Escape from COVID!The Sanctuary is truly a peaceful retreat from the hustle of our outside world. You can immerse yourself in the sounds of the subtropics, hearing and seeing unique and colorful bird species primarily found south of the border. Chachalacas, the size of chickens repeat raucous rhythmic choruses like nothing youve ever heard. Their color is in their behavior, moving and calling to their friends in the south Texas brush. My wife even uses a recording of their chatter as a ringtone! Green jays are common here and exhibit multiple shades of green and yellow with distinct accents of black and blue. During spring and fall migrations, a myriad of species can be seen: Altamira orioles, cuckoos, warblers, grebes, owls, anis, kingfishers, doves, ducks, pelicans, hawks, hummers, falcons, flycatchers, phoebes and kiskadees to name a few. The brush can be decorated with so much color during these times, you might think the Sanctuary was having a Christmas tree decorating contest!

Great place to visit historic mansion, wildlife, and relax.

Great trails, beautiful wildlife.I really wish they had more information or even tours of the plantation.

Really interesting habitat thats not found many places anymore. The gardens are a work in progress, and the map doesnt always accurately reflect the trails, but we thoroughly enjoyed the wildlife. Can rent binoculars in the new visitor center (which is an old plantation house). Nice lookout over the Rio Grande.

One of the top locations in Cameron Country to bird watch. The sanctuary (previously Audubon) is not only another natural gem of the Rio Grande valley, but is also located on a historic location. A Spanish explorer (Piñeda) originally called the Rio Grande: “The river of las palmas.”An early Tarzan movie was filmed on a resaca (Oxbow lake) here.Also the Rabb cotton was located here. The Rabb house museum at the entrance is a must see before entering the sanctuary.

Very beautiful, quiet, and peaceful place.

Enjoyable stroll through the grounds. Saw many varieties of birds. Ranger said to see the various wildlife it is best to go in the early morning.

My new favorite place to visit on vacation. Lots of trails and birds to see. Beautiful!

Beautifull hidden gem.

It was beautiful! Saw some amazing birds and the staff was friendly and helpful. Grounds were like a rainforest, definitely worth the trip!

Awesome sanctuary with amazing birds and palm trees everywhere. Doesn’t feel like Texas, but more like a rainforest in Vietnam. Truly amazing and a place that all Texans should visit! The mansion at the entrance is truly amazing as well!

The gardens can use some work. It was nice to hike around the trails. We went when it was too windy so didnt see many butterflies. Going to try again on a calmer day

Beautiful place to bird watch and spend it with somebody that likes walking in the wild. Their trails are long and very enjoyable. It provides shade and good opportunity to socialize with friends. It is also located right next to the river you can capture some amazing scenes.

Peaceful and tranquil. I just went for the walk but if you take your time and look for birds there are a bunch of different species. If you go make sure to take some bug spray. ( Depending on the season )

Amazing place, lovely palm-lined trails, beautifully restored plantation home.

Dont go in the heat of the day...ughTook my guests from FT WORTH but they werent all impressed... Guess its a Brownsville/history thing! Go in early hours to be able to visit all areas - didnt get to the feeding section because of the heat. Didnt really see any wildlife either :(

Of the four or five nature centers we visited this was our favorite. The Sabal Palm is the only palm tree native to south Texas. It has drooping fan shaped fronds. It doesnt grow as tall as the Washingtonian Robustus which is cultivated and common in the area as well. The sanctuary was once a plantation and the still-standing plantation house is beautiful. We saw so many birds we had never seen before. I was especially impressed by the Green Jay, a native of south Texas and points south. The history of US colonization of Mexico and the removal of Tejas as a Mexican state by by armed colonial militias is never mentioned. These historical omissions bother me.

Most Awesome place to commune with nature on trails along Rio Grande river away from the madening crowd. You will never see a Visitor Center like Sabel Palms with over 100 year old southern plantation home.

Beautiful place to visit! A hidden nature gem!

Beautiful sanctuary ~ quiet, sub-tropical jungle, complete with tree-sized cacti. You will have a hard time believing you are still in Texas! A must see!

A beautiful place with walking trails and a variety of birds.

Looks like theyve made major improvements since my last visit.Great place to see birds, especially green jays.Watch for armadillos along the paths.On my last visit, they were outside the border fence, which is an embarrassment to Americans, essentially giving a safe place on US soil for smugglers. ( This is not a criticism of the preserve.)

Great place, the pictures dont do it justice

Interesting place. It was a hot day but we photographed a few birds.

Cool historical place. Nice trails.

With over 3 miles of nature trails, this is a great place to get away from the city and appreciate nature. General admission is only $5 per person.

This is an excellent nature preserve that is the only sizeable stand off Sabal Palms left in the USA. The lovely old home is also an AirBNB. Take the Saturday morning birding walk!

Amazing place. Great nature walks and scenery. History, the Rio Grande, the Wall and great birds.

This is a wonderful place to bird in the valley. Wide variety of habitats lead to a wide variety of birds. Trails are maintained and well marked.Several blinds and a very long boardwalk. Views of the Rio Grande river and trails through sabal palms . We hadnt been here in quite a while and were very impressed with all that has been done over the years. Truly a must do !

Lovely All-brick plantation house with plenty of walking trails. Bring bug spray!

Worth the trip. The view of the Rio Grande is interesting.

The bird feeding area seemed neglected but many new birds seen on the trails.

As avid birders, this was a must do while visiting south Texas. It was an extremely windy morning, so birding was a challenge, however this did not detract from a pleasant morning stroll on the well marked trails, in fact the breeze made for a comfortable walk: few biting bugs and kept us cool. Green Jays and Chachalacas frequented the feeders. Driving into this sanctuary, I felt lost..., like I was entering a time machine going back 100 years, than felt I was crossing the Mexican border. I am leaving out details, as you should experience the drive and form your own personal adventure. After a short drive I could see the beautiful Queen Anne style home, the visitors center, where we paid the $5 entrance fee; be sure to spend some time exploring this rich in history building.

Beautiful natural area

The very best.. been there many times years ago.!

Cool place!

Its nice and the trail walking fee is only a dollar

I went for a walk around the area, it was nice and calm. The admission was $5 and to rent a pair of binoculars was $2 (and turning in your ID until returning binoculars). It was a good experience and enjoyed the serenity of the environment. I however wasnt able to see much wildlife but that didnt stop me from having a good time.

Great place to walk and see interesting flora and fauna

Very nice place glad I got there

We found this while looking for things to do on TA. Its a real hidden gem. Its designed as a Bird Sanctuary and there are trails to walk and birds to see. You walk in to the house to register and pay $5. There are some restored rooms inside that are very well done so dont miss them. Then just go out side with the trail guide and walk the trails. They are very easy and unless the weather is real hot should be enjoyable. I would suggest going at some other time than the middle of summer like when we were there. The heat was almost unbearable so we could not stay as long as we wanted to. Youll also get a good look at the Wall as you come in the entrance. Well hopefully come back in cooler weather

A beautiful place. A must see.

Nature at its best trail along down to the Rio Grande River a sight to see. Encounter South Tx wildlife javalinas,chachalacas Etc.A place to visit for sure

Gorgeous house and garden. Nice trail system

Great place to view the sabal palm.

This is a hidden gem, a wonderful old plantation house with pathways cut through palm trees down to the Rio Grande. There are some bird feeders for bird watching and informational signs about the vegetation. Bring lots of bug spray and enjoy strolling the grounds.

Beautiful experience, so much nature beauty and wildlife to see and enjoy. A must see....!

Active Owls nest, rain forest feel when you walk the TRAILS. Staff is so knowledgable and friendly. Bird feeders let you get up close and personal with so many different birds. Take the family (pack a lunch, kinda isolated)!!!!

Great hiking, lots of shade! The house is amazing and the staff is super helpful and friendly.

Wonderful place to see wild things. Photo blinds, feeders, water features make seeing the Rio Grand Valley wildlife easy.

Wanted to see birds so the feeding station was where we went. I couldn’t see a morsel of food any where. Water ponds we half empty, too. No birds at all. Used to be better back in the day. Disappointed.

Nice place to visit with your family.We saw a deer crossing the street on the way back. We were kind of shock because we never thougt to see one of this on these month and this place.

