Our 15 Favorite Natural Websites in 2023

Natural websites demonstrate that you can experience the beauty of the outdoors without leaving home. Like any other site, the best nature websites inform and delight visitors. In addition, they evoke feelings of joy, wonder, or awe in the natural world.

In this post, we’ll walk through 15 natural websites we’ve identified as having outstanding design and functionality. Once you've got a healthy dose of design inspiration, you can start crafting your own for free with the help of Content Hub.

What are the 15 best natural websites?

1. NCX

One of our favorite natural websites is NCX, which demonstrates that it’s possible to juggle an aesthetically pleasing site with one that achieves its mission. You are introduced to the organization’s mission statement with one scroll on the site.

We love this site because it features statistics demonstrating the organization’s reach. This site has a strong color contrast, as most of the background is green. White and orange touches are dispersed throughout and stand out. On the homepage, we also think it’s wise that the site includes a section regarding press mentions. Ultimately, this builds visitors’ confidence in the website’s mission.

One of the last things you see when you scroll down is a form visitors can fill out to contact the organization. This placement feels intuitive. Finally, the footer features quick links and social media account icons so site visitors can easily connect in the future.

2. Museo Nacional Thyssen

Museo Nacional Thyssen stands out because of its nostalgic homepage, reminiscent of a bygone time. Between the classic font and the film playing in an oval shape, this website demonstrates how sometimes, you can’t go wrong by sticking with the basics. The site also stands out because of its excellent use of whitespace. As you navigate the homepage, parallax scrolling helps bring the story this museum is telling to life. Plus, it makes the user experience on the site more enjoyable.

Thanks to the neutral background color, this site has an excellent balance of video and copy, which never feels overwhelming. We also love how the site designer uses soft, curved lines to add a common thread throughout. The result is added continuity.

3. WCS

WCS also demonstrates how natural websites can excel. This site features a different style menu than others we’ve identified. WCS provides visitors with vertical navigation, which adds a unique style to the site. We love how, as you navigate through the pages, you’re never far from the menu. This makes it easy to browse the website and find what you want.

Another reason this website stands out is that it features visually different blocks on the homepage. This makes it easy to figure out where one section ends and another begins. And though these blocks do add some separation to the site, it all flows together well.

4. The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy also boasts one of our favorite natural websites. As you scroll through the site, you’ll notice that the implementation of parallax scrolling makes the entire experience more engaging. Additionally, we love how this site answers all of your questions directly underneath the large image, which grabs your attention when you land on the site.

The site also features a news section which makes finding recent updates easy. At the bottom, you are invited to see a local chapter to get involved. Another thing this website does well is providing visitors with a way to connect with the Nature Conservancy on an ongoing basis by providing your email. There’s also a clear CTA in the top right-hand corner: Donate.

5. Photoscoper

Up next is Photoscoper. This is one of the best nature websites with a slightly different purpose than many others. Instead of raising awareness about conservation efforts, this site showcases the past work of a nature photographer.

One unique thing about this natural website is that the mouse distorts the background image as you move around, making it look like a piece of abstract art. You can press and release your mouse to open the site fully. When you do, audio of natural sounds plays lushly in the background.

While the menu on this site is slightly different than many others on this list, it’s just as easy to navigate. The tabs are clear, and clicking them rapidly brings you to the next page you’re seeking. The transition between pages is also animated and visually attractive. This entire site is a feast for the eyes.

6. GalataWind

GalataWind stands out as an excellent example of natural websites. The video background makes a visually gripping introduction to the site. It expands when you click the menu button in the top right-hand corner. Additionally, more copy pops up as you scroll down, making a compelling experience for visitors. One thing this site does exceptionally well is integrating motion — you’re never more than one scroll away from some form of video.

While the font used throughout the Galanta Wind website isn’t too complicated, it does work well with the rest of the branding and offers a more engaging experience than a different, more popular font. We also love how this website features social media links at the bottom of the homepage in stylish bubbles.

7. Bronx Zoo

The Bronx Zoo has one of our favorite natural websites as it succinctly tells the organization’s story and invites visitors to get involved — however they deem fit.

