River Bend Nature Center Reviews

OK for kids, but, not much for adults.
Attentive staff, however. Pretty small scale overall. Looks like they are trying to recover from the impacts of Covid and Wintertime losses. So, might be better stocked in a few months.

Went just to pass the time and get out of the hotel. Staff was very friendly and well informed.. It was nice to have someone tell us about the different species.. We will definitely be back when it's cooler..

Beautiful facility and a great place for kids to attend summer camp. Nice outdoor pavilion overlooking Lucy Park.

I have been to a lot of different nature centers, I was not expecting much from such a small one, I was pleasantly surprised! The center and the volunteers are excellent. The docent showed all the reptiles and fed them, we then went to see the Road Runner and prairie dogs, which were very tame and we got up close and personal. We then went to butterfly garden which is amazing. We did not tour that much outside because it was extremely windy that day. I will visit again if I'm ever in the area.

My kids and I love coming here. They have weekly activities and events for kids of all ages. They have a gift shop, native animals on display, they bring in special speakers. They also have a nice, large walk through Atrium, with more native animals, plants and trees, and a beautiful butterfly garden. They also have an outdoor pavilion, and even a small ceremony space for weddings and events. Attached is a large, wilderness area untouched in the heart of the city with several trails, it was so serene and calming. Their mission seems to bring awareness and education about our local ecosystems and wildlife. Including activities for kids with nature, science and history in mind. My kids liked the recent Dinosaur activity, we also seen the archeologist from Dinosaur Train speak. Love this place!!!

This was a nice stop with my 15 and 18 year old boys. They were interested in the educational displays as well as the hands on. The trails were fun to walk around as well but i suggest mosquito repellant. The staff is very friendly and well educated.they answered many questions from my boys.

Yeah, you gotta hunt for it if you are not from Wichita Falls or otherwise not savvy on this city. The hunt will be well rewarded. This is one of the finest nature centers to be found anywhere, interpreting the southern Rolling Plains ecosystems. The staff is knowledgeable and extremely well versed in guest satisfaction. Most of the complex may be toured (walking) for no charge whatsoever, while entrance fees for the butterfly house are unbelievably low.

I really enjoyed visiting here. Great staff very knowledgeable and helpful. Just a great relaxing place.

Growing center especially neat @ the Holiday season ! Staff extremely helpful and kind to visitors of all ages! Family friendly and they treasure the community

It looked messy, and no information was given in the entrance. The place is small in size, not many live plants, a lot of grass, and just saw butterflies, a cute roadrunner, and turtles on February. I have seen smaller places do better all year long. Even the entrance of the street had more bloming flowers than them.

my brother ask me to help him setup a birthday party for all his grand babies last year. they were all under the ages of 6. it was very nice and very interesting, our guide was very knowledgeable as well as friendly...we die the dinosaur dig...kiddos had lots of fun( so did the few adults)...a very pleasant outting

This place was an awesome distraction while waiting for our Hotel room to be ready, I am sure it would be so pretty in the Spring and Summer when everything is in bloom, Loved the indoor area with the Butterflies , The staff was so helpful with information, nice walking paths and cozy sitting areas

One of the few things that a family can do in Wichita Falls on a Sunday. Our toddler enjoyed the turtles, rats, butterflies, well, and the sand box.

Visited this during the Christmas Light display and was quite impressed. Begin in the glass enclosed nature center then walk down the hillside on paved trails through the woods. Along the way you visit many different lighted displays. Very festive.

Loved it. The tour guide had lots if interesting info about the local flora and fauna. We went there with two teenagers and they were impressed also.

For only a few dollars, we had a wonderful experience enjoying the creatures here as we'll as the staff. Everyone was genuinely happy to be working there and excited to share their knowledge in a friendly environment. The entrance fee was so low, we very willingly made a donation to support this haven for nature. Everyone, young and old, should visit.

Beautiful venue for a wedding. We had ours here in 2015 and couldn't have asked for a better experience. The pavilion is roomy and the layout was perfect.

Also a family friendly place for children to learn and interact more with nature. There is something for everyone. A must see for sure.

Great place for young kids. The events are awesome. Love the gift shop. It has a wide variety if items to choose from. Reasonably priced as well. Will be going back!!!

This is a great little nature center with some amazing staff. Each person we spoke with (they had separate staff members in each area) was extremely helpful and pretty knowledgeable about their area. Though the indoor portion is a relatively small facility overall, they have a wide variety of both static displays and live animals to view. The butterfly shack was a special treat, and definitely worth visiting. We didn't make it to the spacious outdoor grounds due to our time constraints, but this would be a great hike for a family or couple seeking some outdoor time.

Took a four year old, a ten year old and a thirteen year old and they ALL enjoyed it. The butter house was beautiful,informative and very hands on. The trails are lit up around Christmas, another good family time. A MUST SEE

While on our way to Colorado we decide to research fun, affordable outing to give our toddlers relief from being stuck in the car for hours. This served us quite well and our children enjoyed it. The only reason it didn't get a 5 out of 5 was that there seemed to be few staff members on site and available. Not a complaint just an observation. There are interesting exhibits and activities that kept our little ones engaged and entertained for an hour or more. I recommend for families with young children.

I had no idea this place was here and I have lived in the area for quite some time. I found the center to be educational, informative, a great place to bring kids, well kept and a staff that is both helpful and attentive. This a great spot to bring your family or come on your own to stroll around for a few hours and pass the time away.

I had limited time but thanks to the best guides one could want it was a very very enjoyable time

Hope to get back with the grandkids

We stopped here to stretch our legs and take a break from driving. The staff was so friendly and the guy showing us around got some of the animals out of the cages and my kids got to pet them. The nature walk was really nice too. We saw several animal tracks and lots of grasshoppers! I highly recommend this place.

