This place is so great! Completely free. We did donate some money because we had a great time. Mostly shaded which was great for my mom who can't stay out in the sun for long. The nature walks are short too. And it's very accessible. Even a ramp all the way up to the look out point so people in wheel chairs can view too. It's shaded from all the mangroves and palms. And the tree that it's named after gumbo limbo! Which is a red tree that peels We attended the free 10:00 am tour which lasted an hour. It was mostly the tour guide talking who is a volunteer and very nice. Very enthusiastic. It was a little drawn out and we stoped every 10 steps but worth it. I took the stopping moments to take everything in and even spotted huge spiders. I forgot what they are called but there are the biggest ones I have seen and they are all over. He said they can bite but it's like a bee sting and not poisonous. And they stay off the path anyway. There are huge tanks of really big fish. The barracuda is huge and has the cleanest teeth. These fish are fed well. The place is kept very clean, there are a lot of staff to answer your questions. And there is someone even cleaning the outside of the tanks. They also have a sea horse tank. The butterfly garden is small, saw some zebra butterflies and I think a cardinal bird. You can walk towards the inlet and there is a small peaceful beach and picnic area that is covered. Parking lot is small but plenty of parking on a Tuesday morning at 9:30, but the time we left at 11:30 it was filled and there was a school bus. Figure 1.5 to 2 hours here. They also have a fish feeding at 12:30 but we were done before then. Would come back again! read more

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I'm not sure how I've never been here before but leave it to social media to hype up the new Jacob's Overlook and prompt a visit. This small but mighty facility rescues and researches turtles and other marine life but turtles mainly. Staff/volunteers are very friendly, informative, and eager to help. They have fish feeding and turtle talks not sure if daily or just weekends but check their website for schedule. Also check the weather because if there is lightning, they will close. This spot is free but you can make a donation in the main building to help support the education and research provided here. There is free parking but it gets full quick. However the place is not that large and it may take only a couple loops to line up with someone leaving. If not there is paid beach parking across the street along the road there. There isn't a food or beverage but maybe bring a water bottle if you plan on doing the overlook (especially as it gets hotter). They have a butterfly garden but we only saw one butterfly at the time. They have two tall tanks where they do the feedings that have fish, rays, and a couple turtles. They also have two smaller tanks, one with really large fish and another with smaller. There are some outdoor tortoises as well as a college Marine research area where you can watch them being studied and ask questions of the students there. The overlook is beautiful and provides a nice view of the intracoastal and a slight view of the ocean. There are a few interactive educational boards along the walk up the ramp. If you want a more direct route up or down, they also have stairs. The path also extends into the mangroves and along the way back to the main building. read more

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Wow, what a beautiful place. The aquariums are beautiful and educational. Oh and did I mention it is free? A nice walk to Jacob's Ladder for beautiful views of the ocean and intercostal. I suggest going on a week day and arrive when they open due to parking being limited. My new spot for a peaceful rest. read more

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center - Barracuda - Parks Near Me - Boca Raton, Florida

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This was our second time visiting Gumbo Limbo and had another great experience. Their volunteers are always so helpful and excited to tell you about their mission, their work, and their residents. The only downfall is the lack of parking. It doesn't take much for their main lot to get full, and the overflow lot is quite a walk. read more

This is a local gem. It's a perfect, low key, nature and conservation centered outing for everyone. Very family friendly and wheelchair/stroller accessible. It's easy to spend at least half the day here. They have one of my favorite shaded board walks ever, through the mangrove forest (beware of lots of spiders!). Do not miss the spectacular observation tower with panoramic views. The entire tower is wheelchair/stroller accessible, something I have never seen anywhere else and just so great. Needless to say, no one opted to climb the stairs and everyone took the ramp up to the top of the tower, which is honestly a lot more enjoyable. There's also a butterfly garden, a little beach area at the end of the boardwalk, and many aquariums featuring lots of varieties of marine life. We listened to one of the volunteers give a talk and then saw the fish feeding. They have a few events throughout the day. Overall just a place not to be missed and one I will return to. The one slight downside to be aware of is the limited parking spaces if you decide to go to the main entrance. I'm sure it's fine if you arrive when it opens but we ended up spending a good bit of time circling the parking lot until another car left. There's actually another larger parking lot that has entry to the boardwalk of the Gumbo Limbo Center so that would be a good option to consider. read more

This is a free nature center you can visit to see rehabilitated turtles and walk on the trails. They have a donation box in the front. It gets crowded so I recommend coming right when it opens. The trails are also a lot cooler then. read more

