South Padre Island Birding And Nature Center

This is a cool place. With lots of birds alligators and large tortoises. The look out tower is beautiful. You can take an elevator up or walk up the stairs. The views are epic. And there is a long boardwalk with beautiful views. We got our steps in for the day walking the entire boardwalk. Ten dollars each for seniors.

It was a windy, windy day perhaps we should’ve waited and come on more of a calm day. But we had fun! They had several animals inside to look at in the building which included turtles, alligators and snakes just to name a few. The staff would take them out and let people see them up close. It was so wind we could not go to the third floor lookout, but was able to visit the second floor. We then walked outside where there were a few other animals in cages up by the building. We proceeded to our walk down below where we saw a very large alligators and more turtles. As we walked out toward the water, we saw a few birds, but not a lot which I believe was because of the very windy day they were in hiding. I believe the winds were 45 miles an hour this day. We did enjoy ourselves as we walked all the way out as far as we could and braced ourselves to take some pictures, we truly felt like the wind was gonna blow us away. We were able to see a few different birds, but look forward to returning another day when it’s not as windy.

So much fun feeding the juvenile gators & tortoises! Upgraded the experience and got a photo with a boa & baby gator. The man who we saw to hold them was funny, educational, and seems to have a passion for what he does. The boardwalk was nice and we saw some cool birds. Waited for Big Padre to take a breath lol and got to see him too. The observation tower was cool & there was an informational center on the second floor.

Great place to get out and see authentic Texas wildlife! The boardwalk was very lively when we went, lots of birds out and about fishing in the water, so us birdwatchers were able to get lots of good shots. And inside the building they had this amazing show presented by a very energetic host. (wish I remembered his name! Longer hair, tattoos, very passionate about his job!) If you’re in the area for an event like the RGV birding festival, this is a must see!

I loved it here! The walk around was awesome. Lots of birds and random fish. The views were dope also they take pics with an alligator and a snake for 10 bucks. 12$ to walk and see the views for the day to come and go whenever you want.

Loved our experience, the pictures were amazing, different types of species available. Here’s some photos hopefully for all visiting this place is very affordable for all.

A great find! We stumbled upon this place in search of something to do on a travel break and it ended up to be a great spot- highly recommend "Alligator Jake", his presentation was the highlight. This is a perfect spot for kids and adults alike, with gators, turtles, an owl and bunny to look at, and tons of long boardwalks for bird viewing. Friendly staff and a unique experience.

Well Maintained place. Its a treat for the kids and adults alike. Get there as soon as they open or before sunset to watch birds in flocks. Would love to visit again.

This is a must stop and was informed by the locals to check it out. Do you need a place to meditate, a good view, to feed some turtles or gators, to bird watch?...the list goes on. I love the bird blind areas that show the different types of birds with their pictures and names. I spotted some beautiful egrets ,and I loved watching a beautiful crane standing so still in a clearing he almost looked like a statue. They must pay this guy to stand in just the right spot posing for pictures haha...stunning! I'll definitely have to check out one of their guided birding tours next time I'm around. It was a lot of fun feeding Bubbles, (one of the turtle residents here). I noticed she has a routine. She will come out of her wooden enclosure, walk towards you, grab the lettuce, and do a circle back into her little wooden hut. She did this little circle about 4 times for each of my 4 pieces of lettuce. Atleast she knows you have to do laps to earn your calories. What a total cutie! Inside they have enclosures with baby alligators. So it was interesting to see them so upclose and personal. There is a very large alligator here who is a legend. They call him Big Padre. He's over 12 feet and 750 pounds of move it or lose it Texas tough energy. Make sure to check this scaley legend out if in the area.

Awesome place to visit, especially with kids! We went earlier in the morning around 9 AM and it was not busy at all. The staff there were super pleasant and helpful especially with the tortoise feeding and the alligators were really a sight to see for the kids. The boardwalk was the right length for families and had plenty of shaded birding stops. The value was definitely there especially with the very discounted kids price. Overall we had a great time and it was a nice morning activity before brunch.

