Today we’d like to introduce you to James Aikman
Hi James, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
On October 22, 2013, I had a dream of wife, Kelsey, and I owning and operating a wildlife park. I told her about it, and she said our son would be born in 2 weeks, and we had plenty on their plate. I agreed, but the next night I had the same dream. I told her I didn’t know why but felt like this was something God wanted us to do. She said that if it were really from God, He would find a way to make it happen. From that point on, thoughts, ideas, plans, layouts, and numbers flooded my mind—so much so that some nights I could hardly sleep—I just felt I had to get everything out of my head and onto the computer. I began talking with other drive-thru parks and zoos for budgets and costs and visiting with veterinarians, carpenters, and other suppliers to get accurate quotes. I also started looking at the possible annual attendance and income numbers. From there, God began opening door after door, and more opportunities and business sponsorships began forming. Our family purchased the former Rockome Gardens on September 1, 2015, and have been working non-stop. That is the story of how Aikman Wildlife Adventure began, and we look forward to what the future will bring!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Usually, anything in life worth doing is not always easy. Aikman Wildlife Adventure was no different. Just finding land for our park was challenging enough. On top of that, there are not necessarily step-by-step books about building a wildlife park. We spent years researching, planning, and improving our designs and layouts, which was time-consuming. However, we are happy with what our hard work has yielded, and we have even bigger plans for the future.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Aikman Wildlife Adventure?
Visit Aikman Wildlife Adventure for a variety of adventures for the whole family! Each adventure provides a different experience, from driving through our mile-long path of Zebras, Camels, Water Buffalo, and more to walking among our Hyenas, Wolfdogs, Kangaroos, Petting Zoo, and others! You can also experience one of our more interactive adventures by feeding our large herbivores on a safari-like Wagon Adventure or getting Behind The Scenes to learn more about our animals. Don’t settle for bones behind barriers! Experience the past like it is meant to be: life-sized, fully detailed, and hands-on models of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals await you! We are Illinois’ first and only drive-through safari park, and while you’re here, our Museum of Prehistoric Life is included in your admission as well. We also just opened up our first Airbnb, Elk Ridge, with two more being developed.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
People are wanting to get up close and personal with animals and not just see them from behind fencing. This is what Aikman Wildlife has offered from the beginning, and I feel we are well positioned for the next 5-10 years.
Pricing:
- Triple Crown: $15/adult & $11/kid
- Wagon Adventure: $25/adult & $20/kid
- Off-Road Adventure: $175 for up to 5 people
- Behind the Scenes: $250 for up to 5 people
- Drive-thru Only: $25/vehicle
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.aikmanwildlife.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aikmanwildlifeadventure
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AikmanWildlife
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZGRwS996QTFQ0kgUFV1vg
Image Credits
All photos were taken by our Aikman Wildlife team.