Seattle Aquarium is one of the most unique aquariums I have been to. It is also one of the few…read moreaquariums that you can experience some of it without having to purchase a ticket. It is also unique in the aspect of how it is set up, three distinct buildings, each with their own array of aquatic animals. Taking the traditional route would be to enter Pier 59 through the main entrance. You can follow the flow of people, or you can go about this in any way you prefer. Most people will go this route. Pier 59 holds Window on Washington water, Crashing Waves, Life on the Edge, Jellies, Octopus, Closer Look, Caring Cove, Virtual Reality, Gift Shop, and Cafe. Window on Washington is aa wonderful display of what the sea life is like in the waters surrounding the city. The touch pool can be a chokehold of a place and very educational. Most children oriented displays are in here as well. Pier 60 holds Birds & Shores, Puget Sound Fish, Underwater Dome, Family Activity Center, Sea Otters, Harbor Seals, Northern Fur Seals, River Otters, and Veterinary Care Center. Highlight of this portion for me was the Underwater Dome. How cool is it that you are beneath the creatures that you just saw making the trek here from Pier 59. The seals you see on your walk you'll get a better look at. All the fish you get a bit of an aerial view of, you will see. Almost like an amphitheater, sit and watch the fish school around you and try to figure out which is which. The otters are also a highlight, especially the one they cannot let back into the wild. Then head to Ocean Pavilion. Inside here you will find The Reef, Into the Shallows, Into the Depths, One Ocean Hall, At Home in the Ocean, The Archipelago, Jelly Nursery, Animal Care, Discovery Lab, and another gift shop. This building is extra special, before you enter, be sure to look up. You'll know what I mean if you are here. Such a wild experience to have, everything was curated in such a way that you learn a lot while taking in the many species on display. Great place to spend a portion of your day. Lots to see, lots to do. Gift shop is a bit expensive, but most gift shops are. Staff are helpful and will point you in the direction you need to be.

The Seattle Aquarium is located in the waterfront area where all the tourists activities are…read more Ticket prices start at $50 for daily entrance until 5pm. Children under 4 years old get free admission. There is food and beverages sold inside and accommodations for handicapped patrons. The exhibits have marine life from the native Pacific Northwest and the South Pacific, and the new Ocean Pavilion is really nice with all the tropical reefs. The touch tanks are also pretty cool and the little one's will love getting a chance to touch live marine life. The Aquarium consists of three buildings that are all connected by outdoor pathways and covered walkways. This is a great way to spend unlimited hours while visiting the waterfront in Seattle. Eventhough I didn't take any pictures inside, they do allow you to photograph whatever you choose inside.

It was really neat to walk in and see all these enthusiastic kids excitedly learning and checking…read moreout the various urchins and sea anemones in the touch tanks. There are aquariums with different forms of sea life, educational materials and books, a microscope display with plankton, a model of a submersible for people to learn how undersea navigation works, just a lot to see and do.

This place was really great. As others have said, it's a quick 30 minute visit. But it's well…read moreworth it because you get to touch really neat things - sea anemones, starfish, california sea cucumbers, and more. Staff were really knowledgeable and helpful. Our kids had a blast seeing everything, including looking through the microscope at all the living organisms in a splash of ocean water. Would definitely come back again.

First time visit, and yes, the main aquarium center is closed for the winter, but, such a charming,…read moreeducational place. Small gift shop when coming in and then stunning whale bones and displays ushers you forward! At the end, there's a kids-focused, hands-on experience. Looking at everything from marine anatomy to actual bones, fur and specimens. Take your kids or kids at heart here. Now!

Small wonderful Marine Science Center. Kids will especially enjoy this experience…read more The calendar of events, especially educational based, are so helpful for appreciating the special marine environment around Port Townsend. There is a small collection of marine life, including a full killer whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling. The staff here are wonderful. Come here to support marine science and the local community.

We've followed the Shark Reef all over town from a huge space at Clearcreek to a nice storefront on…read moreSilverdale Way to the newest resting place nestled in a great spot off the beaten path. We've always wandered through the tanks, enjoying all the splendor and color they have to offer but have never made the commitment to start a tank. That's about to change since my husband got creative this Christmas and got me a starter tank and carte blanche to get it going! We found ourselves once again enjoying all the splendor at the Shark Reef but this time, we got to "talk tank" with Eric, the owner. He has a great passion for the hobby and it comes across in his vast knowledge of every aspect of the salt water tank. Although I got a starter tank, the deal we got at Shark Reef has us returning everything and starting fresh and complete! The selection of fish, rock and coral is great and we were assured that if we want something they don't have, they'll be able to get it for us (within reason of course)! Oh, if you buy a 5 gallon container for $15 you get R/O water for free! I'm excited to begin my new hobby and I feel super lucky to have this great little gem of a store to support it!

The staff is extremely knowledgeable and has completely saved me and my tank time and time again…read moreeven making house calls. I highly recommend driving out here especially if it's your first tank as you truly need Eric's knowledge. Also he's very friendly and cool.

Went here with my to stock his first Saltwater Aquarium. The staff here tested our water and was…read morevery educational on what fish and coral to start with. Their stock of fish, invertebrates, snails, and corals is quite large than most place we've visited. My son got some good deals on a clown fish and some corals to start with. We will definitely be back here for more as my son continues to cycle his tank.

Made the trip up from Oly to buy corals after checking their site and facebook that said they are…read moreopen. Got there to find the open sign lit, yet a sign on the door saying closed. Apparently too much effort to post on their facebook page since it also says OPEN NOW. Too bad.

I visited the Aquarium at Highline College -- it's a small but super lively marine lab and teaching…read morespace. I really love the beach and the views in Des Moines, so stopping by on a chilly Saturday morning right before fall felt perfect. You get to see all kinds of marine creatures like crabs, starfish, sea worms, fish... They even let visitors touch the tanks (though you really shouldn't touch the animals -- it scares them). A lot of kids, and honestly plenty of adults too, were totally fascinated watching these tiny, colorful creatures move around in the water. The place isn't very big, so they limit how many people can go in at once to keep it from getting crowded. They're only open on Saturdays and admission is free, so if you stop by, consider donating to support them.

Super cute aquarium in the Des Moines/Federal Way area that is only open on Saturdays from 10 am -…read more2 pm. They have a small collection of displays showing PNW local creatures. The tanks are much smaller than what you'd see at a bigger aquarium like the Seattle Aquarium, but they had some interesting creatures on display (like sculpins and crabs). The volunteers were also very interactive with kids and they had a pretty big tide pool tank where you can touch some creatures. When we visited they even had a tank of live squid, something I never really get see at the bigger aquariums. A few things to note: - Admission is free but they do ask for donations... they can accept cash but they also have a card machine for donations as well. - They keep track of capacity, so there may be a line to get in. Since it only takes 20-30 minutes to explore people shuffle in and out quickly. - Most of the aquarium displays are in the building out on the pier; this area is primarily outdoors so prepare for the cold weather! The indoor building is very small and mainly has displays of jarred sea creatures and scuba info. - There are restrooms onsite near the entrance. - No dedicated parking on-site, so you will have to look for parking in the area. There is a lot across the street but it tends to be busy with people fishing/boating, otherwise there is some street parking next to the playground area. If you happen to be in the Federal Way area for food reasons, I recommend stopping by this little aquarium to get more out of a visit! They're also located on the waterfront, so it makes for a nice walk around the area.

Wow! I went today and am absolutely floored by my experience!…read more The owner and his daughter were so incredibly welcoming and made sure to be inclusive of every person on the tour. The animals are beautiful, well cared for, and in spacious enclosures. (I can't fathom the negative reviews that I read criticizing them, it's simply not true!) The details: -tours are at 10,12,2&4 -the only restrooms are porta potty's - there is ample parking! -there is a hand wash station for when you're done with the tour with running water soap and paper towels -Definitely wear closed toe shoes as you'll be walking inside of the animal's enclosures. -there are a lot of picnic tables and chairs (and even swings!) to hang out and wait before your tour begins

I've been here two or three times before with my daughter when she was littler, and her friends…read morewere little, too. We loved it. It's so neat to be able to touch animals that few people see, let alone pet. I have a picture of her as a small child, almost lying on top of a wallaby in the sun. So, when a friend from Seattle asked that I meet her halfway from my north end location, this was the outing I chose for the day. The tour wasn't as long as I remembered it being, and the marsupials weren't quite as snuggly. However, the variety was amazing. There were tiny baby lemurs on display, a mama wallaby with a baby in her pouch, burros, kissing alpacas, emus you could pet... it's a pretty unique experience. I only removed one star because I felt rushed through. In the past I don't recall feeling like I was being held to a tight time limit, and that was a little disappointing. Overall, it's a cool experience, and I highly recommend it-- especially for those with children.

Marvelous zoo. Beautiful grounds that are kept nicely…read more We visited for a day and were lucky enough to see two baby gorillas. We also saw a lot of other animals including Kimodo Dragon, Lions, Tigers and many others. We especially enjoyed feeding Lorikeets which fly loose in an aviary. We bought two little cups of nectar that they sell there. The birds landed all over us and had their treat. We love birds and enjoyed the experience very much.

