Forever Explorers
Let Marine Discovery Center’s certified naturalists engage you in a fun and unique educational exploration of the Indian River Lagoon and the flora and fauna that thrive here.
Open to participants 18+.
PROGRAM INTRODUCTION • $15 per person
Sandbar Clean Up – Wednesday, September 17 | 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. This experience will focus on introducing the Forever Explorer program. Guests will hear a presentation about the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) and how much has been collected in the 35 years of the program. Guests will be a part of the ICC initiative and travel aboard the Discovery boat for a little exploration & debris cleanup on an island in the Indian River lagoon .
BOAT • Members $60 per person / Non-members $65 per person
No Backbone, No Problem! – Wednesday, October 1 | 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Take a trip south on the Indian River Lagoon to disembark the boat to explore some of the wonderful invertebrates that call the area home. Lunch is provided!
KAYAK • Members $50 per person / Non-members $55 per person
Migratory Birds – Wednesday, November 5 | 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. We will be on the lookout for migratory gulls, sandpipers, terns, and maybe a few ducks. Guests will kayak around Smyrna Creek and learn about the different species of migrating birds. Bring your binoculars!
LAND • $10 per person
Ponce Preserve Hike – Tuesday, December 2 | 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Hike the wonderful trails of Ponce Preserve to learn about the variety of flora and fauna the preserve has to offer. Guests will get the opportunity to walk the boardwalk through the mangroves, hike the maritime forest to see large oaks and native American middens, and then head over to check out the dune and beach systems! Ponce Preserve is located at 4401 South Peninsula Drive in Ponce Inlet.
CONSERVATION • Free
Restoration Materials Construction – Thursday, October 23 | 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Our shoreline restoration team needs your help! Join us to build volcanoes that will be used in stabilizing shorelines in the Indian River Lagoon and connected waterways.
Brazilian Pepper Bustin’ – Thursday, November 20 | 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Conservation activity focuses on Brazilian pepper. Let’s bust some Brazilian Pepper at Indian River Lagoon Preserve Park located off Saxon Avenue or Marine Discovery Center campus and learn more about invasive species in Central Florida. Please wear long pants and long sleeves and closed-toe shoes.
Conservation and End of Season Party! – Wednesday, December 10 | 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Party time! This Conservation activity is also a season-ending celebration! Join us at MDC for conservation work and our fall Forever Explorers party. Guests will help with one of our many conservation efforts and then lunch and dessert will be served! If you have participated in ANY one of the Forever Explorers events this Fall, bring your binder to the party. One journal page from an event is equal to one raffle ticket for a prize drawing. Prizes include a variety of exciting items! Come gather with fellow Forever Explorers to learn about our plans for Spring 2026!
Click the individual program titles above to book that program, or click here to see & book all programs.
What is Forever Explorers?
Forever Explorers is designed for young-at-heart, lifelong learners and is geared to offer outdoor opportunities for adults who want to explore and better understand their surrounding coastal environment alongside certified naturalists and scientists!
Participants will explore the roles of salt marshes, mudflats, and various saltwater plants and animals by visiting different spoil islands on MDC’s pontoon boat, Discovery, as well as through kayak excursions, land-based programs, and conservation activities! Each participant will receive an Adventure Guide binder and pen to document their experiences.
Each program is unique with a different topic to explore. In spring and fall the sessions will conclude with an end-of-season gathering, food and prize drawing. There are even wonderful incentives for those attending multiple programs – 5 events earns a T-shirt; 10 earns a hat; 15 earns a water bottle; and 20 earns a pair of Costa del Mar sunglasses.
Forever Explorers is for participants 18+.
Register for any of our Forever Explorers programs online now!
If you have any questions about this program,
please contact Carley Metcalf at [email protected] or 386.428.4828.
Our Mission:
"To protect our coastal ecosystems through education, conservation, and exploration"