Reviews of VINS Nature Center (Tourist Attraction)

Michael Dulude

I really enjoyed my visit. They had a great talk about various owls, hawks and other raptors native to the area with live demonstrations using rescued birds.

Joseph Chambers

If your a fan of predatory birds, Raptors. And who isn't? Then give this place a visit. It's a great place for the family with a knowledgeable staff that will gladly answer your questions.

Dan McGuire

Been there 3 times and it only gets better each visit. Being a raptor fanatic, this well run location does such great eork and public education. Very dedicated staff and IT SHOWS.

Mara S.

Educational and fun!

Matt Gustafson

A great way to experience all the good this charity does for our area.

Sarah Roy

Such a wonderful place! Great way to learn about these beautiful majestic birds.

Daniel Reilly

Alot of birds, very knowledgable and friendly staff,alot of backround on each bird on the displays and very nice facility 10/10 would go again

Brian Walker

Knowledgable people and a great place to see Raptors up close.

Suzanne Grenoble

If you love raptors this is a must. An educational and up close and personal visit with eagles, iwls, Hawks, Ravens and more. Great for all ages, not too challenging for those with walking difficulties.

Elocin VonBlauch

The owls were beautiful and the educational aspect was great.

Susan C

Such a great place. Would be a great place to bring kids.

Jennifer Pattillo

Staff is so very passionate & knowledgeable!

Felipe Zamora

Wish they had more exhibits, it's a fairly short tour. Super friendly staff.

Chosen Karma

Great place to bring the whole family. Many species of birds of prey, up close and personal, very educational and a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff.

David Chin

Love the snowy owls. Stay for the ranger talk or demo. Wait for the feeding.

Anthony Blazej

Great raptor program with chance to see hawks, eagles & owls close up.

James Symonds

A must see, the new canopy wall was fantastic!

Roy Minton

We went on Vermont day with our kids and had a great time. Very engaging.

xirettax

It's an informative center/rehabilitation for birds of prey. We only stayed for a couple of hours. There are talks and demos of examples of birds of prey in the sanctuary as well as nature trails. The visitor center/shop is good too.

Olivia Wright

Wonderful staff, great nature trails, awesome bird shows. Can't wait to go again!

Kiley Briggs

Awesome place. The raptors are all very captivating and the educational programs throughout the day are top notch.

Jeff Bassett

Great experience! They do an awesome job teaching the public about raptors and caring for them.

Lena Marshall

Great place, knowledgeable and caring stuff. Ian is awesome, we learned a lot about raptors from him.

Omri Attal

Very interesting place. Beautiful animals and highly educatable. Must see in Vermont. The short trail is also very nice.

Eric Forbush

This place is truly great. No where have I seen the opportunity to see live birds such as these up close. Rehabilitation for bird such as these is an amazing thing.

Kim Kroeger

Excellent place to go to learn and explore nature

Beverly I bey

What fun on a rainy early spring day. I am more of a grandmother type and I think the shows and facilities are fun for all ages. A great way to spend a few hours learning about native raptors.

Jelly Beans

Sick. Absolutely mental. Such an awesome place to go. The birds are awesome, and the shows are amazing.

pamela Dugan

Family fun for the whole day. Love the new walk way and birds nest

Nikki Turner

So much fun for the whole family. There's something for everyone and it's all very interesting.

Ian C.

I love this place! If you are into birds, especially raptors, check this place out! Also other things to do nearby!

John Dolza

Wonderful family oriented nature center featuring birds of prey. Super cool for all ages, mandatory donation isn't cheap. It's right by the gorge, so a visit of the 2 is an awesome day. The gorge is a hike, with a swimmable river, where good shoes and your suit!

Lisa Sindoni

Fun spot to bring kids, we got to see 2 owls up close at a show. The staff was very informative. Only 2 of the nature trails were open and another exhibit was closed. It's a bit pricey to bring the entire family. I did find a coupon at the resort we stayed at, so that helped bring down the price a bit. The play area was small, but nice for kids.

