Environmental Nature Center

The Environmental Nature Center, aka the ENC, was established in 1972. It’s the result of a student cohort led by a teacher, from neighboring Newport Harbor High School, converting the land from a dumping ground to a gully. Patrons today can walk the shaded grounds along the winding paths next to the streams. About one mile worth of trails are here and they emphasize native California plant vegetation in their outdoor preserve. There’s also a small museum with nature exhibits in the main building, which was built in 2008. The main building additionally has a large conference room that can be rented for events. This nature center is only open on the weekends from 10am-3pm for casual drop-ins. Scheduled events or weddings can be attended outside these hours. Check their event page here.