Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center image

Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center

Tourist attraction Hiking area Nature preserve

One of the Best Places To Visits in Harrisburg


Address

100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, PA 17110, United States

Website

explorewildwoodpark.org

Contact

+1 717-221-0292

Rating on Google Maps

4.80 (428 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Wednesday: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Thursday: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Friday: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Saturday: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Sunday: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: 10 am to 4 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: center (18) nature (16) great (11) trails (9) nice (7) walk (7) love (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Michelle S. 10 months ago on Google
    Today was my 1st time there and I WILL be back. I really liked the observation deck.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 stella H. 1 year ago on Google • 59 reviews
    Beautiful place and perfect for field trips!! Great for my kids that are different ages that are homeschooled it’s for any age and kept very clean. Got to see a lot of wildlife and loved inside the little museum they have. The trails have a ton of different art that is very beautiful. Love coming here for walks
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Lonnie G. 1 year ago on Google • 207 reviews
    A wonderful educational resource right in our backyard. The center is a great place to learn about the wetlands or just sit quietly and observe. There is almost always a new event that is on display at the center so we visit several times a year. Tigers in the wild was a huge success. Thank You!

  • 5/5 Bianca C. 1 year ago on Google • 174 reviews
    We love the Wild Wood Park and the nature center. The 3-mile paved path offers a sense of cleanliness and an easy walking experience. There are a few up and down hills around the lake but they are not so steep. There are some overlook spots give out an overview of the area. There're a few paths were blocked due to structural damages. Hopefully, they can be repaired soon. The highlight is the nature center. The observation window allows visitors an opportunity to capture birds of all species at one spot. It's also a great spot for a photo opportunity. The photo contest offer a sense of community engagement and fun for all ages. I highly recommend visiting this park and nature center all seasons!! The best part is it is free even with parking.

  • 5/5 Chrylann D. 1 year ago on Google
    The staff was so nice. We came on a rainy day and they opened early for us. They also have easy guides for bird watching posted on the walls.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kaitlin T. 6 months ago on Google • 23 reviews
    Lovely little nature center. Nice boardwalk trails. Friendly staff at the center. Clean restrooms in the building and two other accessible bathrooms outside building hours. Dog friendly. Handicap accessible trails.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 נעמה �. 5 years ago on Google
    Peaceful park, great verity of trails. The center is beautifully done, very interactive at kids level. Would love to come again, there's lots to see and do there.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Louis B. 4 months ago on Google • 88 reviews
    This place is really nice any time of year honestly it is in the Wildwood Park area and his handicap accessible

  • 5/5 M H. 7 months ago on Google • 77 reviews
    Amazing! What a nice surprise. The preschoolers in our family loved it, as well as the adults. Saw a fawn on the walk, and the center is first class - loved this place!

  • 5/5 Timothy S. 5 months ago on Google • 46 reviews
    There are so many things this location offers... There's a great deal of natural wildlife and beautiful scenery to be found. It's rich in history as well as a wonderful place to take your family. It's about 3 miles around the primary trail and there are side trails one can take to enjoy a little rougher terrain. The boardwalks have been renovated and reopened. The nature center host events throughout the year and the staff who work here and take care of the park are absolutely fantastic. People even fish here and do a great deal of wildlife photography. It's a central location and a spot of natural wonder in the middle of the urban landscape.

  • 5/5 Trish B. 5 months ago on Google • 39 reviews
    Great place to get some walking in; see some ducks, turtles, and observe nature's beauty. Best part about it, is that it's right in the city; but when you're in the Park, you really forget you're still in the hustle bustle of Harrisburg. The information center/nature center is also really nice.

  • 5/5 Simeon 1 year ago on Google • 26 reviews
    Wildwood is one of my favorites! My partner is building art that will be shown in March, which makes this place even more special now! It's just a wonderful, naturey, easy hike that is very family friendly, and you get to see some great wildlife as well!

  • 5/5 Sharon H. 4 months ago on Google • 25 reviews
    We love this nature park! The staff is always nice. Their facilities are wonderful. They have a great children's learning center - very hands-on! They encourage learning and conservation! We love our trips there!

  • 5/5 oen k. 1 year ago on Google
    Sweet peaceful Park/Nature Center where we learned a lot about limestone quarrying and traditional kiln production. What interesting old infrastructure! 3 Carolina Wrens were serenading us the whole walk!

  • 5/5 Margaret T. 10 months ago on Google
    We brought the children from our church for a nature scavenger hunt. We rented a pavillion and the staff were very good about the small provisions needed for the kids to " find" the hidden things. It is such a great trail, even toddlers and children with disabilities can enjoy themselves SAFELY. The kids really enjoyed the Nature Center too! Worth EVERY tax dollar invested!

  • 5/5 Mark K. 11 months ago on Google
    Beautiful nature center peaceful great place to take walk sit inside watch birds& squirrel's chipmunk 🐿 feed @ stations

  • 5/5 Stacie E. 10 months ago on Google
    The science center was clean, fun and informative. Gift area was nice and the personnel were friendly and helpful. Nature walk was beautiful and has lots of animals to see in their wild habitat. All in all it was a wonderful adventure!

  • 5/5 Susan S. 2 years ago on Google
    Very good place for family visit, especially for the curious little ones.

  • 5/5 Jeffrey L. 8 months ago on Google
    Great nature center, did the delta and north boardwalk trails which were quite long and made hiking through nature easy, recommend the pavilion at the end of the north boardwalk. They had Art in the Wild displays too which were cute. Nature center itself had fun worksheet for the kids and was educational, plus had great bird watching since they put out the bird seed and hummingbird feeders. Highly recommended for nature lovers!

  • 5/5 Tara Z. 8 months ago on Google
    So many fun nature learning activities for children and even a library so that they can read or be read to! It also has a lot of information, a small gift shop and restrooms. Definitely a fun time before or after a nature walk outside!

  • 5/5 Janet R. 1 year ago on Google
    It is generally more crowded on the weekends, but there are so many trails, you are bound to find some quiet spots. Great place for bird watching and herping.

  • 5/5 Gerry G. 1 year ago on Google
    A great place to walk, jog or bike. All ages love this place. Many different nature trails.

  • 4/5 amanda k. 1 year ago on Google
    This was our family's 2nd time coming. We love the outdoor space and the inside space. Our 3 year old enjoys the activities. Very fun place to go be outside, see some animals and interact with nice people inside.

  • 4/5 bob s. 2 years ago on Google
    There are several trails to walk on the fairly level 3 mile hike around the lake.

  • 5/5 Rachel N. 1 year ago on Google
    We absolutely LOVED our trip to the nature center. It was very well kept, tidy, and clean smelling. We saw so much activity at the viewing window; birds of all kinds, chipmunks, and groundhogs! The twins are 3 and they ran around each exhibit twice or more and discovered something new for nearly two hours! We picked up some kid's binoculars from the gift shop and left a small donation of our gratitude! We can't wait to go back. In the meantime, we're working on our bird watching "skills". This is a public treasure.


Call +1 717-221-0292 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Pets
    • ✓️ Dogs allowed
  • Activities
    • ✓️ Hiking
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible car park
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance

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