Naturally Curious' Partner Stores

By partnering with conservation organizations to stock their nature stores, we provide visitors with the opportunity to learn more about nature. By sharing our profit, we support their educational and habitat conservation mission. Click the locations below, or scroll down to see an alphabetical list, and learn more about our partner stores. 

Alamo Inn                      (Link)                          

The Alamo Inn is located in the historic sugar building at 801 Main Street in the Rio Grande Valley’s Alamo, TX.  Naturally Curious products are in their Birder’s Information Center.  This is an economical Bed & Breakfast, close to Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge.  Owner Keith Hackland hires out as a bird guide to interested guests, 956-453-3899.

Brazosport Planetarium, Clute                       Link (then click on Nature Center)

NCAP, is a dual purpose facility built around a classroom with theatre seating for 72 people arranged under a 30 foot diameter planetarium dome. The star projector and a variety of computer-controlled auxiliary projectors provide the capability to present shows ranging from astronomy to physics.  They have recently added exhibits to their lobby and are redoing their Planetarium Store (open Fridays from 2-4 and by appointment). Stop in to see what they are doing, or attend a star party or Tuesday night show..

Canyon of the Eagles                                (Link)

Naturally Curious products are in the Nature Lodge Registration area and at the Vanishing Texas River Crews Stop (the park store and launch point for the Vanishing Texas River Cruise) on Lake Buchanan near Burnet, Texas.  You can see Golden-cheeked warblers in the spring, Painted Buntings in the summer, Bald Eagles in the fall and winter.  Take the River Cruise for your best eagle viewing.  The Austin Astronomy club has a telescope there, the lodge follows dark sky protocol, so bring your planispheres and red flash light.

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands, a World Birding Center facility    Link

After celebrating their Grand Opening on March 8th, 2003 (with a small flock of Yellow-throated Warblers migrating through!), this Edinburg World Birding Center facility, overlooking freshwater ponds and at least 8 acres of gardens newly landscaped for butterflies and hummingbirds, is now open to the public.  They change their hours and days of operation seasonally, so check in with them before you go (the grounds are open all day everyday).  They have informative displays, an on-site naturalist to answer questions, several computers running the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Birds of North America software and the Butterflies of South Texas software (both also available for sale in the nature store).  Nature awareness programs are offered regularly, too. This will be a great place to watch grow, both programmatically and botanically!  Located inside the Municipal Park near U.S. 83 and University Drive (look for the water slide, you'll be close).  956-381-9922

Gulf Coast Bird Observatory                    (Link)

Lake Jackson’s place to go for bird and nature information!  Great trail through the Columbia bottomlands, hundreds of hummingbirds in September, Migration Celebration in April. 

Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge  Link

Located on the Laguna Madre in south Texas, this is the place to see wintering waterfowl, especially Redheads, as well as the rest of the South Texas specialty birds.  They have a great butterfly garden and a photo blind at the visitors center (which will now stay open year round rather than closing during the summer) and two driving loops.  This is the base of the ocelot population and research in the Rio Grande Valley.

Longhorn Caverns State Park                        Park Info

We are selling books, our T-shirts that teach and other educational products at this State Park between Burnet and Marble Falls, Texas.  The tour into Longhorn Caverns is a summertime (anytime, really)  must-do, if for no other reason to retrace the paths locals took for heat relief years ago!  Since flowing water sculptured parts of this cave, it's a different experience than many other Texas caves.

McKinney Roughs Nature Park    Park Info

A great spot to hike and enjoy nature's wonders along the Colorado River.  McKinney Roughs is on Highway 71 east of the Austin Airport and west of the Highway 21 exit to San Marcos.  This is where we used to actually staff a nature store! 

Mitchell Lake Audubon Center                        Center Info      Link

Mitchell Lake Audubon Center (MLAC) is a 1300-acre, non-profit, birding, nature and educational facility.  They are open to the public on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment.  Their hours will expand as more docents become available.  Mitchell Lake is popular because of the ponds, and they are in a crossroads where south Texas meets the Hill Country and Blackland Prairie. 

National Audubon Society's Sabal Palm Grove Education Center/ Sanctuary  (Link)

A variety of books on birding in Texas and Mexico and other books of interest to naturalists are available in the Sabal Palm Grove’s visitor center, southeast of Brownsville, Texas’ airport.  There are four great reasons to visit the Sabal Palm Grove--the feeders outside the visitor center that attract Buff-bellied Hummingbirds, Chachalacas, Green Jays and other Rio Grande Valley Specialties; the resacas (ox-bow lakes) with kisdadees, Least Grebes and winter waterfowl; their new butterfly garden with water features; and of course the palm jungle.

Quinta Mazatlan, McAllen's wing of the World Birding Center  (Link)

A 1930’s country estate in the heart of McAllen, Quinta Mazatlan is an historic Spanish Revival adobe hacienda surrounded by lush tropical landscaping and native woodland. A unique conference and events center, close to airports and hotels, Quinta Mazatlan is also an urban oasis, where quiet trails wind through more than 15 acres of birding habitat, enhanced with water and feeders.  With the tropical gardens and remnant Tamaulipan thorn forest, Quinta Mazatlan is both restive and a productive birding spot to see Valley specialties.

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge   (Link to Friends)

A favorite for birders and butterfliers, Santa Ana has a new nature store.  The Friends of the Wildlife Corridor, who support both Santa Ana and the Rio Grande Valley NWR, have taken over the nature store.  The store features our products and works by local artists and other gift items.  The Friends sponsors great canoe trips on the Rio Grande, and offer a wealth of volunteer opportunities at the refuge.

Valley Nature Center, Weslaco     Link

If you want to know how to turn your urban property into a wildlife oasis, this is a great place to go.  They have a great nature store, offer good programs, and host the Dragonfly Days Festival.  Their butterfly gardens are a 'don't miss'.  It's one of the few places I've seen a Texas Tortoise.