The Crystal River Preserve Visitor Center is a really fun and educational place to visit for your whole family.
Eco-Tours provided by HERITAGE-ECO BOAT TOURS offer a 1 1/2 hour narrated tour of the surrounding estuaries, and a good chance to see some Florida Wildlife. This tour is only $10 for adults, children under 6 are free! (352) 795-3817 Running Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, or by special appt.
Next to the Visitor Center is a Butterfly Garden, with some good examples of a Xeriscape garden, with a pond and waterfall.
Inside the Visitor Center are 6 huge ceiling to floor dioramas that recreate the 6 different habitats you will find there at the park. They also have three 125-gallon aquariums, 2 snake exhibits, a diamondback terrapin enclosure, and a touch table filled with bones, fur, teeth, shells, animal prints and more for curious Jr. scientists to explore. This center is Free to the public!
Bryan loved the touch table and spent a long time carefully examining all the bones and teeth and other artifacts. Our patient volunteer let him feed the turtles and say hi to the resident corn snake.
This Visitor Center is open Monday through Friday,and is a great way to share the natural world with your children!