Summer Happenings
The Wetlands Institute will be open daily from 9:30am-4:30pm. Unless otherwise stated, all activities occur onsite at The Wetlands Institute. Questions? Please call The Wetlands Institute at 609-368-1211.
Salt Marsh Safari
Watch our award-winning film, Secrets of the Salt Marsh, then join us for an interpretive walk through the wetlands! Together we will travel along our elevated walkway, down the salt marsh trail, and out onto the dock overlooking Scotch Bonnet creek. To fully experience the marsh, make sure to wear shoes that can get wet and muddy!
Weekdays: 10:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm
Weekends: 11:00am and 1:00pm
Free with admission
Creature Feature
During this live animal presentation, get up close and personal with turtles, fish, crabs, sea stars and urchins, mollusks, horseshoe crabs, or the popular animals of Finding Nemo.
Weekdays: 11:15am and 1:15pm
Free with admission
Catch o’ the Day
Get your feet wet (or wear waders!) as you discover what swims in the back bays. Help us drag a seine net through the water to find crabs, shrimp, fish and more. Activity recommended for ages 8 and up. Younger children are welcome to attend and can assist in removing creatures from the net! This activity is tide dependent and may not occur during low tide.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 3:15 pm
Free with admission
Exploration Point
Bring your buckets! Meet at the parking lot for the Stone Harbor Point Conservation Area in Stone Harbor and explore Stone Harbor Point for awesome seashells, cool birds, and fun things that live under the sand.
Monday: 9:30am
Suggested $3 donation to The Wetlands Institute
Aquarium Feeding
Help us feed the local marine life! We will open up feeding three times each week so you can see the box turtles munching tomato, the terrapins chasing fiddler crabs and the horseshoe crab gobbling shrimp. Not all animals are fed every day.
Tuesday and Thursday: 3:15 pm
Saturday: 2:15pm
Free with admission
Totally Turtle Tuesday
Every Tuesday is a day with the turtles! Meet them up-close at our Turtle Basking Station, learn about our latest research during our Creature Feature presentations, make unique turtle crafts, and join us for a special terrapin release during our noon Salt Marsh Safari.
Tuesday: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Free with admission
Dune and Beach Walk
Meet at 48th Street and Dune Drive in Avalon for an interpretive walk along the maritime forest and dune trails to learn about the flora and fauna that call this area their home.
Wednesday: 9:30am
Free to attend and generously sponsored by the Avalon Free Public Library
Horseshoe Crab Mania Thursday
Thursdays are for the Horseshoe Crabs! Meet these ancient animals up-close during our Creature Feature presentations, make horseshoe crab take-home crafts, and join us for a special horseshoe crab hatchling release during our noon Salt Marsh Safari.
Thursday: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Free with admission
Hooked On Fishing
Go fishing! We’ll teach you how to bait a hook, cast a line, catch a fish and reel it in. We’ve even got fishing poles and bait.
Saturday: 10:00am
Free with admission
Seashell Sunday
Seashells at the seashore! Join us to learn all about seashells, how to collect them without harming the environment, and touch an assortment of live mollusks and cool artifacts.
Sunday: 10:00am
Free with admission
Crabbing at the Dock
Drop a line in the water and see what pinches it! We’ll provide the bait, handlines, and nets – You reel in the blue crabs!
Sunday: 2:15pm
Free with admission
Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary Tour
Meet us at Egret Espy Trail, 2nd Avenue Entrance in Stone Harbor, for a guided natural history and wildlife tour of the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary. Bring your binoculars in case we spot a few of our feathered friends along the way!
Sunday: 10:00am – June 4 – August 21
Saturday: 10:00am – July – August 21
Free to attend and generously sponsored by the Borough of Stone Harbor.