So I ended up enjoying this place more than I thought! It was a drizzly day here so we decided to check it out. The people that work here are so kind & helpful. Our wristband lasts all day- so we could visit again later in the day if we wanted to return. The birds that you will see as you follow a boardwalk over wetlands are all identified by signs & info. Beautiful birds. One section outside the building on boardwalk was dedicated to tortoises. It was rainy, so they didn't want to come out of hiding. If its a nice day, they come out & you can feed them lettuce. (Purchased inside.) We also saw an area of "juvenile alligators" and also a huge 12.5' gator with an interesting story! Inside, there was an informative classroom-type area where we saw families & kids learning about reptiles & they were able to hold them. (NO THANKS! ) Upstairs, several displays. One included different shells. There's also a gift-shop. Most of the sanctuary is outside, but a nice break from the beach.

Beautiful location on South Padre Island!! Loving the nature trails! Lovely destination for a family vacation!!

I love this place! We go back every time I'm at the island. The people are so well informed and so kind. I would recommend doing the alligator upgrade!

We came early this morning. It is a beautiful sanctuary- new boardwalks throughout with covered lookouts. It started to rain- so we went in a lookout. Refreshing and beautiful view of a rainbow- after the rain added to a wonderful experience. We listened to an amazing talk about alligators, and learned so much! Highly recommend this beautiful bird, alligator, and tortoise sanctuary. Wildlife all over and the friendliest staff!

Wife loves birding so this was a natural visit for us. Very well laid out property with plenty of bird, fish and gator viewing opportunities. Easy parking and $10 adult entry fee. Three story building with indoor displays and then the outdoor walking areas with shaded stops along the way which take you out into the bay inlets and around back to the parking lot. We saw plenty of different birds (bring your binoculars) fish and gators. Looking forward to visiting again in the fall with cooler temps as late May was a bit toasty for the outdoor section. Well worth a visit if you enjoy viewing wildlife!

I'm a fan of any endeavor that educates the public on environmental concerns while preserving nature. That's what these guys do best. Set on the edge of the glorious Laguna Madre,nestled into a mangrove shoreline,these folks do it right. Many places of this ilk are either over commercialized or too complicated. They have a natural and simplistic approach to education through,diaromas,displayed,presentations and direct observation. I must have seen at least 20 bird species in my casual walk over the lagoon boardwalk. A look down into the mangrove reveals red fish feeding, schools of mullet and crabs. If your on the island don't miss this friendly and valuable experience.

The lady who worked at admissions was not too nice. She helped the guests in front of us but then when it was my turn, she got on the phone and sent me away. The overall experience was nice. My husband and I both enjoyed ourselves. We saw alligators, a few fish, and tortoises.

Excellent area to bird! As an ornithologist, I was very excited to visit this area on my trip to South Padre. Well worth the $10 entry fee. Greats birds and knowledgeable, kind staff. Did not get five stars because the smell of the nearby sewage treatment was a bit hard to stomach.

We had such an amazing time. It was truly relaxing , beautiful and educational. We loved holding the baby gators, seeing all the Elwood life and just getting lost in the moment. Will definitely visit again

I absolutely LOVED it here. It was our last stop on our way back home and it was definitely worth it. The landscaping around the property is beautiful! There are a series of connected boardwalks that take you to see gorgeous birds, reptiles, and plant life. We were able to take the stairway that wraps around the building and leads to the top where you get a breathtaking view of everything below and the surrounding area. It was simple but still a lot of fun. I would suggest generously applying insect repellent before going, but other than that it's hard not to enjoy yourself!

I liked coming to the south padre island birding and nature preserve. The guy who did the presentation did a fantastic job. Big padre and laguna was so fantastic and yet intimidating at the same time. Make sure you hold an alligator and the python because holding both of those might be a once in a lifetime opportunity that you won't regret and it will also be a great memory.

Our 2nd trip to the island and the center. We enjoyed all that the center and the docents were able to teach us. It is peaceful and tranquil here - we spent a few hours here. We did not see the white duck until the very end of our walkabout - it was so exciting to reconnect with him - just don't remember his name. I'll put a few pictures on the review so you can see him. We learned about the dual habitats, alligators, regional and migrating species of birds and so much more. The bunny, tortoises and the turtles were so fun. We even added some new jokes to our repertoire from the docents. Thank you for providing such an integral service to the environment and communities in this neck of the woods. We love coming back every chance we get.

