The oddities at the Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo begin with the name. After all, it sounds a little like you’ll get to pet the alligators there. Which is crazy, right? I mean...who gets to pet alligators...ha ha ha...oh wait. You do get to pet alligators? Okay then.

The alligator farm isn’t all alligators, though you can see baby alligators from six inches long to adults that are ten feet in length. In addition to the alligators, you’ll find lots of cool mammals and other wildlife. You’ll even find a merman. These are all reasons why the Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo was once named the best wildlife rescue you can visit year round by Good Housekeeping. You’ll find the alligator farm in Hot Springs, and the directions are here.

From the moment you drive up to the alligator farm you’ll see a mural that shows an alligator living alongside a lemur and a turkey . . .

. . . and a sign declaring “Wolf Crossing” and a list of things you’ll see there.

You’ll get the opportunity to hold a baby alligator. . .

. . . just be careful you don’t get swarmed in the petting area.

That’s right, most of the animals you can pet at the alligator zoo are not alligators. They look more like this:

And this:

And this:

If you’re primarily there for the alligators, you won’t be disappointed. They’ve got little guys. . .

. . . medium-sized guys . . .

. . . and big ole dudes, too.

You might even be lucky enough to catch feeding time.

Remember that “Wolf Crossing” thing? It’s not a joke.

These wolves are still wild animals, but they’re not exactly the terror of the forest.

You’ll find a big cat on the premises too.

This lemur is a perfectly adorable addition to the farm.

You’ll find monkeys, too.

And turkeys.

And, of course, the crown on the weird experience of encountering all these animals in the same day is seeing the merman who lives there.

So at what other place in the world can you hold a baby alligator, hang out with wild turkeys, greet wolves, see a lemur, lounge with a big cat, be swarmed by goats, pet a pony, and gawk at a merman?

At Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo, of course. They’ve been serving up a weird time for a long time.

If you're into the weird stuff, you've got to check out these roadside attractions. For more things to do while you're in Hot Springs, check out this article.