Overview
Dive into an educational aquatic adventure with our Florida Marine Life program! Immerse your students in environmental science, marine biology, and habitat conservation through life-changing experiences. They’ll visit animal rehab facilities to learn from veterinarians and researchers about their efforts to protect animals and the environment. Students will experience these ecosystems firsthand hiking the Everglades by moonlight, snorkeling with schools of tropical fish, and swimming with dolphins.
Excursions & Highlights
Your program at a glance, including guided tours, independent visits, photo stops, and immersive activities.
Itinerary
Day 1
Travel to Miami, FL
Travel to Key Largo, FL
Hotel check-in and dinner
Orientation
Meet your Course Leader on the hotel’s pool deck for an orientation of your upcoming adventures in Florida. Learn about some of the topics you’ll cover throughout the week by participating in an exciting team-building activity.
Day 2
Breakfast
Beach Snorkel
Your first snorkeling experience of the week! Your Course Leader will cover all of the tips you need to know for a safe and successful snorkel. Once you get the hang of it, practice using your underwater camera to snap photos.
Lunch
Hike the Mangrove and Wild Tamarind Trails
Navigate trails and boardwalks through the fascinating tropical hammock and mangrove swamps of Pennekamp State Park.
Dolphin Experience
Swim with these playful creatures while observing dolphin behavior and anatomy. Learn what it takes to land an exciting and rewarding career as a dolphin trainer.
Dinner
Anatomy and Invertebrates
Dive into the world of anatomy and invertebrates through scientific classification and hands-on lab activities. Start by exploring a touch tank filled with various invertebrates, then move to the lab for an engaging squid dissection. Conclude the evening by learning how conservation efforts can protect the diverse creatures of the region.
Day 3
Breakfast
Marine Rehabilitation Experience
Get up close and personal with a variety of marine animals and learn from experts in the field at a rehabilitation center. Students will learn about rescue operations, threats to marine life, and how conservation efforts can help protect the ecosystem and the animals call this region home.
Lunch
Robbie’s of Islamorada
Watch as tarpons actually rise up from the water in a powerful flash of silver and green to meet the fish as it leaves your hand.
Dinner
Coral Reef Fish Identification
During this role-playing exercise, you'll learn how to identify where fish live in the marine shelf based on their adaptations.
Overnight in Key Largo
Day 4
Breakfast and hotel check-out
Garden Cove kayak trip
Learn the importance of teamwork as you work in pairs to kayak in and out of different habitats, including mangrove tunnels and coastal areas.
Lunch
Reef Snorkel Trip
Ride a boat to one of Florida's spectacular offshore coral reefs at Pennekamp State Park, the first underwater park in the United States. Slip into the water to snorkel amid thousands of vibrant tropical fish and coral.
Fruit stand visit (time permitting)
Travel to Florida Everglades
Dinner
Everglades National Park visit
Enjoy an immersive journey through the only subtropical preserve in all of North America! Listen for the sounds of thousands of birds, insects, reptiles, and animals that make the Everglades their home.
Hotel check-in
Day 5
Breakfast and hotel check-out
Shark Valley Tram Tour
Return to the Everglades to explore this unique ecosystem in the daylight. Take a tram tour through Shark Valley (no, there aren't any sharks here), and identify alligators, snakes, and countless birds in their natural habitat. Students will experience the "River of Grass" in the famous Florida Everglades.
Lunch
Travel to South Florida Airport
Depart for home
Dinner
Already Included
Transportation to & from your destination
Hotel accommodations
Meals (unless otherwise noted on your itinerary)
Admissions to top attractions (details in itinerary)
Guided sightseeing tours & city walks (details in itinerary)
Tips for local guides and drivers
WorldAssist staff members available 24/7/365 should your group need extra help
Free high school credit for students who choose to complete WorldStrides free online coursework post-program
Scenes From Recent STEM Trips
Health & Safety
Additional health and safety measures may be available within your respective destination. Refer to your program-specific materials for complete details.
Fundraising Tools
Our easy-to-use tools put students in the driver's seat of their own fundraising efforts. Students can send e-cards, share links on social media, and even send out printed letters through WorldStrides' Gift of Education program. In one click friends and family members can make a direct donation to the trip - with 100% of the money raised going to offset their trip price. Thousands of students pay for their entire trip each year through the Gift of Education.
Also, WorldStrides makes program-specific scholarships available as well as other scholarship resources. Ask your Account Manager for more information about scholarships and fundraising tools.
Payment Plans
Advantage Payment Plan
At program sign-up you can opt to pay in full, or break up the cost of your trip with the Advantage Payment Plan. This plan allows you to pay a small initial deposit, then have your remaining payments spread out into affordable monthly amounts.
EZPay
We offer an EZPay option, which is a simple way to pay for your WorldStrides program by scheduling hassle-free, automatic drafts from your checking account. With EZPay, you'll never be late or miss an installment.
Financial Assistance
Financial Assistance
WorldStrides provides over $2.5 million in financial assistance each year to thousands of families. Families with annual adjusted gross incomes of less than $85,000 may qualify. One simple call to Customer Service and you’ll know how much may be available for your trip even before signing up. Please note: financial assistance is given on a first-come, first-served basis.