River Bend Nature Center is made up of a large butterfly habitat, nature trails, classroom and meeting facilities, and indoor and outdoor party areas. The site overlooks the Wichita River. Children's nature classes and community events such as a lighted trail at Christmas are always highly attended and enjoyed by all.

We planned on stopping for just a few minutes to pass some time before our next activity and ended up staying about an hour! The staf is very knowledgeable and there is something for ALL ages! We loved the prairie dog area and the hands on activities that we found throughout!!! We ran out of time to do the walking trail, but plan to go back when it's cooler and do it!

Although there was some cool little creatures here, it’s more of a “only with kids” type thing. We stopped in and it didn’t take long to walk through, common animals. I will say the staff made the highlights for us. They explained the butterfly house (the best part for us), and got the animals to come out so we could see them.

We like the gentleman who walked us around very informative, Great place to stop and explore. We will be visiting again

Nature can be an experience enjoyed by all and River Bend Nature Center has a fabulous facility as well as wonderful guides that obviously love what they do and it shows!

Great place to visit and utilize especially for an outside event. Beautiful facility, large space. Held an outdoor wedding here, they have a lovely little 'chapel' in an outdoor arbor with bench seats in the shade of large trees. Did not really visit the nature center museum, but the outdoor pavillions, nature trails, etc are stunning. Parking is a bit limited.

I totally have to go back, in this visit we have only one day to be around and the river bend was the place i choose to go, that was just perfect plus the weather really was nice to be outside. If yoy visit Wichita Falls i highly recommended this little paradise to bring your family

I took a personal tour of the center, shown round by one of the employees who turned out to be highly knowledgeable about almost every aspect of nature and animals. The variety of animals here is astounding, from the roadrunner walking around with twigs in his mouth to the rat that looks so cute and clean. Well worth a visit.

$6 admission for adults, less if you’re a student.

Staff were friendly and very knowledgeable about the animals kept the facility which are all rescues.

There’s a lovely butterfly room, and trail you can walk around where you may see some wildlife and a nice area used for weddings.

Really great to do if you have children.

Every time we have been my grandkids have loved it! The staff is always so willing to educate and show you each of the animals. I tell you all about them at a level of children can understand. Sitting in the atrium and then going into the butterfly garden is so peaceful and beautiful.

Barbara was our guide and she made the whole trip so interesting. Telling us about the animals and butterflies. Our daughter was beyond excited. The exhibits were interactive and engaging. This place is a complete gem. Very beautiful and tranquil grounds. We saw various animal tracks and even found a real fossil. We got to release butterflies and hold and pet the animals. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. The staff is friendly and You and your kids will have a blast.

Decided to check it out one afternoon and had a great time. Very relaxing walking down the trails and inside the people were quite polite and informative. Want to entertain some kids? Have em burn energy on the trails and then check out the snakes on the inside.

Traveling with teens and baby...nice facility with knowledgeable staff, cool indoor AC, & activities for kids. Kevin had so much knowledge about each and every creature there and you can really tell that he loves them all. We enjoyed our time there very much!

I took my 3 boys' ages 5, 7, and 9 in August about 2 hours before closing time for the nature center. At first glance the center seems bland. We were the only visitors. Not many exhibits Not a very large space. As we tried to navigate on our own, the few cased animals were in hiding so we did not see much. Just as we were nearly done with the center, we stumbled upon Kevin. Kevin enhanced our visit and made it all worth while. He took the time and patiently shared his vast knowledge about the animals, plants and insects. He was considerate of all questions from my little ones and answered them in a patient manner to which they could understand. He gave my boys an up close and personal hands on experience with some of the exhibits that my boys are thrilled to have had. Without Kevin's presence with us, this could have easily been a meaningless trip.

We took our Grandson and had a great time. We also enrolled him in a camp and very pleased with the daily activities and projects the staff put together for the kids.

We have visitied for events, had birthday parties here and attended weddings here. The place always has something different to offer.

It was a beautiful wedding. The bride wore purple and her bridesmaid. The men wore black suits, and green shirts.
She picked this place for it was near the grandfather who had been ill and could not travel very far. It was wonderful with everyone happy. The nature center's birds sang with us and the airplane circling above was all part of what made this great!

We took our just turned 3 year old grandson here for the first time for all of us. We are seniors so we purchased a year's membership for all three of us, it was that wonderful. Full of interesting exhibits, Kid friendly, informed docent, many live animals, snakes, turtles, prairie dogs and the wonderful butterfly exhibit. Also grand gift shop. Only problem we had to walk through the gift shop to get in and out! Grandson spied many things he wanted!!!

We loved the experience, the friendliness of Kevin and his wonderful knowledge of the animals and plants mostly native to the area. The roadrunner was really funny and Kevin fed him his lunch for us. Worth the trip for sure. We will go back.

The wonderful staff goes the extra mile to make your visit informative. While the exhibits are small, one can certainly get an idea of the native species. Loved the road runner, and the butterfly house. Schools seem to make good use of the facility, as we had a couple of bus loads of children just leaving as we arrived. It is obvious that funding is tight. Kudos to the staff for all of their efforts.

I found this off the path exhibition as some friend's used the facilities for their wedding. They have beautiful trails and outdoor chapel just for such events and nestled in a natural park setting with great permanent bench seating. They also have a nice covered pavilion for large groups that is very open and well lit and offers protection in case of weather.
They do have an enclosed indoor nature trail for a small fee you can experience some of the local flora and fauna and the pass is good for the day so you can come and go as you please.
I'm a photographer and have used and recommended it to many of my clients for lovely outdoor backgrounds and landscapes.
Well worth the time to spend a few hours for a leisurely walk or spend the day.

