Don’t Miss a 2024 Florida Sea Turtle Walk

Last Updated on March 7, 2024

Joining a Florida Sea Turtle Walk is a great way to personally observe a nesting loggerhead sea turtle.

March 1st is the kick off to sea turtle nesting season in Florida. Every day on Facebook someone posts a photo a new nest that has been spotted.

The sea turtle season officially begins again in May, so it’s good to find out where to join a 2024 Florida Sea Turtle Walk now and plan ahead.

Join a Florida Sea Turtle Walk

Volunteer-led beach walks can be daytime or night, allowing participants to see new and fresh nests or see live loggerheads nesting, depositing the eggs, covering the nest, and returning to the water.

On Florida’s east coast, tours are held after 8:00 pm. Tours are limited to small groups and start with an educational overview and discussion of sea turtles. 

A few programs include “turtle hatchling” evenings, where participants can see the newly hatched babies crawl from the nest down to the water’s edge.

Where are most Florida Turtle Walks?

Most organized turtle walks are on Florida’s Atlantic coast, with 80% found between New Smyrna Beach and Boca Raton.

The intense geographical density of the nesting activity creates more opportunities to see a turtle creating a nest.

When Are Turtle Walks Available to the Public?

• You can enjoy a sea turtle walk from June through July.
• All require reservations that fill VERY quickly.
• Most walks will charge a donation fee. Some fees are refundable, and others are not.
• There tend to be age limits if you are taking young children.
• Many organizations that host sea turtle walks are small and volunteer-driven, and it is best to call to discuss availability.

Is a Florida turtle walk on your bucket list? Then think about calling immediately to reserve your space. They fill up fast.

Locations for Florida Sea Turtle Walks

Canaveral National Seashore – Titusville

At Canaveral National Seashore, the National Park Service conducts turtle watch programs to view nesting loggerhead sea turtles. You can see them at the southern and northern ends of the 25-mile-long beach.

Reservations for a Florida Sea Turtle Walk start May 15th. (386)428.3384, ext. 0. You must book your reservation over the phone as they do not accept online reservations.

• Turtle watch groups are limited to 25-30 people per watch.
• Watches are usually held on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
• There is a small fee, around $15 per person. The minimum age is 8.

Canaveral National Seashore Address: North (Apollo Beach) – 6760 Surfside Blvd. Apollo Beach, FL 33572
South (Playalinda Beach) – S Washington Ave, Titusville, FL 32796

Sea Turtle Preservation Society – Melbourne/Satellite Beach

• STC conducts walks on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights in June and July.
• Space is limited to 20 people per night. The cost is $20 per person, paid in advance, to reserve a space.
• Days vary at select locations (Melbourne & Satellite Beach)
• Children must be at least 7 years old.

Sign up for a June Sea Turtle Watch.
Sign up for a July Sea Turtle Watch.

Sea Turtle Preservation Society Address: Melbourne Beach – 507 Ocean Ave, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
Satellite Beach – 499 DeSoto Pkwy, Satellite Beach, FL 32937

Barrier Island Sanctuary – Melbourne Beach

• To make a reservation, go online to the website.
• Walks are conducted on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights between June 1 and July 27.
• The cost is $20 per person, paid in advance, to reserve your space.
• This is the largest and best nesting habitat for Loggerheads in the Western Hemisphere. Green and Leatherback turtles also nest here.

Barrier Island Sanctuary Address: 8385 S Hwy A1A, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951

Sebastian Inlet State Park – Melbourne Beach

• The 2024 days are Wednesdays through Fridays in June and July.
• In general, the Florida Sea Turtle Walk is available Wednesday through Friday during June and July. 
• The program starts at 9 pm and may last as late as 1 am. NOTE: Participants may walk up to three miles on soft sand.
• Reservations are open now and are already filling up. Sign up online.
• The cost is a $15.00 donation per person, paid in advance, to reserve your space.

