Stopped into the Environmental Learning Center on a whim after driving past it many times, and now I'm wondering why I waited so long. This place is one of those hidden little Treasure Coast gems that almost hides in plain sight. The boardwalk trails through the mangroves were peaceful, scenic, and surprisingly immersive. Every turn felt like a mini nature documentary. Within a short walk I spotted a ribbon snake cruising through the water, an orb-weaver spider that looked like it came straight out of a sci-fi movie, and plenty of birds and wildlife along the way. Bring a camera because you'll use it. Bonus points for the rare opportunity to admire a spider web without immediately walking face first into it. The grounds are well maintained, educational without feeling overly touristy, and just plain relaxing. There's a nice balance between nature preserve, learning experience, and quiet escape from the everyday rush. Also appreciated that you can spend 30 minutes here or easily lose a couple of hours wandering the trails and slowing your brain down a notch. We didn't try the kayak rental this time but made a mental note for the future. If you live in or visit Vero Beach and enjoy nature, photography, kayaking, wildlife, or just finding peaceful spots that don't involve crowds and traffic, this place is absolutely worth a stop. read more

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We came here while visiting the area and really enjoyed the learning center! We only stayed for a few hours but there was definitely a lot more to see and do here. We got to see a lot of fish and native Florida wildlife! There were a lot of walking trails, kayak/canoe launches, and tons of information posted around about native Florida habitats! There was also a play area for kids as well. We spent a lot of the time in the aquarium room (and yes it's a room not a super huge space) since it was air conditioned and our daughter really enjoys seeing the fish. They have a touch tank that's open for a few hours throughout the day, but we noticed that if the tank isn't open, there was no staff in the space. The facilities seemed a bit older but overall well maintained. There were summer camps going on while we were there, and felt like they sort of overtook some of the spaces we were in from time to time. Not a super huge deal as we were able to go explore other parts but it did feel somewhat chaotic as a large group of 8 year olds ran into the area. You do have to pay admission, there is a pass available as well if you plan to visit more than once. Parking was not plentiful so be mindful when planing, to come early or during a more "off" time. Overall this was a neat place to go to if you enjoy learning about Florida wildlife and nature. read more

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This is an educational jewel and important conservationist part of the community. They offer useful and meaningful educational opportunities as well as perform vital behaviors and conservation work that helps preserve the natural habitat and creatures/life that is native to the area in ways that provide for friendly sustainable actions. read more

**INITIAL REVIEW** When it comes to the Treasure Coast, Indian River County is often considered the county with the least to do compared to the other two counties south of them. This includes family-friendly and educational locales for kids, parents, and their loved ones. Ergo, I love that the Treasure Coast made three different legs of the Treasure Coast Kids Quest, in which they found such locales in each county to enrich the learning of our children whilst providing educational entertainment which at times could be free. One of the locales in Indian River County is the Enironmental Learning Center, or the ELC. Though small, it is quite mighty in what they provide. But is it truly worth the visit? Well... the answer is yes, but are you willing to spend the money to up the experience? That is something you'll need to figure out. Though an address if provided, the ELC is located on Wabasso Island. First and foremost, it is a preserve, so all of its activities are based on preservation, consevation, and the protection and education of the island's ecosystem. Parking is free and you'll first enter the area with buildings known as the "ELC Village." This is your welcome center that provides visitor and administration support. Take note that enterting the ELC is $10 per adult, $5 per child, and free for children two years and younger. There are specific areas that feature specific animals for patrons to learn about alongside numerous boardwalks and paths. Make sure to check out the Lagoon Center which has a children's immersive and interactive room. The touch tank will allow children to touch lagoon critters (safe to touch) such as small horseshoe crabs, starfish, and other animals. Take note, this is what children need to do who are partaking in the Indian River county leg of the Treasure Coast Kid's Quest. The aforementioned is the core base of what patrons can do at the ELC. However, if you want to add more adventure to your adventure, such as boat tours, then you'll need to pay. There are both childrens and adult programs in which the price varies. This includes school field trips and parties. The ECO-boat tours vary in price depending if it is a pre-paid tour or a private tour. If you want to pay for their regular boat tours, they range from $25 to $40 taking into account the time of day. Both tours are around and about Pelican Island. In conclusion, the ELC is a fine place to grow when it comes to knowing and understanding our Floridian environment, which is technically dying knowledge despite how connected we are these days. I learned so much here, and though you have to pay these days, I understand and it is for a good cause. Pertaining to scavenger hunts, one of the TurtleTrax turtle statues is located at the ELC, specifically at the entrance. There are also a couple of geocaches on location, too. ELC is a solid four out of five star experience. Only reason I will give it less than a perfect score is that it can be a "one and done" for tourists. Besides that, I would suggest people check it out at least once, and if you have the money for it, give them support if you can. read more

