This was my first time at the Monterey aquarium and I had a great time. We came on Memorial weekend on Saturday, luckily had guest passes so we got in for free and we got to skip the long line. There is street parking but there was garage parking that is in walking distance. We parked at the San Carlos parking garage which was $22. When you walk in immediately there's a gift shops on the right and an information desk with the paper map. There are two levels to the aquarium. We started from the right side and worked our way to the left. They have different exhibits of fishes, sharks, kelp, and birds. They had different areas where you can touch the algae and kelp. There were other places where it opens for a view points. I like how this place has a back area where it's open to see the sea lions from the shore. They also had a sea otter feeding show. There were employees and volunteers who had information about their section of the animals. I liked the interactive food kitchen and a big tank where we got to see the scuba diver feed the fishes. We spent about 1.5-2 hours seeing everything. The place is very fun for families and kids. They also have a few small restaurants and cafes. It's very pretty to admire and take the time to learn more about the aquatic animals. I do think this aquarium is a bit on the smaller side even though it's very popular tourist attraction. I got a magnet from the gift shop that was $6. I would definitely recommend anyone to come to place at least once. read more

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I have been a long time fan of the aquarium. Only get to visit every couple of years but it's always been one of my favorite places to be. The weather is amazing, the views are immaculate, and the sea creatures are just breathtaking. Prices have definitely increased in the past few years but it is worth it to check out and go at least once. Take your time at each exhibit and really immerse yourself and relax. There's timed feedings for a few exhibits but my favorite is always the kelp forest feeding and learning about all the sea life that is around us. So amazed by everything here. Parking is either metered on the street or various lots around. read more

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Phenomenal experience. The ticket is a bit pricey, but it's worth what you'll see and do at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This place truly is magical, and you can see their amazing work in animal care and preservation, while trying to teach the next generation and be environmentally friendly. Very kid-friendly- accessible door for strollers are easy to maneuver and park, and they have a nursing room, very good rest room which is a nice touch! Lots of accessible ramps doors and elevators- easy to maneuver wheelchairs if needed. It is Very crowded even on weekdays many weekends getting more busy but definitely still enjoyable! They have lots of room to be able to see the feedings they offer. I highly recommend! We Spent 2 hours to complete the tours. It Great family place to have time and create memories, friendly activity, and their animals are amazing. We enjoy our time and visiting Monterey Bay aquarium. read more

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I used to come to the Monterey Bay Aquarium as a kid. This place has been here since the mid 80's and some of what I remember is still here. We saw lots of tours come through here and it's still a stunning attraction after all this time. Prices are $65 per person, $50 for seniors (70+) and $50 for children to (17). Definitely worth visiting, a world renowned aquarium. read more

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Monterey, California

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Love the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Put on your headphones, add your favorite tunes, and it becomes this tranquil, almost unexpected mix of calm and adventure; the kind of place where you can quietly run away from pressure and just slow down. Even when it's busy, you can always find a corner by the kelp forest, and let your mind drift somewhere underwater. Every exhibit feels like a small discovery, even after repeat visits. The open ocean... it carries this sense of mystery, like little secrets waiting to be noticed if you give them enough time. It almost feels like climbing through a different world, one moment at a time. There is a soft kind of excitement in exploring, not loud or overwhelming, but the kind that keeps you curious, gently pulling you forward. Somewhere along the way, it becomes less about just looking and more about how you feel being there. You pause more and maybe even find a bit of yourself in the stillness. It is one of those places that feels grounding and a little magical at the same time. **Shoutout to the wonderful retired volunteer lady in the bird area who once patiently spent over 30 minutes talking with me and explaining the local bird species and coastal wildlife. read more