On recent visit to the Wichita Falls area visiting family we made our way to River Bend Nature Center. There we met Kevin, one of the staff, and he gave us a first class trip through the facility. Kevin is extremely knowledgeable about the creatures and plants that you will see there. We also met Gabe who has a world of knowledge on the insects found in Texas. There two guys made this one of the best experiences we have ever had at a Nature Center.

We stopped in on a cold and windy day and would suggest coming back when the weather permits for a more enjoyable walk around the grounds. The learning center and butterfly were enjoyable albeit small. I wish I could remember the employee who helped us learn about the animals with the nature center. He was so great and gave our kids all sorts of interesting info about the animals.

Would stop in again.

Really enjoyed the nature center. Friendly and very knowledgeable staff. Had a wheel chair we could borrow so my daughter could go out on the trail. Kids activities. Very affordable cost.

My kids extremely enjoyed themselves the entire time. Staff helped with any and all questions. Even during Christmas the sites was interesting.

We had been meaning to go to this for years and finally made it. We were lucky as Kevin guided us around and passed on some interesting facts plus we were introduced to Rocco the Roadrunner and his stick collection. Interesting fact, scorpions excrete a chemical that makes them fluoresce under a black light. Good visit

The docents were great! My 4 yr old granddaughter requested that we have it here. During the Christmas season they have Electra Critters. It is an outdoor christmas display that you walk through. We all had a blast!

Nice place to stop and let the kids in all of the car unwind and view a great nature display.

There is a lot of potential here but the place is looking a bit tired, potentially due to the long running dry streak in Texas. Hopefully it will come good in the future. Butterflys were disappointing, we honestly see more in our local wildlife reserve.

The outdoor nature walk was nice with good signage and small features built by a scout troop.

Staff were pleasant and enthusiastic about the facility.

I had my wedding here and it was truly amazing. The Chapel down the path was perfect. The added lighting that they provided made it magical. Everyone thought it was just beautiful there. I have to agree. Even if you aren't planning a wedding they have a green house area that is awesome. They do event's all the time. They have several different kinds of LIVE insect and reptile exhibits. The trail itself is a lovely walk.

This is not a zoo this is a learning center that has animals that have been rescued and rehabilitated and unable to go back into the wild. For a nominal entry fee a docent gives you a guided tour then you can walk around on a lot of trails. I found it fascinating and I hope you will too

If you are in Wichita Falls and are looking for something to do which will help you learn about the region, this is a great place to go.

And, you get to play with butterflies. What could be more exciting?

They have a wonderful trail outback that is mostly paved which makes it so accessible to someone in a wheelchair or who has other disabilities.

Lovely spot. Nice afternoon visit. Butterfly garden is nice. Great trail. Friendly staff. Worth a look if you're here seeking something to do!

We visited the center in our vacation last november the staff was so friendly and helpfull it was almost like having a privet tourguide they also had a wheelchair for me to use..

For many people who visit Wichita Falls, it is easy to find out that there's not much to see or do in this city. Even so, there are a few interesting places worth visiting in this town. The River Bend Nature Center is that place.

When you drive to here, you will quickly notice the building because you can see the glass building as you drive to it. It will look more of a business building than a nature center. It is located next to Lucy Park.

When you arrive, you enter through the gift shop. It is clever that the nature center made the gift shop the exit and enter. It increases the likelihood that you will purchase something. This nature center is a non-profit organization. It means that it receives grants from the government based on the number of people who visit. If more people visit, the more grant money that the center receives. To record the number of visitors, the receptionist will ask you to sign in a book. Even though the center is a non-profit organization, it charges for admission to enter the museum. My family (wife and two daughters) and I cost $16 to enter the museum.

The center does a great job to keep children entertained. It has a searching activity which my children had to find specific things in the center. If they found them all, they would receive a prize, which they did receive one. Another cool activity for the children is that they have art supplies to allow them to create their own animals.

One tip that I must advise heavily is that you must allow Kevin to take you around the center. He is very passionate about his job to the point that you will learn a lot about the animals in the museum. Many of the animals in the museums are very comfortable with him. Also, he will give you the opportunity to touch the animals, which add the fun experience. For example, my children and I got the opportunity to touch some snakes.

Keven will take you outside to the greenhouse area. To go outside the greenhouse area, you will need a USDA certified representative, which Kevin is. The greenhouse area is wonderfully designed. I enjoyed that some of the animals could roam free. There was a roadrunner that would run around. It was obvious that the center wanted to make the environment for the animals as realistic as possible. Two parts of the greenhouse area that children will enjoy are the prairie dogs and the butterfly displays. These two parts of the exhibit were the best part of this center. As my family and I continued with Kevin, he continued to teach us about the animals and plants. In fact, he told about this cool plant that I want to own in my yard. He told me about the American Beautyberry. This plant does multiple things: bug repellent and jam. The oil from the leaves provide bug repellent against mosquitos and fire ants. Also, the berries on this plant can be made into delicious jam.

After you finish the greenhouse exhibit, you can go outside and explore the area more. There are picnic tables, so you can relax and enjoy the day. Overall, this place is worth it. I like to call it the jewel of Wichita Falls!

Spent a few hours here on my daughters birthday. Neat insect exhibit. Gardens were very nice. The park nearby is also very nice.

Nice small native species . Butterfly exhibit. Nature trail with a pond. Nice Large outdoor pavillion. Educational Displays. Friendly Staff and Volunteers. Traveling Exhibits and Shows. Low Entrance fee.

