Living Coast Discovery Center

Fantastic experience: My niece from Michigan loved her experience with the exhibits and the activities provided to learn about sea life.

Fantastic experience: This place is great! I've worked at and really enjoy educational centers with aquaria and wildlife, and this was one of the best examples I've seen. They had several raptors and a sea turtle, and were clear with signs that these animals are not pets and that they only have them captive because they are unreleaseable in some way, which I really appreciated. there were also cliff swallow nests on the side of the building, and we got to see the adults swooping up to feed the hungry fledgelings, which was really cute! Another highlight was the shark and ray touch tank, which was large enough that the animals had plenty of room to swim around out of reach of visitors if they did not want to be touched. But I still got to touch a curious bat ray and swell shark that came up to the edge! Another thing that I really appreciated was that there were multiple swell sharks and a tube where they could hang out together (they like to stack on top of eachother in crevices in the wild), and none of them had goiters, which is a common problem I've seen with swell sharks in aquaria in the past. The touch tank was also attached to and cycling with a larger tank, which probably makes it easier to keep the water quality appropriate despite human hands going in the touch tank all the time. The reptile enclosures were also all appropriate sizes, naturalistic, and clean. This was a really cool place, and next time I'm in the area I'm definitely going to take my little nieces!

Positive experience: So peaceful and felt very relaxed. Educated on the importance of the environment and how to manage it in the best possible manner. Lots of people available to answer your questions.

Fantastic experience: My family and I enjoyed visiting the living Coast discovery center and learning about the rescued animals as well as how to compost at home. Once we arrived at the location we had to park our car, and board the shuttle to get to the center. It was a short and fun ride. As soon as we arrived at the center we immediately ran to see the huge rescued turtle. I cannot recall her name, but my son was excited to see her swimming around. The fees to enter are reasonable and although the location is small it is packed with interesting animals native to California. There was also an interactive session with an Iguana, where we learned things we didn't know prior to attending. We enjoyed our visit as it felt more intimate, less crowded, and not as overwhelming. We are looking forward to attending again as we totally overlooked the eagle and owl sections. Nevertheless, it was a great time, and the staff was absolutely awesome.

Fantastic experience: Great educational place! And not as crowded or expensive as all the other choices.

Fantastic experience: We were getting our car serviced in National City and this was an amazing way to kill the time! It took about an hour and a half to go through all of the exhibits at a leisurely pace. It costs $20 per adult - well worth it!

Negative experience: Only 2 stars because we had to pay so much for like 30 mins max and others can pay only 3 dollars if they have a ebt card which doesn’t make sense but whatever only thing there worth seeing was the sea turtle they saved was absolutely amazing

Fantastic experience: A gem in the middle of San Diego, sitting in the middle of a magical marsh, are rescued animals that are lovingly cared for in a chill, beautiful and less people-ly environment than a large zoo. Staff member, Jaasiel went above and beyond to teach us about the wildlife present at the site. Kind staff with polite drivers made the day wonderful. For people with sensory processing disorder, this is your chance to experience the local wildlife without the big crowds. Thank you, Living Coast Discovery Center and Jaasiel for such an amazing experience.

Fantastic experience: We attended an incredible guided hike where we learned all about the plants and fauna local to the area. Our kids were given a scavenger hunt and there were binoculars available. The coolest part? The whole thing was free and we learned so much.

Negative experience: Disappointed that this place has limited opening days. I probably should have checked the website before heading there

Fantastic experience: Great experience visiting this place that had very nice ambassadors doing talks. Great way to experience the SD bay and all the trails that are part of the NWS next door. Recommend if you are interested in sea life, raptors and learning more about the SD Bay wild life. I didn't spot any marsh land birds, but would like to come back and visit again early AM to see the birds on the signs that say these are our neighbors.

Fantastic experience: Small, local conservation center that features injured/rehabilitated wild as well as local animals. Very reasonably priced and significantly more mellow than other animal attractions in San Diego. Can pet small sharks and rays, see wild raptors, sea turtles, and other small marine life.

Fantastic experience: We had a lovely time. It is small, but we spent a couple hours walking around. We did the private encounter with the turtle, and it was awesome. We loved the touch tank for the sharks and rays. They did a lot of educational experiences and we learned a lot.

