





Zoos
Great Lakes Serpentarium
📍 958 N Newburgh Rd, Westland, MI 48185🌐 www.facebook.com/share/1AqEHxKQQV
🕐 Hours
| Monday | 2–7 PM |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 2–7 PM |
| Thursday | Closed |
| Friday | 2–7 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM–5 PM |
| Sunday | 10 AM–4 PM |
About Great Lakes Serpentarium
Great Lakes Serpentarium is a zoo in Westland, MI. Staff allow visitors to hold snakes for extended periods, with documented cases of visitors holding snakes for approximately 45 minutes during single visits. Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars by 126 visitors.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Reptile/Serpentarium
- Best For
- All ages
- Highlights
- Snake handling, alligator feeding, roaming turtle encounters
- Experience
- Fully interactive with engaging staff
💡 Did You Know?
- Staff allow visitors to hold snakes for extended periods, with documented cases of visitors holding snakes for approximately 45 minutes during single visits
- Features a 15-foot boa constrictor among its snake collection that visitors can interact with hands-on
- Sheldon the roaming turtle is a notable attraction that visitors specifically mention as a highlight of their visit
- Offers interactive feeding experiences where visitors can feed live alligators as part of hands-on encounters
- Hosts a seasonal 'Snakes and Santa' special event that combines holiday celebration with reptile interactions
💬 What Visitors Say
- Don't skip the interactive experiences even if you're nervous around reptiles — staff are exceptional at easing anxiety and spend generous amounts of time (45+ minutes) helping visitors hold and interact with snakes safely, including large species like 15-foot boas.
- Make sure to seek out Sheldon the roaming turtle during your visit — he's a standout attraction that visitors specifically highlight as a must-see highlight of their experience.
- Plan for at least 2-3 hours to fully enjoy the hands-on experiences, as the generous staff time for interactions means you can spend significantly longer than expected engaging with multiple reptiles.
- Young children (ages 2-4) can safely participate in close encounters and feeding experiences like alligator feeding, with attentive staff ensuring safety even with very young or active toddlers.
- Time your visit to coincide with the annual Snakes and Santa event if possible, as this special event creates a highly engaging, interactive experience that guests recommend highly.
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