Hobe Sound Nature Center — Attraction in Jupiter Island

We participated in a turtle walk 2 weeks ago and I was truly impressed by the experience. We met at the nature center and spent 30 minutes looking at the animal exhibits and being greeted by enthusiastic staff and volunteers. The educational portion of the turtle walk was full of energy and the knowledge of both the staff and the volunteers was exceptional. The program was led by the director of the nature center on this particular night and you could really tell that she loves what she does. We then met at the beach area and waited for the scouts to let us know when we could watch a loggerhead turtle nest. We battled some weather and the staff kept us informed of any updates. Unfortunately, they had to end the program early due to lightning. We were offered the opportunity to come back the next night for a second try. The next night we were greeted by Crissy and Michelle. They were outstanding throughout the process of waiting for a loggerhead to start nesting. They were very knowledge and interactive while we waited and you could tell that they loved what they were doing. They were chatting with individuals and families alike, spending time both getting to know the participants while educating us with some very interesting sea turtle facts. And, we were able to watch a loggerhead sea turtle nesting! As a herpetologist visiting from out of state, I am so impressed by the level of professionalism, knowledge, and enthusiasm from everyone I encountered. The program is wonderful for individuals and families. I highly recommend this turtle walk program! I will be visiting the area again in a couple of months and will make sure I visit the nature center and sign up for any other available programs. Well done Hobe Sound...

We visited on a Saturday morning right at opening in late December 2024. We arrived before the Nature Center opened and did the Nature Trail first.

When we arrived back after our short hike the doors were open. We were greeted by multiple staff/volunteers. They were all super nice and happy to chat and talk about the history of the nature center and refuge. There is a store directly on the left with tons of merch. To the right when you walk in are the bathrooms. Also at this front little desk area they have the National Wildlife Refuge Blue Goose cancellation passport stamp for those who collect them.

As you walk further into the center you run into a very large area full of hands on interactive exhibit. There were soo many live animals as well and it was very well done. Everything looked brand new and should entertain people of all ages. We got to pet their alligator and kids engaged with the staff the entire time.

We spent maybe 30 mins exploring the nature center and probably could've stayed a little longer but we had to continue our road trip for the day. We would 100% come back and definitely stop by if we were...

My father and I anchored up for the night here, arriving mid-afternoon as we head into the final leg of my journey with him down the intracoastal waterway. I enjoyed a swim to the beach from the boat and he and the dog used the tender to reach the beach. It was low tide and the depth of water was about 4-6 feet. We have a flat bottom boat so getting in here during that time worked out well. With the tide out, the beach is walkable and wraps around the point of the beach. There are multiple trails stemming up from the beach. The paths all lead up to the Hobe Sound Nature Center. It was closed but I was happy to see that there were restrooms that were unlocked. I didn't use them but peeked my head in and they were clean and cool. The beach is lovely and has a nice sandbar at the tip of the beach that is fun to wade around in during low tide. The scenery is pretty at sunset. If you are driving through the area or looking for a sweet spot to anchor on the ICWW, the beach at the Hobe Sound Nature Center...