This story is part of Big Wonder–our series that explores uniquely larger-than-life stories in Texas.


Local and exotic fauna flock to this garden on the banks of the Guadalupe River. Riverside Nature Center is an educational and ecological oasis, a 2-acre property that packs in over 200 species of wildflowers, grasses, and ferns. It’s also home to a Monarch Waystation, where the butterflies stop over on their yearly migration from Canada to Mexico. Don’t miss out on meeting Shucks, the corn snake ambassador!