In 1936, Parrot Jungle opened as a roadside attraction in South Miami where tourists snapped pictures of themselves covered with colorful parrots and watched Mickey the cockatiel pedal his own miniature bicycle. However, the park has since moved to a new multi-million dollar facility on Watson Island, brought in a slew of new, exotic animals and changed its name to Jungle Island.

Although it has expanded to more than 18-acres of tropical habitat, Jungle Island still has its parrots—pay for a picture with them perched on your head and arms at the entrance and pet the macaws, cockatiels and other exotic birds roosting on feeding stations along the park walkway. Mickey, now over 60 years old, is still there, too, turning those pedals as opening act for the Winged Wonders show.

There are three main shows to catch, offered three times daily. See birds, talk, laugh and even bark like a dog at the Winged Wonders show, which features parrots, macaws, cranes, an Andean condor, vultures and “Mama Cass,” a 6-foot-tall Cassowary bird from Australia. Watch as the whole apples she swallows visibly travel down her long neck. Be prepared—the birds are trained to swoop onto the stage, flying just inches above your head.

Want to learn how to tell alligators and crocodiles apart? Never seen a skank lizard before? Then check out the Reptile Giants show in the Serpentarium, where trainers handle iguanas, lizards, and both venomous and non-poisonous snakes. If you’re feeling brave, they’ll even let you hold a giant Burmese python.

Wild Encounters showcases the larger and furrier animals in a 15-story amphitheater. Watch trainers play with chimpanzees and parade tigers across the stage. Make sure to stick around after the show for a special photo op with a tiger cub.

When you’re not at a show, seek out the other exotic animals, such as the 900-pound half-lion, half-tiger liger, a rare albino alligator, red kangaroos and twin orangutans named Peanut and Pumpkin. Also, try to catch a feeding of Incredible Hank, the park’s 20-foot-long, 200-pound “crocosaurus.” Stop by primate exhibit for a look at gibbons, capuchin monkeys and orangutans, and stroll over the boardwalks of a replica Everglades habitat. Free-flying birds soar throughout the Lorikeet Aviary and in the Manu Encounter, a recreation of the cliffs of Manu, Peru.

Have the kids bring their swimsuits for a trip down The Hippo, a giant 168-foot-high water slide right on the park’s private beach, and take them to see goats, llamas, pigs, turkeys, cows and geese at the Petting Barn. Although petting is free, you’ll have to pay a small fee for a bottle of juice or some food to feed the animals.

Jungle Island is large, so be prepared for a bit of walking. Although there are covered walkways connecting all of the theaters and show areas, dress lightly to endure the typical Miami heat and humidity. There are no water fountains, so make sure to hydrate well before you leave home and bring along plenty of dollar bills for stops at vending machines and refreshment stands. An ATM is available at the front of the park just in case you forget. The cost of admission plus food and drinks can be hefty, especially if you add in parking and any stroller or wheelchair rentals, so if you’re on a budget, don’t enter the park on an empty stomach or let the kids wander into the gift shop.