What a wonderful venue for adults and children alike - and what's even better is that it is…read morecompletely FREE. The location is across from the shoreline in Boca, and offers limited parking - if you're coming for an event, you should plan to arrive early. We weren't able to explore the whole property during our visit on account of lightning. We came for the BioBlitz event, and explored the mangrove shoreline, the butterfly garden and the mini aquarium. We did not get to walk the boardwalk or climb the observation tower, but I'd like to return to explore those areas another day. Staff (volunteers) are very knowledgeable, and the events they host are geared toward children between 5-12.

This place is so great! Completely free. We did donate some money because we had a great time…read more Mostly shaded which was great for my mom who can't stay out in the sun for long. The nature walks are short too. And it's very accessible. Even a ramp all the way up to the look out point so people in wheel chairs can view too. It's shaded from all the mangroves and palms. And the tree that it's named after gumbo limbo! Which is a red tree that peels We attended the free 10:00 am tour which lasted an hour. It was mostly the tour guide talking who is a volunteer and very nice. Very enthusiastic. It was a little drawn out and we stoped every 10 steps but worth it. I took the stopping moments to take everything in and even spotted huge spiders. I forgot what they are called but there are the biggest ones I have seen and they are all over. He said they can bite but it's like a bee sting and not poisonous. And they stay off the path anyway. There are huge tanks of really big fish. The barracuda is huge and has the cleanest teeth. These fish are fed well. The place is kept very clean, there are a lot of staff to answer your questions. And there is someone even cleaning the outside of the tanks. They also have a sea horse tank. The butterfly garden is small, saw some zebra butterflies and I think a cardinal bird. You can walk towards the inlet and there is a small peaceful beach and picnic area that is covered. Parking lot is small but plenty of parking on a Tuesday morning at 9:30, but the time we left at 11:30 it was filled and there was a school bus. Figure 1.5 to 2 hours here. They also have a fish feeding at 12:30 but we were done before then. Would come back again!

I remember the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center fondly from my childhood, and it's good to see…read morethat they've expanded on their property for a nice little afternoon outing. Admission is $20 for adults, with child and military discounting. There's a lot of outdoor walking space around the main lake/lagoon where you can see the nurse sharks and sea turtles amongst the many other fish there. The weather was really nice the day we went, so we took a stroll through the nature trails. They are mostly boardwalk trails with a few covered stops with benches. The main trail is a 1 mile loop but there is also a 1/3 mile loop that is good for kids. The main trail will take you to the Indian River Lagoon for some nice storefront views! The main building has some cool artwork made of reclaimed beach litter that makes you really think about proper waste disposal. There's also a few tanks with cool fish and such to see. The entire center has a few different spaces for bathrooms that are easy to access. I'd recommend coming here for a nice day in the fresh air and sunshine to enjoy the flora and fauna of Florida!

Really nice place to understand marine life and see some. Kids would love the place. Starts off…read morewith stingray petting tank cool even if you have done it before. Then the starfish area. Each leg has something different to see and handle. Then we went inside the building and checked out the tanks and all interactive things. Walked up to 3rd for nice view of the place and back down to watch the feedings. There is talk about stingrays but no food. Next they feed the fish in the huge open air aquarium. Nurse sharks, rays, jacks, and lots more. The feeding was interesting as was the talk after about pollution and algae. Next off the green sea turtles feeding. They were having romaine lettuce. They put colored pole with a shape that each knows. They swim over bump the Pole and get fed. These had boat injuries so they would never be in the wild. Again another talk about them while they are being feed. Good for adults and great for kids. Highly recommended.

Always a fun place to visit!…read more Manatee Lagoon is always one of our favorite spots to take our guests when they come to visit us from up North. It's such a unique Florida experience, and you never know how many manatees you're going to see! It's especially exciting when you see the moms with their babies gathered together in the warm water. The manatees are drawn to the warm-water outflow from the nearby power plant, particularly when the temperatures are cooler, and it's amazing to watch them peacefully hovering around. The observation areas give you a great view of these gentle giants, and there's something so special about seeing them up close in their natural environment. It's also an educational experience, with information about manatees, their habitat and conservation. Whether you're a local or have family and friends visiting from out of town, Manatee Lagoon is definitely worth a stop. It's a fun, relaxing and memorable way to experience one of Florida's most beloved animals!

