So what’s it going to be? A class on kayaking? A visit to the aquarium where you can find more than a dozen exhibits with life marsh animals, and a tank with horseshoe crabs, sea stars and other sea critters? A peek at the closed-circuit TV that keeps track of the developments taking place in the osprey nest out in the marsh?
Oh, just go do it all. With more than 6,000 acres of pristine salt marsh, The Wetlands Institute has plenty to keep you happily occupied for hours and hours. Known as one of the world’s premier research centers for diamondback terrapins, TWI is also known for its extensive all-ages conservation and environmental education programs and activities. And the thing is, everything is so much fun it just doesn’t feel like learning.
Pack your binoculars so that when you hit the Salt March Trail you can catch the flutter of every bird and butterfly, check out the fiddler crabs and other critters scooting around, and laugh at the world’s largest colonies of laughing gulls. And the trails are marked so when you spot an unusual plant or wonder what that grass is that you’ve never seen before, you’ll know what it is.
The Dillard Building is headquarters for the aquarium and all the hands-on and interactive activities that focus on wetlands life. Marshview Hall exhibits wildlife art and carvings. And the Observation Tower, which rises 40 feet in the air, gives you 360 views of the whole Jersey shore.
If you are a birder, you’ll want to be here when bird migration seasons roll around because raptors, osprey, herons and ibis love this place. And even in the dead of winter, The Wetlands Institute is hopping, with year-round programs for individuals and school groups, trips and special events for anyone and everyone who wants to know more about nature.