Anne Kolb Nature Center

The park itself is a wonderful nature retreat and the boardwalks are in great shape as is the tower. The mangroves and wildlife are beautiful BUT my PURSE WAS STOLEN there so Im not sure I will go back. Yes I know not to leave my purse in the car now but this happened 3 days after I moved to Fort Lauderdale! «Welcome to South Florida» is what the officer told me. You would think they would monitor the parking lot if this occurs so frequently but lesson learned…

Beautiful spot, great exhibit hall, nice trails. Love the observation tower, although the elevator wasn’t working so my mother-​in-​law was not able to go up. Had to pay the entrance fee with a credit card, they couldn’t make change!

Took the daughters Girl Scout troop here today and had an incredible time. I had booked in advance a nature hike tour and the exhibit hall tour. The staff I emailed back and forth with to set it up was very helpful and informative.
The nature hike tour was beautiful — down the bridge/​walkway to the ramada, which is gorgeous. Our tour guide Marcus was informative, and very patient with our 13 kids.
After a lunch break we did the exhibit hall tour. Marcus showed an interesting video, talked about local animals and then turned them over to the touch tank.
The touch tank was highlight of day. They got to touch a pencil urchin, starfish and the big finale — horseshoe crab. The girls loved it.
If you go to Anne kolb (and you should) spend the $ 2.12 on the exhibit hall tour

Definitely enjoyed myself. Parking is free. Walked the Lake Observation Trail, walked up the Observation Tower, and journeyed through the Mud Flat Trail (all free). Only paid $ 2 to check out the Exhibit Hall.
Staff was very welcoming; courteous and professional. I didn’t call ahead so I didn’t know the boat rides weren’t a daily thing (30-​minute tour, $ 5/​adult $ 3/​kid) …fine by me, i’ll swing back around soon :)

We came to this park with some friends to introduce them to the fun that is geo-​caching (check it out at
). We wanted to explore some news areas and geo-​caching is always a fun way to do that. This is a huge park with multiple areas. We took the long pier out over the water, which has a couple of caches hidden. This is a great park to visit and the water sports center has good prices on rentals of kayaks and other activities.

Loved it, such a nice place to take your mind off everything and enjoy nature … Well that’s how I felt

Took my son (6 yrs old) on an impromptu hike through the nature center and he (we) had a blast. The wildlife treasure hunt made it a truly interactive experience that he is still talking about a week later!

Open since 1996, the park is a 1,501-acre coastal mangrove wetland that’s home to a wide variety of plants and animals. It was named after Anne Kolb, a county commissioner and journalist who was also an environmentalist. She was also instrumental in saving this park’s coastal mangrove wetland from development.
Anne Kolb Nature Center in Hollywood is an especially good choice for those who enjoy walking on nature trails as it features a variety of different nature trails such as the green trail, the lake trail, south trail and the mud flat trail. The mud flat trail was probably my favorite, as it contained the most wildlife and seemed the most «uncivilized.» The trails are all short enough to complete. I completed all of them and was left wanting more, but the average person who does not enjoy walking or tires easily could complete one trail without issue.
There is also a fishing pier, for those seeking to do more than walk along the boardwalks and nature trails. Bicyclists could also come here and complete several of the trails, though probably not the boardwalk trails (most places forbid bicycles from entering boardwalks, but I may be wrong about this, so please do check and read the signs before taking my word for it).
The boardwalks and trails are beautiful, especially as the sun sets and you see shades of orange and purple reflecting off the white wood gazebos. The water and mangroves become bathed in rich bronze as the sky changes into different shades of blue, pink, purple and orange. There’s a good variety of wildlife along the trails, some of which may be somewhat unusual, like the Night Heron.
Admission is free, which is great. There were a few things that miffed me, however: 1) the environmental boat tour, one of the main reasons I drove out here, is not available on weekends. AT ALL. This makes no sense, as most people work, go to school, or both during the week, so they’d get a larger turnout and collect more money (which benefits the park) if they would open the boat tours on the weekends too. As I said, this left me and my friend scratching our heads, and bummed out. 2) though the website advertised kayaking and boat rentals here, that’s inaccurate. You cannot kayak or rent a canoe here, you must go to the West Lake Park in order to do that. Other than that, I was pleasantly surprised by the trails.
There are events for kids such as an exhibit hall that contains an aquarium, a mangrove masterpiece program, masterful mangroves, and field trips. The observation tower will probably leave them in awe, and climbing up is half the fun! I think the kids would also enjoy the boat tour, but you’ll have to call and hope they’re available whenever you plan to go.

An amazing amount of specimens on display here at the anne kolb nature center. There is a display of a dozen different types of sand which sounds boring but was fascinating. All of it could be viewed under a microscope. Also a tank which a nice park ranger showed us the sea stars, the surprisingly rambunctious horseshoe crab and the spiky pencil sea urchin. Tons of other cool biological items are here for you to discover. We were about to explore the trails when our sensitive friend got attacked by tiny biting gnats. I think we all got bit by these invisible bad creatures. We doused our sensitive friend in the drinking fountain and ran back to the car. So unfortunately i cant review the trails or other features.
Also I should mention that as of Dec 2014 the observatory tower was under repair.

Quiet and pretty. There were no bug when we visited in november. Not much to see on the trails but serene non the less. Come here for relaxation not entertainment.

I finally got around to doing the trails on the West end and they are totally worth it! The views are breathtaking.