We've been here twice now - once with our child and once with our nieces and nephews. It's a great place for kids, with several different themes throughout the center; spiders and snakes near the entrance, and more of a "tropical" theme in a separate area. There are some cute little games for the kids (stamping, building little crafts), and they loved the prairie dogs and butterfly room.

My in-laws, my wife, my daughter, and nephew visited this place during Christmas time. It was beautifully decorated!! And the animals they had were amazing. You can pet a few of them.
The walkthrough they have of their forest is very relaxin and romantic. If you are in Wichita Falls just go! You will not regret it. The fee to enter is minimal.

My family and me had unforgettable experience in this place. So much fun and joy to see passion for work, kindness and friendliness of staff. We had Kevin (very nice, polite and knowledgeable guy) as a guide and he opened for us amazing world of wild nature. He gave us colorful descriptions of every stone,animal and plant. Everybody has a names and story behind. You can touch and pet everything, see everything very close, and ot gives you incredible feeling of involvement in wild nature. That was the most enjoyable part of our visit. Thank you Kevin for assistance and your professionalism... Thank you guys for great enviroment, friendly atmosphere and very educated team!

It was an interesting place to visit (although we really just went to get something at the gift shop). I enjoyed the butterfly room and got some ideas for my own garden. Probably better in cooler weather when the trail is not so hot!

Very therapeutic & relaxing , it’s a nice little town to get away for the day to enjoy the scenery & fresh air !

I love bringing my daughter here. Their butterfly pavilion is really cute, they have a nice trail to walk around, different animals in a closed in exhibit, and a learning center for kids. A very nice place.

We went in January and were surprised that even everything in the greenhouse was dormant; the trees had all lost their leaves with piles of dead leaves everywhere, the grasses and plants were all dead (and not cleaned up), etc. The only living thing was a holly-type of plant and a few in the corners. We did get to see some very friendly prairie dogs with our guide Kevin (very informative) pick one up who loved to be scratched on her belly (see photo). We also got very close to a roadrunner. Other than the very small butterfly house with about 6 types of slow-flying butterflies (because of the cooler weather), not much to see.

The inside of the center had insects, bones, fossils, turtles and snakes with guides who were quite informative, and they had tables set up for kids to learn and make crafts. Great for rainy days, but I wouldn't want to pay full-price admission for that. They should consider charging half price in the winter months.

We also walked the paved path which dead-ended at a stagnant "pond". Again, nothing to see but brown winter trees. They had a dirt path that went through the woods, but it was too muddy to travel. There was lots of tree debris everywhere which needed to be cleaned up and also some old outbuildings that looked like they housed animals at one time. This place doesn't seem to be well maintained, at least not in the winter months.

Very small nature center but for only $5.00, what can you expect? I'm sure small kids would love it and for that price it would be worth it in the summer.

Had a great, interesting and informative tour guide! He took his time to explain EVERYTHING and answer any questions we had before moving on to the next exibits. . You can see the love of animals and plants in every staff member here. Amazing trip! Well worth the time.

They were the most hospitable folks. Very reasonably priced and a great venue for daughters wedding. Two thumbs up

Took my great grandchildren here just for something to do on spring break last year and was pleasantly surprised at how they enjoyed the tour. The helpers were very knowledgeable of all exhibits and helpful. I highly recommend the nature center for all ages.

We went for the Electricritter light show. Not at all impressive. If you have teens or preteens, i promise you they will NOT enjoy this place, not much to see for them.

My husband and I got married here. Best experience EVER! Staff is beyond helpful and sweet. The grounds are beyond gorgeous! Our pictures turned out amazing. You must see the butterflies, animals and road runner. Please donate to this awesome place.

Visited on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Because of the time of year, plants and flowers were not at their best. Staff in gift shop were great. A young lady told us about some of the inside caged reptiles. Even let us touch them. The butterfly house was dull. The few butterflies were a bright spot. Plants were sparse.. Well worth a visit at a better season.

We just returned from our visit and really enjoyed ourselves. We have a 2yo and he was very entertained. We got there first thing and hardly anyone was there so we had a lot of personal one on One with the staff which was really nice, they showed us alot of the animals up close and personal which was really cool! The butterfly exhibit was so nice and peaceful! The children's garden was a little disappointed not much to do in my opinion. But it was a pleasant walk and not too far. We did not go on the nature trail because it was too hot. But overall a really good experience! Small and quaint.

My kids loved this place, and they learned a lot about butterflies, plants and Nature! All the staff was very attentive and Kevin was awesome, the kids learned a lot from Kevin. Thank you Kevin for passing your knowledge along!!

This place is geared towards younger children, I felt. However it was still interesting for my older children. You'll learn some unusual facts about different animals. There are reptiles, prairie dogs, a road runner just to name a few. Also a butterfly in- closer.
Outside there are trails to walk, you may look for animal tracks or just enjoy the nature. Also a dino dig site, a small pond with nets and small rock wall.

The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.
There is a small gift shop on site.
I would say, this is worth the small entrance fee of $5 per person.

The nature center is located just before the entrance to Lucy park. The main building contains plants, butterflies, a roadrunner, turtles, and prairie dogs. The outside has more plants and two trails that lead into the forested area surrounding the center. The activity room has lots of things for kids to do and see.

The entrance fee is very reasonable. Great outing for the kids.

This was a very pleasant way to spend some hours before going to the hockey game! We entered through the gift shop which has a lot of nice things reasonably priced. Then on to the inside area where you meet some of the inhabitants, spiders, turtles, snakes, etc. We had a most informative guide who told us all about the animals and creatures (including their names) and took us outside to meet even more creatures. It was just a refreshing visit to see and learn about nature.