Sebastian Inlet State Park Address: 9700 S Hwy A1A, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951

Loggerhead Marinelife Center – Juno Beach 

• Turtle Walks are $22 per person.
• All individuals, including children, must pre-register online to reserve their spot.
• Children must be ten years or older to attend the walks, and all participants must be able to walk up to half a mile.
• All scheduled Turtle Walk nights have the same odds of the group seeing a sea turtle nesting. There are no refunds on tickets if a sea turtle is not spotted.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center Address: 14200 U.S. Hwy 1, Juno Beach, FL 33408

John D. MacArthur Beach State Park – North Palm Beach

• Turtle walks at John D. MacArthur Beach State Park are typically held on Mondays and Thursdays in June and July.
• You can make a reservation on the day after Memorial Day only.
• The walks begin at 9:00 a.m. Call 561-624-6950.
• You can book groups but you are limited to 12-15 people. There are no age restrictions. However, parents are expected to accompany their children.
• A fee of $5 per person or the regular admission park fee may apply.

John D. MacArthur Beach State Park Address: 10900 Jack Nicklaus Dr, North Palm Beach, FL 33408

Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park – Dania Beach

• Group size is limited to 25 individuals; children under six are not permitted.
• Registration opens May 1, 2024. Call 954-924-3859, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• The program is free with paid park entry: $6 per vehicle (up to eight people), $4 for single-occupant vehicles, and $2 for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park Address: 6503 N Ocean Dr, Dania Beach, FL 33004

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center – Boca Raton

• Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights, May 28, 2024- July 3, 2024
• 8:45 pm-12:00 am (or after a nesting turtle is seen, whichever happens first)
• Ages 8 and up; children under 18 must attend with an adult. 
• The cost is $20 per person for this sea turtle walk.

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center Address: 1801 N Ocean Blvd, Boca Raton, FL 33432

Stella Maris Environmental Research – Melbourne Beach

• $20 per person. (Reservation must be made for all experiences)
• Every Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday in June and July
• Adults and children ages 7+ are welcome.
• The arrival time is 8:55 pm.

Stella Maris Environmental Research Address: 155 Duval St, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951

Coastal Connections in Vero Beach

• Turtle walks are in June and July on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday Nights
• Walks will begin at 9:00 pm.
• A $20 refundable reservation deposit is required to register.

Coastal Connections Address: 3244 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach, FL 32963

What to Take on a Sea Turtle Walk

• Dark clothes
• Long sleeve shirts
• Bug repellant
• Comfortable shoes
• No camera equipment allowed.
• Expect to walk up to ½ – 1 mile in soft sand.

How can you help Florida’s sea turtles?

Tips for safeguarding our sea turtles:

• If you come upon a nesting turtle, remain quiet and observe from a distance. Do not shine a flashlight or lamp.
• From May through October, if you are residing on/near the beach, turn off all lights visible from the beach. Pull drapes/blinds in the evening to dim the light cast upon the shore. (Turtles/hatchlings orient towards the light of the horizon. Artificial lights can disorient them.)
• Pull all beach furniture away from the beach.

• Fill in obvious beach holes where tiny hatchlings can fall, unable to climb out.
• Knock down sand castles to remove obstacles for baby sea turtles.
• Pick up all trash from the beach
• Avoid fireworks on the beach (where sea turtles nest)
• Do not pick up turtle hatchlings.
• Become a volunteer and help our future sea turtle population!

Florida Sea Turtle Specialty License Plate

Funded by a portion of revenues from Florida’s Sea Turtle Specialty License Plate, the Sea Turtle Grants Program distributes yearly funds to support sea turtle research, conservation, and education programs that benefit the Florida sea turtles.

Thanks to the efforts of the non-profit Sea Turtle Conservancy and other Florida sea turtle groups, in 1997, the Florida Legislature (Statute 320.08058 (19)) authorized the creation of a Sea Turtle Specialty License Plate.

It’s purpose is to promote the conservation and protection of Florida’s sea turtles through providing a permanent funding source for the state’s Marine Turtle Protection Program. 

Order your Sea Turtle License Plate on the Helping Sea Turtles Website.

Question: Can you touch sea turtles in Florida?

Answer

Sea turtles are protected under Florida’s Marine Turtle Protection Act and the US Endangered Species Act. It is illegal to touch sea turtles and their nests and eggs.

What is the best time of day to see sea turtles?

Answer

It is between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. These majestic sea creatures are most active in warmer, gentler water. During the cooler months, the waves become more vigorous and less hospitable for the turtles. The best time of day to view the turtles is between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., but just before sunset is an excellent time to visit, too.

If we missed a 2024 Turtle Walk, please post the details in the comments below.