After our incredible beaches, the top tourist destination in Pinellas County is John’s Pass Village. Its eclectic shops, waterfront attractions and restaurants offer something for everyone. You can ride anything from a paddleboard to a personal watercraft, from a deep-sea fishing charter to a casino cruise. There are at least a dozen places you can eat a great meal, and there’s even a place you can kiss a real live alligator!
In spite of the fact that it is hidden away on the second floor, over the John’s Pass Trading Company, across from the main parking lot, The Alligator Attraction is so popular with visiting children that it just expanded to add even more live aquatic creatures, offering interactive experiences that families won’t easily forget. The low price tag of $3 per child, $4 per adult, or group rate of $15 for 5 people helps, since many visitors are still reeling from the cost of visiting Orlando.
The four foot “swimmers” were featured on “Good Morning America”, “The Today Show”, and “Fox and Friends”. Their eight foot gator, “Chompers”, was on Animal Planet’s “Tanked” show where the Gator Boys visited and wrestled him. “When the Pier Aquarium deal at John’s Pass fell through, we saw it as an opportunity to expand our attraction and bring even more animals for visitors to enjoy,” said owner Bob Barrett (aka Papa Gator).
“We also have a koi fish pond. It took me a month to train the fish to eat from a baby bottle, but now our guests can opt to feed them as it is a unique experience they won’t get anywhere else. We have other reptiles and fish, including a 105-pound. rescued African spur thigh tortoise named Rudolph who seems to love being touched by the children, anywhere but on his head”. The latest additions are the stingrays. Small Cortez stingrays are being acclimated to their own “touch tank”. The Alligator Attraction offers special tours and deals for birthday parties, church and school groups, and summer camps. Guests have the option to feed gators from the ”Golden Gator Bridge”, hold a small alligator, and take as many photographs as they wish. There is also a gift shop to purchase souvenirs of your experience. If you “Like” them on their Facebook page, they will also print your photos and hang them in the attraction.
The Alligator Attraction recently celebrated its expansion with an open house featuring food from Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, which has one of many Florida locations in John’s Pass; wine from Vino Florida; and a visit from Madeira Beach Mayor Travis Palladeno, who got up close and personal with Chompers. Owner Bob Barrett says, “Any mayor willing to wrestle an alligator to increase the city’s tax base has my vote.”
In addition to expanding the Attraction, Bob also celebrated the opening of John’s Pass Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor, the Pass’s first ice cream shop featuring indoor seating. They celebrated their opening at the same time that the Attraction expanded, with the Mayor cutting the ribbon. The Spice and Tea Exchange, the ice cream shop’s next door neighbor, one of John’s Pass’s most popular shops, provided door prizes.
Attendees also enjoyed samples of some of the Parlor’s 31 delicious flavors of Blue Bell ice cream, which include most of my favorite flavors. Special February flavors were “I Love Chocolate” and “Chocolate Covered Cherries”. Single scoops are just $3.75 and double scoops are only $5.15, plus sales tax. They also sell “retro candy” and snack items, as well as both fountain and bottled drinks. In addition, they serve floats, shakes, and multiple flavors of shaved ice. The Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor is easy to spot, with adults and children taking photos using the wooden, child-size ice cream truck that is out front as a prop.
It’s hard to imagine a future trip to John’s Pass without a Blue Bell ice cream cone. It’s my bet that The Alligator Attraction and the Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor are also going to be the most popular stops for preteen birthday celebrations and grandparents looking for a fun time with their grandkids.
Story by Peter Roos
Date: March 2014