At my own back door. First time to ever visit the Nature Center. My niece rent the"log cabin " that is there for a birthday party and I was soooo surprised to see how nice the area is. Playground equipment is top knot and wild life everywhere. Thanks Wichita Falls👍

This was the most wonderful experience! The girl who showed us around had just started there two weeks ago, and she was fantastic! So sweet and answered all of our questions! She showed us all the animals and even took some out for us to see up close .

Took my children here not long ago and what an amazing experience. The kids had an amazing time listening to stories, making crafts, taking a hike and looking at all the butterflies. We cannot wait until they are old enough for the camps and everything they provide in the summer. The staff was super friendly and patient with all the kids of all ages.

Very friendly. How they different variety of animals that came from either different county or state. And the butterfly’s were gorgeous. And our Guide toward was very in detail.

The staff are extremely helpful and informative. This is a great place to spend a couple hours. Especially educational for children since they can touch the reptiles.

Living here there's no zoo or aquarium that they can go to so this is the closest thing Wichita Falls has. They have so aquariums and terrariums, a roadrunner, and a butterfly room. There's also a nature trail, and some educational areas. My oldest got to do a summer camp there this year, and she really enjoyed it.

My wife and I visited in an effort to find something to do in Wichita Falls. The outdoor nature area was more or less a wooded area with a trail to walk and enjoy being "secluded". The indoor conservation building was rather plain but did have a few interesting animals to look at. Overall, I believe we spent maybe 45 minutes before we ran out of things to do or look at and left. I appreciate the effort and the idea but don't expect anything spectacular here.

Had a day in Wichita Falls to explore and decided to take in the Nature Center. There is a wonderful display of native plants and trees. A walkway takes the visitor down to the stream below. There is also a butterfly enclosure and a children's garden.

We had such a wonderful time there! But probably it wouldn't have been that way without the invaluable help of their nice crew. They were all awesome! My 4 yr old boy had a blast. They let us pet the snakes, the rats, the butterflies, and even some odd turtles. We learned a lot. Something that really amazed me was the energy and love with which every member referred to the animals there. I can tell they love what they do. Keep it up guys!

Visiting this nature center allows you to actually touch and view the many varying vegetation native to Texas. The presence of small native animals in different ecosystems is not only entertaining, but educational. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly, enhancing an already fun experience! Entering the butterfly habitat is one way to actually have these illusive creatures fly all around you and even momentarily rest on your head, shoulder, or even your finger.
The SPECIAL EVENTS that are presented at various times throughout the year add yet another dimension and assorted activities for your enjoyment. This is easy walking for the very young and the not so young adventurers. You may spend as much time as you like inside or outside touring the entire Nature Center. The "SHOP" inside has delightful fun and educational books and merchandise that is irresistible! I ALWAYS NEED at least two or three things from the shop! I recommend visiting RIVER BEND whenever you get a chance. The small price of admission is a GREAT investment for sharing with your entire family..... A MEMORABLE FUN adventure together!!!!

Being a small exhibit, I got to speak with the employees who shared many wonderful facts about the butterflies. The kids were ecstatic to be around them!

We attended a wedding at the pavilion. The area was very spacious and clean. There were fairy lights around the enclosure, which gave it a nice touch. There were plenty of tables for the meal after the wedding. The view was beautiful!

There's a lot fitted into a small space here! The inside exhibits are air conditioned, which was good news on the day I visited. I'd have loved to spend more time on the nature trail but- phew - it was just too steamy!

Loved the ground hogs and the tortoises (turtles to my US friends), but disappointed I didn't get to see any armadillos, apart from one stuffed examples!

This is a wonderful experience for all ages. The special educational programs for kids are particularly good. Don't miss the Electricritters during Thanksgiving - Christmas holiday.

I took my seven-year-old grandson to RiverBend. He really enjoyed seeing the. He really enjoyed seeing the snakes there and got to hold a couple. He also love seeing rocky the Roadrunner, the prairie dogs and the Tortoise. We finally Wonder down to where the butterflies were and he had a lot of fun watching them. We also walked outside down the pathway and since the weather was nice, it was fun for him to run around outside.

This place was great! The staff were friendly and informative about all the wildlife they had there. The guide took the time to present and inform us on any animal, insect, and reptile we wanted to know more about. This was very inexpensive for all they had there and offered. We have something similar in Massachusetts and it costs 6 times more for less of an experience. I highly recommend this to anyone at any age. My children are all in their 20's and they loved it!!

It really is very neglected compared to the image they sold me, and there are only reptiles and rodents, the few staff that provide excellent service are the only thing that could save me from my visit.

As part of a trip back for a high school reunion a classmate and I made it a goal to see what the sights were to be seen in Wichita Falls. This place is worth the trip the butterfly room had about 5 different specimens in the room. Also got to see some of the typical Texas wildlife box turtles, road runner, armadillo, grouse, spiders, snakes. A drive thru the park afterwards. Staff was friendly.

Nice walking paths. Information signs were fun to read. Staff was friendly and very knowledgeable. Try going early, by afternoon it was a bit warm, but still ok.

We took our two grand daughters expecting much much more. We didn't have to pay admission due to a large group attending at the same time. Good thing because it would have been a waste of money. Hot, dry and in many displays no critters unless you call fake animals in a landscaped environment something worth seeing. Very few butterflies in the exhibit. This place need some work.

Every trip I've made to Riverbend is better than the last one! The docents and employees are knowledgeable and friendly. Very eager to share their excitement of such a neat place. If you are lucky a butterfly will land on your shoulder! My grandkids are still talking about it!

