Sulphur Creek Nature Center

My two daughters and I love place. We usually end up coming at least once or twice a week and spend anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours here. All different animals to see and they feed them multiple times Hay Day so always something new to see. And the best part is the price… nada.
We recently did my daughters 3^rd birthday here and it was pretty perfect. Keep in mind this is a not-​for-​profit facility that is run by hard so don’t expect lots of frills or a mimosa fountain but for kids this place is perfect. Lots of place to run around outside and a nice little area with private rooms inside. They will customize the party for you and one person on site dedicated to help you on the day of the party. The price was very reasonable and my daughter and her friends will never forget it I’m sure.

We’ve been here for several school field trips and also for a birthday party.
Reptiles, birds of prey, tarantulas, and coyotes that yip and howl if you ask them to. Up close and educational. All of these rescued guys and gals have a story. They’re not just locked up like prisoners.
This place is a hidden gem. A lot of animals to check out, indoor and out, and a very friendly staff. Pretty trees offer shade, and they have picnic tables too. There is an animal lending library, and also a lot of helpful/​interesting pamphlets.
Great opportunity to take pics.
Please consider giving a donation of money or suggested items. Places like this are truly to be treasured.

Small free place to walk around and see wildlife. I really like coming here and want to Check out the toddler times soon!

Awesome awesome place! The staff is so friendly and knowledgable. We really enjoyed spending our time here.

Their toddler time programs are great. Children get to meet rescue animals up close and even feed and pet some. Little craft activities and hikes are part of this parent participation program too. We really look forward to going every time they are offered!

We came here today for my Son’s field trip and it was such an awesome experience! The staff are friendly, kind and knowledgable!
Thank you for such a great time today!

We have now thoroughly tried out the Animal Lending Library, and have borrowed every type of rodent offered — guinea pig, hamster, mice, and rats. For $ 20 (plus refundable deposit), you get the pet, a fully stocked cage, and a big bag of food for a week. It’s a great way to meet animals, try out pet ownership, rule out allergies, etc. It takes the animals a little while to warm up, but it’s a great experience. Warning: Your children (or you, perhaps) may want a pet of their own afterwards.

We attended a birthday party here last week, and my son really enjoyed himself. At the party we attended, we watched a short puppet show and moved onto see a few animals. The Chinchilla and the Duck were the most popular by far. Each kid seated in the assigned circle got an opportunity or two to pet and/​or feed the animal that visited. After that, they were taken outside to feed the Turkey and see a few other animals.
The party room/​kitchen is small and dated, but the room has a door that leads right out to the picnic tables outside, so space was not an issue. The kids liked having the freedom to go see animals or run around all the space that they have here.
I’d say not a 5 star stellar review, but this place is pretty good. The facilities are definitely dated from an adult’s perspective, but the kids loved it. If you are looking for an outdoorsy, animal-​centered birthday party in East Bay, check this place out.

Came here last night with my nephew for a bugs life event for kids. The area is a shelter for rescued animals such as owls, ducks, Eagles… Apparently you can even rent the animals. The host was a very entertaining and friendly towards everyone. My nephew even had the chance to hold a tarantula. These kids have no fear. I highly recommend this venue and will be coming back for the unhaunted house this week.

So glad we found this place. We were looking for a fun activity that wasn’t super crowded, this is definitely the right spot.
Free! Ample parking and they have tons of summer programs for kids and families. Amazing birds! My favorites were the ravens and the fox.

This place is awesome! It’s a rehabilitation center for animals that were injured in the wild. I love taking my son here because it’s free and it’s nearby our place. This place has eagles, hawks, owls, chickens, roosters, ducks… and many more. Every Halloween, this place has a haunted house. It’s fun! Kids are dress up in their customs. There are times when they have other programs for kids too. Also, this place rent out pets like bunnies… I highly recommend Sulphur Creek Park for kids. Although this place is small, your kids will go home amaze of the animals.

What a gem in my backyard! I had no idea this place existed and I and so excited that I’ve found it! There are wild animals: fox, coyotes, owls, chickens, ducks, and birds of prey in the outdoor enclosure. Inside there are reptiles and spiders. Staff is friendly and obviously loves what they do. Its very small but its free and not for profit. Doesn’t get too crowded so my little guy can spend his time looking at all the animals. They also have a rescue center where you can drop off local wild life.

Thanks to Unilocal,my family and I discovered Sulphur Creek Nature Center. We absolutely love it and… it’s free!
My 4– and 6-​year old boys thoroughly enjoyed racing around and visiting the birds, reptiles and insects. There is also a beautiful forest just beyond the center that is great for exploring.
What a hidden gem!