Fantastic experience: This was such a cool place and you can tell all the employees and volunteers care so much about the animals. This is not a huge facility so you only need a couple hours, but there is a great variety of things to see and the animals were really active. We got to see them feed an octopus, attended the shark and ray experience, and did a private experience with Emerald the sea turtle. The touch tank in the shark and ray area is full of very active rays and getting to help set up enrichment for emerald was a lot of fun. I absolutely will bring all future visiting friends and family here!

Positive experience: Very small. Plan to spend 1-2 hours there max.

Fantastic experience: A fun and educational experience for the whole family. Support local conservation efforts. Highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: Sweetwater park on the Bay,next to the new Gaylord Hotel is great for all the family. Walking trails from the RV camp to the Hotel along the Bay. Playgrounds for children were packed with families having a wonderful time.

Fantastic experience: Place is amazing. The birds are beautiful. The keepers are so knowledgeable.I really love visiting this place. The ONLY thing…it’s so weird there are SOOO many lobsters. Why so many lobsters?

Fantastic experience: Great place family and child friendly. Take the convenient tram after parking in the big lot. It was a gorgeous day and so nice to just sit and enjoy the wetlands as well as the displays. If you like huge lobsters, raptors And other fish it's a must visit

Fantastic experience: Awesome place like a mini version of seaworld great place to take the kids on a quick trip

Positive experience: There are multiple opportunities to meet the animals here. A cute center that is big on education and wonderful for kids. They have different types of wildlife, as well as walking trails and gardens.

Fantastic experience: No wait good amount of animals to see and beautiful not pricey has picnic section shuttle that takes you there student discount and righ now I got in for 10 dollars worth every penny well kept place super peaceful also very informative short and sweet how I like it

Fantastic experience: Loved it, was able to see Sapphire swim around. Didn't realize how big bald eagles are. There were friendly sharks in the touch pool. Would definitely go again.

Positive experience: Went to this place yesterday. Didn't really know that it was a recovery center. The animals are wounded and recover at this place and then return to the wild, if they can. The sea turtle was essentially paralyzed but was so sweet and still a joy to watch. The staff was super friendly and you could tell that they cared deeply for all the animals there. Also we didn't know about the shuttle. You park in one place and take a shuttle to get to the location and then back to your car. It runs often but it didn't seem like a lot of people knew especially uber drivers.

Negative experience: Rain or shine On march 13 (currently today) I just went with my classmates and other teachers. It looked beautiful in the pictures and it had true potential but with this horrible weather was not the best and our service was not great. There were other schools there and they were inside yet we were the only class outside. My teacher had a talk with a manger because there was an open classroom and they would not let us in because there were gonna be people, yet they never arrived. They had disrespectful language to us saying “Well sucks to be you guys out here” and “not my problem” talking about our current environment OUTSIDE. It was freezing and we were in fact emailed about our dress code being jeans and our polos and maybe a light jacket. My teacher called it quits and we stayed inside for so long. Not only that they wanted to do a dissect activity with fish and that was okay but outside in the cold with water dripping on to you.

Positive experience: Was not a lot there. Many cages were empty. People there were very nice. Probably won't go back though. It's worth a visit.

Fantastic experience: Highly recommend this place! It’s calm & reasonably priced. Perfect for little ones. All the animals enclosures are thoughtful and well maintained and the animals are healthy and happy. Staff is also friendly and center is clean throughout. We will definitely be back!

Fantastic experience: Cost was affordable compared to other parks as it is smaller in size. This place has a great variety of animals and the workers are friendly and have immense knowledge of the animals they watch over. Would definitely go back.

Fantastic experience: Far more than I expected with expert knowledge, extensive display areas and informative tours. Quite impressive.

