Gumbo Limbo Nature Center: Sea Turtle Rehabilitation & Mangrove Boardwalk

About this adventure

Perched on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway in Boca Raton, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is a beloved 20-acre coastal environmental preserve. Its world-renowned Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Facility allows children to look directly into outdoor saltwater tanks where injured loggerhead, green, and hawksbill sea turtles receive specialized care from marine biologists before being returned to the ocean. Families can stroll through four giant outdoor saltwater aquariums showcasing living coral reef ecosystems, moray eels, stingrays, and native marine fish. The center's shaded wooden boardwalk winds through a rare coastal hardwood hammock of gumbo limbo trees, strangler figs, and mangroves, leading to an elevated observation tower overlooking the mangrove canopy. Strollers are easily pushed along the boardwalk and paved paths, and the butterfly garden delights young children.