Eight Ways to Explore Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Boca Raton, Florida

|

Established in 1951, the 145,000+ acre (one of the largest in America!) Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge preserves the remnants of the northern Everglades, which includes a cypress forest for 250+ species of birds; indoor, interactive exhibits; access to boat launches; and tons of hiking, biking, and paddling trails. Located in Boca Raton, Florida in the northernmost part of the Everglades, the 221+ square mile preserve is also home to a wide variety of reptiles and amphibians, from frogs and salamanders to alligators, crocodiles, and turtles. The Visitor Center is a great place to start exploring and make sure to leave time for outdoor trails and recreation. 

Travel Tips:

  • The grounds are open from sunrise to sunset and the Visitor Center is open from 9am-4pm. Check here for updates. 
  • There is a per-vehicle entrance fee payable at the Visitor Center or all three entrance self pay booths. More information on fees and various passes here. 
  • There is plenty of free parking in front of the Visitor Center and in smaller lots near the three boat launches.
  • Restrooms are located just outside the Visitor Center; a gift shop is located near the admission desk.
  • A variety of programs are offered throughout the week, including 90 minute tram tours, Wellness Walks, and Boardwalks. Check here for more information. 
  • Plan on 90 minutes to explore the Visitor Center and Boardwalk; more time for exploring the trails.

Would you like to save this?

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.

Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Boca Raton, Florida

Eight Ways to Explore the Loxahatchee Refuge:

  1. Hop aboard the airboat simulator in the Visitor Center for a virtual tour of the refuge
  2. Listen to the nighttime “symphony” of sounds from various animals on the refuge.
  3. Learn how the Everglades are valuable to the Earth and humans from a variety of interviews from people with different perspectives.
  4. Walk the almost half mile accessible Cypress Swamp Boardwalk. The swamp, over 400 acres, is the largest in Palm beach County. Keep an eye out for a variety of birds, like woodpeckers and owls, fish, turtles, and more. Note that the depth of water varies throughout the year as the swamp is rain fed.  
  5. Bike on almost 40 miles of trails throughout the refuge, including the popular 36 mile Perimeter Trail. Bikers are welcome on all hiking trails except the Boardwalk.  
  6. Drive one mile from the Visitor Center to the Lee Road boat ramp, one of three boat ramps at the refuge. Visitors are allowed to drop water cooled boats, canoes, and kayaks in designated areas (check online and at the Visitor’s Center for specific regulations). 
  7. Count the number of reptiles, amphibians, and butterflies camouflage (or out in the open) throughout the refuge on a self guided tour. Hint: there are dozens of each!
  8. Attend a guided activity, like a tram tour or Wellness walk. Check here for the calendar and to sign up. 

Looking for more fun throughout Palm Beach County? Check out our full City Guide to Palm Beach County and dedicated posts to Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum, Palm Beach Zoo, Green Cay Nature Center, and Sandoway Discovery Center, and Butterfly World. And follow along on our adventures on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

New England based, part high school English teacher, part non profit founder, part road tripper who LOVES hopping in the family SUV to explore America. Our bucket list includes National Parks, MLB stadiums, presidential libraries, and eating wherever the locals eat!

Similar Posts

12 Things to Do at the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science
| | | | |

12 Things to Do at the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science

The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, which originally opened in 1972 as the Delaware Museum of Natural History, was renovated in 2020-2022 and reopened as the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science in May of 2022. The museum galleries offer dozens of hands-on activities and exhibits that showcase “how nature connected us all through exploring dynamic and diverse ecosystems.” (delmns.org) The museum galleries are inviting with plenty of space to spread out and lots of light, while still being easy for parents to keep a close eye on children. Be sure to leave time to explore the outdoor walking trails and sculptures.

City Guide: St Augustine, Florida
| | | | | | | |

City Guide: St Augustine, Florida

Located in the northern part of Florida, St Augustine has the distinction of being known as the oldest continually occupied European settlement in North America. It was founded in 1565 by Pedro Menendez and his soldier and colonists, fifty years after Ponce de Leon claimed the area now known as Florida for Spain in the early 1500s. St. Augustine was under Spanish rule until 1763 when Britain took over for 20 years, followed again by Spain until the United States took over in 1821. Florida later became a state in 1845. The St. Augustine area became popular with tourists in the 1820s as a spot to escape cold northern winters, and the popularity grew when Standard Oil co-founder Henry Flagler founded the Florida East Coast Railway and began building hotels, churches, and a hospital throughout the area. Today, St. Augustine is a popular spot to be immersed in rich history and culture and the city offers plenty of family friendly adventures. 