Fantastic experience: We had such a great experience at the Living Coast Discovery Center! From the moment we arrived, everything was easy and welcoming. Parking was simple, with clear signs pointing us where to go, and the free shuttle was just steps away from the lot. One highlight of our visit was watching the sea turtle feeding—it was both fascinating and educational! Inside the center, we loved seeing all the smaller animals, like snakes, lizards, jellyfish, and fish. Outside, the open tank area with stingrays and sharks was really cool to explore. Our favorite part, though, was the bird exhibits. Seeing a bald eagle up close was incredible (something we hadn’t even seen at the zoo!), and the staff member there was super friendly and knowledgeable, sharing lots of interesting facts. This place is such a gem! It’s also a nonprofit organization, so your admission fee goes directly toward supporting their amazing work and exhibits. We’ll definitely be coming back. Our baby was so engaged the entire time—she especially loved the sea turtle! I highly recommend this spot to bring your little ones to. The staff were so welcoming, and the whole experience was fun, educational, and memorable. Thank you to everyone at the Living Coast Discovery Center!

Fantastic experience: I have gone to the Living Coast Discovery Center many times. I have been as a visitor with my family and a teacher with my students. It is always a good time with informative staff, great information, and exciting exhibits and animals. I signed my daughter up for a day camp this winter. It was her first experience in a camp. She LOVED it. She came home every day telling me about a new animal, facts about the animal, showing off her art, and raving about the new games they played. I would highly recommend the facility and or camp to families looking for something engaging for their animal loving children.

Fantastic experience: Great wildlife center with knowledgeable staff. Expect to spend about 2 hours here and you do have to ride a shuttle in from a parking lot. Very friendly shuttle driver though.

Fantastic experience: Great place to spend a couple hours. Good educational exhibits. Walkways to the bay nearby allow views of shore birds. Bring binoculars for a better view.

Fantastic experience: You will need to park and be shuttled to the facility. The shuttles are nice and quickly get you from parking to facility and back. The staff were friendly and helpful ready to answer any questions. The tanks have many amazing sea life to see. Their mission is important and reason enough to visit and support the cause. I was too busy to take many photos but a few of those you will see.

Fantastic experience: Go on their website and review itinerary. Plan ahead. If there's a hike to the bay to bird watch.

Fantastic experience: Come and see the wonderful animals they recover.

Fantastic experience: Amazing beautiful place to spend time with family and friends...kiddos love the experience...lots of sea life, nature, and a peaceful setting.. we had a great time thank you❤️

Fantastic experience: Buy yourself a go city pass and go check this place out. Love the fact that they had an area where kids could actually touch the things in the tank and learn more about it. Amazing people, amazing environment. Absolutely loved it.

Fantastic experience: I went during their Owl-O-Ween event and arrived as soon as they started. It was not busy at all and nearly everyone was in costume which added to the fun in my opinion. I loved looking at the stingrays and sharks and learning about them (the staff is very friendly and knowledgeable). They also have snacks, fish and birds at this facility. I think this is a great place to bring children!

Negative experience: A lot of the exhibits were closed due to remodeling. Looks rundown even though they have a lot of workers or volunteers.

Fantastic experience: So cute! Not very big, but its worth going. I spent about an hour here. I didn’t do the trails because it was quite hot, but spending 1-2hrs here makes sense. Bring your own food/drinks and DEFINITELY bring water! I like the shuttle from parking to the discovery center. It’s free by the way. I went on a Saturday at around 1pm and it was not busy at all.

Fantastic experience: Peyton is a highly informed and energetic guide. This was our first time visiting the center, and the excellent first impression he gave to us is the number reason why we will be returning to this great place.

Fantastic experience: Beautiful little place which saves animals that can’t survive in the wild as well as rehabilitates. Highly recommend a visit, they’re very educational and wholesome. Great variety of species, especially raptors.

Fantastic experience: First time there and my son and I really liked it, everyone is really nice and the rays and turtle were my kids favorite part, we will definitely be back.

Fantastic experience: First off This place is super awesome , When u park remember to wait for tram bus to pick u up buy the left of rv resort and its free for tram and parking. Once it drops u off u can go inside and pay for your tickets . It is a blast here u can see jelly fish ,reptiles ,birds ,and touch stingreys and way more and also hike outside to see the ocean view and thier garden area and food is also aloud here so bring your snacks . Its worth every penny to help nature out we come from Fontana california and its worth every mile to come . Bathrooms are inside and gift area aswell air cond and wheelchair acces aswell .

Fantastic experience: No matter how big they get, they still love this place. We have been going to this place for years off and on. It's been a while, but it's still a beautiful fun place to take the family.