Manatee Lagoon can be hit or miss when it comes to seeing Manatees as there are no guarantees…read more Unfortunately we didn't see any Manatees upon our visit, however I can definitely see why is place can be an amazing attraction when they are around. Free parking and a free educational day as you visit the welcome center learning all things Manatee and sea life. Enjoy the knowledge, the mini aquariums with exotic fishes, interactive games and browse through their cute gift shop. Stepping outside, the lagoon can be hit or miss. Our visit we were only able to see a bunch of barracuda's hanging around and a sting ray. They offer a lovely park area with some picnic tables to relax for you to enjoy the beautiful scenic inter-coastal/ lagoon.

We had such a fun time at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium in Palm Beach! There was so much to…read moresee and do, and it was a great experience for the whole family. The dinosaur exhibit outside was such a cool experience, especially seeing the different species, including some we had never even heard of before! The life size replicas were really impressive and made the experience even more fun. The shark tooth sandpit was another cool thing and if you find a tooth it's yours to keep!!. The LEGO exhibit was also fantastic. It's amazing to see how much time, creativity, and work goes into creating those incredible sculptures! There was some construction going on during our visit, but there was still tons to explore. Inside, there were lots of cool science exhibits and interactive things to check out. We didn't bring our bathing suits, but there's also a splash pad, which would be perfect for cooling off on a hot Florida day. We'll definitely be back, and we can't wait to see the expansion once it's completed! We're especially hoping to see even more science exhibits added. Definitely a fun place to spend the day and learn something new along the way!

This is one of our favorite museums, and we keep coming back several times a year because there is…read morealways something new to explore. On this visit, we came to see the BRICK PLANET LEGO® brick exhibition (May 17-September 27), and it was absolutely incredible! The displays were stunning, with so many tiny details that both kids and adults could admire for a long time. Funny enough, this visit wasn't even planned. We originally spent the morning at The Breakers, but the children's play area was under renovation, so we had to quickly find something nearby before the rain started. We remembered our favorite museum, and it turned out to be the perfect backup plan. By the time we arrived, a heavy Florida downpour had started. We got a little soaked running inside, but it was completely worth it--we ended up spending almost the entire day there and had a hard time convincing the kids it was finally time to go home! The LEGO exhibition was amazing, and my girls especially loved the interactive building stations where they could create their own designs. After that, they spent a long time exploring the hands-on science exhibits with magnets, liquids, and other fascinating experiments. One of their favorites was building sculptures from colorful flexible rods, and of course they couldn't leave without visiting the Ball Factory, which has recently been updated and is now one of their favorite areas in the museum. There is also a wonderful playroom for younger children, although my older kids still enjoy it every time we visit. Once the rain stopped, we headed outside to explore the museum grounds. They have updated many of the outdoor exhibits since our last visit. Previously there were dinosaur displays, and inside the museum there was a fun detective-themed exhibition with puzzles, secret codes, and interactive challenges. This time we found Ice Age animals, including a giant saber-toothed tiger and a mammoth, along with several other impressive sculptures. Outside you'll also find a splash pad, giant acoustic dishes that let kids talk to each other from surprisingly long distances, food trucks, ice cream vendors, drinking fountains, and plenty of space to explore. The museum is always clean, the staff is friendly, and there is truly something for every age. Whether your kids love science, LEGO, hands-on experiments, or simply discovering new things, this is a fantastic place to spend the day. Highly recommend for families visiting or living in South Florida!

This is a planetarium, museum, aquarium all in one!…read more Place is very close to the Miami port. We had several hours to kill in Miami but had four large carryon bags. They luckily hold onto the bags while we explore the museum and this worked perfectly for us. In addition to the 4-5 floors and two buildings worth of area to explore, there are amazing view of Miami from most of the floors. Kids thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Florida gators and other reptiles. The aquarium has shark and a huge turtle in addition to several other varieties of sea life. Kids spent several hours in the flight museum and the interactive universe simulator model as well. We also caught one of the shows in the planetarium, make sure to reserve a spot during a time slot of your choice well before hand. Perfect stop if you have a few hours in Miami.

