The combination of prehistoric alligators and North America’s oldest settlement is an experience only possible in one place: St. Augustine, Florida, where CanACT visited Wednesday as part of its academic exchange with the University of Florida.

CanACT toured the St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park, just on the outskirts of the first permanent settlement in the Americas. The alligator farm is home to 23 species of crocodilians, including 350 alligators. CanACT toured the park, and was able to observe two educational shows on the variety of species. The rest of the day was spent in the historic town, near the ocean, and travelling from our homebase in Gainesville, two hours away.

“Walking up and down the streets of St. Augustine was like going back in time,” says participant Heather Scott. The buildings were the original structures from the time of first settlement, dating back to the 1500s.