Sea Turtle, Inc.
The island's most popular attraction. It rescues injured sea turtles and protects the endangered Kemp's ridley. Visitors can get up close to watch turtles recover and see feeding demonstrations with guided explanations.
Sea Turtle, Inc. is a nonprofit sea turtle hospital and educational institution. It was founded in 1977 by 'The Turtle Lady,' Ila Loetscher, originally to protect the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle. The new facility includes rehabilitation pools, permanent resident turtles that cannot be released back into the wild, and an observation area of the sea turtle hospital. Guided talks and feeding demonstrations take place daily, where visitors can learn about stranding, fishing net entanglement, and ocean plastic pollution. During the summer hatching season, public beach releases of hatchlings are held, but they are announced only a short time in advance. Admission is about $10. The center is usually open daily from about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (It may be closed on Mondays, so check the official website.) Parking is limited, so it is best to arrive early during peak season.
Opening hours
About 09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center
- Andy Bowie Park & North Beaches
- Beach Waterpark (former Schlitterbahn South Padre)
- Queen Isabella Causeway
- Isla Blanca Park
- Port Isabel Lighthouse
- Boca Chica Beach & SpaceX Starbase
- Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge