Visiting the Turtle Hopspital in The Florida Keys: A Review (2025)
Interested in visiting the Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys?
One of the most rewarding things we did while staying in Marathon, Florida was visiting the Turtle Hospital.
The Turtle Hospital is a real working hospital (it’s not a zoo or an aquarium) and they welcome visitors!
By visiting the turtle hospital, you’re helping the sea turtles in the following ways:
- learning about the hospital’s mission in helping sick and injured turtles
- becoming educated on us human impact on the sicknesses and injuries of these turtles
- appreciating these amazing animals up close (you get to meet several turtles during your visit)
I’m going to jump in to explain:
- what you can expect from visiting the Turtle Hospital (what a visit there looks like)
- things to keep in mind about visiting
So, let’s jump in!
How to Visit the Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys
The only way to visit the sea turtle hospital is to do a 90-minute tour.
There are usually about 10-15 attendees on each tour, and this is how the tour is broken down:
- A 20-25 minute presentation (you learn about different types of turtles, what’s causing them to get sick and injured, how the hospital helps)
- A walk through the ‘hospital’ part of the hospital
- Meeting, and feeding the ‘permanent residents’ at the end (sea turtles that can’t be released into the wild)
Things to Keep in Mind About the Turtle Hospital Tour
Here are some things that are helpful to know before you visit
✅ There is a bit of walking involved. Nothing intense, but be prepared to walk a little bit with appropriate footwear. From what we saw, it seemed wheelchair and stroller accessible
✅ Be prepared to be indoors and outdoors. Some of the tour takes place inside, but you will spend some time walking around outside too. So, I recommend carrying a water bottle and bringing a hat and sunscreen for the tour.
✅ They have a very small self-guided area that you can walk through before or after doing a tour. This part is free to visit. There is some information about turtles, the hospital and how they help them
✅ You will see many turtles on the tour. However, please don’t touch or disturb the turtles. You can get quite close to them and take photos (no flash) and just study them, but it’s meant to be a hospital where the turtles are healing, so be sure to listen to whatever rules your guide tells you
✅ They have a souvenir shop with a lot of cute sea turtle and turtle-hospital-based souvenirs. Purchasing some of these souvenirs goes directly to supporting the hospital. See some of the souvenirs (and even shop online) here
✅ All ages are welcome on the guided tours
Is the Turtle Hospital Tour Kid-Friendly?
The guided tour at the Turtle Hospital is definitely kid-friendly, and I would recommend families visiting the Florida Keys to bring their kids to the Turtle Hospital.
The tour is interesting and interactive. The guides are helpful and friendly and are happy to answer questions. My 12-year-old had a few questions for our guide.
One thing to keep in mind for young kids is that it might be a bit sad to see some of the sea turtles who are injured or sick. So maybe, be prepared to answer questions about that to small children and talk to them about how we can make an impact.
We were a little worried that our 3-year-old wouldn’t be able to sit through the whole tour at the Turtle Hospital, but she actually enjoyed the tour and we’re glad we brought her.
Only the first 25 minutes of the tour were spent ‘sitting’ (during the presentation – which was very visual and interactive.)
The rest of the tour is spent walking around, and even looking at many of the turtles – so our 3-year-old found that interesting.
Pro Tip: We also found our guide at the Turtle Hospital to be very accommodating to families with young kids. There was another family with 3-year-old on our tour, and our guide pointed out a small play area in the presentation room where small kids (who have trouble sitting through the whole thing) can play while the parents watch the presentation.
How to Get to The Turtle Hospital
The Turtle Hospital is located in Marathon, which isn’t really pedestrian-friendly. So, the easiest way to get to the Turtle Hospital from anywhere in Marathon is to drive.
There is plenty of parking on-site at the hospital, so finding a parking spot wasn’t an issue at all.
If you’re in Key West, there’s a special day tour to the Turtle Hospital which also includes seeing a few other interesting things in the area.
Book the day trip to Turtle Hospital from Key West here (6 hours long, $200 per person, includes transportation, lunch, a guide – all ages welcome)
Our Impressions of the Turtle Hospital Tour
The tour is interesting, informative, educational – and highly worth it. We were really glad that we took part as a family, and would recommend it to everyone.
We also found the visit a bit sad, as well. There are some turtles that are not releasable into the wild, and need to stay there permanently – when you see the permanent residents, it’s pretty obvious why they can’t be released.
Interesting fact: In order to be re-released in the wild, the turtles must have at least one working eye, and 3 working fins. If they don’t meet these requirements, then the hospital provides a permanent home for them. These are the turtles we met and got to feed at the end.
The good news is that by visiting the Turtle Hospital – not only are you supporting this hospital, but you’re helping the bigger picture too – learning about the causes behind these turtles’ illnesses and injuries, and how we as humans can prevent it.
Places to Stay near the Turtle Hospital (Marathon, Florida)
The Turtle Hospital is in Marathon, and there are a number of other fun things to do there as well. Here are some good places to stay in the area.
- Budget: Aqua Lodges and Coconut Cay Marina – Stay in a boathouse (aqua lodge) right on the water
- Mid-Range: Cabins at Bonefish Bay We stayed here and loved the experience. We rented a small cabin that slept 4 people and was perfect for families, but we saw people of all ages
- Mid-Range: Captain Pip’s Marina & Hideaway Choose between a studio or 1-bedroom apartments. There’s a restaurant and swimming pool on-site
FAQ: Visiting the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, FL
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about visiting the Turtle Hospital in Marathon
Where can I see turtles in the Florida Keys?
The Aquarium of Key West has one or two rescued sea turtles that you can see. However, the best place in the Florida Keys to see sea turtles is the Turtle Hospital in Marathon because there are many sea turtles. By visiting the Turtle Hospital, you’re supporting an important cause.
How much does it cost to go to the Turtle Hospital Marathon?
For a guided tour at the Turtle Hospital, adults pay $35.00 and kids pay $17.50. You can reserve online, but you will pay in person when you arrive. I also recommend bringing some extra money for souvenirs.
Final Thoughts on Visiting the Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys
Visiting the Turtle Hospital in Marathon is something I’d highly recommend for everyone because it’s an important cause. They hold the best interests of the sea turtles that they care for at heart and are focused on what’s best for the turtles – rather than exploiting them for entertainment.