A Nature Preserve
You'll find the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is at 300 Tower Rd. (tel. 239/417-6310; www.rookerybay.org). Join a Rookery Bay Naturalist for a 2-hour guided kayak tour of the bays and mangrove forests of Rookery Bay. Discover the unique plants and animals that make this coastal ecosystem so valuable. Tours are offered weekly and times vary due to tides. Registration is required as trips are limited to 10 participants ages 12 and up and cost $40. Back on land, the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center is a 16,500-square-foot facility with research laboratories, classrooms, a 140-seat auditorium, a nature store, an art gallery, a two-story visitor center with a 2,300-gallon aquarium, a variety of interactive exhibits, and a new bridge and nature trail. Included with admission are 45-minute guided tours or programs by naturalists on everything from sea shells to orchids, offered daily at 11am and 2pm. Admission is $5 adults and $3 children 6 to 12. Open 9am to 4pm Monday through Friday, and also on Saturdays November through April.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