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Monterey, California

This is a place that's absolutely worth indulging with if you ever decide to visit the area. We are California residents and we decided to become members from June 2025 through June 2026. We did the family membership for $295 which allows you unlimited entry for the entire year for 2 designated adults and children or grandchildren ages 5-21. Being a member also allows you early entry beginning 9:30am which makes it less chaotic when all other visitors come in at 10:00am. Members also have separate lines (shorter than the regular line). Ticket prices starts at $65 for adults, $50 for youth and $50 for seniors. Pricey indeed but worth it. Probably one of the best Aquariums I've been to. We've been here since June several times already, maximizing our membership and I still don't get bored. The Monterey Bay Aquarium offers a wide variety of marine life including jellyfish, otters, penguins, fishes and a whole lot more. The staff and volunteers are all knowledgeable and friendly. Their gift shop although pricey has a wide variety of items that are very inviting. Their cafeteria offers good foo and drink choices but as expected, it is expensive. My favorite of the exhibits are the Sarcastic Fringehead and the Bloody Belly comb jelly. We never fail to take a glimpse of these 2 marine life. I highly recommend visiting Monterey Bay Aquarium - every time we come, we always had an unforgettable and chill experience. March 2026 read more

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My teenage daughter really wanted to come to Monterey Bay aquarium, the only day we could come was on a Sunday. We were visiting colleges in San Francisco and heading back to Los Angeles. We stopped off at Monterey. Sunday was the worst day to come. It was so packed. You couldn't see anything tons of people many children lots of strollers we understand I had a child. I know what it's like but on the weekend it was doubled the amount of people that I'm sure is during the week. Although it's a beautiful aquarium and we would've loved to enjoy it a little bit more so many people my daughter couldn't even enjoy it. And for the price, which was very costly and no discounts for students. I don't think we will be coming back to visit here for a while. read more

When you think of California, you immediately think of the beaches, coastline and maybe sea animals as well. Unfortunately, I don't think we have the best aquariums to prove that (Long Beach is alright but I wouldn't go out of my way to go there, SF's is pretty small, and I haven't been to any of the SD one's), but Monterey Bay Aquarium is the best of the best! If I were to be in the area again, I would definitely visit since the last time I did was when Poke'mon Go was popping (yes this was ages ago), but the workers saw and were super excited about it. I got lots of water Poke'mon then too. It's so cool that they incorporate the actual ocean into the aquarium as well with the ocean viewing deck. Very peaceful and great to get a breath of the fresh sea air and the waves come rolling in. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to see some wildlife as well. No other aquarium, at least thus far in my life, has compared to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I loved the anchovy exhibit and just seeing them swarm around and open their mouths. Very dizzyingly beautiful. I got to watch the penguin feeding, which I love to do any time there's a chance. Kelp forest exhibit is impressive and massive. They also have so many sea otters too, super cute and very fun to see them interact with one another. The deep sea exhibit is also very unique and impressive, many species that I've only seen on nature documentaries. This goes for a lot of the bird species that they had here as well. Also, it's great that they highlight the native wildlife, keystone species, and conservation efforts made. And because I'm a large child, there's so many docents, workers, and tide pool/touch tanks, etc. to get hands on learning and just ask questions away. Definitely will visit again! read more

Great aquarium. Loved the otters and jelly fish. Tickets seemed on the higher side but we enjoyed our time. read more

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Very nice exhibits . The sea otters and the ocean exhibits are good . Expensive to get in 65 per person . And it's a bit smaller than the aquarium in socal but it's much more refined exhibits. Took about an hour in a half to see everything without rushing 4/5, One star down for price read more

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Fish - Aquariums Near Me - Monterey, California

Second time at Monterey Bay Aquarium in the span of three months! It was rather crowded on the Sunday we came the first time, so we thought coming on a weekday might be better, but it was still crowded! Regardless, it's a great aquarium with so many delightful animals to see and be mesmerized by. I especially love all the jellies and the way they're displayed is wonderful. I could literally watch them all day. This is a wonderfully educational and entertaining place for the whole family. read more

Great aquarium and absolutely lives up to its reputation as a world renowned institute! I finally got the chance to visit after a few trips to Monterey and we weren't disappointed by the exhibits. Everything feels super well curated and I particularly loved the jellyfish and otter exhibits. There are also great tide pools for touching manta rays, sea urchin and other shellfish. There's a cafe with coffee, snacks and meals inside. Of course it's pricy given it's a museum/tourist attraction but we found we could have spent longer here if only we didn't have lunch plans already and had to rush a bit to see the entire aquarium. As a bonus, the views of the coast are great! read more