Annie Chen Andersson

What an awesome place, I learned so much about birds of prey and raptors. The bird show at 11 was fantastic. It was also very cool to see all of the birds in the enclosures. They were very well taken care of and you could tell that the staff was very passionate about their mission. Great place, highly recommend a visit, also to support the mission they have there.

Harry Fell

Incredible to see the care that is taken for the creatures here.

SiouxsieQ 85

A great rescue center to learn about birds of prey. Very educational. Not for very young children. Would suggest this for ages 8 years old and up. Definitely worth a visit.

Vicki W

loved the nature center

Dana Phelps

Interesting exhibits to see so many up close. The walkway was so very nice

Paola Barja

Amazing place to take a closer look at birds and also learn a lot about them. I recommend checking the activity schedule before planning a visit here

Lauren Cain

Very cool

Faith Peterson

Its amazing will be coming back with the Whole Family

djohnwildfong

Great place. The birds are awesome!!

Caleb Fields

Always a fun and educational time. The new canopy walk is very cool. The "Raptors up close" session are always great. See some of the birds up close, ask questions and learn about them

Janet Moses

A valuable service to our wildlife and an educational experience for young and old. If photography is your bag... check this place out!

Victoria Boynton

Wonder to see the raptors up close. Great guides and talks. Very engaging.

Lucy Heath

Great place to see wild birds.

Steven Fiore

Had a great time will be going again.

Winna Heilman

Yup closer and personal with large birds and some unique modern sculptures.

Heather Nantell

Great place for education on birds and so much fun to go to see the wild birds up close

Elizabeth LeBlanc

Really fun place to learn about different kinds of local raptors. All outdoors, so dress appropriately! They also offer various talks so be sure to check out the schedule before arriving to time it with the beginning of the talk if that's something you're interested in. Nice garden, and exhibit on dinosaurs, too.

John McKinnon

Beautiful educational facility and rehab for birds of prey and many others!!!! Last time we were here was opening weekend... it has only got better

Richard Horning

Had lots of fun here and very educational

Beth Merrill

Amazing animal hospital and sanctuary geared to teach kids and adults of all ages.

John Woodbury

Staff is great, very educational. They have a lot of great hiking trails and many birds of prey.

Anais Mercedes Vizcaya

Great place, the staff is very friendly. Very educational place.

Chris Scelza

Very cool place to take the family. Lots of educational moments between the rescued birds of prey and the nature walks. The new treetop canopy is AMAZING! That alone is worth the trip.

Daniel Hoviss

Better in warm weather. Many outside things to see and do.

Michael McCrory

Great spot to learn about raptors and nature conservation. Especially good to get kids outside without them noticing.

Joshua Herbison

Spectacular and educational, learn all about local wildlife through exhibits and live presentations.

Renato Galvez

Small place about birds, especially, raptors. Nice but not too much variety.

sue brownlee

Love this place! Great work towards a wonderful cause. The new canopy walk was awesome!!

Kathryn Brown

Very knowledgeable staff and a great learning experience. Birds are very well taken care of and they do a lot for the community.

Joyce Kovacs

Very impressed by the rescue and education center. The staff presenting a show on Raptors was very knowledgeable and informative and willing to answer all questions.

Maree Rikys

Awesome place. Got there about 2pm in winter (snow on ground) saw the raptor educational talk, and viewed the birds in cages. Then feeding of different types of Owl, Ravens, Eagle, Vulture and hawk. Highly recommended

Ronnie Wetherington

I want to be fair about this rating. While visiting in Vermont we decided to check out VINS as something to do. We drove about 50 miles. It was a scenic drive so no great loss. When we arrived we had expectations of seeing a much larger variety of birds since we have been to similar places. Maybe that was a mistake to expect. Once inside VINS main entrance the ticket cost "$15/ea" seemed a bit high but that's always debatable depending on what you get for your money. We made our way down the hill to where the birds were in display. I'm guessing approximately a dozen or so birds. There are activities that take place and some educational shows at scheduled times. However, being from the country the party I was with didn't see what we had expected. I do believe VINS is a good place for younger children to visit especially if they are from a city living situation. It would be a good field trip for elementary grade schools and/or youth camps. I am writing not just from my own single perspective but from the input of my adult friends who visited with me.