10 Ways to Explore the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum in Florida
| |

10 Ways to Explore the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum in Florida

Located across the street from Lighthouse Park and Cox Recreation Facility (both maintained by the city of St. Augustine), the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum complex  features indoor and outdoor exhibits, walking trails, and the opportunity to climb to the top of the lighthouse.

Built in 1856, the first watchtower was 350 yards closer to the ocean than the current complex. The second tower, 165 feet tall, followed less than 20 years later, including the addition of the 1876 home for Head Keeper William Farn, Assistant Keeper Joseph Rantia and their families. Lightkeepers tended to the lighthouse until the mid 1950s when the light became automated.  The Junior Service League saved the property from being bulldozed in the 1970s and spent almost 20 years restoring the lighthouse tower, innkeeper’s home, and the original Fresnel lens. The museum officially opened in 1994 with a collection of over 19,000 artifacts and documents providing a timeline of the history of the lighthouse, its occupants, and the greater St. Augustine area.

My Top Disney World Dining Recommendations
| | | |

My Top Disney World Dining Recommendations

This past weekend, I was at a party chatting with a friend about her upcoming trip to Disney World. She asked for my dining recommendations. Before she knew it, I had pen and paper out, my My Disney Experience app on my phone open, and it was about thirty minutes before she could get a word in the “conversation”. I had a LOT of recommendations.

We’ve been to Disney twice already with our children, and have five days booked for this summer, as part of our larger road trip. While I wouldn’t consider myself a Disney expert, I did speak to a lot of people for personal recommendations and read a lot of blogs before each of our trips. I was very interested in where to eat to have the best family experience.

You can make dining reservations 180 days from the start of your stay. I cannot stress enough how important it is to make dining reservations ahead of time, and as soon as you can. When you make a reservation, they will ask for credit card information to hold the reservation. There are various cancellation policies based on the venue; some restaurants give you up to five days, and some are within 24 hours of a reservation. There are also a few dining options that will require you to prepay for your meal. Disney has various dining plan packages at various price points, and include snacks, quick service meals (you order at a counter, pick up your food, and find a place to sit), full service (buffet and menu options), and formal dining. Note: Disney Dining Plans are only available if you are staying on a Disney owned property.

10 Ways to Explore Alligator Park in St. Augustine, Florida
| | |

10 Ways to Explore Alligator Park in St. Augustine, Florida

We’re not a huge zoo family, but every guide we read about St Augustine, Florida, as well as a couple of fellow travel writers, all suggested visiting Alligator Farm Zoological Park. So, on our recent visit to St. Augustine, we started one of our mornings at the park and agreed it’s a special place the whole family will enjoy.

Established in 1893, Alligator Farm is one of the oldest zoos in the country. Originally opened as an exhibition space of native Florida reptiles at South Beach on Anastasia Island, Alligator Zoo quickly became a popular spot for tourists. After both a storm and fire destroyed much of the area in 1920, the owners moved the animals to the current, nine acre space. The zoo is home to 24 species of crocodilian, 40 species of birds, dozens of reptiles, and many other animals. The park has shaded paths that weave through the exhibits, with plenty of viewing areas and places to sit and enjoy the beauty of nature. There’s also a zip lining course, daily animal feedings, and various programs and special events that offer plenty of new things to see with each visit.

10 Tips for Visiting Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida
| | |

10 Tips for Visiting Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida

We recently visited Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida for the first time. We visited during the holiday break in December, which is the busiest week of the whole year. We knew that ahead of time but, boy, was it packed! The staff did a good job of keeping people moving and safe. It also rained on and off all day. So, not ideal conditions for visiting a major (and expensive!) amusement park, but we still had fun. We also learned a lot.

4 Comments

  1. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is such a wonderful (and underrated) place to visit. Everyone heads to bigger name spots – the Everglades, the safari park – put this place is just as wonderful. Thanks for sharing and highlighting it!

    Reply

  2. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge seems like a great place to be in contact with nature. I would love to relax in a place like this and take some nice pictures!

    Reply

  3. So many great ideas! I like the sound of biking along the trails and seeing as many of the reptiles as possible. Listening to them at night sounds really cool too, was it loud?

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *