Zoos

Nurtured By Nature

Name: Nurtured By Nature
Address: 15630 Rim of the Valley, Valley Center, CA 92082, Valley Center, CA, US
Telephone: (760) 638-0880
Rating: 4.7

★★★★☆ 4.7 (61 reviews)

📍 15630 Rim of the Valley, Valley Center, CA 92082

📞 (760) 638-0880

🌐 www.nurturedbynature.org

Visit Website 📍 Get Directions

🕐 Hours

Monday	Closed
Tuesday	Closed
Wednesday	Closed
Thursday	Closed
Friday	Closed
Saturday	10 AM–1 PM
Sunday	10 AM–1 PM

⭐ Want to stand out? Get featured ⭐

About Nurtured By Nature

Nurtured By Nature is a zoo in Valley Center, CA. Offers immersive swimming encounters with Asian Small Clawed Otters lasting 35 minutes to over 1 hour, where visitors can feed, pet, and swim alongside the otters in a pool setting. Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars by 61 visitors.

Quick Facts

Type: Animal Sanctuary & Otter Rescue
Best For: Ages 13+
Highlights: Swimming with Asian Small Clawed Otters, interacting with capybaras and 7+ animal species
Admission: From $530-$848 per person (reservation only)
Mission: $1.5M+ in charitable programs since 2008, supports Make-A-Wish and conservation

💡 Did You Know?

⭐Offers immersive swimming encounters with Asian Small Clawed Otters lasting 35 minutes to over 1 hour, where visitors can feed, pet, and swim alongside the otters in a pool setting
⭐Houses a successful armadillo breeding program with impeccable ethics standards, featuring animal encounters only when animals are willing and interested in socializing with humans
⭐Features at least 7 different exotic animal species including Asian Small Clawed Otters, capybaras, porcupines, lemurs, armadillos, sloths, and fennec foxes across 12 different species total for visitor encounters
⭐Operates a Make-A-Wish program partnership for children with life-threatening illnesses, with a portion of donor encounter fees being tax-deductible to support this charitable mission
🏛️Recently expanded to a new location in Pauma Valley, CA (as of June 2024), allowing visitors interactive encounters with over 23 individual animals across the facility

💬 What Visitors Say

💬Plan for 4+ hours for your visit. The experience includes curated animal encounters with multiple species, educational briefings about conservation and animal behavior, and the otter swim experience. Rushing through won't allow you to fully enjoy the high-quality interactions.
💡Bring swimming goggles for the otter encounter. Otters are very splashy and playful, and goggles will help you see and interact with them better during the water activities without constantly wiping water from your eyes.
💡The facility has strict ethical animal practices - if an animal isn't interested in socializing on a given day, staff will substitute with other willing animals. This means you're guaranteed quality, stress-free interactions where nothing is forced on the animals.
🕐Check the Facebook page before your visit to see photos and videos of recent guest experiences. This gives you a realistic preview of which animals you'll encounter and helps set expectations for the types of interactions available.
💡Your entrance fee supports Make-A-Wish Foundation programs, allowing children with life-threatening illnesses to experience the facility. This meaningful mission makes your visit contribute directly to helping other families create unforgettable memories.