Jay Dub

Great fun for kids and adults!

Jack Welsh

Great experience for my dad and I. The birds are magnificent!

joyce bastarache

Had a lovely time. Beautiful birds, good staff.

Nathan Churchill

I remember when you were up the road and how small it was compared to now. A must see if your in the area

Robert Klein

My family visits VINS every time we visit the area. Staff is always friendly, grounds are immaculate, and the shows are always informative.

Angela French

Great place to bring kids and let them explore. There were two turtles laying eggs right off the path while we were visiting.

Melissa Nelson

This place was awesome

Suzanne RandomWord

An interesting, relaxing, and beautiful place to explore. Meet the raptors!

Sadie Kemp

It's amazing what this people do to help gods creatures.

Ryan The Wine Guy

Just a great experience with wonderful and dedicated staff for the birds here. It's so great what they do. Also seeing the baby birds was so very cute. It's a great stop that won't take up the entire day. If you are lucky you can see falconry going on. That was pretty cool.

April Smith

This place is amazing! So much to see, and I LOVE getting up close with the raptors! I learn so much. Great place for the whole family, and fantastic summer camps for kids. Great organization!

Elise Dearth

Many things to do and educational. Much better to visit in the warmer weather as the birds are outside and walking building to building.

nikki cunningham

Love this place been twice now!!

Julia White

Very friendly and amazing with the kids and animals. <3

Levi Beavin

VINS is an amazing organization that cares for all kinds of birds. If you're considering donating to a non-profit, make sure they are on your list. Not only is it a great education soot, but they have many permanent patients that they try to give good lives as they grow old. Their focus is more towards raptors but they still treat all birds that are brought into their rehab program.

Amanda Clarke

VINS is always such a fun place. We love the new addition that was recently added!

Edward Morales

Not much to say about this place, it is a quick cool little spot to see some wilderness and animals. We went during their Owl Festival and Birds from the World thing. There wasn't much to see but it is a great spot for kids. Inexpensive admission. Friendly people. Solid C for the service and atmosphere.

Gerald Chrisman

Very small amount of birds, not what I expected. But not bad. Sends geared more to group picnic/learning than activities for general public.

Joe Rapuano

Excellent place for all ages to see raptors up close Also has short hiking trails and gift shop

Strait Arrow

Great for kids

Neil P. Allen

This is a fun place to go to learn about owls, crows and raptors. They also have some turtles and a corn snake. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. A good adventure for any age.

Silas Axtell

Went here with some friends and had a blast seeing all sorts of raptors and reptiles. Where else can you see a bald eagle up close?! Great way to spend an afternoon!

Christopher Bensch

Incredible demonstration of raptors in flight. Great for all ages.

Jennifer Mandarino

A Vermont gem! Clean, friendly staff, awesome summer camp and so much love goes into helping out feathered friends and reptiles.

Cherie Barstow

Fun educational experience and gorgeous raptors!

Amy Johnson Khosla

Great place for kids to explore wildlife.

Judy McGraw

Was hoping for more of a guided tour with information at point of sight. Also hoped more about injured animals and how to contact people to care for the injured animal.

Lisa Young

Great place! We especially loved the new Canopy Walk!

Andrew King

Place is small and the birds looked unhappy, but it’s interesting to see them there

Angela M

Great place for learning about local birds of prey and for kids to play and explore outdoors.

Susan Pearson

Awesome staff, great for kids. Enjoyable as an adult.

Marc Bachofner

A great institution caring for injured birds. We learned a lot. Check out the times of the shows, they are cool. The people working there are very friendly, knowledgeable and enjoy their work. Seeing big raptors like the bald eagle up close is also cool.

yeshads

The passion to save,study and understand Raptor and other species of birds is remarkable. Entry fee of 15$+ is more. But since this institute receives next to nil from the governments it's ok. Nice informative presentation with live birds. It was exciting to see those majestic Raptors at close range. Lots of nature trails. On the way spend some time at the Dieche gorge.

