The Serpentarium

Specs
Type:	Museum, Animals
Distance:	Short Drive
Area:	Lodi
Ages:	All Ages
Cost:	$
Information:	www.snakemuseum.com

The Serpentarium describes itself as a "living reptile museum," but it is also a shop where you can buy reptiles, amphibians, and even insects and spiders (Have you ever seen a bird eating spider? They've got one.)

Besides the creepy-crawlies, the Serpentarium has a large display of reptiles that includes anacondas, huge monitor lizards, chameleons, pythons and boas.

You have to pay an admission price of $2 per person to get into the shop, which seems a bit strange at first, but there's plenty to see there so you're not likely to feel like you've been unfairly parted from your money.

Once inside, you can pay an additional fee for an "experience," which can be quite gross depending on what you choose (don't get one of the feeding experiences for very small children, which involves giving live prey to a monitor lizard). Experiences also include holding an albino python or a chameleon--or for the very bold, a tarantula, scorpion or (ew) a hissing cockroach. If you don't want to pay extra you can hold a bearded dragon or a corn snake, or pet the Serpentarium's giant tortoise.