My husband and I visited this museum as part of our day trip to Miami. I wish parking wasn't so…read moreexpensive ($18 flat rate). It took us about 2.5 hours to explore the entire place including the planetarium show. The show that worked out best with timing was called "How to Die in Space: An Interactive Adventure Through the Cosmos." The girl leading it was wonderful but as you may figure by its name, the show was not a peaceful experience. There were a number of explosions that I think scared some of the kids in attendance. The other exhibits included one about flight, the human body/mind, an aquarium, dinosaurs, and general Florida wildlife. I can't say I learned a terrible amount of new information but it was fine. I appreciate the museum's mission and it probably would be cool for toddlers-little kids.

My son really enjoyed all the tanks and different eco systems with different fish. They have a…read moresmall gift shop, and getting in is super affordable $5 per person kids under 3 get in free. They have a small touch tank area with lots of cute sea snails, sea cucumbers, sea slugs, and hermit crabs.

This is a small aquarium that specializes in educational content. Perfect for elementary school…read moreage children. There is a touch tank habitated by a number of different sea creature and a very enthusiastic guide. Not expensive and not overcrowded. Very enjoyable.

The Loxahatchee River Center is located in Burt Reynolds Park. According to their website "The…read moremission of the River Center is to foster a sense of environmental stewardship for the Loxahatchee River's diverse watershed with quality education programs, exhibits and meaningful events." This small eco museum is dedicated to educating the public about the Loxahatchee River which is home to many endangered and threatened animals like woodstorks and manatees. Along the banks of the river it is common to see alligators, turtles, river otters, deer, raccoon, turkey, bald eagles, owls, heron, ibis, egrets, gopher tortoise, osprey, storks, scrub jay and many other species. Some of the more common types of fish in the river include bass, panfish, mullet, snook, tarpon, redfish and jacks. The Loxahatchee River flows through a 260 square mile ecosystem that includes the communities of Jupiter, Tequesta, Juno Beach, Jupiter Island, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Jupiter Farms, Hobe Sound and Palm Beach Gardens. After gently flowing through freshwater creeks and down into a brackish estuary, the river enters the Jupiter Inlet before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. In 1985 the Loxahatchee River was federally designated a wild and scenic river, one of only two such designated rivers in Florida. if you are interested in exploring the river more closely, kayaks and canoes can be rented at Riverbend Park. This small free museum is set up in a circle. On the outside of the building is a timeline of Jupiter history starting with 6000-5000 BC when the Loxahatchee River watershed was formed. Inside you will see interpretative signs about Jupiter shark explorations, where the drinking water comes from and goes, and how to balance water use. While the museum is geared toward children I enjoyed all of the aquariums containing the fish and turtles you would find in the river along with some saltwater tanks. They also have a touch tank that you can explore with a staff member. In addition to the museum the Loxahatchee River Center offers various classes and programs throughout the year. A full list of events can be found on their website. If you have a few minutes to spare in Jupiter it is well worth stopping here to learn about the river that is so important to the ecosystem health of this area.

Outstanding in every way. They have a fantastic education…read morecenter. They have classes for local and state learning issues. They have a fun archery course that would be great for everyone to try. The staff is fantastic. Everyone loves this local gem.

Looking for a few colorful fish (not goldfish) and a tank as a gift for my daughter…read more The employee assisted me finding a few fish that would be reasonable size for the circumference of the tank and I'm no expert in the field of amphibious aquatics. These swimming critters ranged from $15.00 to north of $450.00. I knew that she would like multi-colored fish and this store had many options. The Tomini Tang and the PJ Cardinal were cool looking fish. They also provide fish tanks and accessories including fish food and cleaning products. Love these mom & pop stores which give better one on one customer service than the corporate pet shops.

OK, story Time Out of the way, I called these guys up on my…read moreway home. They happen to have keto algae. I had never been in there before it seemed nice clean. Ben the guy behind the counter. Was awesome. He was able to take care of getting me some keto algae. We also talked about the small frag tank and he convinced me without being pushy at all to get a mushroom and some Xenia. If you're looking for a really big massive store with people that don't pay attention to you go somewhere else if you're looking for somewhere that knows how to deal with customer service check these guys out. And a shout out to Ben good job bro.

The service here is excellent. Patient pleasant and visiting This shop is so relaxing…read more Love that Haylee & Hailey were so patient with me as I'm new to saltwater tanks and being helpful answering about fish interactions how many fish per gallon the sand type just all the details they were just super nice and patient with me. Looking forward to building my tank community with you.

Great store. As the name implies a bit more focused on salt water, but still plenty of selection…read morefor freshwater. Everyone on the staff is super friendly and helpful. Definitely highly recommended!