Very well done. I am not a "birder". I would say it's simply because I don't have the patience for it. That said, I do appreciate beautiful birds. I probably visited the birding center at the wrong time of day, and on a very windy day. My guess is most of the birds were hunkered down trying to not get blown away. This center is very nice. The walkways are in great condition, the information signs are colorful and full of great information. The blinds are spacious and clean. I loved just walking all the walkways and hoping to see a species or two. Kids will love seeing the alligators near the information center, and probably love the view from the observation tower (take the stairs, the elevator is very slow). Everyone working here was polite and helpful. Bring binoculars and a long lens, if you'd like to try your hand a photographing the birds. I enjoyed my visit here. Time your visit right, and I bet it's a real treat, filled with a wide variety of birds to see.

I have to admit this sanctuary surpassed my expectations. It was worth a $10 entry fee since we spent two hours looking at all the cages, aquariums and outdoor pathways. Everything is housed within a large two-story building complete with a gift shop. Inside the building you can get up close to all the lizards, snakes, alligators and turtles. There are also several exhibits and informational theater areas to learn more about the wildlife. You can then climb up to the top of the outdoors tower to get a fantastic panoramic view of the surrounding area. We enjoyed the leisurely walk along the marsh land pathways to see all the birds, fish and other wildlife. You can sign up for an alligator class where your kids can actually handle the gators. Their mouths are taped shut to protect from being bitten. They do have some outdoor seating in case you want to enjoy some of the beverages they sell on premise. So if you're looking for something different and enjoyable to do on the island, this spot should be on your list.

This was the perfect place to take my toddler. The front desk worker was very helpful. There was plenty of room for my toddler to run on the pier. We did try to be mindful of others that were bird watching. My kiddo had a great time seeing the alligators and turtles.

Super friendly staff Amazing walk thru all areas!!! Alligators, birds, turtles , crab sand more more more Highly recommend especially if you have children!! Perfect place to relax ! Near by is a turtle place too. It is nice to have two nature places near

Really near experience. My kids loved the feeding the alligators and tortoises. Having the opportunity to walk up to a tortoise and feed it was really neat for them. The kids enjoyed Big Padre and watching him be fed!

This place is awesome and was right across the street from our hotel so it was nice to just walk across the street. Plus I saw you could hold a baby alligator and I've wanted to do that forever so of course we're going! I think it was $8 to get in and an extra $10 fro hold the baby gator. That's fine. It's a cool place and I for sure don't mind paying to help with the costs. You walk inside and can walk around in there on two different levels checking things out plus they have an area for the slide show about alligators and a cute little gift shop. You can go outside and walk along the walkways to see wild critters (and some not so wild.....they have alligators and tortoises you can feed) and then you can see the 12 foot Big Padre which is a huge alligator they had to remove from the wild as people kept feeding him. Stupid people. You can also climb all the steps up the top of the lookout...or you can be lazy like us and take the elevator. It was vacation tally, we were relaxing! Holding the baby alligator was super cool; he was so soft and sweet. Then I got to hold a snake too which I just loved! Definitely worth the money for me! Even if you don't pay the extra check this place out as they are doing a lot of good things for the critters that live on Padre and can use the support!

2 mile nature walk. Where you will see birds, fish. Crabs, gators, etc. Great staff, gift shop as well. Daily $8.00, yearly pass So many places to sit and relax. Watch birds, or nature. We loved the song bird garden. And the butterfly garden. Also loved holding the babies.

Educational and affordable. Great area to checkout the wildlife and feed the gators, long walking trail so wear comfortable shoes. And there's a butterfly area in the trail! (Not sure if the owned the butterfly garden along the street that looks abandoned now)

I didn't think this would be worth it but it was! Greeted by a super informative park guide. Saw amazing views of the area from a super high lighthouse vantage point. Kids got to feed tortoises. Saw a bunch of alligators. Really nice 1/2 mile boardwalk. Fountains, Butterflies, snakes, a possum, bunny, rats. Was really good and cheap!!

Amazing, beautiful, interesting. If you like birds, sea life, well worth a visit. Well designed. You learn a lot.

