Last summer I took an Atlantic beach road trip with my buddy Alex. We discovered some unique places. One of them was the brand new Barrier Island Center in Melbourne Beach, right in the heart of the Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge.

The Barrier Island Center is part of the Environmentally Endangered Lands Program in Brevard County. It's a 34-acre preserve that straddles the barrier island, providing a refuge for island wildlife and a wonderful learning opportunity for residents and visitors.

The Learning Center sits just behind the dunes overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. On the west side of A1A, between the highway and the Indian River, is the Barrier Island Trail, a one-mile loop trail through a restored area.

The center's web site explains that the 5,700-square-foot education center is "A modern educational facility with classrooms, an interactive exhibit room, a library, offices, auditorium, restrooms and a gift shop."

We really enjoyed studying the center's mounted collection of sea shells and sea-beans displayed to help visitors identify some of the neat things found on the nearby beaches.

There were so many interesting plants and animals visible right from the boardwalk that I must have taken 100 photographs in just 20 minutes or so.

The Center is only about a mile and a half north of Sebastian Inlet, another great family destination. Also nearby is the McLarty Treasure Museum. You can easily visit all three places in the same day.