Sweetbriar Nature Center

I wanted to give a shout out about a hidden gem in Smithtown, Sweetbriar Nature Preserve. It is a 54 acre preserve and rehabilitation center that offers educational programs around some of our local birds and other creatures that inhabit Long Island and beyond. They also offer advice and rescue services for injured animals. They also have trails and discovery areas for children. I was really impressed by their programs and dedication as a non-profit organization. It is worth a visit! Be prepared to see owls, falcons, bald eagles, a fox and other denizens.

It's a beautifully maintained park for hiking & also tons of wildlife & sanctuary animals for viewing. Very informative plaques and information everywhere. We loved our first time here & will be coming back in the future!

One of my favorite places to go on Long Island. It's immaculately maintained but still feels wild. You could tell the animals feel very safe there, even the wild animals that run around like the groundhog, the deer, the chipmunks all the birds. It's a safe place for the animals. Beautiful woods, picnic benches. And the main house that has the reptiles and other things is definitely a historical gem. Bianca who runs the front desk and answers the phone on the weekends is very knowledgeable and very kind. I love how it's free to go in but you can donate however much you want anytime. No one bothers you when you come in, you don't have to sign in at a security gate or anything like that You just kind of come and park in one of the two parking lots and just start your journey. You could stay there all day if you want. A great place for children. Bring sunscreen, bug spray, and snacks. They don't sell anything there except for maybe souvenirs? But no food.

We drove from Philly to Long Island for their Superheros of the Sky tour. It was absolutely incredible and well worth the drive. The way this center is able to care for these birds and provide up close, educational experiences is fantastic. On top of this tour, we gave an additional donation ahead of time for an encounter. We were able to set this up via email, and more info is on the site for this. I got to hold Nebula, their barn owl, and Aria, Jim's Eurasian eagle-owl. Jim led the tour and hosted my encounter (you might be able to request him if interested). He was knowledgeable and had real care for the raptors at the center. I would highly recommend this place to anyone interested in birding and rehabilitation. There is a lot more there than just these big birds, too! Their Facebook is up to date with events for more happening on the grounds.

We went to this place for a birthday party, and it was a nice experience that included an animal show. They allowed the kids to touch some of the animals, including a bunny, lizard, and porcupine but they couldn’t touch the owl and blue jay because they were injured. The presenter could have been gentler with kids; although he was trying to keep them safe, his firm tone made some kids cry. In my opinion, if certain animals can’t be touched they shouldn’t be part of the show. The party area inside was nice and outside the kids could play a lot. Overall, the kids were happy and it was a good experience.