Fantastic experience: This place is such a GEM! What a wonderful spot. Amazing animals, friendly staff, fun education, and just great vibes all around. Amazing spot for the family to spend a few hours.

Fantastic experience: More or less random selection of largely aquatic mostly native wildlife exhibits and tanks. For some reason that includes silver sail fin mollies from Florida, as well as native orphaned sea turtles owls sharks bat rays lizards trout and much more. Some nice walking trails by the sea too. A really great vibe.

Positive experience: Wish there was more to see, but it was still a fun little date seeing what we could.

Fantastic experience: Will definitely be visiting again. We loved the fact you had to take a shuttle there! You can definitely tell the volunteers & employees truly care about the animals, we were told stories and habits of certain ones, and had a great time at the touch pool also.

Negative experience: Great views of the Bay, good selection of animals.

Positive experience: We visited as part of the cub scout group. The volunteers and educational tour were excellent. It's a small exhibit though, hence 4/5 star.

Fantastic experience: Cool little aquatic center right off of the highway

Fantastic experience: Fun place to visit and see all the local wildlife. Very kid friendly but was fun for adults as well.

Fantastic experience: A must visit to those who love marine conservation. They not only have marine directors to show but they also have bird cages for rare birds like the bald eagle and falcons, also since reptiles. Support this community and visit this place. Highly recommended.

Fantastic experience: My kid love it! All the staff are so kind

Fantastic experience: No matter what age, my daughter has always enjoyed going to Living Coast Discovery Center. They have several interesting exhibits as well as adorable animals. We love the burrowing owls, roadrunner and even the creepy spiders living in cacti. Eek! They also have 2-3 touch pools full of sensory fun. We enjoy the touch pools because some living creatures don’t feel the way they look. It’s always interesting. Outside of the living coast, there are several trails for a little hiking. We like the views and things you encounter during the hike (bugs, animal skeletons, feathers, etc). Price for an adult ticket is $20 and $15 for children 3-12. It’s worth the price for the educational fun.

Fantastic experience: PARK at the Living Coast Discovery Center's parking lot and take the free SHUTTLE. You cannot walk, hike, bike or drive yourself to the Living Coast Discovery Center. If you're listening to Google maps' directions then you might be distracted enough to miss the signs telling you to PARK at the parking lot to take the free Living Coast Discovery Center SHUTTLE to get to the Center. If you just want to walk the trails of the San Diego Bay Wildlife Refuge still take the free Living Coast Discovery Center SHUTTLE. You don't have to pay admission to hike the trails on the San Diego Bay Wildlife Refuge. You DO have to pay to enter the Living Coast Discovery Center itself. The Center is right off of the Bayshore Bikeway. The Center is within walking distance from the San Diego Trolley E Street Station. There is outdoor seating available in the front and back to enjoy some food from outside, just pick up after yourselves. They have areas available to host an event like birthday parties for the young at heart.

Fantastic experience: I love the interactive experiences. The turtles, sharks, rays, jellyfish, and the many birds made for a fabulous day! Ashley was very kind and helpful. Thank you, Ashley!

Fantastic experience: Small but very good time with the family. Will take you about hour.

Fantastic experience: This was a nice way to spend the afternoon learning about the coastal life. Touch tank was a huge hit with the kids as well as the shark tank. Don't go too late in the day as the programs may be done for the day.

Positive experience: It's a beautiful very mini "zoo;" however, it's quite depressing because the cages are very small for the birds to fly. They have to stand at one place for most of the time. I feel so sorry for them.

Positive experience: Small nature center has a touch tank with sharks & rays. Lots of birds & reptiles to look at. The docent was extremely knowledgeable & friendly. Parking is confusing, visitors need to park away from the building & take a 2 minute bus ride or 10 minute walk. Renovations were active so some parts weren't available. Lots of short trails to hike with nice views. The admission price seemed expensive for the experience you received.

Fantastic experience: The Living Coast Discovery Center offers a unique blend of outdoor adventure and wildlife encounters that's sure to delight visitors of all ages. With hiking trails winding through picturesque landscapes, it's the perfect destination for nature enthusiasts seeking to explore the beauty of the coast. Along the trails, you'll encounter a fascinating array of bird species, from graceful herons to colorful shorebirds, providing endless opportunities for birdwatching enthusiasts. The highlight of the visit, however, is the chance to get up close and personal with some of the coast's most fascinating inhabitants. From touching harmless creatures in the interactive touch tanks to learning about the delicate ecosystems they inhabit, every moment spent at the Living Coast Discovery Center is filled with wonder and discovery.

