As we work our way through Spring and Summer approaches, its time to think about full blown vacations as well as three or four day weekends. A well planned out trip to a great location can make your time off from work or away from home feel absolutely incredible. There are so many destination choices out there that sometimes it becomes almost like work itself just choosing where to go. Lets look at a great natural area to go to and enjoy, Shangri La Gardens and Nature Center in Orange, Texas.

Whether you’re 80 years old or 8 years old, Shangri La has the unique ability to connect you with nature. You’ll see things you’ve never seen before, especially in this part of the country. You may even come away with a newfound respect for nature and the world around us. With its offering of free educational tours among other things, a visit to Shangri La Gardens and Nature Center is a great learning opportunity as well.

The Shangri La Gardens is also a recognized worldwide leader in the “green” movement. They are very proud of their grounds and structures and have worked hard to make them environmentally friendly. All this hard work paid off when Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center earned the U.S. Green Building Council’s Platinum Certification fo LEED-NC, which verified that both the construction and design of the Gardens reached the highest performance measures for green building. These high standards that the Gardens imposes on itself are seen throughout the park in their other features as well.

Located in Orange, Texas and sitting on more than 250 acres of land, Shangri La Gardens is a magnificient oasis of vegetation and animals. The gardens themselves contain more than 300 different plant species arranged in five sections. There is also an adjacent bird blind where you and your family can view nesting birds. The Gardens are very proud of their available hands on displays too, allowing visitors to touch, feel, and participate in the happenings going on there.A lot more information about the Shangri La Gardens is available at their website, ShangriLaGardens.org, and there are many more things to see and do in the Orange, Texas area. Located on the southeast edge of Texas, the city of Orange boasts beauty and culture with their parks, gardens, and museums. The city sits on the border between Texas and Louisiana and is a deep water port to the Gulf of Mexico, so there are also outdoor recreation opportunities as well. A visit to Orange, Texas and the Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center are sure to please just about anyone. Enjoy your trip.