Ben there many times with class field trips. Always fun, informative and hands on. The staff is friendly, parking is great and there's a covered area for picnics.

Many different exhibits - great learning experience
The butterfly pavilion is astonishing.
Staff was very knowledgeable and friendly

Went with a group of parents and young kids. The staff was attentive and helpful. We were fortunate to see a roadrunner, and enjoyed the beautiful butterflies. Such a nice, clean, well-run facility.

This was so fun! Cool to see some texas' spiders and snakes! We had a great guide who knew everything we asked about. An intelligent young man! I love it! Only thing was that it was a bit smaller than expected! Great!

Nice place - the conservatory even had a roadrunner running around as well as a small but very nice butterfly room. The paved paths allow easy access to walk through native plants while the unpaved section allows visitors to find tracks of racoons, possums, deer, and more. Fortunately or unfortunately for me, the gift shop had all sorts of interesting items for purchase. My only suggestion for improvement would be more labels for the native plants, many of which were unfamiliar to me.

We were told there was "nothing" for families to do in Wichita Falls and were pleasantly surprised to find this gem. It won't take a whole day to explore, but it's great for a couple of hours and well worth the admission fee of $5 per person. Our docent was Kevin and was extremely informative, answering any questions my children had and offering up plenty of information. I will note for any other families with strollers that not all of the trails are stroller friendly, but there was a nice path that could be taken before I had to carry it the remainder of the way (I could have turned around, but my child was insistent on completing both trails for the scavenger hunt).

This Nature Center was well maintained and the staff was very friendly. We absolutely loved the Butterfly Garden area.

We stopped here on our way through town on a road trip so we could stretch our legs. It was ok. I've been to way better nature centers and Botanical gardens but it wasn't bad. Perhaps it would be much better in the spring when all the flowers are in bloom. In the summer when we went everything was dry and looked dead. The butterfly part was nice and the guy there was super friendly pointing out the different types of butterflies. They have a few live animals inside (turtles, snakes, and lizards) and the nature walk has the potential to be pretty....when its not too hot. If you decide to do the nature walk be sure to bring mosquito repellent as we were swarmed and bitten quite a bit by them. Overall it was ok but I think it might be better for kids. $6 admission is a fair price for what it is.

A small place, but full of knowledgeable staff ever willing to entertain us. What exhibits they had they were well presented. There is an outside short trek, but it was getting quite hot and lack of shade, decided to forego this excursion.

Not only is this a fun place to take the whole family, it is also a very educational place for everyone who loves the great outdoors. A beautiful setting.

We also had our kids rehearsal dinner there and it was beautiful.

The has a lot to offer and is perfect for young children. There is a decent trail that goes through the woods and they have a butterfly exhibit along with some other animals that you can check out. Plenty of activities for the little ones.

A fun place to spend a couple of hours or longer. A great conservatory (a docent is required to be with you while you're in it) and lots of wild areas to explore on your own. The $5 admission price is reasonable, and it was not busy during our weekday visit. Let the docent tell you about the animals in the exhibits room. The one who helped us knows a lot!

We visited on a Saturday when it was snowing outside so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. The children checked out explorer packs at the front desk. They had binoculars, magnifying glass, flash light, etc. and a scavenger hunt sheet that could be completed for a small prize. There were interesting exploration and arts activities set out on the tables for the children to interact. We were watching Eleanor the tarantula when Vinny (staff) came out to answer questions, give us info, and entertain us. We loved the spiders, snakes, and aquariums, birds that come when called, butterfly garden, and nature path.

I had this on the top of my list of things to see/do in Wichita Falls, TX. I got there early and had the place to myself! It was great, I was able to look around. The guides were very friendly and helpful. A good variety of animals to look at and learn about.

River Bend is a star in the cap of Wichita Falls!! It is an amazing facility with so much to do and learn for people of all ages. Great place to spend time with family and friends.

No one was there went we went so it was easy to take the walk and wonder through the inside. Great little nature center and wonderful staff to say the least. Very Knowledgeable and friendly.

Went there on a trip to texas in March. Walked the outdoor trail and spent some time in the green house. The staff in the green house were very friendly and answered questions.

If driving through Wichita Falls and need a little break, definitely a good place to go to.

Stopped here to check it out on a whim on the way home from a road trip over the holiday weekend. There were not a lot of people out that day and the staff gave us (me, wife, baby) a personal tour and introduced us to all of the animals. Pulled most of them out of the cages. Staff was extremely knowledgable and friendly. Was well worth what we paid to get in. Would be a great day trip for families with small children.

One of those attractions where you think, "Hmmmm, this might be a bit lame". But. Actually, it's terrific. The advertised road runner, prairie dogs, turtles, etc. live up to expectations. The butterflies steal the show. Several species. Every day, some emerging from their pupae. Knowledgeable guides. Good for adults and kids.

A very pleasant spot for the Wichita Falls area. Especially good for kids, but a nature lover of any age could thing things of interest,

We stopped in to see the local animals and the information on the area. Lots for kids to do and keep interested. I would recommend for anyone in Wichita falls

Took my 2 grand children there for a couple of hours. Ages 11 & 7. They liked it. The butterfly exhibit was very interesting. Don't think it would be much for older kids.

Its good place for kid's interest and ok for adults. I liked their gift shop though.

Great visit, friendly staff. We enjoyed the walking trail and the indoor exhibits, Learned some interesting things during our visit.

It features a massive butterfly room, smaller exhibits, and in the winter host a lighted holiday display walk. Admission is reasonable, and kids will love it.

