Squam Lakes Natural Science Center

We took a squam boat cruise on a pontoon boat. It was extremely enjoyable. Great views, interesting birds, informative commentary.
We went on the last trip of the season, October 14, and you had to be prepared for chilly weather. When the boat goes at full speed, the wind is penetrating. The boat has a roof, but it is open air otherwise. The boat has comfortable seats, there is one big step to get in or out, but the staff was helping anyone who needed help. Many elderly visitors were able to participate and had a good time.

We took the last boat trip of the season on Oct 14. The trip is an hour and a half around the lake. There were loons and bald eagles and views of the mountains that surround the lake. The guide did a terrific job explaining the wildlife and history.

I have grown up going to the science center and never realized how lucky I have been to experience it until I had the opportunity to take my son here. As a parent it's such an incredible experience to see young children explore and become familiar with the natural world. It's fun, it's exciting for kids and adults (who doesn't want to be one glass pane away from amazing mountain lions!?), it's educational and it takes a solid two hours of a two and a half year old running at full speed to get through the whole path and playgrounds. Thank you Squam Lake for the perfect toddler naps.

Nice trail that showcases each rescue animal's habitat. There is a beautiful garden about halfway around, right after Grampa's butterfly garden. Worth getting the annual pass as it is a great spot, and a great cause.

Super awesome place. Wild life is happy and healthy. Interactive exhibits making learning so much fun. The folks who work and volunteer are kind, caring and happy to be there. We got a membership and now we have access to a couple days at other science centers at discount and even free days for our family of 4.

The Squam Lakes Natural Science Center is a nature lover's dream. With engaging live animal presentations, informative exhibits, and scenic trails, it offers a perfect blend of education and enjoyment. The center's commitment to wildlife conservation shines through, making it a must-visit gem in the Lakes Region.

I can not say enough about this place! Having received an undergraduate degree in Recreation and Parks, I have a good understanding of what it takes to be successful. This park checks all of the boxes! Most of the animals there (if not all) are rescues, and it is very obvious how much the staff love them! They are in their natural habitats, which allows visitors to better understand how they live. There are a lot of hands-on exhibits, both physical and auditory, so that everyone can learn in the style best suited for them. The signage is well done and informative, and they also had 3 different animal encounters throughout the day. Furthermore, there are 3 trails you can hike, as well as a garden, and everything has signage that makes sure everyone can learn as much about something as they would like. With the fact that they have a nice picnic area just outside the exhibit area, plus a playground further into the park, you can easily find yourself spending anywhere from 2 hours to a full day there. My family and I are visiting from out-of-state, but if we lived nearby, we would definitely buy a membership!

Wonderful time here with our daughter! It's educational and lots of hands on stuff with lively animals to see. Hopefully they do seasonal events and such to make membership worth it.

Visited with my significant other on May 9th. Was not busy at all! Has so many interactive exhibits to learn from. Though we are both adults, we enjoyed playing and reading all the information along the trail. Love the hands on learning, it's the perfect place for children to learn new things about animals and nature while having tons of fun (and seeing animals!). The animals looked happy, and the enclosures were very natural and large for them to roam around. Will definitely return in the future!

Brought my son and nephew here, they are 3 and almost 7. The boys had an absolute blast! They loved seeing the animals in their natural habitats and all the interactive things at each one. They also had so much fun looking for the giant animatronic bugs! All in all it was a great time, with nice trails to walk on although they are not very wide and the staff was extremely helpful and nice!

What a great place!! Lots to see and learn. The kids loved the opposum, owls and much more. The trail was easy and we'll marked with so much to view. Great day out!!

Very friendly staff, a nicely shaded walk and the exhibits were well spaced apart. Very kid friendly with a cool playground for the kids halfway thru the walk. Staff were out here and there with live falcons, owls and raptors for showing and were very informative and friendly to questions. The pathway throughout the "hike" was stroller friendly and although you "could" use a wheelchair as well, I do suggest having someone available to help push your chair or supervise your visit in a chair (there are boardwalks and lots of up/down hill.) Overall, a very pleasant trip! Even in 90F heat, the path was shaded with plenty of restrooms available.

Amazing place!
This place had it all! Fun trails though the forest, wild animals up close, educational. We got here at opening and had the trail almost completely to ourselves. The animals in their care all came from the wild either injured or orphaned. So many fun facts were learned! There were educational games at many exhibits. There were also the occasional tunnel, zip line or slide at an exhibit as well as a huge playground. We saw some animals up close and others were sleeping! I could see this as a great place to go to often if we lived local, as I’m sure you’d have a different special experience each visit. It’s never the same visit at a place with animals like this, you may have a special encounter with one animal at one visit and a different one on the next.

Awesome place!! My cousin and I visited and both of us agreed that if we had gone as kids we would have spent all day there. As adults, it was a total blast and getting to see the animals was awesome.

The animals there are unable to survive in the wild, either due to injuries or human intervention, so it's much more "morally just" than going to one of those huge megamart zoos.

Only disappointment for us was that the Mountain Lion didn't come out of his inside cage. Totally understandable because he's about 20 years old, and they don't live much longer than that, so the center lets him decide if he wants to come out into the play area or not.

Highly recommend to bring your kids here. Or even bring a friend or two. It's great fun for everyone!

Don't let the price deter you. We thought about not going due to how expensive it was, but we had a great time. It s like a zoo for wild animals....and honestly we were happy to support it. The educational parts were great and very well done. My 4 yr old had an absolute blast and we were there easily for 3 hours and she probably would have stayed longer. The site is stroller friendly which was great for my younger daughter. Would highly recommend.

This is a place that is really good for family fun. There are animals and birds for kids to see. There are also trails for hiking fun. If you are going to include a hiking trip for your visit with seniors or younger kids, don't choose the Mt. Fayal trail. It's a good trail for adults but not for all... Pick a sunny day to visit... I did have great fun here.....

We absolutely love coming here when we visit family on the lake! Such a beautiful walk and so much local wildlife to see! We all had a blast!

I loved coming here as a child and the place still doesn't disappoint. I brought my daughter here for for first time and she loved seeing all the animals and interacting with all the exhibits. The trails were great too and easy to follow and walk on.

Since discovering this place a few years ago I have been in love. I make it a mission to visit at least once a year. Last year I even had my daughters birthday here! Most recent visit was Saturday when me and my husband were celebrating our wedding anniversary. I highly recommend this place. Animals are amazing and well taken care of. The path ways are also well tended to.

I have a membership to the Mcauliffe-Shepherd Discovery center and Squam Lake was offering free entry for Discovery Center members for the month of October. My daughter and I had a fantastic time. We loved the animals. Seeing native animals in their natural environment is always best. Love that Squam Lake animals are there because they cannot return to the wild for one reason or another instead of being there for entertainment. Staff are kind and knowledgeable. We were able to walk around the center several times. Noticed something new on every walk through. The playground is awesome. You can easily spend the entire day here.