Beach Tours on Horseback
A beach tour on horseback is the only way to explore the
scenic beaches of South Florida.
Let our guides take you, your friends and family on an adventure
you're sure to remember and cherish!
Scenic beach eco tours are available on
Saturdays and Sundays of every month.
Riders from beginners to advanced
welcome. Rides are held at
Frederick Douglass Memorial Park on
Hutchinson Island just 4 miles north of
the St. Lucie Power Plant on A1A.
Scheduled Dates are Sundays year round
on the beach. Other days during the week
may be scheduled by special reservation.
Wooded trail rides are also available at St. Lucie County nature preserves such as Paleo Hammock, Bluefield and Pinelands
Preserves.
Horseback
Riding at Frederick Douglass Park
Hutchinson Island
3800 South Ocean Drive
Fort Pierce FL 34949
Tours on
Horseback
87 Pinewood Lane
Fort Pierce, FL 34947
Phone: 772-468-0101 or 772-519-0237
beachtoursonhorseback.com
Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center
The Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center is located on Hutchinson Island. Situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian River Lagoon, the 57-acre parcel houses the Society's headquarters, nature trails, 750,000-gallon Game Fish Lagoon, Sea Turtle Pavilion, Children's Activity Pavilion, Sea Star Touch Tank Pavilion, Rays on the Reef Ray Pavilion, and the Frances Langford Visitors Center. With its coastal hardwood hammocks and mangrove swamp communities, the site provides excellent opportunities for education and research aimed at increasing visitors' knowledge of these unique environments. Adults $12
Children (3-12) $6
Children under 3 FREE
Members FREE.
Hours of
Operation
Monday - Saturday
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday
12 - 4 p.m.
Stingray Feeding Program
Monday-Saturday
10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
Sunday - 1 p.m.
Sea Turtle Program
Monday-Saturday
11 a.m. & 2 p.m.
Sunday - 1:30 p.m.
Game Fish Feeding Program
Monday-Saturday
11:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Sunday - 2 p.m.
Guided Nature Trail Walk
When Available
Trails open for self guided until
4 p.m. Monday-Saturday
3 p.m. Sunday
Florida Oceanographic Society
890 Northeast Ocean Boulevard
Stuart, FL 34996
772-225-0505
Florida Oceanographic Society
FPL Sea
Turtle Walks
FPL Turtle Walks are conducted Friday and Saturday nights in June and July.
These walks are extremely popular and limited by permit to 50 people. The presentations begin at 9 p.m. at the Energy Encounter. Once a turtle is sighted, the group is taken to the beach to watch her lay her eggs.
Reservations are required. Call 1-800-334-5483. The line opens for reservations on May 1.
The Energy Encounter is located adjacent to the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant on South Hutchinson Island between Ft. Pierce and Stuart.
FPL The Energy Encounter
6501 South Ocean Drive, Highway A1A,
Gate B
Jensen Beach, FL 34957
FPL Sea Turtle Walks
Harbor Branch Ocean Discovery Center
The Harbor Branch Ocean Discovery Center (ODC) is the public gateway to FAU's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.
The
Harbor Branch Ocean Discovery Center houses interactive exhibits, small aquaria, a video theater and other displays exploring the marine environment and depicting the research efforts of the Institute. ODC exhibit content is developed in close coordination with the Harbor Branch project managers by a team of award-winning educators and media specialists. Exhibit content is continually evolving to showcase the ongoing research and conservation efforts of Harbor Branch and to give visitors a close-up look at the emerging technologies used by the marine research community.
Free for
individual and family public visits.
Hours of
Operation
Monday - Friday, 10am—5pm
Saturday, 10am—2pm
The Harbor Branch Ocean Discovery Center
5600 U.S. 1 North
Fort Pierce, FL 34946
772-242-2400
The Harbor Branch Ocean Discovery Center
Indian River Lagoon Boat Tours
Experience Florida's wildlife at it's best with an exciting and education 90 minute Boat Tour of the Indian River Lagoon and Estuary. Learn about and experience Florida's dolphins, manatee, birds, turtles, and fish,
as well as the Indian River Lagoon and Estuary eco system, mangroves and more with Captain "Chop" as your guide.
