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Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary

4.7 (29 reviews)
Closed 11:00 am - 4:00 pm

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Recommended Reviews - Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary

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Cristina C.

We had a wonderful visit last week. Coming from Chicago, we were very excited to have a gator encounter. The staff were all very friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. From the beginning, learning about all the turtles & tortoise from a very well spoken young man named Mason, to the exciting Gozilla show (forgot his name), but very entertaining, to another staff named Lina who on various occasions stopped to share facts on all the gators and answer all our questions. We were able to feed special gator nuggets to these awesome creatures and also get to hold and pet a small gator, which was such a thrill!! I really respect and admire all their hard work in keeping these beautiful creatures living a good life in this sanctuary. From what we learned from Lina, most of these gators come from sad situations such as pets in drug dens and neglected pets kept in too small of enclosures. That is why we were cheesing at the fact that these babies get to walk around, swim in their ponds and get tons of photos taken by silly tourists...Me!

Alex S.

I have a strange obsession with alligators, so when I planned a trip to south west Michigan and this place popped up, I knew I had to go. The park isn't fancy or anything, but it's a great value for the price. It was also very informative, especially the Godzilla and Medusa show. All (but one) of the gators in the park are rescued. Show included, I spent just over an hour at the park. With COVID, they have discontinued animal encounters to ensure proper hygiene and social distancing. I hope to return again when things are more normal for a more hands on visit.

Great place to take the entire family. Great variety of alligators and tortoises. Handicapped accessible as my Son walked it easily with his cane. Great staff very friendly and knowledgeable. Holding and petting an Alligator was a definite first. Hidden gem in Calhoun County.

Donna H.

We went to Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary today and it was certainly worth the trip, the cost, and the time! It isn't fancy, or commercialized, but alligators don't care about as neither will you. It's all about the Alligators. We had the pleasure of getting "Mr "C" as our tour guide. He was super knowledgeable about alligators along with being funny and fun. I learned so much about alligators today, and ask many questions which were all answered. Turns out Critchlow, is Mr "C", and he started the sanctuary about 11 years ago. Mr "C"'s kids and grandchildren are involved, it's a family run business. You can tell they care, truly care about these alligators. I hope to come back here with my grandkids, and highly recommend you visit. It is very very interesting. Sincerely, Donna Haapala

Lynda R.

All the alligators you'd ever care to see. You get to feed them, too! (Biscuits, not limbs.) Owned by friendly local people compassionate about reptiles and willing and eager to share their knowledge with visitors. Definitely worth the drive. Bring the kiddos, they will love it!

Jess S.

Had great experiences here. Family even bought a 2 year pass. I am so thankful for owners and their family who care about what they do and why they do it! My kids love coming here and the tours are well worth it!

Jeff H.

Very nice sanctuary. Was in the area with a friend, checking out random places, and wasn't sure what we would experience. What we found was a truly unique place that sprung up for a good cause. It is owned and operated by a family that has had a lifelong love of alligators. We bought some alligator food and toured the facility with one of the family/employees Peter, who taught me more about alligators in an hour than I had learned my whole life. I'll save most of those lessons for your visit :) What I liked most about this place is that it's a true sanctuary; definitely not a theme park making money off trapped animals. Every alligator at the facility is rescued, coming from a variety of backgrounds and situations. But all share a common theme of someone not being able to care for them. If it wasn't for this place, the alligators would have been either killed or abandoned. It's an outdoor facility set up into various 'schools' as larger size alligators tend to attack and eat smaller ones. There is a pre-school, elementary school, middle school (with the 'kids' acting a lot like human kids in some ways haha... bickering over food, snapping at others who took food they thought was theirs, etc.), and the full grown area. There were also some tortoises in a separate enclosure, some unique plants, and a sprinkling of other rescued animals as well that fit the theme. There was construction off to the side for a 'college', and lots of evident room of space for these alligators. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that alligators are quite smart, and can be fairly tame; several came to the trainer when their names were called. It was evident that a lot of care was given to recreating as much as possible the native environments of these wonderful animals. If I'm in the area, I will be back for sure. Truly a hidden gem.

Releasing the alligators into the habitat.
Karen G.

Take your family to this extraordinary haven in Athens, Michigan. Learn about these modern day dinosaurs. We asked for the full on encounter- we were not disappointed. The Critchlow family truly offers a one of a kind experience. The habitat and the staff will impress you.

Tai P.

