Shipley Nature Center, Huntington Beach

About Shipley Nature Center

Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Beach offers eighteen acres of preserved native habitats where visitors explore trails through oak woodlands, coastal sage scrub, meadows, and a redwood grove. The Shirley Dettloff Interpretive Center features hands-on exhibits and a Kids Corner for interactive learning. Blackbird Pond attracts diverse bird species throughout the property. The nature center, established in 1974 and situated near the Santa Ana River drainage basin, provides self-guided trail exploration and guided tours showcasing Southern California's biodiversity. Educational programs and classes teach visitors about local ecosystems and native plants. The Friends of Shipley Nature Center, a nonprofit partnership with the City of Huntington Beach, manages the site as an ecological sanctuary. A seasonal plant sale offers California native plants adapted to local climate conditions, while compost and worm castings produced on-site are available for purchase. The center serves as an urban environmental education destination for all ages.