Fantastic experience: We enjoyed the living coast discovery center. We liked the eagle talk and spending time learning from their knowledgeable staff. Since we went on a weekday morning it was not busy at all, so we had lots of one on one time with the staff. FYI, the parking lot is far from the Discovery center and you will need to park there. There will be a shuttle to pick you up to take you to the center.

Fantastic experience: Such a cute nature center! Really enjoyed looking at all the exhibits. The shark and ray exhibit was especially fun.

Fantastic experience: Nice day outing. Take a bus to the back area. Lots of sea life and birds to see. Even a place to pet manta rays.

Fantastic experience: Lovely place to visit. Low key, wasn’t crowded despite visiting on holiday weekend. Staff very friendly and informative. We particularly liked the outdoor aviaries with native raptors - my favorite was the long eared owl. Went with teenagers, everyone enjoyed it.

Fantastic experience: It was an incredible place! Friendly staff, excellent exhibits and a nice walking trail! It's a good thing I got the annual pass, so I can go again with my family! I definitely recommend it, especially if you have small children!! The rays and other creatures are so cool, it is just too bad it's not letting me post the videos or I would have! My children adored their visit! It's also a really short wait for the shuttle to arrive and pick you up! Can not wait to go again!!! Thank you, staff, for letting us have this experience!

Fantastic experience: We love this place it is on the smaller side usually spend less than an hour here but it's cute and all the animals are well taken care of and rescues never crowded and everyone works here is so kind.

Fantastic experience: Fun experience for an easy few hour long trip. Some of the outdoor exhibits were closed but still had fun. Make sure you follow the signs for parking to take the shuttle.

Fantastic experience: Wonderful place! So glad we stopped by. We caught the shuttle just in time in the parking lot and it's about a 5 minute drive to the center. Loved the shark and ray touch pool though it's pretty deep and hard to touch them. We only had an hour here but wish we could've stayed longer!

Positive experience: Love this place! I have brought my son, nephew & nieces here when they were small....20 years later I am able to bring my great niece and nephew and enjoy watching them looking at all the exhibits. They loved the scenic bus ride to and from the center. They especially loved walking around the out door exhibits and were in awe seeing the eagels. I just wished they had a snack bar or vending machines.

Fantastic experience: Was in San Diego to visit family and decided to take my six year old granddaughter here,actually met up with a local friend and her granddaughter as well, we enjoyed the center,and learned a lot about all the different animals.

Fantastic experience: Love this gem of a place. Used AAA discount and got $4 off per ticket. There’s a little octopus that was amazing. Lots of birds of prey. Great staff, very helpful and knowledgeable.

Fantastic experience: The Living Coast Discovery Center is located in Chula Vista and is one of the South Bays beloved habitat with many coastal sea animals, plants and birds. This Zoo/Aquarium is such a fun family outing and be spent learning and exploring. Free parking is available, visitors are then taken on a shuttle to a be location. I believe the shuttle arrives every 15 minutes. The kids were very excited to be able to touch some of the sea animals along with exploring the garden. Throughout the center are friendly staff who are more than happy to answer any questions you may have and are very knowledgeable about the animals and the center. We definitely recommend taking water and maybe some snacks to eat outdoors overlooking the estuary. The center features a Turtle Lagoon, Aquarium, Shark & Ray Experience with an interactive touch pool, Bird Encounters, Native Pollinator Garden, Compost Garden with useful resources and information for everyone of all ages, and beautiful wildlife trails.

Fantastic experience: Free parking. Shuttle bus to the wildlife preserve. Kid friendly. Wheel chair accessible

Fantastic experience: Wildlife center with lots of interactive exhibits and a natural habitat reserve to walk around. Very nice and cute animals!

Fantastic experience: Awesome staff! Everyone was informative and really pleasant. Amazing view of the marshes and really cool creatures. We saw amazing birds and aquatic animals.