I’ve been trying to explore new places in the Bay Area for the little one rather than just taking her to the park. Well I stumbled upon the Sulphur Creek Nature Center in Hayward. Thank you Unilocalers! It’s located in the middle of a residential area. I almost missed the sign but you go down a short hill. Plenty of parking available.
They have different types of birds — magpies, ravens, owls, an eagle, to name a few. There are also bunnies, roosters, chickens, ducks, and if you go farther down, there are the coyotes and foxes. One of the employees explained that the animals are brought here because of injuries and cannot live in the wild.
There’s an indoor area with exhibits of fish and reptiles. We got to meet a tortoise named Malcolm who came back from a bath. There’s a little children’s area where there are puzzles, books, and stuffed animals. My daughter was slow to warm up to the animals but really enjoyed the chickens, bunnies, and reptiles.
Free but they accept donations.

I’ve been living in the area my entire life and I couldn’t believe I didn’t know about this place! It’s great. I went on a Thursday afternoon which meant the place was pretty deserted except for the staff members.
The staff are knowledgeable and truly care about the well being of these animals. Plus it’s free! Animals are kept in enclosures, usually with another fence surrounding their space for safety. It’s a pretty good deal. You get close to the animals, even get to watch them feed if you’re lucky. I saw the peregrine falcon eating and could hear it crushing the bones of the mouse it held in its talons. The animals that are here range from raptors, farm animals, amphibians, canines, other birds, insects… it’s pretty diverse. Animals seem pretty content, though I’m no expert. At the very least, there wasn’t much pacing back and forth due to boredom like they sometimes do in zoos. They’re just kind of kicking it in their little habitats.
There are several benches and picnic tables scattered across the premises, allowing you to have lunch or just read a book and enjoy your day.

My little one has been hanging out at Sulphur Creek since her diaper days and they really do have something for kids of all ages. This Friday night, we headed out into the darkness for the understandably popular Unhaunted House event. The parking lot was full as indicated by the two junior counselors with the «Parking Lot Full» sign and all the cars lining the streets. Luckily we found a spot near one of the neighboring apartment complexes and we walked over. While the walk downhill was dark (bring flashlights; though I used my phone), we were soon greeted by happy noise and plenty of light. Sulphur Creek Park was now a a busy Halloween carnival. My daughter roasted some marshmallows over the pit; grab a seat on one of the stump seats around the pit and the junior counselors wash a wooden roasting stick and prep the free marshmallow for you. She got her face painted by a counselor she recognized from summer camp. Then it was time to wait in line for the main attraction, the unhaunted house.
We purchased tickets online for the 7:30 to 8pm window. Because we headed to the carnival until 7:30, we came back to a line. However, so as to not startle the animals in the displays, ticket holders go into the exhibit in groups of 10 to 12. Though my daughter was beginning to lose her patience as we waited until 7:47, she forgot all about her complaints once we went indoors. The nature center had been impressively transformed into a house with winding hallways and elaborately decorated rooms. In keeping with the theme of superheroes, all the docents were decked out in DC and Marvel costumes that would fit in perfectly with ComicCon cosplayers. We met Batman, CatWoman, Iron Man, SpiderMan, SuperMan, Wonder Woman. We were taught about the superpowers of the featured animals which included a bat, a tarantula, a tortoise, a rat, a gopher snake, and a barn owl. I was impressed by the educational presentations but especially by the details in the sets. Batman’s cave featured that candy-​red bat phone. Iron Man was surrounded by glowing gadgets. Superman towered over us next to an old school phone booth. At the end of our tour, we wandered through a tunnel where two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles gave us treats from a pizza box. Totally cool!
We didn’t go to storytime, take a spooky night hike, or play any of the carnival games but did indulge in some treats being sold. I felt that the $ 8 fee was well spent.
My daughter is already looking forward to summer camp next year and of course a return to the Unhaunted House.

How can you not give this place 5 stars? It’s FREE and everyone there is so knowledgeable and caring.
Keep it up ladies and gents!

Thanks to Unilocal,I have a nice (free) place to take my baby to see some animals every so often. We can go for a nice walk under the shady trees and my son loves all the chickens, bunnies and predatory birds.
On a very hot day, we usually end up inside where they keep the snakes and other small creatures. It’s comfortably cool in there and they have some books and puzzles for little kids. We usually drop a couple of bucks in their donation box when we visit and it’s completely worth it.
You can also have birthday parties here, which is cool. They have a flyer available inside that lists the party packages they offer.

Didn’t know that a place like this existed in Hayward! We were invited here for my nephew’s birthday party and all of the kids in attendance had a great time. The staff on hand were really patient, friendly, and informative. Great little area to picnic and get your child out of the house!
And for those who don’t like using public restrooms, have no fear… this place has surprisingly REALLY clean restrooms!

DGD the younger had her 3^rd Birthday here, and my opinion has not changed… best kids party ever!