Barrier Island Sanctuary — Attraction in Sebastian

So I went on the website for Arthur Carr National wildlife refuge. This is a place I've always wanted to visit as I am very interested in sea turtles. When I called a young lady who answered the phone told me that yes the visitor center was open and yes they do have hiking trails. Never mentioned that the center goes by a different name Barrier Island Sanctuary and never mentioned that the link on their website for the map will take me to an incorrect location. As I was driving I noted the Barrier Island Sanctuary sign and said to myself that sounds interesting maybe I'll check that out later. Kept driving as my GPS told me to keep going another 12 miles. When my GPS said that I arrived, I was in the middle of nowhere. I called the centre again and this time spoke to a gentleman who told me that I needed to turn around and come back approximately 12 miles, gave me a street address that was different than what was on the website and told me to look for the Barrier Island Sanctuary Sign. Upon arrival parking lot was pretty empty. Another couple who were about to enter the building asked me if I knew if they were opened. I stated yes as I had called. It was a ghost town inside, I circled around several times, could not find anybody that worked there and the front desk was unmanned. Although it was a decent visitor center I was disappointed because I expected to be inundated with sea turtle information and facts . There was a lot of information about all sorts of animals and birds that live in and around the area and a section about sea turtles in the back. The other couple commented that there was no one there to ask questions to which was also my frustration. Then went outside on the deck thinking that the boardwalk would lead to the hiking trail. There was no signage for the trails. I walk down one short boadwalk that led to a platform to view the beach. I believe it was here where they had some signage for the 3 species of sea turtles that nest on the beaches and it was supposed to show you the counts of nests that they've had so far. They were all blank. I then walked back and took a different boardwalk and found a short trail off into the dunes then led me out to the road. I doubled back and went back into the building one more time looking for someone that worked there, there was no bell or buzzer at the front desk to ring. I walked back outside was going to get in my car and noticed some sort of display which looked like beehives. I went over there to look at that and then realized there was the start of a trail right there, again no sign. I walked that trail only to be led back out to the road. While standing there frustrated I realized that I needed to cross the road to pick up the trail on the other side, once again no sign to tell me this. I did walk this trail and it was pretty. I saw a marsh rabbit, a black racer, and several different species of birds. When I finished, I went back into the building one more time, still no one. VERY...

We visited on a Friday afternoon in late Dec 2024. There was plenty of parking and we only saw one other group walk in after us.

There are a ton of fun hands on exhibits in the visitor center here and also live animals. There is a little shop to buy souvenirs and a theater. All the volunteers we spoke to were very friendly and knowledgeable about the parks and wildlife refuges in the area.

They also have a number of stamps for the blue goose passport book of all the local National Wildlife Refuge Units. These included:

Archie Carr Pelican Island Lake Wales Ridge Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area Everglades Headwaters

All of these stamps also include dates.

We also hiked the Barrier Island Sanctuary Trail which starts from the corner of the parking lot and crosses the street. The weather was in the low 70s and once you crossed the street there was a number of mosquitos. So the tip is to not stop walking. We completed the trail with one or two bites each. We did not know the trail would have so many mosquitos so we did not apply any repellant. There was a great little hole you could see a bit of the bay side but you cross the street again and head out onto a boardwalk that goes to the ocean side along with the back of the Bird Sanctuary Visitor Center. It was a nice trail and we would certainly do it again if we were in the area and had a 20 mins.

Overall great visit and we would gladly...

The Barrieer Island Sanctuary is one of the few areas that make up the ecological region rich in coastal wetlands and seashore.

The interpitive center accross from the trails is a great experience for both children and adults. One can easy sped 30 mins to an hour learning about the sea life with a special focus on the turtles. There are clean restrooms, a small gift shop, and a educational theater.

In the spring, the organazatlion host a fundraiser that benofits the enviremental charities the program supports. Local artisans and different aagentcies come to this.

The drive out to the sanctuary is nice and senic. The state and county parks and federal refuges all border or are around the sancuary. Deffenatly worth the ride out the if your into...