Fantastic experience: Best Field trip experience today. Such a beautiful place! Very fun & educational the kids loved it!

Fantastic experience: This was a delightful surprise. It is not a big place that will take all day. However, it is a great place to spend a couple hours. The bird enclosures we very nice. Everything was clean. The small trail was absolutely beautiful, with the daisies blossoming. Family friendly. Free parking and shuttle from parking area.

Fantastic experience: We had a great time visiting living coast discovery center. It's not too small and not crowded. A nice place to bring children to learn about the animals or a good option for a date. The prices of the ticket goes to a good cause.

Fantastic experience: Totally awesome experience for a couple of hours. Excellent for small children, plenty to enjoy. Outdoor trails full of flowers in bloom. Had a great time.

Fantastic experience: This place is great my grandkids 2 &4 had the chance to touch betrays and could not get enough of the octopus

Fantastic experience: We started our trip to Living Coast Discovery Center by parking at their parking lot. We made our way to the shuttle bus to make the 4 minute drive to the center. JR Lewis, was our driver and in that 4 minute drive gave us some interesting facts and information about the center and surrounding area. We thought he was our tour guide but no, he confirmed he was just our driver. He was very knowledgeable and it was greatly appreciated. For the center, it was nice and well staffed. The animals on display were nice to look at and appeared well cared for. The grounds were well kept and made for some nice views of south San Diego. Overall we were glad we made the trip, it was a great family experience. Please consider this place on your next trip to San Diego or consider donating to this well ran non-profit organization.

Fantastic experience: Wonderful educational opportunity. Indoor and outdoor exhibits. Don't be concerned about the birds not having a large enough space as both the eagles have injured wings and would not be able to hunt if sent back into the wild. A fun and cute octopus is given a Mr. Potato head to help provide a creative way for him to get his food, which helps him be the critical thinker that he needs to be. Parking is about 1 or 2 miles away and you must wait for a shuttle, it almost appears as if you are headed to a building in the middle of a swamp. On nice days there is a nice little hiking trail that takes one out to the water front and there is a bird watching area. One can except to see birds, owls, reptiles, fish, sea creatures and turtle here. If going in February make sure to get the free library museum pass to get 50% off. The gift shop has lots of fun kid activities, stuff animals and usborne sea life books.

Fantastic experience: 29 years ago, I used to live down the street & would take my 2 children there. I would pack a lunch & take the shuttle. They didn't charge. It was only a donation. I'm so glad it's still opened. I am planning to take my grandkids soon. I always enjoyed being there. It was somewhat relaxing

Positive experience: This was a cute little day trip. You can enjoy the full experience within a few hours. They have several birds of prey and sharks. A couple of non-releasable sea turtles. I felt like the aviary enclosures were small and far from the path so it was difficult to really see anything. The shark tank is fairly small as well for how many they have in there. I would love to see more improvements made for the enclosures. It is closed off from people driving in. You have to utilize the lot and ride the shuttle. The shuttle driver was very nice. Staff was welcoming.

Fantastic experience: The Living Coast Discovery Center is a great place to visit, and I can see why people hold memberships for this gem. The staff is very friendly and informative, full of passion for the conservation of the animals they house. There are educational programs for kids and school groups, and there is also a nice trail to walk through the Wildlife Refuge. I highly recommend visiting this great non profit to get an excellent up-close view of some of the native wildlife that Californians should be proud of.

Fantastic experience: Love this place. My kids have gone to a few of their week long camps. It’s a great way to spend their school breaks. They loved the camps and learned so much. Not only do they learn about science, it also increases sense of community and desire to care for the environment and animals. Sailing and other activities were amazing bonuses for them to experience through the camps as well. I recommend the program for anyone considering. I enjoyed walking around the center and outside area on my own after dropping them off or when I arrived early than the assigned pick up time. When my youngest son was in the half day program, we had a great time bonding and exploring the property together while waiting for my older son to get out of the full day program.

