Have you ever wanted to kayak down the Indian River Lagoon? The Indian River Lagoon is an awe-inspiring place to see. The vegetation is thick and the waters are purely “Florida.” Mangroves line the shores and the sun is beaming in the sky.
Where can you find the best water activities in New Smyrna Beach? If you want to have an amazing time visiting this glorious oceanside town, take a stop at the Marine Discovery Center.
Led By Professionals
The center is more than a gallery of cool photographs and real local wildlife. It is an interactive lab led by a team of biodiversity experts. The marine center has recovering sea turtles, a touch tank, a luxurious butterfly garden, and a shark area. Though many guests come to see the animals in tanks, others want to spot the local wildlife.
EcoTours
The Marine Discovery Center is one of the most affordable and family-friendly places to go on a kayak tour down the Indian River. The center ecotours are actually fully-guided. This gives you the personal opportunity to see secret places you may not otherwise, and to learn intimate knowledge about the local wildlife. The guides will carry you to some of the most impressive and non-tourist locales in the area.
The center is a local leader in natural preservation. You can see how important this is with the integration of the fully-guided ecotours. Ecotours are designed to reduce any impact our presence may have on the local nature.
Traditionally, ecotours eliminate sound and trash, with strict rules on both matters during the tour. Radios are prohibited and attendees are required to bring along a bag to collect any disposable items.
Furthermore, ecotours are educational, and usually based around specifically-threatened natural environments. The idea is to visit fragile and undisturbed natural areas to expand our knowledge while leaving a minimal-as-possible impact on the local environment.
Different Kayak Tours
You can choose to see the local wildlife by boat, by foot, or by kayak. We are particularly enthusiastic about the kayak tours. The Browns Bay Guided Tour carries you on a two-hour adventure through oyster reefs, on the lookout for dolphins, manatees, and large birds.
The tour provides all the tools you need, including kayak instructions and equipment. It is a fully-guided and education-based trip where you are led by a local guide who knows exactly where to find local wildlife and how to identify unique vegetation. Little to no kayak experience is necessary.
Sunset tours are also available. They offer 1 ½ hour journeys as the sun settles on the horizon. During this time, you are likely to see many remarkable species stirring for the evening including dolphins, bats, and even gators.
Indian River Lagoon
The Indian River Lagoon is a prized American treasure. It is labeled North America’s most diverse estuary, currently housing 4,000 species of plants and animals. The mixture of salt and fresh water makes it a highly desirable melting pot for local species, many of them endangered, highly threatened, or nowhere else in the world. This will be your main playground for most of the new Smyrna Beach ecotours.
Costs and Other Details
Admission to the main museum is completely free. Here, you can watch crabs, turtles, fish, and more in the discovery zone.
Guided ecotours have a modest cost. Adults are $38 and children 6 – 12 are $20. If you bring your own kayak, the cost is $20 for adults. These rates are the same for the guided tours, the special Browns Bay Tour, and the sunset tours.
The Marine Discovery Center is located at 162 North Causeway. You can call (386) 428-4828 for more specific details or visit the website to learn about the kayak ecotours.
The center is absolutely filled with rewarding things to do centered around the local ecology.
Kayaking near New Smyrna Beach is the grandest way to intimately experience the local nature. To complement this adventure, you can visit the butterfly garden, play area, or stop by for monthly workshops and classes at the Marine Discovery Center. It is a haven for direct learning for all ages, and is undoubtedly one of the most enriching places to see in the town.
Contact us to find your perfect oceanfront vacation rental to use as a home base for all your New Smyrna Beach activities. Spend some time at the beach or along the walking trails with some added insight into how we keep these natural landscapes going and what it takes to make them thrive.