Suzanne Chasalow

Excellent informative demonstrations about the raptors.

Patty Flores

Very educational. I love what they do.

Jens Andersson

This is a gem. Love to see these beautiful birds up close. We got there just as a presentation started and were shown some of the birds by the handlers. Very knowledgeable staff - perfect place to bring children as well as adults. It is really good what they do here.

Buckie Birdsong Jr

Awesome experience for the whole family

Sunnypatch Bayou

We loved seeing the birds. There are lots of interactive things to do. The bird demo was fun. There is a playground for the kids that was really interesting.

Brenda Coffin

I brought many wild birds to them n so fat only 1 had not survived. I'll actually be picking up a baby Robin tomorrow that my cat caught n I'll be releasing it back at my home. They are very good at their jobs and keep their place neat. They are there to help and that is exactly what they do.

Linda Hill

Loved the live presentation and an opportunity to learn about raptors and the center's rehab program.

Heather Guy

Great day trip. Not only does VINS help animals and educate people, but they let you see everything up close. The nature walk is great and the new canopy walk has incredible views. Great for all ages.

Glenn Goodman

Amazing work.. Beautiful birds.. Dedicated people

Andy Crank

Great place for a family. My daughters loved hiking through the woods on a fairy hunt and seeing all the birds. Highly recommend VINS.

Stephen Hartman

Very nice area. Focused on birds of Vermont. Owls are free on property, and shows are given on regular schedule. Best to get there early in day, as birds are early risers, except the owls. Of course. Gift shop is also nice, and I bought a nice poster of Eastern birds which I mounted and use to Identify rare species. It is especially helpful to sort out the woodpeckers. If you can spot them by their noise. This place is great for kids and nature lovers.

Gabriel Kasper

Love this place so much. The new canopy walk is outstanding. I always learn something new at each visit.

Jim Carlins

A terrific organization and facility. One of the best raptor demonstrations that I have ever witnessed. Very knowledgeable staff and volunteers. Highly recommended for a visit. Arrive by noon to make the most of your visit.

Julie Fry

We stumbled upon this when visiting Woodstock. What an amazing place! The shows were great, our 7 year old got to ask tons of questions and the exhibits were interesting for everyone in the family.

Stephanie de Nesnera

Pretty little area to see a lot of birds you couldnt normally see up close. The bald eagles were only a couple feet away. Beautiful

Gary Welch

Very educational place to visit.

Moro Bamber

Had an awesome time and was a great learning experience. Staff was very friendly and informative. A great ace to visit if ever in the area.

WJ Patry

This is a fun place to spend the day with your kids.

Barbara Higgins

Wonderful organization, helping animals just warms my heart ❤️. Please go visit and education your self about the wild brids.

Stephanie Nadeau

Kids really enjoyed VT day... getting to see predators up close & learn about them.

Alex Rapp

Extremely friendly staff. They are both knowledgeable about the birds they protect and you can tell they are dedicated to their mission of education, research, and rehabilitation.

Tim

Great place to experience Raptors in person!

Suze Perron

The visit as a nonmember was more expensive than I expected. My kids were over it after two hours. The exhibits were high quality, but I wouldn't recommend it unless everyone is really into wildlife and birds in particular otherwise there isn't enough to hold interest for the price of admission.

Brandon Ulatowski

We were so pleased to learn that the tree canopy walk opened on two days before our arrival in Quechee. It was great, and as a fan of owls, this place was a hoot, since it's a raptor rehab and education center. It's really worth the price of admission.

Leslie Minns

A great way to spend an afternoon. Very cool to see the birds up close.

Jessica Vanasse

Great activities, but a little too much for young kid(2,4 and 6), but adult enjoyed it really much

Timothy Fortune

A must do family activity, good for both young and old alike.

Ronald Pruzinsky

Always interesting especially now with canopy walk!!

Jennifer Annanie

Amazing!

