Snake Discovery in Maplewood Interactive Fun

Looking for a unique adventure in the Twin Cities? Look no further than Snake Discovery in Maplewood!

My son and I got to visit Snake Discovery last week and we had an awesome time! I probably shouldn’t say this, but it’s one of my favorite places we’ve gotten to visit since I took this job at Thrifty Minnesota!

What makes Snake Discovery so amazing? I think it was the wonderful staff and tons of learning opportunities. Snake Discovery is a reptile zoo with over 75 animals, gift shop and adoption center. When you enter, you see the fun gift shop and all the animals up for adoption.

Head to the desk and you can get your ticket to the zoo. Each ticket comes with 1 reptile holding ticket. Every 20-30 minutes, staff will bring out an animal you can hold in exchange for your ticket. Options while we were there included snakes and a gecko.

Walking around the zoo, you’ll find lots of interactive learning opportunities. Did you know signs fill the space, along with fun facts about each animal. Check out puzzles, feeling boxes and more to learn about these fun reptiles.

They also have fun scavenger hunts for different ages with a prize at the end. Sharon, one of the resident turtles, might be walking around while you are there. It was cool to have the opportunity to see a big turtle up close!

We also had a lot of fun on the guided tour, which is included in the admission. This was super low-key and kids/families could join in or check out as needed. We learned a lot about 4 different kinds of animals during the tour and got to pet multiple animals outside of the cages. Guided tours are available on Sundays-Fridays at 12pm, 2pm, and 5pm, and Saturdays at 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm.

Emily and Ed are the creators of Snake Discovery and it’s easy to see their passion for these animals. We got to see Emily at Snake Discovery the Sunday we visited. It was super cool to learn about the animals directly from her, especially after watching their well-viewed YouTube videos. My son thought he was learning from a celebrity!

Emily and sometimes Ed will be at the zoo on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4pm when available.

A big draw to Snake Discovery is Rex, an American alligator, who has a sad backstory. Her original owner took her from the Everglades as a baby and kept her in a small cage, so she couldn’t grow properly. When Emily adopted her, she was tiny by alligator standards!

Now she has grown (still not as big as other alligators her age), but she’s in a bigger cage with a pool and lots of enrichment activities. Kids at the zoo had such a fun time interacting with her and “popping” into her enclosure through a tunnel.

Rounding out our visit both my son and I got to hold Toto, the cutest Gecko. Overall Snake Discovery was an amazing experience! Admission is well priced for all the interactive opportunities, adults are $10, Kids 3-12 and Seniors 65+ are $8 and kids 2 and under are FREE. Snake Discovery also hosts birthday parties and fun events like night hikes (where you can use a flashlight to see nocturnal animals and various workshops.

Snake Discovery is located at 831 Century Ave N in Maplewood. Hours are Monday to Saturday: 11am-8pm and Sunday: 11am-6pm. Please note they will be closed on New Years Day.