I remember going to the Churchville Nature Center as a kid.  We went on Night Walks searching for owls, day hikes around ponds and the great resevoir looking for turtles and frogs and such. And I remember loving every minute of it.  It was a great adventure!

Mom and I took the girls last week and they loved it! Megs loved the exhibits in the nature center, especially the huge eagle flying into her nest  and the hawks "flying above". We stood there for at least a half an hour searching the little exhibits looking for the animals and insects.

So people always ask. . "um, what do I do?  How do I know where to go?"

Go to the nature center and ask for a trail map. Then choose a trail and go.  It is that simple.  On your way back. . or before you go, take a look around the nature center at the exhibits and ask if there are any programs going on that day.  OR plan around a program. Go for a Reptile Hike and then check out the other trails afterward.

It is a cheap (often free) thing to do with the kids on the weekend, that will stick with them.  And once you go, the odds are they will want to go back, so here are some other nature centers to hit in PA.  (Hint:  It is a great thing to do on a rainy day of a vacation!) Below is a list. Print it out. I just did. lol.

Adams County

Strawberry Hill Nature Center and Preserve

Allegheny County

Frick Environmental Center

Fern Hollow Nature Center

Regional Environmental Education Center

Armstrong County

Crooked Creek Environmental Learning Center

Beaver County

Beaver County Conservation District Environmental Center

Berks County

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

J. Larry Boling Environmental Education Center

Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center/State Park

Bucks County

Churchville Nature Center

Peace Valley Nature Center

Silver Lake Nature Center

Butler County

Jennings EE Center/State Park

Carbon County

Carbon County EE Center

Centre County

Shaver's Creek Environmental Center

Millbrook Marsh Nature Center

Chester County

Great Valley Nature Center

Green Valleys Association

Columbia County

Susquehanna Riverlands

Crawford County

Woodcock Creek Nature Center- Crawford County Conservation District

Tamarack Wildlife Rehablitation & Education Center

Cumberland County

Mechanicsburg Trails & Trees Environmental Center

Kings Gap Environmental Education Center/State Park

Dauphin County

Olewine Nature Center at Wildwood Park

Delaware County

Environmental Living Center

Tyler Arboretum

Erie County

Asbury Woods Nature Center

Presque Isle Audubon Society

Stull Interpretive Center

Jefferson County

North Fork Environmental Education Center

Huntingdon County

Shaver's Creek Environmental Center

Lackawanna County

Keystone College Environmental Education Institute

Lancaster County

Holtwood Environmental Center

Lancaster County Environmental Center

Lehigh County

Wildlands Conservancy

Lehigh Gap Nature Center

Luzerne County

Musto Environmental Education Center

Mercer County

Munnell Run Farm

McKeever Environmental Learning Center

Monroe County

Monroe County EE Center

Pocono Wildlife Rehab and Education Center

Montgomery County

Briar Bush Nature Center

Four Mills Nature Center

Valley Forge Nature Center

Montour County

Montour Preserve

Northampton County

Graver Arboretum

Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center/State Park

Perry County

Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area/State Park

Philadelphia County

The Schuylkill Center

Wissahickon Environmental Center

Pennypack Environmental Center

Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania

John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum

Fox Chase Farm

Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center

Cobbs Creek Environmental Education Center

Awbury Arboretum

Pike County

Wallenpaupack Environmental Learning Center

Pocono Environmental Educational Center

Susquehanna County

Woodburne Forest & Wildlife Sanctuary

Union County

R.B. Winter State Park - Halfway Run Environmental Learning Center

Wyoming County

Endless Mountains Nature Center

West Moreland

Powdermill Nature Reserve