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Great aquarium!! The displays are humongous and beautiful, they seem like plenty of space for the animals. The penguin exhibit was closed when we went, but we caught the otter feeding just in time. We also saw a turtle in the open ocean exhibit, and saw a sea otter outside on the patio. Tip: the exhibits were pretty packed but right before closing ex (4:45 PM) the otter exhibit was empty so we got a wonderful up close view read more

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Visited Monterey Bay Aquarium and it was so fun! I was a little bummed about how expensive the tickets felt -- it's around $60 for general admission, which feels steep compared to similar attractions (other aquariums often cost less) -- but the experience was still worth it for me. I loved seeing all the otters and, coincidentally, even spotted a pod of whales from outside -- such a cool bonus! The staff were extremely friendly and made the visit enjoyable. Overall, great experience and worth doing if you're in the area -- just be ready for that admission price! read more

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I just wanted to add my two cents here. This is one of the Crown Jewels of Northern California. Incredible exhibits, wonderful staff, and volunteer docents around every corner. This is somewhere everyone visiting Monterey should visit. read more

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Jellyfish. - Aquariums Near Me - Monterey, California

4 stars because: I honestly think they should have a cut off limit to how many people can go in ... I really hate that idea, however. I hated that adults were in the front forever at the windows and hard to squeeze your kid in. How about have a rule that kids get to go in front as us adults can see just fine over them. and someone working there to facilitate that. it was Friday and it was too crowded. I mean wayyy too crowded. sanitizing foam would be nice too at areas like SF Zoo. now. onto the good... beautiful creatures big and small. enjoyed learning about how important a little creature like plankton impacts sooo much. the gal that presented was awesome. The inside play area on 2nd floor was fun. And touching the stingray was cool( had to wait a while as they don't love coming around) the touching area was nice to experience. There is sanitizer at that station. Loved the art made out of recycled plastics. Very cool. bonus for adults. Wine and beer bar! And a coffee bar. Cafe looked clean. Stopped at a local store and brought my own sandwich in so I did not eat there. But the fish and chips looked good. you can sit outside or inside to eat. beautiful tide pools to see outside as well as the ocean ofc. My grandude loved the wave splashing over your head experience... under a plexiglass wall. read more

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Big Rolly Polly of the sea! - Aquariums Near Me - Monterey, California

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It was my first time visiting the Monterey Bay aquarium me and my wife took our three sons age range is 3 to 10 years old and they all loved it. I especially love the deep sea tank had a hammerhead shark massive sunfish nice school of yellowfin tuna and a bunch of other things that you don't typically get to see from that perspective there may or may not have been a dolphin that was often the distance was too dark to tell and it didn't come close enough but the movement made it seem like it could have been a dolphin or porpoise. The otter exhibit is super cool and really fun for the kids. I think the highlight of the whole thing was the little tunnel you can stand and be under the wave when it crashes because in between waves the Littles can run over and try and touch an enemies and hermit crabs and other living animals. The raise were hard to touch because they seem to be antisocial but it was the end of the day and I'm sure they had a lot of activity especially from hyperactive little kids lol the food was crazy big portion sizes not the best food but the kids liked it so good enough for me. Actually, completely forgot about the octopus tank. That was the highlight. Ive never seen one so large and active like this one was. read more

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Deep sea exhibit - Aquariums Near Me - Monterey, California

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Love that my husband opted to get a membership. Members can arrive 30 minutes early to get a little time in before everyone else is let in at 10am. For my anxious self this is amazing. It's quiet, let's kid run to the things they want to see and not worry about the exhibits being overly crowded. Worth it for sure! Staff is very kind, facilities are so clean as well! read more