Joanna Desaubies

We absolutely love VINS, lot of space to walk around, we love the natural playground, and expositions are so much fun!

Zak Erickson

An amazing experience for nature lovers of all ages. VINS offers everyone the chance to get up close and personal with raptors of all types, while providing a top-notch rescue and rehabilitation facility for sick and injured birds. Enjoy sitting in on feedings, learning about habitats and conversation, and enjoying the beautiful surrounds of rural VT from their new canopy walk high above the forest floor. An absolute must for anyone passing through the Quechee area. Don't miss it!

Kalyn Gelinas

Interesting, but not enough to keep younger kids engaged.

Lucas Rifkin

Checked this out for Owl Fest in February 2019. There were not only owls but also a number of other birds including eagles, hawks, vultures, and Falcons. Staff was very knowledgeable. They put on some shows and demonstrations. Some great owl photography was sold. The staff genuinely have the best interests of the birds in mind. This is evident in everything they do. They release a large number of the birds into the wild and keep birds that are not equipped to survive if released. The gift shop is nice. Highly recommend a visit.

Michael Rau

Well kept and cared for animals with very good things to come. Well worth the visit.

Jake Danishevsky

We loved VINS a lot. what a great place and what an amazing collection of birds. We have walked around, observed each enclosure with a pair of birds in most and I took some pictures. Great easy to navigate place and I hear they have hiking trails as well, where I have heard that people have noticed birds of prey in the wild as well. The place is not too big and the price of admission is reasonable, but what a treat it is, especially if you like photography. I am a part time professional and my camera couldn't stop shooting those amazing birds. We also got to witness feeding time and some birds became active immediately, while the others saved their meal for a later time. We highly recommend this place, must visit and support, because they do a lot of great work with helping birds and when ready let them out into the wild, if those birds are capable to fly off and survive.

Kim S.

We always really enjoy visiting the raptor's up close here. The walking trails are also awesome!

William Bailey

Educational

Darlene Laro

Very educational. Will be coming back.

Jessie Scott

Really neat place with beautiful rescued birds. The demonstrations with the birds are really fun and informative and offer a closer look. The staff are enthusiastic and definitely care about the birds and educating the public about natural science.

Jennifer Burnette

Ian was awesome for the raptor chats super knowledgable and I loved listening to him talk about the raptors. VINS is a must when I'm in the woodstock area! Cant wait for the forest canopy walk to open this fall!

Nick Lansing

Great experience, the kids absolutely loved the talks and being able to walk on some of the trails. The staff is very friendly and helpful!!!

Adam Frederick

Fairy hunting with my children was an adventure!

Charlotte Streidel

A wonderful place to see the birds, walk in the meadow looking for butter and dragon flies, walk in the 3 wooded paths that are short/medium/long, go through the dino-bird exhibit. Great playground for kids, seating area for adults to watch. Raptor exhibit talk was so great! Just 45 min and you learned so much about each bird in an interesting and quick way. Also did Fairy Town... Build a fairy house with your young'un, they'll love it. We went home and did that in our own home. Gift shop items reasonably priced, and stuff for every age. Butterfly costume a huge hit for my girls (3,6).

Martha Dole-Rietta

This is an amazing learning center that houses injured Raptors (birds of prey) and releases them back to the wild, or houses birds of prey that cant be released back for their own safety. Lots of buildings with different types of small animals native to Vermont. Beautiful hiking trails Live raptor demonstrations everyday. This is an amazing place. I go here often.

Carmen Champney

Vins is a great place to bring the family. They give tours a few times a day. The scenery is great. Love the trails. Special needs friendly.

Terrance Abbott

Nice small place. Great displays and trails.

Tish V

Beautiful facility. Walked around looking at rescued birds. Small store with local goods. Educational. Great art thru area. Free parking

Lisa Jones

This place is amazing! Kids and adults have a wonderful experience! Can't wait to go back.

Chuck Christianson

Excellent bird presentation. Many specimens. New exhibit has been built, can't wait to see it.

dave long

Very neat place with a lot of different types of birds and reptiles. Super nice staff. Thanks!