Topsail Island in Onslow County, North Carolina is known for its laid-back beach towns and scenic coastline, but just inland in Surf City sits one of the region’s most unique and meaningful attractions. If you are a nature lover, make sure to make a trip to this Coastal Carolina sea turtle rescue center.
The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center offers guided tours that share a behind-the-scenes look at how sick and injured sea turtles are cared for and whenever possible returned to their ocean home. This facility rescued and rehabilitated 258 turtles in 2024, and the numbers keep growing.
I have visited a turtle rescue center in the Cayman Islands, and this is a very different experience. There, it felt more like a petting zoo with education that encouraged interaction and you could even snorkel with turtles while this facility is truly focused on the science and health of the turtles, which I appreciated.
My experience with the Karen Beasely Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center was part of a press trip to Onslow County, North Carolina.
What Is the Center Like?
The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center operates in a large, purpose-built facility designed to educate the public while providing medical care for sea turtles. The building is clean and well-organized, with a clear flow that takes visitors through several areas as part of the guided tour.
The first section is educational and focuses on sea turtle conservation. Informational panels and displays explain the lifespans and habits of different sea turtle species, as well as the most common causes of injury.
Exhibits emphasize human-related dangers such as discarded fishing lines, plastic bags, and balloons mistaken for food, and artificial lighting that disorients hatchlings. Volunteers walk visitors through ways they can help, including proper beach behavior during nesting season and responsible waste disposal.
I spent at least an hour every morning of my trip walking on the beach in North Topsail, and the amount of trash I found was disheartening. I found everything from a partially deflated number two balloon to chair parts and snack wrappers and so much more, and yes, I did pick up everything I found and disposed of it in trash bins I found on the beach.
From there, the facility focuses purely on the rehabilitation of the turtle. They have a therapy room that is not open to visitors but has viewing windows, and then a main rehabilitation room, a large open space filled with tanks of varying sizes where visitors can walk along the catwalk around the edge of the room.
The design of the center makes it clear that education and rehabilitation work hand-in-hand, and you walk out respecting them and understanding why protecting sea turtles matters so much. There is also a gift shop where visitors can purchase items that help support the mission of the rescue center.
Can You Touch or Interact with the Turtles?
Unlike my experience on Grand Cayman, visitors are not allowed to touch or physically interact with the sea turtles, and that is intentional. These animals are under medical care, and minimizing human contact helps reduce stress during their recovery.
In addition, federal laws protect sea turtles, and handling them is restricted to trained and permitted professionals. Guests can still get a close-up look at several species of turtles through observation windows and open-top tanks while learning from volunteers stationed throughout the facility.
Do All Turtles Get Released?
Not every turtle brought to the center is able to return to the ocean. While release is always the goal, some arrive with injuries or conditions that would make survival in the wild impossible.
Two turtles, Lennie and Snookie, are permanent residents at the facility and have their own designated tanks. Lennie is a green sea turtle with partial paralysis, and Snookie is a loggerhead with a neurological issue that affects her buoyancy.
Most of the other turtles are released after treatment and rehabilitation, and the length of time they stay at the facility varies based on their needs. The center typically holds public release events in the summer months, drawing crowds to local beaches to witness the return.
The center aims to host two or three release events each summer, but they also release turtles more quietly throughout the year. Keep an eye on their website or social media for the release schedule, and if you aren’t nearby, you can always watch it later on their channels as they stream the events.
Where Do the Turtles Come From?
The turtles at the center are rescued from North Carolina’s coastal waters and beaches, with the majority coming from strandings along Topsail Island, Surf City, and nearby areas. Volunteers and others find them suffering from issues like cold-stunning, injuries from boat strikes or fishing gear, and illnesses related to pollution or ingesting marine debris.
Cold stunning was the term that was new to me, but over half the turtles at the center arrive because of it. When turtles don’t make it south for winter and the water gets below about 55 degrees, turtles stop eating and shunt all their blood to their core. They also stop swimming and then get pushed to shore via wind or waves.
A dedicated network of trained volunteers and the local stranding response team help recover these turtles and transport them to the facility for care. Many of the turtles that are cold-stunned can be released within a few weeks, but more severely impacted turtles have more significant health issues and need longer stays.
What Is the Tour Like?
Tours at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Center are fully guided and last approximately 45 minutes. Guests walk through each of the sections listed above, and the guides provide information and ask questions at each of the display.
In the therapy room, the guide will point out which turtles are receiving aquatherapy and how it works, and they explain how the turtle name tags work and what they mean. You can often see volunteers moving turtles from one area to another and checking in on them.
This is where newly admitted turtles are housed for initial care and observation. It’s also where some of the recovering turtles receive structured exercise and rehabilitation. Volunteers monitor the turtles closely, and some may be resting while others actively swim under supervision.
My favorite part was the main rehabilitation space where turtles in various stages of recovery are housed. This is where you’ll see most of the turtles in a large warehouse-like room.
Permanent residents, like Lennie and Snookie, have larger tanks outfitted with features for stimulation, including floating toys, artificial reef elements, and other items that encourage natural behaviors. Each permanent tank is equipped with filtration systems that maintain water quality and reduce the risk of infection.
Smaller tanks along the perimeter house other turtles, and they’re organized based on their recovery stage and medical needs. Every turtle’s tank is labeled with its name and condition, and the guides share information about the animals’ journeys and ongoing care.
Each stop includes an explanation of the turtle’s injury or illness, their treatment process, and facts about sea turtle biology. Volunteers lead every tour, and they’re well-informed and eager to answer questions.
Visitors should expect to stand or walk the entire time, and there is no seating once the tour begins. The 45 minutes is short enough that kids won’t get bored, especially as you move every few minutes, but like the oyster farm tour, know your family and what they enjoy.
How Much Does the Tour Cost?
Tour tickets cost $7 for adults, $6 for seniors (62 and older) and military, and $5 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 are admitted free.
You have to purchase tickets in advance online through the center’s website, and they often sell out during peak summer weeks. Note that the tickets also have sales tax and a booking fee that adds less than a dollar to each ticket’s cost.
The center is open for tours every day during the high season and fewer days in the low season that varies by month, so check their calendar. There are some dates that they are closed, including all of January and February when they focus exclusively on caring for turtles.
How Big Are the Tour Groups?
Group sizes are kept small, capped at 15 people per session. There are tours that start every ten minutes, so there are many options to choose from.
The smaller group size ensures you have clear sightlines and time to ask questions. Late arrivals are not admitted once a session begins, so show up a little early to avoid any issues.
Gift Shop and Turtle Adoptions
You can visit the center’s on-site gift shop anytime the center is open, even if you don’t have a tour scheduled. And of course, every tour always ends in the gift shop, right?
The store offers a range of sea turtle-themed merchandise, from shirts and jewelry to books and eco-friendly toys. Proceeds directly support the care of the turtles, volunteer operations, and educational outreach.
Visitors can also (symbolically) adopt a turtle by making a donation to the center. Adoption packages include a certificate, photo, and a species information card, helping fund medical care and food during its rehabilitation.
The higher your adoption level, the more rewards you get, too. At a $50 adoption level, you also get a stuffed turtle with a reusable tote bag for a $100 donation and an insulated bottle at the $250 level.
Needless to say, a few of us on the trip couldn’t resist and adopted turtles and went home with little plush friends. The gift shop is cute and a great way to commemorate your visit.
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