Great learning opportunity for the whole family! Would recommend to go in the morning to avoid sun. Family enjoyed all the experience even in sun. Kids have to try holding the small alligators!

A beautiful center with loads of information. We did the self guided tour which was still fun. We were about to tour all inside the building and walk the paths all through the property. Very beautiful. They had many bird watching areas. We aren't big bird people so just seeing some here and there was cool. We loved that along the way they had information about what you would see. You can get into some tortoise enclosures and feed them lettuce. They weren't requiring masks when we went. They have stairs and also elevators in the main building. Definitely recommend. Also a very good price for family trips and it won't break the bank. Being from Houston and trying to visit some museums or centers it can get quite pricy for families traveling together

Great place! Staff was amazing! We had an amazing time. This is a definite stop every time we are on the island. We saw fish, tons of birds, alligators, snakes, and more. If you are near, stop by. You won't regret it.

This place was so amazing, we were actually trying to go to the turtle place next door but since it wasn't open till 10 and we were there before then we decided to check this place out. We brought our dog because they are allowed at the turtle place and she was allowed here too just not on the boardwalk which was understandable once we saw how many gators in the water here. We were going to take turns but the woman at the front offered to hold her for us. We were so thankful for her because the boardwalk trails were so beautiful. We saw so much wildlife and were even able to feed the tortoises which was so much fun.

Must do if you are spending time on the island, but ONLY if you sign up for the 2 hour guided tour, held daily. The best $5 extra you can spend. Our tour was led by a bright eyed eager young man who delightedly geeked out over all the birds seen. Two hours flew by with great stories, and plenty to see and do. One of best nature tours we've taken. We heard from others on the island that went on this tour and others that just did a self-guided, and the difference was night and day. People that visit without the tour are generally just ho-hum. People taking the $5 guided tour had a much better experience. Please don't be so cheap you don't spend $5 extra on the guided tour.

I love taking walks and hikes and this place provides a beautiful walkway Thru nature and the animals were fun to watch. We got to see Big Padre eat and be pet, and the observation tower gave an epic view of trees and ocean. Only nitpick is the power plant kinda ruins the view 3/4ths the way thru but that can't be helped. Otherwise it's great

Really reasonable for an adult it's $6 and you can come back before they close and watch the sunset. We did not do this but may come back another day before we leave. Lots of cool birds. I could go back time and time again. The butterfly portion was small. I went to the butterfly world is Scottsdale Az and that was amazing. However that was a closed location, this place was open and butterflies could come and go as they please. Advice for visitors: if you check in on here you get binoculars for 1/2 the normal cost $1.50 but allot of people brought their own. There was even a few people with spotters scopes.

Very nice nature center focused on birds, but. It to the exclusion of other animals. They have alligators, tortoises, turtles, and fish for watching. Almost all outdoors in the native environment. The elevated boardwalk is about 3,000 feet long where you will see a large variety of birds, mostly waterfowl.

This was very enjoyable, but probably not the best with children, some of the wildlife can't handle the noise they tend to generate. It's a long self-guided tour, maybe 1 hour if you do everything (Butterfly Garden, the Bird Sanctuary, the observation tower, and the movie). But the bird sanctuary alone could take much longer depending on how patient you are.

This is another place we visit yearly and enjoy seeing the changes. Bring a hat, sunscreen, binoculars, and prepare to have a low key bird watching time. Be sure to buy tortoise food as you can hand feed them.

This place is amazing! Take a walk along the boardwalk and see a ton of different birds in a variety of environments. Loads of hummingbirds, wading birds, and so much more! If that's not enough, there's a ton of alligators to see. A great place even if you're not much of a bird-watcher. Can't wait to visit again!

My friends and I LOVED this place! We HIGHLY RECOMMEND getting the $3 turtle lettuce to feed the turtles with! We expected to simply toss it into a cage, but we were actually able to hand feed them. Never done that before!

Great stop in South Padre especially if you have kids. See all sorts of native wildlife including colorful birds, alligators and turtles. Definitely worth the extra couple dollars to feed the tortoises. If you can, try and go around 11:30 when the usually feed Big Padre (12ft Alligator). Be warned it's very hot in the summer afternoons!

Beautiful place. I was worried my 7 year old twins would find it boring but they enjoyed looking for all the various wildlife and definitely enjoyed holding an alligator and snake.

