Turtle Walks at
Canaveral National Seashore

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

The seashore park gives very little advance information throughout the year about its turtle watch. One of the best ways to keep track of what's scheduled is its calendar of events, which unfortunately doesn't go very far ahead. Check under May and June for dates for making turtle watch reservations.

Traditionally, reservations for turtle watches in both the North District (Apollo Beach, New Smyrna Beach) and South District (Playalinda Beach, Titusville) sections are made by calling (386) 428-3384 ext. 223. This not the same as the general number, 321/267-1110.

Calls are taken May 15 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for the June walks; on June 15 for the July turtle watches. The programs start at 8 p.m. and last until midnight. If a turtle is not sighted, the watch ends.

Both the North and South Districts of Canaveral National Seashore each have a road paralleling the Atlantic for about 5 miles and a series of boardwalks at various intervals. Turtles are usually observed within one-quarter of a mile of a boardwalk.

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

You can see lots of sea turtles throughout the summer on the Turtle Sea Cam which is live June-November from dusk to dawn.