We took our grandkids for their Christmas lights. The kids loved and 8t is definitely more suited for the younger kids. The lights were very nice and the displays were too. The Butterfly Queen, not so much. We were expecting someone in some type of butterfly outfit/costume. That wasn't the case. 🤔 She was very friendly to the kids and showed them some butterflies coming out of their cocoons. I give it a 7 but the kids said 10.

Not much to see really. But a nice short outing with young children. The staff were truly very friendly. I did enjoy the walking paths.

I recommended for people enjoy nature to visit. It is small scale, but you might find treasure in the hidden places. The weather was perfect. We enjoyed the most the butterfly encounter!! They are so pretty and delicate!!

Awesome place to take the kids and learn a lot!! Was super cheep really fun place to go and take kids! They loved it and we loved it and the guides were really great and told you all about the animals and bugs and reptiles and held them and let the kids touch some cool stuff!

Nice conservatory: AMAZING butterfly collection gave us some incredibly photo shots! Docent was KNOWLEDGEABLE and ATTENTIVE!

I went with a school group. Most of the experience was walking through the center. Not much for the children to view. Some of the items didn't appeal to younger children. They didn't have any butterflies, so this was disappointing. Wouldn't want to return.

Beautiful respite in the city. Great collection of plants, animals, bugs (alive and and otherwise) and an exquisite butterfly conservatory. Naturalist Kevin Seman answered every question we had and shared fascinating facts. We even saw the resident roadrunner eat his lunch - a tasty mouse. That was a first! Hiking trails and a children’s area. Look like they do a great job with children’s education.

Price is reasonable. Staff friendly. I went to the Bug Fest the first visit and it was great!! Spider races, bug hunts and displays of bugs, snakes, turtles, etc. Children loved it.

I just love this place. Every time I go there is always something different to see and it is affordable too

Wow, this was really a cool place. Lots of things to see and a great nature trail. Give yourself enough time to look around.

What an amazing place! We went here in the heat of the Texas summer but enjoyed an afternoon walk through nature in a wooded area. The tour given by the employees inside was awesome as well. The butterfly area was a special experience. Everyone coming to town should visit Riverbend.

Could of had more activities to look at or do but it was still an amazing place with great helpful staff that really care and have a lot of great knowledge! Beautiful place

Every time I visit, I walk away shaking my head and saying, "I didn't know that!" You should come by and spend some time, whether just a short while or an afternoon, it is so relaxing.

Great to see in every season. The Christmas Trail of Lights is very fun. Special programs and interactive opportunities for wild life are enjoyed year round and for every age. Great gift store with unique items.

Had a blast kids got to hold birds and feed animals we also had a coloring contest I helped a little. Kids like the turtle and the snake more than anything.

Knowledgeable staff. Tour was excellent and we loved the butterflies! My husband got to hold a tranchala!

The coloring sheets was fun and making them into puppets, The staff was amazing, the lady at the butterfly station explained everything to detail!! We even experienced a butterfly hatching!!..the trails we're fun!! And the gift shop has a neat variety to pick from.. we definitely will be back!!

This nature center was really nice. It's a simple center but the staff guides you through half of the facility which makes it a fun and educational experience. Our 1.5 year old loved it. I think one area of improvement might be adding a little more wildlife.

Stopped here as a place to stretch our legs on our way to vacation while traveling with our 5 month old and two year old. Nice little trail to hike that's a kilometer, partly paved and partly dirt. It was just right for our adventurous toddler. Also has indoor area with blocks, lizards, coloring activities as well as an air conditioned conservatory with rabbits, prairie dogs, and butterfly house. Just right for a couple hour stretch break.

This is a cute little place, but it is not extensive. There is a reason it is only $6.I love what they are doing to educate people and protect species. If you have kids, go, enjoy. Otherwise you may be a bit underwhelmed.

If you are in Wichita Falls, this is a must see. A small nice center, very welcoming, well kept and educating for all ages.

Every summer my grandchildren come for a week and we always make this part of the week! They enjoy walking the indoor trails seeing all the wildlife and stopping now and then to hear an experienced guide teach about the animals. Of course we look forward to the week all the butterflies emerge from their cocoons!

River Bend has been well established in Wichita Falls for several ears. I t is a great spot for families to visit and even offers a day camp during the summer! Since I live here my grandchildren have all been there at one time r another.

Children and adults love River Bend! Wonderful Nature Center with so much to see. Go at Christmas to see the lit up Christmas Critters!

This is a great place to take your kids. Very informative and they will like it. The best place to take a kid in wichita falls

We were three adults and a 17 year old. We all enjoyed the afternoon more than expected. We had a very knowledgeable older male employee who was giving us amazing information about all the displays. There is a cute scavenger hunt that kids can do but all of us played against each other. There were lots of butterflies even outside and a roadrunner that was fed a mouse right near our feet. It was a really fun afternoon out of the 98 degree day.

On a trip with an overnight/half day stopover in Wichita Falls, we stopped here on a whim after seeing it is the top rated attraction in Wichita Falls. We were very impressed by the whole place and experience! It deserves its spot as the top attraction in town. Admission is reasonably priced. We went with our kids, ages 5 and 1. It is perfect for my very inquisitive and science minded 5 year old. A very kind and knowledgable man was our docent, and he did a fantastic job. He had lots of patience with my son but also kept the grow ups interested. He allowed my son and daughter to look closely at several insects and animals in the first room, and he really cared about the animals they have in the center. He also showed us different plants in the large indoor exhibit and let us smell the leaves. My son and I were able to spend an extended time in the butterfly garden, which is very peaceful and interesting. Also great is the scavenger hunt for kids and the discovery backpacks they check out to kids for free. Inside are things like a magnifying glass, measuring tape, things to do bark rubbings, and more. The outdoor part was really nice too, with the digging box perfect for my kids to dig up fossilized cow bones. The paved trail is pleasant as well. This is a real hidden gem and well worth the stop on your trip. The facility is also top notch. The only thing that could improve would be better signs showing you where it is located. We almost didn't see the sign, and there aren't any real info signs showing you how to get here from the major highways, at least that we saw. Thanks for a great experience!