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Beautiful evening on the Indian River Lagoon. We saw dolphin and lots of sea birds. The guide and the captain were very informative.

This learning center has learning activities for the entire family. It's usually very hard to keep all their children entertained and engaged while also enjoying yourself but this place had something for everyone. The tour guides a friendly and knowledgeable and kept it age-appropriate and fun. There was kayaking for the older kids, there was seine netting, there was a great picnic area and some swinging seats. The gift shop had quality items. A great day was had by all, and we definitely will be back. read more

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Annie is such a great yoga instructor - my favorite in FL after being here 11 years. Thank you! read more

From the reservation, check in and trip, my family had a fantastic time. A perfect combination of sightseeing and education. Everything was clean and as expected. I highly recommend this trip. read more

Great place for kids and adults. Kayak rental was great with a great launching location on the inlet.

What a fantastic environment to experience learning at its best. Highly recommended for anyone to learn & grow

We spent a week in Vero Beach. We went to parks, the beach, pool and Kennedy space center. The favorite part of the trip for all 7 of us was the sunset pontoon boat led by Bretta and Marty. They had so much knowledge. We saw dolphins, manatee and so many different types of birds. We will be back and we will do another pontoon ride. read more

My company provided my team with a "Fun Day" and we chose to go to the Environmental Learning Center for a Pontoon River Eco Tour. What a hidden Gem we have in our area!!! The ELC was so informative and accommodating, and the Staff was welcoming and informative. Our captain Marty and tour guide Brittany were so friendly and knowledgeable about the area. Not only did we learn so much, but they provided a relaxed atmosphere for the staff to enjoy their day away from work! Thank you ELC!! read more

Environmental Learning Center - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Vero Beach, Florida

informative trip with great contribution by Jim and Marty, ride is smooth, scenery spectacular, birds outstanding

Environmental Learning Center (ELC) Is located on Wabasso Island in the Indian River Lagoon, the nature center provides educational journeys with all the lagoon's wildlife, including birds and butterflies. Locales span from salt marsh, hardwood hammock, mud flats and mangroves. We were visiting for the first time with the intension to photograph wildlife at the ELC. I was most interested in photographing the Roseate Spoonbill and Reddish Egret that feed off the lagoon for food and shelter. And we were hoping to find manatees and dolphins which were not visible when we strolled along the river. We did have an opportunity to gain experience about the Lionfish that population has grown in Florida, they are an invasive species originally from Indonesia. Florida is seeking help to control the invasion of this fish. ELC is worth a visit for all ages, and especially for individuals that enjoy educational adventures. read more

Environmental Learning Center - Lion Fish - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Vero Beach, Florida

Toddler tour led by employee. Found small insects along a trail with guide. Followed with craft/activity. Finished our time at the active children's center. Great for all ages. Volunteers were so nice and kind! Touch tank with critters. Fun and safe place for kids to explore! read more

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This was an outstanding water cruise with a very knowledgeable tour guide Bretta. very informing and wonderful smooth sailing. would give the event a A+. 5 stat read more

Beautiful tour, informative guide. We went as a group and had a wonderful time. Can't wait to do this again!

