Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Meadowside Nature Center

    4.3 (16 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Meadowside Nature Center Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Meadowside Nature Center

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    This is the room for birthday parties (you can rent it online).
    Caroline G.

    Enjoyable visit especially if you have children who are into nature and animals. The place is a little dated but it's probably due to a limited state budget. It is CLEAN however, I saw a staff member wiping down all the toys and books (thank you!). You can come check out birds (raptors), turtles and some snakes. Many of the animals here cannot live in the wild anymore so they live out the rest of their lives here. There is a space for birthday parties and it includes a naturalist-led portion so that's great.

    At the end of the dark cave tunnel is a slide :)
    Caitlin T.

    This is a nice little nature center! We went with a few of our kids over Christmas break and had the place mostly to ourselves since the other schools were already back in session. There's a lot of hands on stuff, cool places to crawl around, and some animals to look at. Don't pass by the area with the beds - there are wooden toys and metal tavern puzzles to tinker with! The birds outside aren't as accessible as they used to be - there's a deck for viewing instead of a path to walk near the enclosures now - but you can still get pretty darn close to the bald eagle and hear it's creaky door sounds if it's feeling vocal. There's also an owl, a hawk and a vulture to take a peek at. When we were outside we spotted a hawk way up in the trees and a woman who works there brought out her binoculars to identify it. She was friendly and knowledgeable and generously shared the binoculars with us so we could see up close too. We didn't do the other outside things since it's winter and was a little chilly but it looks like you could spend hours exploring.

    Bald Eagle
    Joma W.

    My daughter and I's first time in Meadowside. It's actually small but it's clean and well maintained. They have water fountain and bathroom is clean. As soon as you get in, into your right it has like a cave that kids can play. At the lobby, they have few displays, which is educational to everyone. We attended a class, and the instructor was good. She explained the different kinds of birds, and how birds survive daily. It was interactive, the instructor will asked kids they don't just seat down. Also, she showed pictures and different kind of skeletons. After the presentation, she took us outside. We saw three different birds and one of that is the Bald Eagle, the US National Emblem, which I think is pretty cool. The reason I'm only giving 4 stars because it's really small. I wish there are more animals that you can see. If you only wanted to visit without class, it's probably less than 5 minutes to see around depends how fast you walk. But it's nice to take kids when it's winter time, they will learn about nature and animals.

    One of Meadowside's gardens

    See all

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Al H.
    1
    110
    51

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John S.
    17
    22
    2

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy M.
    92
    10
    6

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J S.
    0
    52
    6

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Meadowside Nature Center

    Review Highlights - Meadowside Nature Center

    We saw three different birds and one of that is the Bald Eagle, the US National Emblem, which I think is pretty cool.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    Lake Needwood

    Lake Needwood

    4.6
    (21 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    Do you need to find a happy place or do you need to unwind from electronics?! Look no further. One…read moreof the nicest trails in MOCO ... its a very easy path. Not that many steep hills. Depending on time of year, you can rent boat..or canoe. You can see different types of birds here if your a bird watcher. You can plan a nice picnic here too. There are a few different entrances. The most convenient one for me is off Needwood Rd or you can enter from Avery Rd.

    First, if you need an address to find this park, you can use either 15700 Needwood Lake Circle,…read moreRockville, MD or 15700 Needwood Lake Circle, Derwood, MD. This park has two entrances - one on Avery Road and the other on Needwood Road. The one on Avery Road is closer to Go Ape Adventures which is located within the park (at a cost). As you enter this part of the park, and go down a hill, the road will eventually end at a stop sign. It is here you will see a sign that says, "Rock Creek Regional Park, Lake Needwood". You then have to decide if you want to go right or go left. If you turn right, you will come across the Golf Course, Picnic Area, and Archery. If you turn left, you will come across the Boat Shop, Picnic Areas, and Hiker/Biker Trails. Going Right at the "Rock Creek Regional Park, Lake Needwood" sign If you turn right, you will go over a few speed bumps. After you pass this area (and you will see Go Ape to your right), you will also see part of the lake to your left and a little crossing bridge (not for cars). On this side, I have seen people have picnics, go fishing, and hiking as well. If you continue on the road, you will come across a playground to your left and a parking lot - I guess there are more trails back there (I have not gone in the area beyond the playground). To the right of that lot is a place for archery. If you continue on this road, you will exit the park onto Needwood Road. Going Left at the "Rock Creek Regional Park, Lake Needwood" sign If you turn left, you will see a parking lot on your immediate right. Next to this lot, is a volleyball court - I have seen folks play volleyball here. If you continue through a walking path in the trees, you will come across some covered picnic tables and more trails taking you closer to the lake. As you get back in your vehicle, past this parking lot and follow the road, it will steer you to the right and you go down towards the lake. In this area of the road, I have seen people park on the road whenever the park gets crowded (there are marked spaces). As you continue down, you will see a much smaller parking area which is next to the boat house. You can walk through the boat house to another part of the lake, but as far as renting boats, that is only available during the summer months. Most times, this lot is filled, but not to worry, because if you continue traveling just a few feet more, you will come across an even bigger parking lot. It is in this bigger lot, you will come across a map layout of the whole park - more of Lake Needwood. There are also a few porta-potties. Within the area is a huge grassy field that is perfect to just lay a blanket and chill, but you may have to complete with geese in the area. There are 2 trails on this side by the map - if you go to the left, the trail is on a very flat surface - be careful when walking as you will end up crossing a few roads like Southlawn Lane and Avery Road, to name a few. By that same map, if you take the trail to the right, you will go up a hill, cross over the lake and continue on even more trails in this park. I like coming to Lake Needwood. I have done walks here on a few of the different trails and have even gone off the beaten path. Had lunch on a picnic table or two and even did pedal boating, however you won't ever find me in a kayak. Overall, it is nice to come here to just chill and enjoy nature. To gather more info on your own, check out these links: Lake Needwood Trails: https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/rock-creek-regional-park/rock-creek-trails/lake-needwood-trails Lake Needwood Boats: https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/lake-needwood-boats

    Photos
    Lake Needwood
    Turtles 3.23.23 - a few are in the water there as well.
    Turtles 3.23.23 - a few are in the water there as well.
    Lake Needwood

    See all

    Dawson Farm Park

    Dawson Farm Park

    4.5
    (2 reviews)
    3.3 mi

    This park was quite well manicured, and housed a picnic area on a hill as well as a playground…read more Well constructed bridges traversed a small stream. It offered no bathroom facilities that I could see and was not lit at night-time (for better or worse), but it is quite a pleasant little space in the daytime.

    Dawson Farm Park is a great little local park with lots of amenities for locals. There is a…read moreplayground for children, a gazebo for cookouts, a creek to play in, and plenty of picnic tables. It is also nearby to the local high school, so there's plenty of space for pregame activities and summer fun in the sun. What really sets this park apart is the amount of shade received by the old growth trees. You can enjoy a summertime lunch in the shade without having to worry about the heat. It also has a close proximity to several other parks, making it a great waypoint for your bicycle or running trips, and also as a quick shortcut from the high school to the main neighborhoods. Stop on by and play around-this is a great local park. I especially love the historic nature and history of this park; this was the location of one of the first farms (or one of the oldest farms) that still relatable to Rockville today. You can read all about the Dawson family and their farm at some of the historic Education signs you'll find detailing the history around the park. So if you've got some time to kill and just want to relax, or if you want to learn a little bit about the history of the Rockville area, come on over to Dawson Farm Park and you'll get plenty of both.

    Photos
    Historic information
    Historic information
    Entrance from Ritchie pkwy.
    Entrance from Ritchie pkwy.
    Dawsons park

    See all

    Dawsons park

    Meadowside Nature Center - education - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...