This is such a great place. Our guide Kevin knew everything he was so informative. The butterfly place was awesome. The trail walk for wheelchairs and on the dirt work beautiful

This is a great place to take a child or a date. There are volunteers on site who are very knowledgeable. The specimens in the vistitor's center are interesting and the outdoor garden is full of observation possibilities.

I take my grandkids, ages 6 & 8, here often. They love seeing the insects and animals. There are knowledgeable people to explain all about them. They get a lot of enjoyment out of the activities also.

We had guests from the NW where nature abounds, so we took them to this lovely treasure to show them all the critters that dwell here. There displays are well done, the staff is interactive, friendly and very helpful. This is enjoyable for both adults and children. There are activities for kids to make things for a great learning experience.

River bend nature is a nice place to take the kids for a small outing. They have a small butterfly room that my kids loved along with some exhibits of a few snakes and bugs. Their Halloween event is the best thing they have going for them.

I am such a kid at heart. I couldn't resist the opportunity to participate in the RBNC Scavenger Hunt. I love these kinds of these because it makes you really slow down and enjoy your experience and ask questions from the very friendly staff. We even discovered that they are equipped to host weddings and receptions for those nature lovers.

This is a great place to take kids for a great nature experience. I take my Granddaughter every summer when she visits and she loves it. Staff is very knowledgeable and good with kids.

In very early May we spent a couple of hours at the River Bend Nature Center learning about local animals, their personalities most especially show-cased. There was a very knowledgeable young man who handled a well-fed Norway Rat for us to pet, an inquisitive snake, and should you have a tendency towards spiders, tarantulas! There were prairie dogs, one in particular chewing on his pants as he explained their intricate family system, and a roadrunner who seemed to be speaking directly with the young man, begging for treats. They have many types of turtles, some interesting fish, a few other birds, and a wonderful small butterfly exhibit where the delicate creatures fly about your heads, and land on the flowers and feeders. Outside, there's a wonderful ramped walking area down to a creek. Give it at the very least an hour of your time. You won't regret it!

Cute little place. Smaller than expected but very cute. Has a few animals and butterflies to look at. Lots of walking areas.

It is most pleasant especially as my grandchild shares his experiences with me. We both get a great kick eine there.

Nice stroll around with Christmas lights out. Super nice people and knowledgeable. Outside was a nice quiet easy paved path.

All 4 of my grandchildren have attended summer camps at RBNC for multiple years. The fact that they ask to go back each year is a testament to the fun learning environment. The three oldest (youngest is just starting kindergarten) all say science is their favorite subject!

Take my kids here for most events they host, they never seem to tire of it. Always a please is the butterfly garden.

Took my grand daughter here and she loved it. She is a little shy , but after a few minutes she was laughing and really loved handling the animals and going in the buttefly cage.

We took our two grandsons there. (6 and 8) Before we even went through the door they told us it was going to be “boring”. Boy did they change their minds. They loved looking at all the snakes and turtles. Then we took a 20 minute hike in the woods. It was a great way to break up our long car drive.

We went to visit the center's "Electric Critters". We enjoyed it very much. The staff is friendly and they have a wider arrange of displays than I was expecting.
They have a cute little shop where kids can visit the Clause Clan and pick up a candy cane. They also have an old fashioned wagon lit up that kids can board and hear a story. For a small city and a nonprofit, I was pleasantly surprised by this charming spectacle. My son had tons of fun. When the event is over you can go inside and enjoy popcorn and cider. A nice way to spend time with your kids and enjoy the season while supporting a worthwhile cause.

Admitting that we never made it outside to the walking trails, it's a small place but was a perfect size for our purposes. We needed a break from our road trip and spent a great hour getting "schooled" by [very knowledgeable] Kevin about everything we saw...snakes, prairie dogs, butterflies, etc. Totally worth the time and the amazingly small price.

I've never been for the regular tour but the Christmas Electricritters (I think I spelled that close) was great for the small children.

We toured with our adult children, teenage grandchildren and other young children. We all enjoyed the experience. The staff was very knowledgeable about the creatures there. They made the time fun and educational for all of us.

They have made many upgrades to the place over the last few years. It used to just be a nature trail with a gift shop, but now they have many small scale events there. They have a beautiful pavilion and terrace that they rent for weddings.

This place is very educational and hands on for kids. It's also a great place for adults to visit. I Love to take pictures of nature and I was able to get some awesome pictures while visiting.

This is a great place for get-togethers, like picnics, birthday parties, reunions. There is a wonderful butterfly sanctuary and a short hiking trail. They have great parking and a gift shop, and a wonderful pavilion area that can be used for live music.

Get close up to many animals here. The roadrunner has a thing for shoes, and kept pecking at ours, but he can't hurt you. Be sure to go into the butterflies if it is a sunny day!

My first visit to the River Bend Nature Center and what a nice surprise. The inside portion is larger that I expected and the sections on reptiles and insects was interesting and informative and the enclosed trail portion had interesting live animal and reptile areas. The center also has great educational and informative signs covering the plants and animals of north Texas and occasional life-like models of animals as displays. The staff really makes this place special, very friendly and informative and really good with kids. I spent about an hour here and look forward to another visit. Recommended.