Negative experience: The place seems like a tourist trap designed to exclude those who don't want to pay to access the refuge. From what we could tell, the only way to access the wildlife refuge is by parking in the offsite lot, waiting for and taking the shuttle to the Living Coast Discovery Center, and paying $18 per adult. There are signs posted that parking is only for center customers and a towtruck driver is posted up in the parking lot. I am assuming that they are waiting to tow anyone who does not take the shuttle. Signs are posted that nobody from the public can access the refuge by car or on foot. They say it is to protect the wildlife. What? So making a pedestrian path right along the road that they paved is unacceptable to the wildlife but running a noisy polluting shuttle all day every day through the refuge is not disturbing them? This is the only wildlife refuge in the nation that I have ever been to where there is no pedestrian access allowed (oh, unless you pay lots for it). So, from what I could tell, the government has essentially privatized this entire refuge and made it completely inaccessible without a hefty $18/adult fee. Also, $18 to visit a building with a handful of cool exhibits seems REALLY steep (especially if I can't even see it in person before devotiong 1 hour or more of my life to get there and back).

Fantastic experience: This place was great! The kids LOVED IT. We missed the Eagle info tour because we only got to the parking lot around 10:50am/10:55am. We had to wait for the next bus pickup, which took a few minutes and then a few minutes in the bus and we ended up getting to the Discovery Center about 11:15am/11:20am. BUT we did make it in time for the trail "hiking" tour, which is really just a walk around one of the several trails they have there. It was very fun and informational. We also made it for the Ray and Shark tank/info session where we all got to try and pet the sharks and rays in the tank they have there. All of the employees and guides that we spoke to were full of information and passion about working there and what they do there to preserve and conserve the animals and habitats they have access to and just in general, everywhere around the world. It was so nice to see them at work, doing what they love. It was inspiring! They even brought out oneof the smaller birds of prey at the end, just before they closed, to let us see and hear more about it and other birds of prey. It was beautiful and watchful. This was such a great experience for the adults and the kids! We shopped in the little gift shop, where they have several interesting games, books and other things that even I wanted to get and at reasonable prices. We will likely be getting a year long membership here, to give back to this place and for us and the kids to have somewhere to go to learn. While the Center isn't free , the trails and such that are outside are open and free for anyone to enjoy.

Fantastic experience: We parked and got the shuttle in about 10 minutes. Seats were packed but there was standing room. Arrived and saw the giant tortoise swimming around. The aquariums inside has been updated and I really enjoyed the laid back atmosphere. The kids loved the petting pool with stingrays and mantra rays, as well as the large aquarium with sharks and fish. The park appeared to care more about the animals than displaying those animals for people, which I appreciated. It is a very small attraction, yet it was satisfying. I will definitely take the kids again! I visited again and the experience was still outstanding!

Fantastic experience: I have been here a few times. It's a nice place for something cheap to do with your kids. It's kinda small and you can do everything in about a hr and a half but if you have a animal lover in your life they will like it

Fantastic experience: Inexpensive fun and educational place. Love the variety of aquatic/ reptile tanks inside. They have the stringray/shark exhibit. You are able to pet the stingrays as it was built over 20 years ago it is a little challenging for kids to reach over and touch them. Beautiful small bird esturar.

Fantastic experience: I thought that place was super amazing. You park and there is a shuttle that takes you to the park. Very super informative staff and amazingly friendly. Highly reccomend going there

Fantastic experience: TLDR: A little on the pricey side, but worth it for what's offered. I get the opportunity to come here several times a year, and I'm never disappointed with what creatures I get to admire. Sharks, rays, turtles, octopus, and more. It was 18 dollars per person last I checked, and I believe the prices vary whether you're a child or veteran. Multiple spots dot the area which are suitable for taking a rest break or modest picnic, and birds and relaxing panoramic views are a welcoming feature.

Fantastic experience: Awesome for any nature lover! The sea turtles and rays are worth the trip alone, but the local rescued birds of prey are an unexpected up close treat. Gives the aquarium a definite run for its money.

Fantastic experience: We loved it! My partner and I are birders besides wildlife enthusiasts. The buildings and gardens themselves are very tasteful. Besides the birds in the aviaries, we spotted sea birds and a few hummingbirds. The staff is very knowledgeable, courteous, and kind The marsh trails are awash with yellow, white and some purple flowers. Highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: Such a fun little outing. We had a lot of fun. I will be back. Next time with a picknik lunch. I like how we were able to park and the shuttle picked us up. That was very helpful.