As a third generation Audubon Warden, Captain "Chop" is one of the most knowledgeable people on Florida's wildlife and eco system. Great for Kids and Adults alike!
Purchase
tickets at the Indian River Lagoon Boat Tour
Ticket Booth located at Fort Pierce City
Marina, Fort Pierce FL or call 772-464-4445
Indian River
Lagoon Boat Tours
1 Avenue A
Fort Pierce, FL 34950
Phone: 772-464-4445
visit:
Indian River Lagoon Boat Tours
Island Princes Cruises
Watch for dolphins, manatee, pelicans, blue herons and egrets in their natural habitat. An adventure for the whole family,
as you cruise the waters of Florida's Intracoastal Waterway
while the Captains narration will bring history to life.
The Captain will acquaint you with the many bird sanctuaries, spoil islands, and other points of interest. The Island Princess offers scheduled sight-seeing cruises and private charter cruises on the St. Lucie River, the Indian River, and the Jupiter Sound. All cruises depart from The Sailfish Marina in the Manatee Pocket of Stuart.
772-225-2100
Sailfish Marina
3585 SE St. Lucie Blvd.
Stuart, FL 34997
visit:
Island Princes Cruises
Jungle Eco-Cruise
Offering the only cruise for exploring the
jungle-like backwaters of the Real Florida.
Common sightings are alligators, turtles and
native birds. See Florida's Wildlife at its
best! 1
1/2 hour Cruise
Reservations Required
North Fork of the St Lucie River Aquatic
Preserve,
River Park Marina
500 SE Prima Vista Blvd,
Port St Lucie, FL
Phone: 772.489.8344
visit:
Jungle Eco-Cruise
Lisa's
Kayaks, Guided Kayaking and
Standup Paddle Board Tours
Lisa's Kayaks, Guided Kayaking Tours
and Standup Paddle Board Tours located
in Fort Pierce, Florida, will get you
outside having fun in no time flat.
Tours are available for all levels including kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and biking.
Join Lisa's for a fun filled time on the water. The Indian River Lagoon has much to offer including miles of shore line that are perfect for bird sightings.
We also have abundant wildlife and knowledgeable guides to take you into places that you might not explore otherwise.
Sun, surf and fun, that’s what a Florida lifestyle is all about!
Lisa's Kayaks
905 Shorewinds Drive
Fort Pierce, Florida 34949
Phone:772-216-2820
www.lisaskayaks.com
Motorized Kayak Adventures
With experienced guides and small groups, your tour will be fun, relaxing and educational.
You are in complete control as you effortlessly navigate your motorized kayak under the direction of an experienced guide into an eco-system that few have witnessed. Go back in time as you kayak through a densely canopied and ancient mangrove forest. Relax, look, see, listen. Find that peaceful connection with nature and take it with you wherever you may go.
No experience needed.
All you do is relax and steer.
Most tours last between 2 and 3 hours. Tours launch from Fort Pierce and nearby areas that include trips through mangrove canopy forests on the Indian River Lagoon, full moon and sunset tours and inland tours on the north fork of the Saint Lucie River and to the Oxbow Eco Center.
It is an experience unlike anything you have ever encountered.
The tours are an exploration of the spectacular eco-systems of Florida's Indian River Lagoon and the St. Lucie River Estuary System. We offer the best in kayak tours with knowledgeable guides and the best in equipment. All you do is steer.
Eco tours, day tours, sunset tours, full
moon tours are all available.
Motorized Kayak Adventures
1 Avenue A
Fort Pierce, FL 34945
Phone:772-380-6815
motorizedkayakadventures.com
Oxbow Eco-Center
The Oxbow Eco-Center is situated on a
225-acre preserve on the North Fork of
the St. Lucie River and offers a rare
glimpse of “the real Florida”.
A St. Lucie County Environmental
Learning Center, the Oxbow Eco-Center is a place where young and
old alike can discover the mysterious
and hidden life of the forest and river. The preserve at
the Oxbow is a living laboratory, offering year round
educational programs on a variety of nature related
subjects. At the Oxbow, you can join a naturalist on
a guided walk through quiet gardens planted and
nurtured by Mother Nature herself, or journey on your
own through the verdant and wild sanctuary.