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First off, I love the name: Gumbo Limbo. I had zero expectations walking in--never heard of it, no context--and I'm honestly grateful a friend suggested we stop by. This is a fantastic spot for families. The volunteers are clearly passionate about what they do, and it shows. I rarely pay attention during educational tours because they tend to be monotone and forgettable, but here the enthusiasm was contagious. Their energy made everything engaging. I got to see the largest moray eel I've ever encountered up close, and the barracudas were downright intimidating. The sea turtle area was especially memorable--it hit me that the only other time I'd seen turtles like this was on old episodes of Sesame Street from my childhood. The entire place is peaceful and beautifully maintained. Admission is free, but they do welcome donations. There's plenty of parking, and even the bathrooms were spotless. A wonderful and unexpectedly delightful experience. read more

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The brand new observation tower is finally open at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. I have had my eye on it for what seems like a long time but the wait was worth it. The new tower replaces one that was built in 1986. What makes this one really great is that you can climb the steps but it also has a wheelchair ramp making it ADA accessible all the way to the top. Along the way is informational signage. The tower is called Jacob's Overlook in honor of Jacob Kosowsky who was killed on Oct. 18 2018 in Utah in a head on car crash. He was a Boca Raton native and only 21 when he passed away. His parents made a significant financial contribution to this tower. He loved nature and this is a beautiful way to honor his memory. His parents also directed money to ocean charities. It was hot out today but the view of Lake Wyman from the top was worth it. You are way above the tree canopy of the park. You just have to get past all of the golden orb weaver spiders, also known as banana spiders hanging out near the boardwalk. They didn't bother me but if you have arachnophobia you may want to steer clear of here. read more

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First of all it is FREE! I took my mom here for her 86th bday. I just wanted to do something different besides going out to eat. My mom loves to stay active so I thought this would be great and it was. She knew most of the types of fishes we saw swimming around in the aquarium. Then, we walked around their beautiful lush and tropical gardens. What a beautiful memory for my mom. read more

I absolutely loved visiting Gumbo Limbo! The facility was well integrated with the nature along the shore and all was a close walk from the beach and other beach parking lots if you chose to do so after your visit. The animals were absolutely adorable and clearly taken well care of. The building they had for the turtle hatchlings was adorable and it was really nice to see the scientific research aspect of a place like this from a birds-eye view. The turtles were soooo cute and looked so happy despite the bad conditions the center had found them in :( Hal was amazing! He answered all of the questions we had without a second thought, and he truly seemed to enjoy teaching us about mangroves and sea turtle conservation in south Florida. He seemed to really love his job and have a deep passion for the cause! Would definitely return! 10/10 read more

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Lots to see and do. Free to the public including parking. The nature center accepts donations cash or credit. Many Safe easy walking trails throughout the property. The Observation tower allows for a nice view of the property & inter coastal. steps to walk up or a ramp which is easy walking up. Many Large tanks to see up close the many species of marine life. First time visit and it won't be my last. A fun time to get out and do some walking & exploring. The trails are shaded well by the many trees so it wasn't too hot from the sun. read more

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One of our favorite places to go. I took my family from New York here and they had a blast. There was a little play area, of statue turtles that the kids can climb on. Once you come in, there's a cute gift shop and then you go through the center. We were able to see some cool turtles as well as cool sea creatures. The center can take up to 30 minutes to an hour, which is pretty good. There's also walk away area which we did and we're able to go all the way up and see the beach in intercoastal, which was such a beautiful view. read more

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I love that this Gumbo Limbo nature Center is free. It's a great place for families with kids to come and learn about turtles and fish. I love the look out tower , that you can take a child in a stroller all the way up as well as someone in a wheel chair . In the baby turtle area I did not like that the turtles were tied with a string . It was weird seeing stay on one spot . I'm sure there is a good explanation for this but it bothered me . Here is a news letter not written by me about the new format . HomeNews Flash News Flash Recreation Services Posted on: June 13, 2025 Coastal Stewards Operational Changes at Gumbo Limbo Gumbo Limbo Nature Center The non-profit has ended its operations at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, including sea turtle rehabilitation and the gift shop. Gumbo Limbo remains fully open and active. The City of Boca Raton has been informed that Coastal Stewards will be concluding their sea turtle rehabilitation operations and closing the gift shop at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. The Coastal Stewards will continue to care for all the sea turtle patients currently at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center until they can be safely transferred to other licensed rehabilitation facilities. Although this marks a change in The Coastal Stewards' operations, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center remains fully open and active. The Center will continue its conservation and education efforts, including its sea turtle nesting and hatchling programs, youth camps, community education and other popular visitor attractions. As this news was just received, the City will take the necessary time to fully evaluate. We remain open to exploring partnerships with other qualified nonprofit organizations that may be interested in continuing sea turtle rehabilitation on-site and will determine the best use of the gift shop space. Visit the Gumbo Limb That's it and I hope they continue with their great staff. read more

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Haven't visited here since elementary school. Definitely brought back so many memories of my field trips here. It looks exactly the same with minor improvements. The turtle sanctuary was the coolest to me. We were able to see a turtle that was recused and many other cool animals. read more