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The Monterey aquarium is a gem of Monterey bay. From their philanthropic work to conservation, the area of the coast wouldn't be the same without them. In terms of visiting, I usually spend 3-4 hours here seeing all the feeding programs and walking around to my favorite exhibits. Those include the octopus, kelp forest, jelly fish, and the sea turtles. I highly recommend a visit. Side note: there is also a full service restaurant with a fantastic view inside of the aquarium so if you don't feel like grabbing a stamp on your hand (for re-entry) and finding food outside of the aquarium, you can certainly stay in and grab lunch. read more

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Monterey, California

Once again going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium is my favorite park of visiting the City of Monetary. The aquarium is second to none. The staff and aquarium volunteers are always so polite and welcoming. The marine life exhibits are magnificent. There is so much to learn about marine life and this place is simply magical to visit. read more

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This aquarium is amazing. The pictures don't do it justice. Lots of interactive content and displays that are perfect for all ages. Highly recommend buying your tickets in advance. However, if you don't the staff moves guests through the line efficiently. Easy walk from several parking structures and lots in the area. Also close to tons of restaurants and shops. read more

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The Monterey Bay Aquarium is nothing short of amazing. We've traveled from out of state to visit it three or four times and it is worth it every time. Typically, we end up spending an entire day with a short breach for lunch. Their cafe serves expensive food with lackluster vegetarian options, so we opt to go offsite for better options. The price of admission is high, but its a worldclass experince, so worth it, in my opinion. read more

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I've always wanted to visit Monterey Bay Aquarium and I finally got the chance to with my family. There is not a dedicated private lot for the aquarium, there are paid lots and street parking. We arrived around opening and there was a long line to get in. It took about 15 minutes. Tickets are definitely pricey. I'd say it's one and done, maybe twice and done. We went a few days after Christmas and it was pretty packed which made it a little hard to enjoy. The exhibits are pretty cool! We got to see a feeding for the deep sea fish, and there is a lot of variety. We ate at the cafeteria, a the food was actually pretty good! Just like the ticket prices, the food was expensive. I'd come back, maybe in the distant future when my daughter is older, and we get to spend more time in town. read more

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Not worth going... 2 tickets already $130. It's a waste of money! I was hoping to see the sea otters. The fisherman warf looks disgusting and dirty. It's so dry and dead nothing amusing to see to overpricing on the tickets entering. read more

Visiting here was fun, it was my first time at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I did not realize how busy it would be on a weekday at 12pm, but probably because of the holidays. They have variety of auditorium programs when I went and exhibits such as the Living Light: Bioluminescence which was fun to listen to. At the information area, times are listed on when programs or feedings happen so you can figure out what you want to see and when. There is a lot to see and you can spend about 2-3 hours there, and longer with kids. Highly recommend seeing the jellyfish, sea otters and the kelp forest. They also have touch pools which are really popular with kids. The views from the aquarium are also gorgeous. They also have a cafe area if you want to get something to eat, or you can get a reentry stamp and try restaurants next to the aquarium. Definitely recommend coming here, but recommend figuring out parking ahead of time. Some of the public parking lots can charge up to $22-$40 a day from what I saw when I was trying to park. There is street parking but it is hard to find. read more

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Monterey, California

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Hands down the BEST aquarium ever! It's beautiful, huge, and the volunteers are amazing! If you haven't been to this aquarium, put it on your list! read more

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Monterey, California

The Monterey Aquarium was beautiful and expansive, which I would hope for given its steep admission fee. Parking was already full before opening, so we had to drive about a mile out to find free parking. Fifteen minutes before opening, the line already wrapped around the building. Coming early let us be among the first to see the exhibits, but if you arrive later the exterior line is actually shorter. The entire visit took about 1.5 hours, even with waiting in line for the larger exhibits. The food court and snack carts offered surprisingly delicious and unique treats. The bathrooms were also large and clean. One thing that stood out was that the aquarium did not feel very ADA friendly. The otters rarely went underwater and stayed mostly at the surface, yet there was no designated viewing area for guests with disabilities. The elevators were slow, stairs were everywhere, and I saw several guests in wheelchairs struggling to move through the crowds. My favorite exhibit was the jellies. The jellyfish collection was both diverse and abundant. The sea otters were hard to spot, but when they appeared they were plump and fast swimmers. The seabirds were lively, and the open air setup let us get incredibly close to them. The Kelp Forest was large but narrow, so I preferred the one in Long Beach overall. The exhibit that recreated tidal waves was entertaining and very interactive with the sea life. The aquarium features many large exhibits, while other aquariums tend to highlight smaller animals. Personally we did not spend much time there despite the high admission price. I would visit once because everything is so polished, but the collection is not as extensive as others. read more