I went to the Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary. It was definitely on a whim, but I was very glad I went. Prices to get in were pretty cheap, as well as the feed, and if you wanted to go all out like me and hold some scaly little friends. That was only a few bucks more. Which was totally worth it! The staff were amazing as well. Their knowledge of each creature was seemingly never ending. I learn lots about not just Alligators, but turtles, snakes and iguanas as well! If you haven't been before, I highly recommend. Did I also mention they have ice cream? Because they have that as well.

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10 months ago

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2 years ago

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6 years ago

Business owner information

Photo of Peter C.

Peter C.

We do encounters now. Alligator and Tortoise.

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3 years ago

If you go at the beginning of Summer or the end of Fall, you can transport an alligator. It was so fun!

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5 years ago

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Peter C.

Thank you for your comments.

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7 years ago

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12 years ago

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8 years ago

I was here years ago and I loved it i think about it all the time and tell everyone! Lol I hope I'll get to come back soon!

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5 years ago

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Ask the Community - Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary

Are you still in business? I tried the website but no Results

Yes. our website is currently undergoing some updates. We are open 11am to 4pm daily.

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Review Highlights - Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary

We had Cynthia as our tour guide, and she was a wealth of information.

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Happy House Gift Shop - Battle Creek - Store Front

Happy House Gift Shop - Battle Creek

(4 reviews)

$$

Happy Hallmark Handy Happy House! I went for some local gifts and boy did they have a nice…read moreselection. Found some cool and unusual souvenir items for my family. It's also a Hallmark store if you need items like that. Great store and a very friendly staff!

The ONLY and BEST Hallmark Gold Crown Store in Battle Creek!…read more Reasons to shop at Happy House Gift Shop: 1. You'll find unique Hallmark cards fit for any occasion! For example: you'll be able to find a card for your niece's best friend's brother's cousin...LOL! No joke - they got a card for everyone:) 2. Happy House Gift Shop has a comfortable atmosphere that everyone can enjoy shopping in! 3. When your shopping buddy/spouse/kiddos begin to complain that you're taking too long to shop.... Happy House Gift Shop has provided a sitting area for them! 4. The employees are friendly and super helpful when you need to find that "perfect" gift. 5. *ATTENTION Vera Bradley fans* Happy House Gift Shop has a huge selection of Vera Bradley! 6. Huge selection of greeting cards! 7. I've been in other Hallmark stores and I usually feel really cramped and that I'm going to break something. BUT not at the Happy House Gift Shop - everything is spaced out and there is actually room to move around. Nice layout! 8. They remember the Gold Hallmark seal when you purchase greeting cards! 9. Nice selection of gift ideas: Boutique Clothes, Baggallini, Yankee Candle, Swarovski Crystal, Precious Moments, Toe of a Kind Socks, Willow Tree, WoodWick and lots more! 10. The ONLY place to see the Keepsake Dream Book! 11. Plenty of parking spots available!

The Cottage Place Gift Shop - Nice display

The Cottage Place Gift Shop

(2 reviews)

This gift shop is located inside Memorial Hospital on the main floor. It is a bright spot in a…read moresometimes scary place. They have lots of pretty knicknacs, cute stuffed animals, and miscellaneous items. The prices are not great, because you're paying for the convenience of the location.

This is a gift shop nestled inside of Memorial Hospital that I encountered while I was visiting a…read morefamily member. I remembered the first time I visited this place I and saw their cute merchandise and trinkets I knew I had to come back. The merchandise they carry is similar to Hobby Lobby, or T.J. Maxx's merchandise for home decor, gifts and trinkets except more unique and a tad bit more expensive. But I love anything unique that's not mass produced with that unique personal touch. But a lot of their merchandise are marked higher than most places. They have a nice variety of selections from jewelry, to baby gifts, home decor, snacks, cute pens and pencils for the office, etc... But if your gift shopping for someone and want a special non generic gift or looking for something unique for yourself and for your home this is the place to go. Their merchandise also comes in different styles from contemporary to traditional pieces which appeals to different tastes. Awesome!!! And their shop is coordinated by color. Sometimes they have discount specials... where if your first or last name starts with a certain letter in the alphabet you save 20%, and they also have a rewards card. Once that's filled up you can save money, but otherwise when shopping there just expect to shell out some extra cash. This is one cutest gift shops I've been to. I go here even if I'm not visiting someone in the hospital. But because this place is located in a hospital parking can be hard to find. But I recommend checking this place out.

Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary - animalshelters - Updated May 2026

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