BVAS offers nature education for the entire community! If you are an elementary school teacher, you can bring your classes to our nature center for a guided tour of our museum and Nature Center Preserve. The monthly Nature Storytime delights pre-school children and their families, while the Kids' Nature Clubhouse engages older children. Other activities for young people include Scout groups and special events such as our yearly Endangered Species Day (in May). And our nature center is open daily for families to enjoy (free of charge!). For adults (and kids too), we have regular birding field trips throughout the county, natural history classes, and special nature programs and lectures. All these programs are free to the public. For low-cost and unique birding trips, we offer a Migrating Birders program, which arranges guided birding trips to distant locales; for an ocean-going experience, we offer Pelagic trips. Our Birding webpage contains more details on our birding opportunities.
Calling all teachers! Tour the Buena Vista Audubon Society’s Nature Center with your students!(opens in new tab)
Our free tours for elementary grades consist of a 1½-hour grade-appropriate presentation followed by a guided hike along a short trail by the Buena Vista Lagoon and then exploration of our nature center museum. These tours are led by our volunteer Nature Guides.
For more information on our school visits program, please click on the School Visits button below.
Become a Nature Guide! Help share your love of nature with young people! If you are interested, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Rocco, at 760-419-6034 or roccobob@icloud.com. Or stop by the Nature Center and fill out a short form.
Homeschool Visits
Do you have a homeschool group and would like to visit the nature center? These guidelines help you plan your visit. The Program Reservation form is at the bottom of this page under Teacher Resources. Please use this form to request a vist.
Kid's Nature Clubhouse
The Kid’s Nature Clubhouse includes a naturalist-lead outdoor adventure on our trail. School-aged children and their families are invited to join us at the Nature Center every 2nd Sunday, from 11:00 - 12:30. Come and complete a nature-inspired craft and explore the lagoon trail with a different focus each month. Crafts are available 11:00-12:30. The 1/2 hour trail adventure starts from the Nature Center at 11:30. Leader: Jo Niedeck.
Preschool Nature Storytime
Did you know that we have a special event for preschoolers every month? Join us for Preschool Nature Storytime, with nature-themed stories for preschool children. We’ll have a story, songs, a fun craft, and each month, a special theme.
Preschool Storytime is held on the 4th Monday of each month, at 10:00 a.m. Weather permitting, we will also explore the trails and gardens around the Nature Center. We look forward to seeing you and your 2 1/2 -5 year olds soon! Call Sally, 760-525-2351, or follow BVAS on Instagram or Facebook for monthly updates.
Are you a scout leader?
Sharing Our Shores
Sharing our Shores is an Audubon program that helps elementary students learn how to protect threatened and endangered shore birds through science, conservation, and art. For more information on this program and how BVAS is involved.
FOR TEACHERS: Sharing our Shores powerpoint presentation
And we haven't forgotten the adults, either!(opens in new tab)
Buena Vista Audubon offers regular birding field trips throughout the county (beginner and advanced birders all welcome!), natural history classes, and special nature programs and lectures, generally at no charge to the public. Our Migrating Birders program arranges guided birding trips to distant locales, and for a unique birding experience, we offer Pelagic trips.
Donations that make a difference!
Your donation will help us further our mission of providing nature-based education to local children, offering birding classes and other programs, protecting and restoring North County wildlife habitats, and more!
Our Mission
To protect and preserve our region's birds, biodiversity, and threatened habitats, and to promote conservation of our natural resources through advocacy, education, and both habitat restoration and management.
Mailing Address
Buena Vista Audubon
PO Box 480
Oceanside, CA 92049
Nature Center
2202 S. Coast Highway
Oceanside, CA 92054
760-439-BIRD
(760-439-2473)
Hours
Sunday10 am-1 pm*
Monday 10 am-1 pm*
Tuesday 10 am-1 pm*
Wednesday 10 am-1 pm*
Thursday 10 am-1 pm*
Friday 10 am-1 pm*
Saturday 10 am-1 pm*
*Hours may vary, as the NC is hosted by volunteers (please call the NC prior to visiting to ensure a host is present).