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First timer came here as part of my birthday trip Such an amazing experience the water life was so relaxing and soothing. I love seeing all the fishes and jellyfish. It was super cool. I recommend checking it out. I was totally in my element at peace and it was exactly what I needed read more

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Opened in 1984 on the site of a former sardine cannery on historic Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is definitely worthy of an afternoon in gorgeous Monterey. The aquarium showcases marine life found along the California coast and throughout the Pacific Ocean. We spent three hours there and it felt like it was a blink of an eye. So much stimulus to keep your attention occupied. I especially liked the kelp bed exhibit. Monterey Bay supports the Giant Kelp bed, the largest species of algae on Earth. There's a section of the exhibit where you can touch and feel the kelp itself. So cool!! The circular layout of the aquarium makes it easy and intuitive to explore. There's also a large cafeteria area with a variety of casual dining options, from burgers and sandwiches to ice cream plus beer and wine. The dining room overlooks beautiful Monterey Bay, making it a perfect place to relax and take a load off before you dive back in ( pun intended). Happy travels! 20 read more

What a beautiful aquarium!! Me and hubby came for a small weekend visit and this has been on my Bucket list for quite awhile! Parking was about $20 in a parking lot a few blocks away. We had purchased tickets a few weeks prior for $65 each. We gave ourselves a few hours to explore and not feel rushed. I thoroughly enjoyed each exhibit. My faves were seeing the otters be fed, the jellyfish and the enormous fish tanks! I had the hubby take all the pics and videos of me lol. It's very family friendly and all the staff was really helpful. It's a must stop when visiting Monterey! read more

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We had the best time! We brought my nieces who are 6 and 7 years old with us and everyone had so much fun. It's such a relaxing and peaceful place! We went on a Saturday so it was definitely busy, but honestly much better than we all expected! read more

Monterey Bay Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Monterey, California

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We took our baby to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for the first time, and it was such a great experience for our whole family. Highly recommend trying to plan for a weekday as it can be busy. We came on a Tuesday and it was still bustling. The aquarium is huge but very easy to navigate, especially with a baby. It's clearly designed with families in mind. There are plenty of places to sit and take breaks, which we really appreciated, and the restrooms are well equipped with changing areas for babies. The touch pools were a big hit. Even for a little one, it was fun to watch the movement and reactions up close. We loved seeing the larger fish exhibits, and the wave tunnel was mesmerizing. Walking through it felt immersive and calming at the same time. Our favorite by far was the deep ocean exhibit. We spent a long time sitting there just watching the tank filled with fish, turtles, and sharks. It was peaceful, fascinating, and honestly hard to pull ourselves away. Overall, it was the perfect spot for baby's first aquarium visit. Educational, beautiful, and very family friendly. We can't wait to come back as our little one gets older. read more