This was a nice place to just get away for a little bit. The entry price is fair. I do feel that the grounds could be better maintained once you are on the trails. The map helps somewhat...that is if you took a picture of it before you left. BUT...the trails are not that well marked and the ones that were marked were overgrown and uninviting. My girlfriend and I ended up way off course on some trails that were NOT on the map. We could only guess they were the border patrols access points for the Rio Grande. We were enjoying our walk until we walked for a ways and began to wonder where everything was. So we turned to Google maps to get us back on course. Also be aware that more than likely your cellphone will be on a Mexico tower. Im with AT&T and my girlfriend is on Verizon...both of us were on separate Mexico towers. Just FYI to help plan accordingly.

Spend some time here with a couple friends a few years back, I still remember how beautiful the scenery was compared to the surrounding area.

Rather disappointed. We thought they gave tours of the Rabb plantation home but you are free to look around the 1st floor only (3 rooms + public restroom). A number of trails and a view of the Rio Grande. Did not see any birds to speak of, but possibly wrong time of year? (March 11) Serious birders may think its great but we werent impressed.

Amazing little sanctuary full of wildlife and plants and tress. Very peaceful.

Fantastic hiking on a well-maintained trail and boardwalk system. Knowledgeable experts that provided a comprehensive biological and historical presentation. A part of Texas history I never knew existed, highly recommend a visit to experience a truly unique bit of Texas.

Its a lovely sanctuary.

Unique Flora and fauna. Beautiful spot in the LRGV.

Great place. Nice walk to river. Cleared path. Great friends.

Nice natural landscapes. Visiting Sabal Palm Sanctuary its a great way to relax while witnessing the natural diversity of the Region. :)

Short trails. Nice views of the Rio. Very cute just got.

Great place to visit. Serene. River views. Victorian house. Very nice.

Serine peaceful, informative

Go visit and bird here before Trump gives this area south of the fence to Mexico.

Beautiful place and great for hiking, staff is very knowledgeable

Had a great time with the family!!

It was an interesting visit. I cant for bird watching and it was slim pickings fire this visit. Beautiful old home to see and a comfortable walk.

A plantation house; but limited in other experiences.

It was nice. The trails are short, and the views are nice.

Good mix of birds at the feeding station, including Altamira orioles, green jays, cardinals, white wing dove, clay-colored thrush, curved bill thrush and black-crested titmouse. The trails are well marked and the vegetation is heavy. Its easy to spend a lot of time wandering around.WARNING: Insect repellent is highly recommended - tbe mosquitoes are vicious!

Very nice and Free

Beautiful grounds. Great place to bring kids. Helpful, friendly staff. BRING BUG REPELLENT

Learned much, definitely work the stop.

Beautiful plantation of south Texas! Nothing more could said than that... BEAUTIFUL.

Pretty Cool! Take bug spray. Lots of misquotes!

Beautiful

Fun for bird watchers and nice plantation house. Right on the Rio grande river.

Great place to stroll, look for wildlife, enjoy the solitude.

One of my favorite places we visited! Very beautiful sanctuary and lots of birds.

I went here in 1976 with Dr Cleveland from TWC, now Texas Wesleyan University. Great visit! I learned more from him than any other teacher by far.

Beautiful, historic home is used as the headquarters for this interesting nature sanctuary. Good trails. We saw a rare snake.

The place had gone WAY down the tubes. Not maintained. Used to be great!

Beautiful, peaceful. Wish we had gotten there earlier in the day so we could have done more of the trails, or had come on Saturday so we could have toured the house, but really enjoyed how much we did see and do here.

It was beautiful

Historic bldg.

Great birding

Excellent nature trails. Price too high considering the whole house is not open to tour.

Nice Forrest of native Sabal palms which is perfect for hike and explore Rio Grande Valley.

Good for bird watching. Family enjoyed it.

Nice groomed trails through natural habitat, but be prepared for mosquitos.

Signage could be better, they have a wheelchair platform lift to access the main house which was nice. We went at the wrong time of day to see many birds.

Great place to go hiking and see wildlife. Vast historical background.

Beautiful place to experience a Sabal Palm forest. Great birding

Incredible birding venue!! Love the long boardwalk out into the jungle.

Beautiful place to sightsee , saw two big bucks walking thur the trails

Beautiful place,I just say enough

Nice wild area South of the border (wall). Feels like a jungle.

Beautifully restored house. The historical tour on Saturdays is excellent.

Went to see birds, saw very few because they hadnt been keeping the feeders full. Saw more mosquitoes and dragonflies than birds.