Rookery Bay nature center to close for two weeks before National Estuaries Day celebration

The Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center at 300 Tower Road in Naples will be closed for maintenance updates on Sept 10 – Sept. 23. It will reopen with free admission from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24 to celebrate National Estuaries Day. This annual event held at the country’s 30 national reserves will feature Hobie, kayak and paddleboard demos, science and art activities for children, face and arm painting, live music, Foodology and HotDogs2Gofood trucks and a local author book signing by Anya Beltsina.

In addition, Friends of Rookery Bay is offering “sneak peek”30-minute boat tours with its exclusive eco-tour provider Rising Tide Explorers, which was twice recently voted the #1 kayak tour in the country by USA Today. The boat tours are $20 per person with pre-registration required at rookerybay.org beginning Sept. 1.

The two-story nature center features aquariums, a touch tank, interactive exhibits, nature trails, picnic areas, a butterfly garden, an art gallery, and a nature-themed gift shop. Beginning Sept. 24, the center will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Learn more at rookerybay.org.

4th annual Rookery Bay Classic Car Show set in new location

The 4th annual Rookery Bay Classic Car Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19 at Florida SouthWestern State College, 7505 Grand Lely Drive, Naples. Hosted by Island Automotive to support Friends of Rookery Bay, the event will have over 140 cars representing everything from pre-1930s antiques, icons from the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s, muscle cars from the ‘60s/‘70s and exotic/high performance race cars from yesterday and today. The day will include vendors, activities, entertainment, and food trucks.

Car show attendees will receive a free pass to visit the nearby Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center by Dec. 31, 2022. The center has aquariums, a touch tank, interactive exhibits, walking trails, an art gallery, picnic areas, a gift shop and more.

Cash-only admission to the car show is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6-12 and free for children five and younger. Proceeds help support education, conservation and research within the 110,000-acre Rookery Bay Research Reserve, which encompasses 40 percent of Collier County’s coastline.

For more information or to register a classic car for $25, visit rookerybay.org or call Island automotive at 239 394 3458.