Marine Discovery Center

• 520 Barracuda Blvd.,
  New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169
• New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169
• 
  Phone: (386) 428-4828
  

• MDC Home New

  
  

Another popular place to visit with a family in New Smyrna Beach is the Marine Discovery Center.  This center is focused on education and conservation of the Indian River Lagoon Estuary, which is a 156 mile lagoon home to over 4,000 species. It is known as the most biodiverse estuary in North America. The Marine Discovery Center has been around for 25 years, working on education and conservation of this important habitat. 

The grounds of the Marine Discovery Center are free to walk around, and they have both indoor displays to see and outdoor eco-tours that you can purchase admission to.  The indoor exhibits have many live animals in aquariums, informational displays, an observation tank and even live feeding opportunities.  They also have a gift shop inside as well.

The outdoor activities include walking tours, educational eco-tours, and use of the property for fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, cast netting, dog-walking etc. They even have a play area and built-in fitness stations. As far as tours, visitors rave about the kayak tours. They are not too strenuous, the tour guides are friendly and knowledgeable and you may get to see wildlife like dolphins and manatees swim by. They are designed for people of all abilities. If you have young children or are not comfortable kayaking, there are also pontoon boat tours that are fun and educational as well. It is a great way to get into nature, learn a ton about the area and to see lots of wildlife and fauna you wouldn’t normally see. It is a great way to experience natural Florida, away from the hotels, restaurants and stores.

The Marine Discovery Center is a beautiful place to visit in New Smyrna Beach Florida and is staffed by dedicated employees and volunteers. They always have a lot of special events scheduled, so be sure to check their website for the most up to date information.