Free free free. If you want to check out the expedition hall its only $ 2. Lots of information and helpful staff. However everything else is free.
Beautiful lookout tower and lots if nature to see.
The tower has a elevator if needed and the walk on a Tuesday is quiet. No canoe\kayak renting on Mon — Wed but the walk was pretty and I liked all the little crabs and noises the nature had to offer. Free parking. Beautiful.

Bottom line: We should care about the nature center because we love seafood.
I am writing this review based off of a guided tour with a group… Hands down the staff at the nature center know how to put on a fantastic presentation for kids and adults alike. Our very large group was broken into smaller groups of 25 and each group started their morning tackling a different part of the center. My group started by walking up about 7 flights to the top of the observation tower. It is a nice view. You can look down to see the wooden pathway through the mangrove trees and the lake where the boat ride goes. I kept thinking about the Jabberwocky as we walked through the mangrove trees, something that I don’t think I have ever done since they grow in swampy muck. The white wooden trail takes you right through, pointing out crab viewing opportunities and ends at a beautifully architected gazibo.
The park staff pulled up mud and discussed the importance of this mangrove estuary. Explaining how fish and other sea creatures could mature here and go off into the ocean providing us with food. I can see not being that impressed if you were to come on your own and browse, but listening to the dedicated staff and volunteers, you cannot but understand how priceless places like this center are.
The next chat was a hands on look at some of the crabs and shrimp that live there. Then into the exhibit hall to see the video and puffer fish.
There were several couples there walking around hand-​in-​hand enjoying the quiet scenery together on the path. So I can see how it could be a nice day out with a date.
Overall, a worthwhile visit.

Paddle boarders this is a hidden gem!
Free parking Monday thru Friday! There is plenty of parking during the week and no one is around, you can have the whole place to yourself.
The only reason it doesn’t get 5 stars is that once your on the water it get pretty boring since all you see is only Mangrove trees with an occasional condo in the background.

Nice little nature exhibit at an extremely affordable admission.
Cool boardwalk trails and observation deck.
On the day I visited I was able to catch a group of White Ibis as they hunted crab in the mangroves. I saw many spiders, lizards, crab, mama raccoon w/​babies in tow and heard snapping shrimp. The trails were very peaceful and relaxing. I will definitely be back!

Destinations such as the Ann Kolb Nature Center are soooooo vitally important, particularly in an area such as Broward County where greed, corruption and stupidity have destroyed or otherwise decimated most to the natural surroundings, the beauty and that which natured has to offer. Indeed, the county even takes its name from one whom I view as the worst of the worst offenders, Napoleon Bonaparte Broward. Admittedly there is the possibility that Napoleon had no idea of what he was doing or the consequences of his actions, but I for one have my doubts about that since he continually referenced the Everglades as the «fabulous muck,» demanding it be drained, filled and eradicated from earth while preaching his form of «Straighouts» populism, advocating war with Spain and profitably smuggling guns into Cuba.
So with that rant completed, let me say that though Ann Kolb Nature Center isn’t the biggest or most visually exciting place to visit, but it stands as one of the most important to the area. It is here that one may learn nature, and nature is the scheme of things. Without knowledge of nature, one doesn’t know where they fit and will never be able to assemble the picture of life from the jigsaw puzzle of modern day surroundings.
Admission is $ 1.00; yes that’s right, just one buck and better than me telling you about it, go see it yourself because the great thing about a nature center is that we all see different things and see them in different ways.

Something keeps drawing me back to this place. Its neither super exciting, nor is it dramatically enticing. Yet time and time again I find myself here, walking the boardwalks, and searching for something. Its an hybrid kind of a place, a weird oasis. Its almost like it is there, but it shouldn’t be.

Meandering trails on the Intercoastal, just outside of Ft. Lauderdale and Dania Beach. Ann Kolb offers a nice get away for a nature walk and some relaxation.

The Anne Kolb Nature Center seems to be practically in my backyard and yet this was the first time there — for a wedding.
Surprisingly, it’s a cute garden with a whole lot of trails and boardwalks. If you’re looking for a cute and quaint place to have a wedding this should definitely be taken into consideration.
Also, tucked away towards the back is a five story tower. I strongly recommend taking your loved one and climb all the stairs (yes, get that exercise). Once you reach the top, hold each other and just enjoy the view. Word to the wise: bring a jacket, it get’s cold.
I digress, since this would be my first garden wedding, I’d have to say that it reminded me of the kind you see in the movies. Sooooo cute and simplistic.
Overall, everything seemed organized. Inside where the wedding reception took place, there were large round tables set up, a huge dance floor and an area specifically designated for the buffet and open bar.
As far as I’m concerned, there were only a few issues:
1. While the gorgeous couple were giving their romantic vows, the speakers were crapping in and out. NOT COOL.
2. When walking on the boardwalk (there’s really no avoiding it) be careful with the heels you choose to wear. I literally had to walk on the balls of my feet and apply no pressure to the heels, as they would go straight through the cracks. Even with this unholy method of walking, every few steps I got stuck again. Holy hell, what a damn mission it was.

A really nice natural park that hardly anyone uses and a great place to get away. They have boardwalks and trails along the intercostal and through the mangroves along with an observation tower where you can watch the planes take off from the Ft Lauderdale airport. The offer kayak and canoe rental along with a guided boat tour. The center’s exhibit hall includes a site map of the park’s three-​mile mangrove preserve, the Living Crossroads theater which features a 10-​minute video presentation, and a series of displays that portray and explain West Lake Park’s mangrove ecosystem and its significance. The highlight of the exhibit hall is the 3,500-gallon aquarium. The exhibit hall also provides a rotating display monthly of nature-​themed works by local artists, photographers, and crafters. It is also a popular wedding spot.