We had some guests visiting from out of town and wanted a fun group activity. A two hour kayak adventure in the lagoon and mangroves with Mark as our guide was exactly what we had in mind. Our guests had a wonderful time and we all learned a lot about the lagoon, its history and importance to the entire ecosystem of the area. 11 out of 10!! read more

While on a team building exercise, we came here for their Pontoon boat tour. If you're a bird lover, this is a place to go to see some wildlife. This is something of a nature lover's dream and for $35/person I thought it was pretty enjoyable. With that price you get a guide, use of their binoculars, and a 2 hour boat ride around mangroves and islands during which you will definitely see some birds. I would say mostly that this activity would be geared towards bird lovers though as that's what you will mostly see on the ride. However, the center itself looks like there are plenty of trails that you can take your family and walk around. Sadly, during my time there I didn't get the chance to take walks/hikes around the center. My review is mostly on the boat tour. Overall, the pontoon boat tour was great. We saw dolphins, a lot of great blue heron along with a lot of other birds. For kids, the center is great. The adults and bird lovers would love the boat ride and that's what I would recommend. read more

Environmental Learning Center - Free use of binoculars - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Vero Beach, Florida

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Awesome experience! Our tour guide, I think his name was Jim, so informational! You can really tell he loves what he does. We'll be back! read more

Environmental Learning Center - Sunset cruise! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Vero Beach, Florida

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We've done this two hour pontoon boat tour (9:30 am) before and this was by far the best experience we've had with them. Past experiences have been great but this one was .......extra great! Melissa was our guide and Phil was our captain along with a captain-in-training. Melissa was excellent as was Phil - both know their stuff and make it interesting. Both very personable and clearly passionate about conservation and in particular, the lagoon. That kind of enthusiasm shines through. We also were lucky with the other passengers - it was a fun group, for sure. The price is more than reasonable and there is much more to see at the ELC. Definitely worth a look/see. We'd like to get a group together to go out for a sunset cruise (bring your own cocktails!). read more

The pontoon boat ride is always a treat. Susan was a great "tour guide" with many personal stories regarding the areas we were riding through. The trails and gift shop are fun and unique and the staff is always outstanding in terms of courtesy, pointing out things, and helpfulness. read more

Rented kayaks yesterday. Very friendly staff. Well maintained equipment The mangroved canals that lead out to open waters was windy and twisty and very interesting and beautiful. A hidden gem for sure. read more

Great place for a couple of hours with the kids if you are in the Vero Beach area. Our girls our 6 and 10 and really enjoyed it. A good place to take a lunch with you. The girls enjoyed the area where you can hold different small sea creatures including a starfish and sea anemone. They also loved trying to catch tadpoles in the pond. I liked to walk the boardwalk through the mangroves. Cost is $5/person. You can rent a bag of stuff for the kids that includes binoculars, magnifying glass and stuff to use at the pond. You put a deposit of $5 down and you get that back when you bring the bag back at the end of your visit. read more

Good for kids....only kids. For kids, this would be four starts, for adults, eh. They have a center with a small aquarium to play with and there are two walks on wooden walkways. The walks are a little above the mangroves so you can see into the trees better than on level walks. Not a lot of shade on these walks. read more

A great place to go for pontoon boat tours, kayak excursions and water sports rentals! The ELC is a little piece of paradise in Vero Beach.

I have probably driven by a number of times and never even knew it existed. We came with my daughter. She enjoyed the touch tank where she could play with hermit crabs, sea urchins, and a horseshoe crab. We got to walk along some of he mangroves and see some of the wildlife around. They also have tours and a tour boat that goes out on the river. The staff was very friendly and helpful. It was a good place for my daughter to interact with the local environment and get exercise. read more

Awesome experience as always with knowledgable staff that love their jobs :) the place has made a lot of great improvements and has a canoe launch read more

I like coming to this place as it is very nice way for kids to interact with nature. They love walking and exploring nature around and also enjoying going to aquarium and looking and touching the lagoon creatures. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The place itself not very big where you can go but it feels like being very close to nature which is nice ;) read more

This is a wonderful place to spend a day outdoors with the family. They provide summer daycamp for kids, pontoon boat tours, and have a great gift shop. Check out the Laura Riding Jackson home on the property. read more