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BLOW... ME... AWAY! Long on my bookmark list, I finally found the time to make a trip to Monterey with this as one of the biggest reasons. Growing up in SF, I was an avid fan of Steinhardt Aquarium from yea high till I finished high school. The dinosaurs, the crocodiles/alligators that you see upon entering remind me of my wide-eyed bushy tail days. These trips were mostly school organized field trips. Back to here, I was Marty McFly in replicating my childhood wonder while visiting here. Here's a nutshell, without being a full spoiler: 1. Wonderful displays and tanks with the ocean backdrop 2. Nicer than nice staff which include paid employees and volunteers to answer your questions and guide you. 3. A worthy and thoughtful objective in educating the public about and preserving the environment and marine life in a natural environment. 4. Impressive presentations of the various sea life in their natural habitat. I spent over two hours here and felt like I could have spent more time here. Being to this area for the 1st time, I wanted to save time to visit other parts of this region (Carmel was next). If you want to make a day of it, like most amusement parks, you can get your hand stamped and continue exploring the aquarium later that day. Wanting to make the most of my experience, I stopped by the theater to see the viewing schedule (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=w-u6tELW9pzTlfIzCGHz-g). I returned about 11:20 am for the 11:30 am viewing of the Caring for the Animals production. There was a slight delay due to technical difficulties but only about 5-10 minutes. It was entertaining and informative as various staff with specialized responsibilities shared what is done there behind the scenes. While waiting to enter the theater, I chatted with the greeter Jason who was friendly and helpful. I learned that he grew up in the Bay Area as we talked about where I came from, catching up on how things are at home. Small world, he used to work at Steinhardt before coming here. If and when I'm in the area again, I will come here again. I highly recommend coming to this aquarium that is clearly like no other. read more

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This aquarium was just magnificent. From the simple entry and safety check to our last stop at the cutest otters just having a grand ol'' time in their little aquarium sanctuary. We spent about 1.5 to 2 hours here and that was plenty to see it all. We had just had brunch prior to visiting so we did not get to indulge in their cafe which also has a separate coffee shop which was enticing since I love my coffee. There are so many cool things to see here. I loved the jellyfish and the otters the most but this is a great place for both kids and adults. Full of so many beautiful creatures it blows your mind how many different fish there are in the sea and the ones here are not even close to what the oceans have. Totally worth coming here if you're either driving thru Monterey or visiting Cannery Row. read more

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Upon arrival we were greeted kindly, told exactly which line to stand in. Huge smiles from ALLLLLLL of the staff it was such a kind and warm welcome! The facility was very clean, organized, the stores shelves were stocked and orderly. There were individual staff members around to assist with all hands on activities and providing teaching moments. They were very patient with our little guy who was three, is learning and was a little excited and grabby. The staff was courteous, and assisted with ensuring the safety of the creatures with all of the children. We appreciated having a staff member near the area on the upper floor, we must have circled around two times trying to figure out how to get out of there! The staff member assisted when asked and was very helpful. Sooo much to do, see, learn about and explore! read more

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Today was the perfect day to come here. It wasn't busy at all. We got to see the sea otters being fed. There was so much to see. This is probably one of the best aquariums you can visit. They have a few gift shops with many cute souvenirs. The bathrooms are impressively clean. There is a really nice cafe to eat at. It's a bit pricey but very convenient and they offer a variety of food options. The exhibits of the fish and many invertebrates are incredible. Our favorites were the penguins and otters as well as the different sharks and jellyfish. We spent about 2 1/2 hours in there and saw everything. We even got to touch the sting rays. All the aquarium staff were super friendly and helpful. They are extremely knowledgeable and interactive with the guests. It's well worth the visit. If you're in the area, I recommend you check it out. read more

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This was my 2nd trip the bay aquarium. Pretty much the exhibits were the same but my favorites were missing. Cute little Clown fish know as nemo and the see horses including the penguins were not available which made me sad as I wanted to show it to my daughter as she loved the clown fish. She enjoyed watching the Otters feeding along with the fish feeding where a diver, went inside to feed the fishes. we also enjoyed watching the sardines and the octopus and enjoy showing me to my daughter a lot I found a kids section where they could play and take pictures and do some activities. It was new to us. My daughter spend some time exploring and playing I also enjoyed feeling the texture of the seaweed and also learning about them. We spend half a day here at the aquarium. We parked our car somewhere outside the aquarium. It's a walking distance not more than five minutes. And yes, it was a big and a paid parking lot. We came here on Saturday. The crown was pretty good. There is also a cafeteria. Near the otter section. If you're not feeling like going out, you can grab a sandwich or coffee and get something to eat over here. There is also parking space for the strollers nearby the otter section. We cover the entire aquarium within four hours. read more

