Instone House at Seminole Rest, Canaveral National Seashore
Seminole Rest is the site of two late-1800s homes that were built on top of a group of Timucuan Indian shell middens—refuse piles made of discarded shells from seafood meals—that were created between 770-1100 AD. Over hundreds of years the middens grew into sizable hills. Most were destroyed during modern times when leveled and used as landfill, but the private owners of Seminole Rest saved these middens from a similar fate. See the Seminole Rest web page for more information.
Seminole Rest is located on the western shore of Mosquito Lagoon in the town of Oak Hill, and it is accessible by vehicle. It lies entirely outside of the main Canaveral National Seashore and the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge boundaries. This is as would be expected since it was acquired by the government nearly two decades after the National Seashore was created in 1975.
The National Park Service runs a three-hour pontoon boat cruise to Seminole Rest twice a week in January, February, and March. The tour departs from the Apollo Visitor Center, which has its own boat dock. It takes one hour to reach Seminole Rest by boat, so the tour consists of two hours on Mosquito Lagoon and one hour at Seminole Rest. Reservations are highly suggested, and there is a fee for the tour. For the latest schedule visit Canaveral National Seashore’s Things to Do web page.
Instone House at Seminole Rest, Canaveral National Seashore
Caretaker’s House at Seminole Rest, Canaveral National Seashore
Once at Seminole Rest, the guide will tell you about its history, and then you can walk around on your own. Only the Instone House is open to the public, though this is not a “tour” house. It serves mainly as a museum, with a few archaeology exhibits and a large collection of old photographs from the Snyder family on display. A small gift and book store is also inside the house.
Exhibit on archaeology at the Seminole Rest museum, Canaveral National Seashore
The benefit of taking the boat tour to Seminole Rest instead of driving there yourself is that you get a cruise of Mosquito Lagoon and a chance to see dolphins, many of which live year-round in the lagoon. Though the location was changed in the movie Dolphin Tale, this is where the dolphin Winter was found. Dolphins did not disappoint during my tour.
Dolphins in Mosquito Lagoon at Canaveral National Seashore
The National Park Service offers tours of Mosquito Lagoon that are geared specifically to explore its natural beauty, but with two hours on the Lagoon during the trip to Seminole Rest, there is more than enough opportunity to see and discuss nature. For those who like history, the Pontoon Boat Cruise to Seminole Rest offers the best of both worlds and is definitely the trip to take if you have time for just one boat tour.
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Last updated on September 29, 2026
