What are the opening hours?

Tuesday 10am - 4pm Wednesday 10am - 4pm Thursday 10am - 4pm Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 4pm

Friends of Rookery Bay

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Friends of Rookery Bay

Learn more at rookerybay.org. Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center
300 Tower Road, Naples, Florida
Open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visit the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center to enjoy aquariums, a touch tank, natural history exhibits, walking trails, an art gallery, gift shop, and to book boat and kayak eco-tours. Adults: $10
Children 6-12: $5
Children

09/03/2026

Last week Rookery Bay staff, partners and volunteers roped off a portion of Dickman’s Island to give vulnerable shorebirds like Rufa red knots and Piping plovers a place to rest and forage peacefully. Many shorebird species migrate to Rookery Bay from the high Arctic to rest and recuperate from their long journeys south before returning in the spring.

Rufa red knots and Piping plovers are both federally threatened, with the Great Lakes population of Piping plovers listed as federally endangered. Other shorebird species that have been observed at Dickman’s include willet, dowitchers, whimbrels and marbled godwits.

With increased visitor use at islands like Dickman’s, it is crucial to adhere to posted signage and roped-off areas protecting shorebirds. We recommend staying at least 500 feet away from wildlife on the beaches to ensure they don’t become startled, even when unintentional.

09/02/2026

Yeah... our staff are

09/01/2026

The Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center is closed for the month of September for maintenance.

Eco-tours are still available! Use discount code summer26 through the month of October to receive 15% off our boat and kayak tours through our affiliated partners Rising Tide Explorers.

Online Nature Store is still accepting orders! Free shipping with orders of $100 or more.

When we reopen on October 1st our hours will return to normal. Tuesday-Saturday 9AM - 4PM.

08/31/2026

Environmental Specialists Celina Ceballos and Cierra Schmauch were doing routine sea turtle monitoring on Sea Oat Island when they heard a sudden crash in the bushes near them. To their surprise, they found an invasive black spiny-tailed iguana running right toward them.

The iguana remained only a few feet away as Celina and Cierra finished collecting data on the nest, seemingly licking its lips as the eggs were reburied. Celina and Cierra stayed in the area for a few minutes at a distance to see if the iguana would dig up the nest again, but the iguana carried on through the driftwood deeper into the island.

Celina and Cierra quickly discovered a straggler loggerhead sea turtle hatchling nearby the nest, which is perhaps what the iguana was interested in. Cierra quickly moved the hatchling closer to the water and watched to make sure it safely crawled out to sea. It became the 112th successfully emerged baby sea turtle from that particular nest, according to the empty shells they found.

The black spiny-tailed iguana is an invasive lizard from Mexico and Central America that has spread throughout south Florida. They are known for their voracious appetite as they can eat small vertebrates including hatchling sea turtles. They have been spotted throughout Rookery Bay, particularly on the islands, sometimes right near the marked sea turtle nests.

Celina and Cierra have both been monitoring sea turtles for several summers and had never had an animal charge up to them like that. It was definitely an interesting excavation! Fingers crossed all the hatchlings made it to the water with a fierce predator nearby.

08/30/2026

🪚🐠 How many sawfish can you spot in this video?

08/29/2026

A big Rookery Bay Research Reserve welcome goes out to Mary Flores, the new human resources staffer and administrative assistant to Rookery Bay Director Jeff Carter. Mary comes to the Reserve with a strong background in office management, HR and education.

Originally from Connecticut, Mary moved to Florida in 2004with her family. She was a teacher in her past positions and as Mary puts it, “I love to teach others … adults and children alike.” Mary has a passion for health and wellness as well. She enjoys introducing people to natural ways to take better care of their body.

She is also a self-described “biology nerd” so she is sure to fit in perfectly with the rest of passionate biologists and scientists at Rookery Bay. 😊

08/28/2026

📢 The Environmental Learning Center will be closed for the month of September.

Each year, the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center closes to the public so our staff can complete annual maintenance, exhibit updates, and facility improvements that help us provide the best possible experience for our visitors.

While the Learning Center is closed, our team will be hard at work preparing for another exciting season of education, exhibits, and events.

We look forward to welcoming you back October 1! In the meantime, be sure to follow us here on social media for wildlife sightings, behind-the-scenes updates, conservation stories, and upcoming programs.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support—we can't wait to see you this fall! 🌿💙

Boat and kayak tours are still available all month at https://rookerybay.org/eco-tours/

08/27/2026

Over 12,000 baby sea turtles emerged from Rookery Bay this year thanks to the dedicated work of Rookery Bay’s sea turtle team and support from the Friends of Rookery Bay’s Adopt a Sea Turtle Nest Program. The proceeds from 96 adopted nests were able to fund 3 sea turtle interns to monitor Cape Romano, Sea Oat Island, Cannon Island, and the Ten Thousand Islands every morning for sea turtle activity. Last week, the interns presented their findings to the incredible donors who made their work possible.
After some introductions, mingling, and snacking on appetizers, the sea turtle interns were ready to showcase their successful work in Rookery Bay over the summer. They talked about what it means to be an intern, how they monitored Rookery Bay’s110,000 acres, and what species of nests they came across (loggerheads and green sea turtles). At the end of the presentation, they shared a fun video of all of the wildlife they encountered along the way, including dolphins, birds, and even sawfish.
The evening concluded with a Q&A session and warm goodbyes. Rookery Bay is incredibly grateful to the donors who supported our mission, Friends of Rookery Bay who funded our sea turtle resources, and the staff and interns who worked tirelessly to protect our wildlife.
Sea turtle nesting season isn’t over just yet. To keep up-to-date with Rookery Bay’s total nests and emerged hatchlings, or to adopt a nest, visit https://rookerybay.org/make-a-difference/donate/adopt-a-sea-turtle-nest/.

08/26/2026

Where learning meets adventure 🚣‍♀️🌿

From paddling through mangrove tunnels to spotting birds and marine life, Rookery Bay is an outdoor classroom for kids of all ages.

Eco-tours operated by our affiliated partners combine exploration with education — helping young explorers understand how these ecosystems work and why they matter.

A portion of every tour supports Friends of Rookery Bay and our work in research, education, and conservation.

🌊 Learn more at rookerybay.org

Address

300 Tower Road
Naples, FL
34113

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

+12395305972

Website

https://linktr.ee/rookerybay

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