This was my favorite time spent in south padre. I recommend showing up for the alligator talk and then exploring after that. We got lucky and the timing was perfect so we even paid a little extra to hold the alligator and take photos. Recommend feeding the alligators and turtles, it makes the experience much more memorable

We absolutely loved our visit here in November of 2020. The staff was so nice and social distancing was enforced even in the animal feeding areas. The scenery is beautiful and so much wildlife and educational material. Our daughter is almost 3 and she had a blast. So did we.

A nice relaxing spot with great views! You can also feed the tortoises (my personal favorite!) & small gators. We also got the adventure pack for the kids and they got to hold a baby gator, get in the water with the baby gators, and hold a snake.

Awesome place! A must for anyone visiting SPI. Great staff great facilities and a good place to educate yourself about and experience the local wildlife

I would say this was the best attraction from our weekend trip. We paid a few dollars extra to buy some lettuce for feeding tortoises and pellets to feed some young gators. We saw a ton of beautiful birds and some turtles. I recommend bringing binoculars. They also have some to rent for $3. Everyone here was friendly and clearly enthusiastic about what they do. We sat for a short informative presentation on alligators which was pleasantly entertaining. Nice way to spend a couple of hours! Also, the gift shop was better than expected - I got some pretty floral print items for my kitchen.

This place was very well kept. You were able to see many different birds. They have guided tours, films to watch and bird blinds along the trail so you can sit back and relax. They also had charts so you can properly identify the birds you saw along the trail. They've got pools of juvenile alligators. They also have tortoises that you are allowed to feed.

The inside of the building has some interesting exhibits but the boardwalk the estuary is the best part. Well worth a visit.

This place was wonderful! I fed tortoises romaine! you could get in their pen with them to feed! Fed the gators from the boardwalk also. Food for tortoises and gators is available for purchase when you enter. Well worth a few dollars to feed these beautiful creatures. Saw many cool birds that I had never seen before on the endless boardwalks. There are covered areas to sit, rest and get out of the sun along the boardwalks. We spotted a nest with 3 baby green herons right by the board walk! The birds were very close by and didn't seem fazed by people walking so close to them. This place has a very unique ecosystem, hyper salinity, but even fresh water birds come in the winter. Back at the entrance there is a gift shop with all kinds of wonderful nature themed items. Also a room for presentations, etc with tanks containing baby gators, turtles and snakes. If you love birds and nature, don't miss visiting here during your stay.

The service was very good and everything regarding the preserve was explained well. They had plenty of walking area to observe nature fully. You get to see plenty of bird up close and personal and had plenty within a few yards of us. They do a good job of keep the trail shaded with bird watching area's so on extra hot days you can cool down.

Aside from the water treatment plant next door (that they've skillfully touted as part of this attraction) this place is so completely serene. It's amazing that it's right off of the main road. Perfect place to spend a leisure afternoon just walking around and enjoying the wildlife. A must visit when in South Padre! Friendly, helpful staff. Super clean and comfortable facility.

$6 for adult. Well worth the money. This is a tremendously well kept trail and you get to see an enormous selection of birds, fish and alligators. For a rather small area there is an unbelievable concentration and variety of bird species. It is better than any wildlife refuge that you could go to, because every couple of steps you will see a different and amazing sight of nature. You can see fish swimming because it is so shallow and the birds as they dive to get them. Look for the alligators under the board walk. I didn't find them on the Isla Birding trail on the day that I visited, but later when I took the neighboring trail from the convention center (Laguna Madre Nature trail) I cam across one giant gator. The museum at the Birding and Nature center is also well designed and the information is interesting and current. Make sure to climb up the stairs to check out the magnificent view from the top (there is also an elevator if you want to avoid the stairs). It was a clear and windy day when I was there. From that vantage point you can see quite far and you will notice the array of bird species dotting the boardwalk trail bellow. There is a water treatment facility on one side of the Nature center. At first I thought that this would be bothersome and ugly, but in fact it was interesting to see. It is a true sentiment to the preservation of nature on South Padre Island, that they can bring this advanced technology to a rather small population. From the top view at the birding center there is a nice sign that describes all of the parts of the water treatment plant.