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I loved this aquarium and so much to see here, definitely worth a visit if you love the ocean. This place has been on my list for awhile to visit as I have the sea otter cam on often at home as I love watching when they are fed! Such adorable and playful creatures. And did you know at one point they almost went extinct because they were hunted for their coat? Luckily, they were recovered with the help of the work from the early days of this aquarium. The ticket price here is very stiff, $65/adult so I found that to be really exorbitant. They do participate in the Museum for All program and Monterrey Bay residents on certain days can visit for free. They do allow you to exit and reenter, so that's a nice policy. I suggest you have a game plan when coming here or else you might be stuck in lines all day. Come early as soon as they open because by the time I left around 1pm, there was a long line just to get inside to the aquarium. Make sure you eat prior to coming as the cafe here is pretty pricey. I couldn't justify spending $10 cup of coffee. Parking is a nightmare anywhere close to the aquarium, I parked about 10 min away and got free parking right along the beach. It was a nice walk along the water to get to the aquarium. Grab a map and then explore the aquarium. You will get lost in all the fascinating things you see. I loved their jellyfish displays and their Deep Ocean area was really cool, saw a hammerhead and some turtles. I also love the kelp forest. And of course I went to see the sea otters and they were playful as usual. This is an excellent aquarium (one of the best), and if you decide within 7 days you want to join their annual membership, they will apply your entrance ticket towards the cost. I'd definitely come back here any day, I loved my visit here!! read more

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A must-see if you're in the Monterey area. I haven't been since I was a kid, but my partner and I had loads of fun walking through the different exhibits and learning about marine life. My personal favorite exhibit was the jellyfish! read more

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One of my favorite magical places where I have easily spent an entire day watching the sea life and thinking about life, the universe, and everything. It is hard to beat what the Monterey Bay Aquarium has to offer. It's also a place full of very special memories for me as my late bestie and I loved to come here for our summer birthdays when we could afford it. Until this month when my partner took me here, I had never been here with anyone else. It felt a little weird, I def cried a little, but it also felt comforting. Admission is now $65, which I know is steep, but I think it's worth it. There's a LOT to see. Your money goes towards sea otter enrichment, or perhaps into her eventual return to the open sea. Towards conservation and education. They offer a membership that would pay for itself if you visited three times in a year. I wish I could make it down here that often! Make sure to look at the feeding schedule for the otters, penguins, and kelp garden sea creatures. That is not to be missed. The amount of time I could spend uninterrupted at the otter exhibit if unchecked...yeah *heart emoji* they're adorable. They were doing lots of little twirlies and washing their wee faces when we visited them this month. My other favorites are the jellyfish, petting the rays, watching the kelp garden and everything going on in there (the habitat is massive and you can view it from two levels like you can the sea otter habitat), watching the tiny coastal birds (there is a habitat indoors), eels, leaping blennies, coral gardens, Finding Nemo friends, and viewing the bay from the observation deck outside, enjoying the chilly air. The new thing I did on this last trip was touch a living abalone. They were so cool looking! I had a shell growing up, but didn't know what the critter looked like. Now I do. The observation deck is not to be missed. You can watch folks learn to scuba dive, and rent (this used to be free? but I think it might be extra now) binoculars to pick out birds and other sea life swimming about in the open ocean. On our recent trip we watched a group of sea lions do some synchronized swimming together, and there were so many different birds. A large group of cormorants completely covered a rock, and of course the seagulls come around telling their life story and trying to find snacks. Sometimes you can see otters out in the open ocean too, and that goes for anywhere along Cannery Row with an ocean view. Look for the floating kelp beds. They do have a cafe inside with food, drinks, and snacks, and of course it'll cost you. I do fancy their coffee and a nice window view. Very relaxing. They really do have everything you need to make a nice day of it, and it is quite a kid friendly place. Parking can be kind of nuts, so the earlier you get here the better. I prefer to find street parking or a lot and walk. read more

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