The Visiting the Center
houses an Exhibit Hall and Discovery Room, which invite you to use
all of your senses … touching artifacts, listening to bird songs, and seeing some of
Florida’s native reptiles up-close.
Their Centerpiece Exhibit takes you on a wondrous journey down the St. Lucie
River, one of the most diverse rivers in the state,
with more species of fish than any other river in Florida. The life-size exhibit gives
you a unique view of this underwater world as you travel from the river’s genesis
to the Atlantic Ocean. You’ll encounter dozens of fish species, numerous turtles and
crustaceans, and even a life-size manatee with her calf, as you traverse both the
freshwater system and the rich estuary.
You’ll also learn about the land and habitat that surround the river as you gaze up
through a created water line to view native Florida plants and animals, including
nearly a dozen species of birds.
5400 NE St. James Drive,
Port St. Lucie, FL 34983
Hours of Operation:
Trails: Dawn – Dusk 7 days a week
Center: Tues. – Fri. 12 noon to 5 pm
Sat. 10 am to 5 pm
(772) 785-5833
www.stlucieco.gov/erd/oxbow
Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit on
Hutchinson Island
420 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, FL
772-462-FISH (3474) - Group bookings:
772-465-3271
At the
Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit, visitors can explore different Florida marine habitats and learn about the complexity and importance of marine ecosystems. The largest aquarium is a model of a Caribbean coral reef. Other displays include living models of seagrass, mangrove, estuarine and nearshore habitats, as well as a deepwater Oculina coral reef. There are several smaller aquarium displays and a touch tank where you can meet some of our local sea creatures.
Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit
Hutchinson Island
420 Seaway Drive
Fort Pierce, FL 34949
772-462-FISH (3474)
visit:
www.sms.si.edu/SMEE/index.htm
South River Outfitters
Let South River Outfitters be the jump off point for your next adventure. First-timer, no problem. Been there/Done that,
they've got something new for you. South
River Outfitters is adjacent to Halpatiokee Regional Park, a beautiful 513 acre preserve loaded with multi-use trails
that is also on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail
and the South Fork of the St. Lucie River.
See wildlife Florida is know for:
Alligators, Manatee, Dolphin, Birds,
fish and marine life.
Guided
River Kayak Tours and Kayak Fishing Excursions
are available form South River
Outfitters. Rather have a self guided
tour? South River Outfitters provides
kayak, canoe and bike rentals.
South River Outfitters
7647 Lost River Road
Stuart, FL 34997
Tel: 772-223-1500
visit:
South River Outfitters
Sunshine Wildlife Tours
Experience North America's most diverse estuary. Join Captain Nancy Beaver on a tour of the Indian River Lagoon. Enjoy up close views of Bottlenose Dolphin, manatee, sea turtles, and a vast array of birds.
Use our discovery scopes to view the nursery of life
in the ocean. See the mangroves and the seagrass beds that are responsible for sustaining life in the estuary and understand the importance of maintaining the fragile balance of this ecosystem.
See Bottlenose Dolphin on most tours and Manatee on many tours. We focus on the specific problems facing our Wild Dolphin and Manatee. We are committed to enhancing their quality of life through environmental awareness, education, and stewardship.
Visit Bird Island on every tour. Bird Island is one of the top 10 bird rookeries in Florida. There are 18 bird species roosting and nesting on the island, including threatened and endangered species. The island was recently designated a critical wildlife area by the state.
The tour includes history of the Manatee Pocket, the St. Lucie River, the Indian River Lagoon, and the Intracoastal Waterway. We troll with a small plankton and zooplankton net to fill our discovery scopes and magnify the juvenile life in the estuary.
Tours include
Full day and 1/2 day Private Charters
and Guided Eco Kayak Tours.
Sunshine Wildlife Tours
Pirate's Cove
4307 SE Bayview St
Stuart, FL 34997
www.sunshinewildlifetours.com
Treasure Coast Sailing Adventures
Departing from the Stuart Riverwalk Pier
in Florida, you will sail the Lily and
enjoy the park, shops, and restaurants
our downtown has to offer. Three 1 1/2 to 2 hour daily sails,
Morning Discovery, Adventure Discovery
and Sunset Sail, offers something different to experience.
121 S.W. Flagler Ave
Stuart Fl 34994
772-267-7076
visit:
Treasure Coast Sailing Adventures |
