Explore the Great Outdoors TNC preserves provide the perfect place to reconnect with family with enjoying all that nature has to offer. © Grant Beachy
Your next family adventure may be closer than you think.
A short walk becomes a wildflower treasure hunt. One bird sighting turns into a search for more. Before long, an ordinary afternoon becomes a family adventure you'll be talking about for years.
The question is: where will your family explore next?
The Nature Conservancy's network of over 800 nature preserves are incredible places to make memories and spark curiosity in nature. Whether your family is into hiking, wildlife spotting, or simply being outside, our preserves are for you. From stroller-friendly trails to hands-on volunteer opportunities, these destinations are perfect for finding your connection in nature—together.
Find Your Next Adventure
The 10 preserves featured below are just a few of the many places where families can explore, discover and connect with nature together!
Explore
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- Blowing Rocks Preserve
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Blowing Rocks Preserve
Quick Look
Near Jupiter, Blowing Rocks Preserve offers short, family-friendly trails, interpretive signs and a scenic beach where waves surge through limestone rocks. Families can picnic, explore the Hawley Education Center, learn about coastal wildlife and, seasonally, spot sea turtles. Kids can also extend the adventure with interactive missions and games through TNC’s mobile app.
- Morgan Swamp Preserve
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Morgan Swamp Preserve
Quick Look
Less than an hour from Cleveland, Morgan Swamp Preserve offers family-friendly adventures across 2,000 acres of wetlands, forests and prairies. Explore scenic trails, watch for beavers and river otters, and enjoy accessible amenities including a fishing pier, canoe and kayak launch, playground and nature center with exhibits and events throughout the year.
- Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve
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Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve
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Get kids excited before you arrive with the preserve’s downloadable coloring book, then explore a 1.3-mile stroller-friendly boardwalk trail through vibrant wetland habitat. Along the way, discover educational exhibits, climb the observation tower for sweeping views and enjoy a self-guided audio tour that brings the preserve’s plants, wildlife and conservation stories to life.
- South Cape May Meadows
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South Cape May Meadows
Quick Look
Located along the Atlantic Flyway, South Cape May Meadows is a family-friendly destination featuring more than two miles of flat, accessible trails, a protected beach and abundant wildlife viewing. Families can enjoy a self-guided audio tour, ADA-accessible boardwalk, interactive Welcome Center and scenic connections to Cape May Point State Park, the Cape May Lighthouse and Delaware Bay.
- Cypress Island Preserve
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Cypress Island Preserve
Quick Look
Step into a classic Louisiana cypress swamp at Cypress Island Preserve, just a short drive from Lafayette, Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Families can explore a 2.5-mile levee trail, spot wildlife like alligators and nesting birds, visit the Visitor Center, enjoy a picnic and launch a kayak or canoe for a closer look at this unique wetland ecosystem.
- Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve
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Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve
Quick Look
Discover a hidden natural oasis in the heart of New Hampshire’s largest city. Families can explore 1.8 miles of easy trails winding through towering ferns, old-growth black gum trees and a rare Atlantic white cedar swamp. The universally accessible All Persons Trail features interpretive signs and optional audio tours, making it easy for visitors of all ages and abilities to connect with nature.
- Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
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Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
Quick Look
Spark your family’s inner cowboy at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, home to more than 2,000 free-ranging bison roaming North America’s largest protected remnant of tallgrass prairie. Families can enjoy scenic drives, hiking trails, wildlife viewing, wildflowers and wide-open spaces, then stop by the Visitor Center to learn more about this iconic landscape and the animals that call it home.
- Nachusa Grasslands Preserve
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Nachusa Grasslands Preserve
Quick Look
Just two hours from Chicago, Nachusa Grasslands offers families a glimpse of the historic Midwest with sweeping prairies, roaming bison and abundant wildlife. Explore five trailheads that wind through grasslands, streams and sandstone outcrops, watch for birds and turtles, and stop by the Visitor Center to learn about the restoration of this remarkable landscape.
- Nags Head Woods Preserve
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Nags Head Woods Preserve
Quick Look
Trade the crowds of the Outer Banks for a family adventure in one of the East Coast’s largest remaining maritime forests. With eight trails for varying ages and abilities—including an ADA-accessible boardwalk loop—families can hike, birdwatch, fish and explore at their own pace. Don’t miss the audio tour and the chance to spot some of the preserve’s 150+ bird species.
- Robert Y. Pratt Preserve at Ebey’s Landing
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Robert Y. Pratt Preserve at Ebey’s Landing
Quick Look
TNC’s Robert Y. Pratt Preserve at Ebey’s Landing on Whidbey Island features soaring bluffs carpeted with wildflowers overlooking Puget Sound. From its 5.6-mile coastal trail, sweeping views of Mount Rainier can be taken in looking south on a clear day.
Not seeing a preserve near you?
Across all 50 states, The Nature Conservancy welcomes visitors to a network of more than 800 nature preserves. Together, these nature preserves collectively help TNC advance its mission to protect the lands and waters on which all life depends.
See the full map
Tips to Stay Safe & Have Fun Outdoors
Do you recongize the plant in this photo? It's one you want to be able to recognize: poison ivy!
From tick protection to binoculars, here's how you can stay safe and have fun in nature all year from our collegaues at The Nature Conservancy in Ohio.
Why choose a TNC adventure?
Every family outing is a chance to discover something new. Maybe its a wildlife species you've never encountered before, a trail that leads to an amazing view or brand new favorite outdoor spot you'll want to visit again. At TNC's preserves, those discoveries happen in places that are doing something extraordinary: protecting wildlife, restoring habitats and safeguarding the lands and waters that people and nature depend on.
Plus, time outdoors offers benefits that go far beyond the adventure itself. Studies show that spending time in nature can support children's physical and mental well-being, encourage creativity and critical thinking and help them better understand the world around them. A visit to a river or stream can lead to a discussion about where drinking water comes from or what live there or why protecting these special places matters to all of us.
Nature Needs You
Together, we can find a way to create a more sustainable future for both people and nature.
Family Friendly Nature
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