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center - Parks Near Me - Boca Raton, Florida

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Very relaxing time enjoyable its a good to go time with nature , The walk to the Jacob's tower was very very therapeutic the view there's no words that could describe the view once you get to the top read more

Gumbo Limbo was quite the adventure! It's a 20 acre coastal preserve in Boca Raton, specializing in sea turtle rehabilitation. The sea turtles were hard to catch on camera, but I did catch these beautiful fish that are there for all to see read more

What a fun little adventure place. We loved looking at all of the creatures while learning about their rehabilitation and care. This is a great place for families to visit as they have little activities for the kiddos. We will be stopping again in the future. read more

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Its a beautiful experience to walk over the shade d trails and admire birds and butterflies The observation deck above the trees is a must to go read more

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center - Parks Near Me - Boca Raton, Florida

This nature center is a gem for the local. Especially for the kid. Young and old are a like to enjoy this free nature center. The center a a nature walk a long the river. It also has a tower with handicap ramp to the top. Very thoughtful. The boardwalk has the nature beauty. The facility has some aquarium on site. It is the nature center help little sea turtle growth up and releasing to the sea. The giant water tank is wonder for the kid. The collection is good. Don't forget to find out the green moray eel. This eel likes to jump out from the sea rock and open the mouth like he is singing. The butterflies can be found on their butterflies garden. This nature takes you to beach area too. The visit takes 1.5 hours. Parking is plenty. read more

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10/10 This place was honestly so beautiful to me. The fact that they have free entry and access to basically everything they have there is pretty amazing. I got the chance to see the different fishes they had and learned facts about them. I really wish i could've stayed longer. I really encourage people to come here more and help out with donations as the work the students at FAU do help not only the sea life but keep our ocean clean. read more

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this is hands down one of the coolest spots we've brought the kids. You check in at the desk it's free of charge but they take donations. Then they offer the kids a scavenger hunt. They have a full lab of baby sea turles, sea horses, downstairs tanks of turtles, sting rays, nature trails, a little hidden beach spot for the kids to play. We got here a little late not knowing they closed at 4 or 5 so we only had an hour but it was still plenty of time, we finished off in the butterfly garden. This place is a really neat nature spot to visit. read more

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Gumbo Limbo is always a blast to visit! They are constantly adding new additions and upgrades due to additional funding for conservation and research. They work jointly with FAU since they are so close by to offer volunteering and to ensure the facilities are kept up to date. The facilities are free to visit with free parking (which is a rarity in South Florida!) The newest addition is the new Jacobs Outlook (Observation Tower). This is halfway through the nature trail you can choose to climb this tower for amazing views of the intracoastal and park across the waterway. It includes both an ADA accessible ramp as well as stairs as options to get to the top. I could watch the view for hours as it's such a high point that is a rarity in South Florida. Some other highlights were seeing the baby sea turtles being taken care of by volunteers (I counted 62 this time)! Also, they have beautifully maintained tanks with an abundance of sea life to include a couple larger sea turtles which they fed live an ice block with shrimp inside. Inside the tanks also had large manta rays, catfish, and puffer fish which were all neat to look at. There are also tons of fish in the larger tanks which were fun to view as well. Gumbo Limbo also has a large butterfly garden with great pathways to view the intracoastal waterway directly too. I highly recommend visiting Gumbo Limbo if in Boca Raton if it's a nice day out. It definitely can't be visited in the rain so keep that in mind if you are considering taking a visit. read more

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Super fun & free to visit! PROS: + Nice paved walkway that takes you to the top for a nice view of the city! There are stairs or ramps that take you all the way up. The stairs are much faster. + Loved the aquarium area & the sea turtles! There is plenty of cool wildlife that is here. Great for kids. + Gift shop is located inside. + Butterfly area was shaded with some benches. You'll see several species of butterflies. CONS: - Parking lot is tiny and hard to find, so you may need to come early or get lucky with finding a spot. read more

I hadn't been to Gumbo Limbo in at least 15 years and I am so glad I visited. I was there to check out their new lookout tower which recently opened. They have done a tremendous job maintaining the property and exhibits while making everything very accessible. I visited early on a Sunday morning. There was plenty of free onsite parking available. Admission is free but donations are accepted. It is a nice walk along a very well maintained boardwalk to the tower. You can ascend the tower via stairs or an accessible ramp. While I was there families with strollers were using the ramp. The view from the top is pretty, in looking southwest you can see the buildings of Boca Raton. The tower is open 7 a.m. until sunset. Gumbo Limbo does a lot of marine research and sea turtle rehabilitation. I have wonderful memories of taking my kids to see sea turtles lay their eggs in the spring and then watch the hatchlings head to sea in the summer. read more

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Such an awesome place that I wish we knew about sooner. Had such a great visit. Talked with one of the volunteers and learned so much about turtles. Will definitely visit our next trip. read more

Very charming nature center in Boca Raton, free of burdens and free admission! Definitely recommend bringing your little ones here because who doesn't love sea turtles and butterfly gardens. Cute little gift shop and plenty of helpful staff on-site to answer your questions. But it's the education you get here that makes the biggest difference. Learn about conservation from those who are truly committed to it, why don't you? read more

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This is a great place to take a child. Our 3-year-old grandson had never seen sea turtles or stingrays or barracudas! The volunteers are eager to share their knowledge. read more

A treat for the whole family.We took our kids there and now we're bringing our grandkids.