The first thing you notice when you arrive on this website is the cheeky call to action: “Discover your wild side.” A carousel displays images of animals that call the Bronx Zoo home. We love that this website makes it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for, thanks to centrally-placed buttons which invite visitors to donate, purchase tickets, or get a membership.

As you scroll down, there are additional sections with information about what’s happening at the zoo, vital information to know before you go, and testimonials from previous visitors about their experience. The footer links the organization’s social media pages, which is also a wise addition.

8. Central Park Conservancy

Next on our list of best nature websites is Central Park Conservancy. This New York City-based organization flaunts an equally functional and visually appealing site. The first thing that stands out about this site is the ability to toggle back and forth between high contrast and the regular color scheme. This makes the site more accessible for folks with low vision, which is essential.

The site features a clear call to action when you first visit, and we love the block-style layout, which makes the different sections more digestible. As you scroll down, images and videos intertwine to tell this natural website’s story. We love the color scheme, which is engaging but not overwhelming. Finally, when you scroll down, you can check out an interactive map that mentions the Conservancy’s favorite spots in the park and even sign up for the newsletter.

9. Visit Adirondacks

There are so many things that Visit Adirondacks does right. When you first land on this website, there’s a visually compelling loading page that gets visitors excited to be on the site. Visit Adirondacks features a robust menu that makes navigating the site seamless.

Additionally, we love how the header copy pairs with the imagery, which changes in the background. As you scroll down, you are invited to learn more about different Adirondack regions, plus plan your trip. Finally, there’s even a newsletter signup section on the site footer.

10. Outdoors

Outdoors is a publication that produces content on getting — well, you guessed it — outdoors. This is one of the best nature websites that journals can use as inspiration. It’s user-friendly, easy to navigate, and supplies visitors with information in an intuitive manner. We love the icons adjacent to several menu options as they add character and work well with the overall site theme.

Another of the site’s strengths is how the content sections are easily navigable yet separate enough to distinguish their differences. Finally, when you scroll down to the bottom, you can easily connect with the brand on social media, as all icons are there.

11. Think Bioscience

The Think Bioscience website features abstract shapes, which make it engaging. While this site’s homepage is pretty straightforward, it presents all the information visitors need. There are two calls to action on the homepage shown as buttons, which makes it easy to figure out where you’re supposed to go. Plus, we like how the footer allows you to access all other site pages easily.

12. Climate Cymru

Next on our list of best nature websites is Climate Cymru. When you arrive on this site, you’re invited into this organization’s world thanks to gorgeous graphics, videos, and visually compelling animations. One thing that stands out is the animation demonstrating how close the organization is to its goal. The CTA buttons are also particularly impactful as they feature excellent copywriting.

The Climate Cymru website features a footer mentioning ways to get involved. This makes doing so incredibly easy to navigate, which makes it an excellent addition.

13. Another Escape

Next is Another Escape, a simple yet beautiful example of natural websites. When you first arrive on the site, a lush image pops up. When you scroll down, the site fills with articles and posts about the environment. We love the clean font and how this website feels minimalist but not bare. The footer also makes it easier to reach different pages. Plus, thanks to a form, visitors can stay in touch with the organization via email.

14. Global Climate Change - NASA

NASA’s Global Climate Change website is another testament to excellent design. This site features a video background with numbers and statistics that compels visitors to act. Underneath is a carousel with news and features so site visitors can continue to educate themselves. Another strength of this site is how it features resources on the homepage, so users don’t have to look too hard to find actionable steps to make an impact.

15. National Park Service - Grand Canyon

Last is the National Park Service subpage for the Grand Canyon (or any of the national parks in the US, actually.) While these sites aren’t as visually appealing as others, they’re incredibly functional.

We love how the NPS mentions important updates and puts them in a highly visible place. Plus, it’s easy to navigate different site sections with this highly compact menu. Underneath the primary image are pages you might need to access for information. Keeping these so central also enhances the user experience.

Use these natural websites to jumpstart your vision.

Whether you are redesigning your site or starting from scratch, the best nature websites help you get the creativity flowing as you make your vision come to life.