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\n\t\t\t\tStaff Writer\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\u00a0\u00b7\u00a0
\n\t\t\tJuly 12, 2026<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re into nature, wildlife or in need of a peaceful escape from urban life, we\u2019ve got just the place for you. Tucked away in Dania Beach beneath a dense canopy of ancient trees is the Secret Woods Nature Center.<\/p>\n
Opening in 1978, this 57-acre preserve is recognized as Broward County\u2019s first nature center and Florida\u2019s first designated \u201cUrban Wilderness Area.\u201d It is comprised of three ecosystems found along the New River \u2014 laurel oak hammocks, cypress and maple wetlands, as well as mangrove swamps.<\/p>\n
Both the Laurel Oak and New River Trails take you directly over tidal marshes and right up to the river, making for the perfect leisurely stroll. The dense foliage also provides a natural cool breeze, marking surprisingly pleasant hike even in the middle of summer.<\/p>\n
Another highlight of the park is a walk-through \u2018Butterfly Island\u2019 filled with more than 20 species of plants that attract native pollinators. A 250-foot mulched path winds through the garden and features three benches for you to sit and relax. Depending on the season, you\u2019ll be surrounded by zebra longwings and monarchs fluttering through the air!<\/p>\n
Additionally, there\u2019s an observation deck on the New River where manatees can be seen gliding by occasionally. You\u2019ll also spot crabs, lizards, raccoons, ospreys, herons and more all throughout the park.<\/p>\n
A nature exhibit hall on site also showcases information about the local ecosystem and history of the New River for families before heading out onto the trails.<\/p>\n
You can find Secret Woods Nature Center at 2701 W. State Rd. 84, Dania Beach, FL 33312. It opens daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and no pets or bicycles are permitted.<\/p>\n
Learn more<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Max Andrey via Pexels; Hannah Bickford via Unsplash \u00a0\u2013\u00a0 Staff Writer \u00a0\u00b7\u00a0 July 12, 2026 Whether you\u2019re into…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":337784,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[249,251,250],"class_list":["post-337783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fort-lauderdale","tag-fort-lauderdale","tag-fort-lauderdale-headlines","tag-fort-lauderdale-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/337783","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=337783"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/337783\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/337784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=337783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=337783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=337783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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