This was a cute little place that gives you lots to look at, particularly for younger kids. We walked up to the top of the tower after the short walk on the boardwalk path - great views. Loved the sea turtle rescue & seeing what they are doing to rehab injured/sick turtles. The fish tanks were fun to look at. Parking lot is small, so that can be a challenge. But worth a visit. read more

We really enjoyed our visit! Definitely worth the trip, easy parking, helpful staff and their mission is admirable. Definitely do the tower, the view is beautiful although dizzying. You can do the tower via steps or ramps, either way may leave you breathless, it's a schlep LOL. We will be going back again! read more

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Fascinating place with a lot to see. You can tell the staff really cares about all the animals that are here- from the wounded turtles that live here in the rehab tank to the scientists working in the hatchery lab. Not an upscale glitzy place - but one sustained by true dedication. Don't miss the tall lookout tower on the back path- well worth the climb! read more

I love this place. I grew up in Boca and its a joy to see they're still rehabing the sea turtles and making a difference. We will always come back here to visit the sea turtles! read more

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I visited the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center while visiting Boca Raton on a weekend trip and am so glad I did! The staff was so kind and helpful, and the center immaculate and well laid out. There were trails to wander through, including a tower and boardwalk for a variety of views of nature and the local area, little seating areas to immerse yourself, and a pollinator garden. There were several tanks where you could view and learn about a variety of marine life in their care with tons of informational placards and interactive displays for visitors of all ages. You could also see the team at work in rescue and care in the rescue center and the FAU lab which was so heartwarming. While it was sad to see some injured animals in the rescue center, it was inspiring to see the care being provided to rehabilitate them. They even have a drop off for injured turtles if someone encounters them off site. There was no charge to visit, though donations were encouraged and a gift shop had reasonably priced goods that aligned with their mission and included an opportunity for donation as well. There was sufficient parking and great signage. It was such a great place to explore, learn, and care for animals and the environment and well designed for guests of all ages. Go visit and support their work! Highly recommend :) read more

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My wife and I went for our first visit. Parking was difficult. The staff were friendly and helpful. We spoke to FAU students about their turtle research. There is a very nice series of tanks with local fish. Great place for kids. read more

Very fun aquarium best suited for people with young kids! Don't come here expecting a big city aquarium but its still very fun. lots to see. read more

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center - Sea Turtle in the ShipWreck - Parks Near Me - Boca Raton, Florida

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Loved this free nature center! I was amazed at how active the fish were in the tank, along with the huge eel. The 4 story ramp lookout was beautiful and easy to access with a stroller. Everyone was helpful and my son didn't want to leave! Looking forward to what their new renovations are! read more

It's free, so that's good. Feel free to make a donation. The fish tanks are cool . They have some big fish! Turtles were absent when I went. Oh well. Very hot on the day I went, but the board walk is mostly in the shade, so that's nice. My only criticism is a lack of wildlife on the boardwalk such as birds or alligators. I've also been to Corkscrew swamp sanctuary near Bonita Springs and it's much better. read more

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center - Beach overlook - Parks Near Me - Boca Raton, Florida

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Gumbo Limbo is so exceptionally nostalgic for me! I used to visit here as a kiddo for field trip days and now every time I'm back visiting Florida, I have to stop by! It's one of the best spots! A personal favorite. I love that it's free, educational, has turtle rehabilitation centers, a boardwalk to hike on, and beautiful tanks loaded with many different fish species! This is a great spot to come for all ages! You can learn a lot and see true parts of Florida wildlife! They also have a very nice gift shop if you're looking to support Gumbo Limbo and take a nice souvenir home with you! read more

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center - Parks Near Me - Boca Raton, Florida

Great place to take your kids if they are interested in nature, trees, butterflies, fish and turtles. It's also free so definitely an amazing place to spend an hour or two. My son was not that interested in fish so we came and left early. However, it might be right for you. You may also leave a donation, and they do a little treasure hunt where you have to find few things from the list and you get a little surprise before leaving. read more

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Incredible how this place could help children and adults with knowledge and entertainment. Great place to go and have a good time with friends and family, a good atmosphere, and the crazy part is it is .. Is free! Gratitude, you guys have to check this place out. read more

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