The Woodland Park Zoo was such a wonderful integrative experience. We were visiting from Omaha and…read morewere lucky enough to be gifted tickets to visit the zoo here in Seattle. A short drive from my boyfriend's Aunt's house we got here when it opened which gave us ample time to check out the zoo before we flew out that day. One of the wonderful characteristics of this zoo that we loved was how easy it was to walk through the different areas. We certainly used the maps, the directional posts, and checked out our surroundings when we felt like we might be a little lost but it is certainly a lovely walkable zoo. Each pathway takes you though different exhibits and areas. We happened to be here on a field trip day so there were a bunch of groups out and about and several mom groups it seemed like as well. Some of the bigger exhibits had Zoo docents or staff near by to answer questions and help us to get closer to see some of the beautiful animals. We happened to get lucky on this visit because we got to see the Tiger, which apparently, doesn't come out much and we got to see baby lion cubs too! It got pretty loud in the area to see the cub but luckily one of the zoo staff kept the area from being too rowdy. Another great thing about this zoo was how sustainable and eco-friendly it is. We stepped into the cafeteria/concession area and we saw that there were no plastic bottles in sight. All drinks were in a can, even water! Love that!! We managed to make it through the whole zoo and left feeling as though it was one of the most integrative and interactive zoos we had been too. We loved walking through the different aviary exhibits where you're enclosed in it and walking through different birds. The Over head tunnels for the Tree Kangaroo and the red panda nearby. It was fun to walk through and be surrounded by part of the animal's exhibit rather than the exhibit be just a square space. Before we left we stopped at the giftshop to get something I could remember this visit by and I settled on the orange red panda tee. Ended up being the exact same shirt my sister got herself from this zoo several years ago!! Definitely check this zoo out when you're in Seattle! It's a gem!

The landscaping is beautiful with lots of interesting and colorful flowers and plants. The parking…read morelots are large and we were able to park our RV and tow car in an upper lot with no problem. This is really a beautiful well maintained zoo and worth a visit if you are near.

Our first visit to this Zoo & Aquarium was today, 7/29/26. Arrived at 11:20 AM at the parking lot…read more Let's just say it was totally packed since we had to find a parking space on Lot E (Elephant). But we were right next to the walkway, so it was actually convenient for us. Saw how small the parking spaces were from Rows A-D, how close people were parking next to each other like there were no other lots/rows available. People acted like if they could not park at a close spot, they weren't going to find a space. It's not like you can't walk when the Zoo entrance isn't even that far from the parking lot. Anyhow, the 3 of us walked in with a stroller. They had Accessibility and Stroller ramps, so it was easy to navigate. Once we got to the entrance, we scanned our QR Code to get in. There were bathrooms and maps along with signs all over the place, so thought that was simple enough to follow while staying on the recommended pathways. Getting to the exhibits was pretty easy. Thought the weather was supposed to be cloudy and a little cooler since the forecast showed temperatures in the high 60's and low 70's. But nope!! It was blazing hot with the Sun out shining the whole time out! Felt like it was in the 90's since we were sweating the whole time. Anyway, the Zoo was totally packed! Guess there were a number of Summer School trips that brought their Elementary school kids since there were a whole bunch of groups of them! Every place we went, it was crowded, loud and packed with children, parents, strollers, teachers and wagons! Thought we were in a mob pit or something... Since it was so hot out, not many of the animals were outdoors. Even if they were, probably hid somewhere to avoid being in the heat and Sun. Didn't get a chance to see the Elephant, Goat, Meerkat or Monkeys. We saw the Penguins, Sea Lions, Polar Bear and Tiger. Then visited the 2 Aquariums to see a bunch of fish and different species of Shark and Sting Rays. It took us exactly 2 hours to visit each of the exhibits and walk around the whole Zoo. Could have been shorter or longer, depending on the animals being out and not being out. Also, if it wasn't so crowded and steamy hot, we might have spent a little more time taking pictures and videos together. The Cafe was pricey and line was long. But overall, we enjoyed ourselves, especially our 2-year old. He really liked seeing the Sharks! We might try visiting again in the Fall, once regular school season starts and also when the temperatures are much cooler at that time.

Very clean store with nice selection of fish. Beautiful coral and plants also. Knowledgable and…read morefriendly staff. If they don't know the answer, you can find an owner there also who knows a lot. The tanks looked clean. The fish looked lively. Front has selection of tanks. Back has supplies. Seemed like a good selection of everything. We like supporting this family owned business.

Really great store I enjoyed walking around and looking at the different variety of fish, great…read moreopportunity, DC small fish, large fish, unique fish I haven't seen before and who knew this place existed in our own backyard and has been here for years. I would definitely suggest anyone to come here to look for their aquatic needs or even just for a fun time looking at the fish.