for the glowing review. I feel like I need you to do our marketing. Thanks again Rattling Yours Johnny B
Written August 13, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sarah O
10 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022 • Family
My family absolutely adored the tortoises and being able to pet them. They were so sweet and it was crazy to see a 117 year old tortoise. We enjoyed the prairie dogs, snakes, frogs, lizards, turtles, etc. I really enjoyed seeing all the snakes. The amount of snakes and information posted was impressive. I especially liked how it was posted how venomous each snake was. I never thought I would be face to face with an anaconda so that was cool.

We were disappointed with the lack of communication in regards to some of the exhibits offered. I had been on the website to plan for our trip's budget prior to coming to South Dakota and nowhere did I see it listed that they were not offering shows. It was what I was excited for the most about our visit to the Reptile Gardens. It appeared to be a surprise to one of the employees as well because when I asked about the time of the shows, she started telling me the times and another employee had to correct her that there were no more shows for the season. I am glad that they were not showcasing most of the birds for their protection against avian flu, but I think this should have been posted walking into the building and on the website as well.

With that being said, the prices were discounted and I felt like the price we paid for a family of 4 ($42) was a good price, especially compared to some of the prices back home in Minnesota. We just would have rather caught it all in one trip.

The only other thing I have to add is a selfish comment and that is that I wish the bug display was separated by a curtain. I loved seeing all the other animals but as someone with arachnophobia, my husband had to guide me along the other wall to the "safe" area with my back turned to the spiders. I can't be the only one with this problem lol.

Thanks for all you do!
Written October 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm sorry we didn't communicate that the shows were done for the season. I think you got there the first day we didn't have shows. I hope you can visit again when our shows are running. Thanks for the comments. Rattling Yours Johnny B
Written October 23, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

rebecca b
Conway, SC30 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
Staff was very friendly. Enjoyed the overall layout of the property. There seemed to always be a new area to explore. The Gardens have informative bird shows and snake shows guests can observe if they would like- this is included in the admission price, so no added charge. We watched the bird show and really enjoyed it. The show only lasts just shy of 30 minutes, and the staff member handling the birds allowed members of the audience to come up at the end to see the birds a little closer and ask any questions. And the landscaping! We visited in early October and everything was still very lush and beautiful. We planned on spending 2 hours here, and I think we stayed just a few minutes over that. Definitely stop by this attraction, you won't regret it.
Written February 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so very much for the review. Rattling Yours Johnny B
Written April 16, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mat S
1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Family
It’s pretty cool but honestly overpriced for basically a small zoo. I find it asinine that there are no drinking fountains (aka bubblers for us Wisconsin people) anywhere and even a plain water bottle is $3 from a vending machine. I have mixed feelings about watchingy a guy drag an alligator around by its tail for the entertainment of a crowd of humans. I have mixed feelings about zoos in general though, so I guess that’s something to think about before going to anything like this. The dome with all the little lizards and frogs roaming around is very nice. Whoever does the flowers and grounds keeping does a fantastic job (although it must take a lot of water during a drought year 🤔).
Written August 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm sorry you didn't have good experience. We are a private attraction that has a very high overhead so we need to charge what we do. We receive no other funds. I'm happy you enjoyed the grounds. We allow guests to bring in there own water. Rattling Yours Johnny B
Written August 7, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Brendan S
Arlington, VA2,189 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
It makes little sense to have a reptile zoo in South Dakota, which has no native reptiles of which I am aware, but Reptile Gardens was an interesting attraction to visit. The highlight is a giant domed building, which houses dozens of scary-looking and highly venomous snakes, plus several species of alligators and crocodiles including one jaw-droppingly large gator.

The outdoor portion of Reptile Gardens includes a giant tortoise enclosure where they invite you to pet these gentle animals. There's also a vibrant prairie dog village a dozen large birds, a crocodile-feeding area and a venomous snake show.

Reptile Gardens shows its age, is not very big and, with a $19 adult admission fee, is on the expensive side for an attraction you can visit fully in an hour or two at most. But the animal variety is interesting and the staff is friendly and it makes for an enjoyable visit overall.
Written June 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bagi-giom
Gillette, WY40 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Family
My 5 year old (and us) have learned a lot about snakes and crocodiles. What an interesting animals. We loved the snake show and crocodile show. It was funny and educational also a bit exciting to see the guy single handedly narrating the speech and also managing not to get bitten by the crocs. Also after the show he let the kids touch the animals and it was all my daughter talked on the way back.
Written May 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the review. The different areas where folks can touch the animals is a highlight for many of our guests. Thanks Rattling Yours Johnny B
Written May 28, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Laura F
33 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021 • Family
Family with 3 boys (9,10,12) and we thought it was pretty awesome. Great snake show- excellent handler. Displays were plentiful and all three kids got great stuff sluicing- the size “gems” were large enough that buying individually would exceed the $5-6 for the sluice bag. I call that a bargain!

We spent three hours and my husband usually rushes us through everything (he gave it 4 stars, the rest of us 5). Recommend. Go right when it opens.
Written September 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kat R
16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Family
This place is absolutely wonderful! We went in March and our kids had a blast (even though it was the off season and the animals weren’t outside) - there was still so much to see. We came back in July because we were in the area again and it was even better! They had a gator show and a snake show - Connor who did both shows was hilarious/ entertaining/ very good with the kids. The tortoises were outside in the tortoise garden, which was the highlight of the trip for the kids. They have an abundance of reptiles to see. We planned on only being there and hour or so but we were most of the day. Great place! Very clean and family friendly. The flower gardens are beautiful also! Highly recommend for families with younger or older kids! We will definitely be back!
Written July 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so very much for the review. I should use your review when marketing. Thanks again Rattling Yours Johnny B
Written July 16, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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REPTILE GARDENS (2025) - All You MUST Know Before You Go (with Reviews)

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