A small, private aquarium. Really nice as the kids can touch some of the residents;) There are coupons in their brochure at the local hotels for a free tray of sardines to feed the resident seals. The BIG downside is the lack of bathrooms! It's a hike back to the turnaround by the Shilo Inn to use the facilities...really inconvenient! read more

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Amazing time, feeding the harbor seals. I haven't laughed that hard, it awhile!! They have fish for sale, decent price for the whole adventure. The best girl, was Penny. She "stood" at the back of the pool, and barked. While another one kept splashing us!!! Super knowledgeable staff, on all the sea life they present. read more

What an interesting learning experience for the kids. The feeding of the animals was very fun!!!

Such small tanks that look so boring for the fish. Very sad. I would not support this business again.

I went here with my family during my spring break trip to Oregon and I'm very disappointed. The tanks looked very small and cramped for the fish and other sea animals. Including this, the whole place was extremely crowded and many screaming kids that ruined my experience. Many guests were also using flash photography which isn't comfortable for the animals. This place was not worth the 31 dollars and 15 minutes. read more

So sad, don't make the same mistake as I did, don't go. They had 4 octopus, 2 of which were giant pacific octopus, inside tiny environments with absolutely nothing inside. Nowhere to hide, explore, or move. There were no plants or stimulation for the octopus, there was literally nothing in their tanks. They had at least 2 eels in tanks with once again nothing, no where to hide or go, they were out in the open with not even enough space to stretch out. These animals need places to hide at the very very least. There was a fairly big shovelnose looking fish in a tank not even a foot bigger than the fish itself, it couldn't swim, and could only sit or turn around (barely). Please don't go. read more

Great for kids and price is very reasonable nice little gift shop and beware of being splashed by the seals

4 stars, with some perspective. This is a small aquarium in a tourist-dependent town so bear that in mind. Yes it is small, yes it's a bit run down, and yes pricey, depending on the size of your group. We did a family entry which is $34 and up to 6 people so actually reasonable if you have that many. Kids 5 and under get in free with paid admission. For small kiddos, I think this place is perfect. It's just one room of tanks and feels a little damp and dungeon-y, but only the adults really mind that part. The seals up front are pudgy and cute, and a will clap and splash you like crazy for fish (can purchase for $2 to throw in to them) and the touch tanks are really cool for little ones also. Information pamphlets and signs are everywhere for those interested. read more

This is a small aquarium but the worst part about it is how miserable the creatures are, in particular the octopuses, sharks, and eels. None of them were swimming - all were in small dim tanks and just lying still on the bottom. One of the octopuses is in an incredibly small open pool with no plants, rocks or cover, with nowhere to hide and where I watched a child try to reach in and touch it. Other people have mentioned the seals but it is heartbreaking to see how trapped these animals are. I didn't even think to look up reviews before walking in but I regret spending money here. It's motivated me to email the state representatives. Please don't support this establishment. read more

Outstanding little aquarium reminds of Morro bays. The harbor seal are happy to perform antics like roll overs, slapping their sides, posing on the rock or snagging a bite intended for another. I love the hand washing centrally located. Touching the sea anomie's, sea cucumbers and shark egg. read more

Seaside aquarium was an awesome experience! There were so many interesting different cool sea animals there! You can even feed the seals for $2 a tray! read more

Small little place right near the beach, small parking lot (only a couple stalls) in back. It's super small, so we walked through pretty quickly, but it was a nice stop while in Seaside. Cute little gift shop. They had a big octopus and a touch tank, but the biggest draw is clearly the seals. You can buy trays of fish to throw over a fence to them while they splash and slap their bellies to get your attention. read more

Seaside Aquarium - One of the cute seals - Aquariums Near Me - Seaside, Oregon

I love to feed the seals here. I look forward to it every visit to seaside and I've brought a few friends here as well because it's a fun quick stop. Grab a few trays of fish and watch the seals do tricks. It's not a huge place but definitely worth a quick stop if you're out at seaside and looking for an activity! The staff is knowledgeable and excited to educate you on the sealife. read more

Seaside Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Seaside, Oregon

Right on the beach in Seaside, you'll find the Seaside Aquarium. Disclaimer: Do NOT expect something big! You really will only spend 20 - 30 minutes here, tops. It's a big room that you follow in a circle, and the closing attraction is feeding the seals on the way out. As other reviewers have said, the room is pretty dark and cold. It's no worse or better than some of the exhibits at the Seattle Aquarium. There are several tanks with lots of different fish & other marine life to observe and read about. There are also lots of little enclosures in the center of the room including petri dish exhibits, touch tanks, bones, etc. that are more on the educational side of things. When you pay for admission you have the option to pay $2 per carton of fish to feed the seals on the way out. Completely worth it! The aquarium has signs up letting you know that the seals do not indeed have to beg for their food - they just DO because they know exactly why the humans are there with fish coming their way. I will say I agree with the sentiments being said about their enclosure appearing to be too small. They probably need way more space for swimming with how many they have in there. :( It's a cute little additional stop to throw in while you're exploring Seaside, but don't expect to have this be a showstopping, long experience. read more

Feeding the seals was cool, but it's so small I don't think it really should qualify as an aquarium. It gave me more like pet store vibes. Price is reasonable for a tourist attraction, and it's right on the beach. The parking lot was tiny, so you'll have more luck finding street parking. read more

This place is not worth the $35 we spent for my family to go in. The seals were swimming around in a very small enclosure reminiscent to a prisoner pacing in a cell. There's no enrichment whatsoever. Tourist draw is to feed them for $2 per small tray of cut up fish pieces. The rest of the tanks were comparable to a pet store. A few giant pacific octopi were in tanks with no place to hide from people. The tanks were dirty and one even had a rusty razor blade against the glass. I don't know how this place is still operating. The draw is the size for families with small children. Tanks are easy to view. A small touch pool was fun. That's about it for the positive response I had for this place. read more

What a horrifying experience we had visiting this so called "aquarium". The whole thing took less than 5 minutes. We felt "had" - even for $11/ea. Guess the price should have been the clue to avoid such a place. We felt they should've paid us to even be there; ultra waste of time and DEPRESSING. The poor creatures are held in tiny tanks with no stimulus - not any plants - not even fake plastic ones. You would have a better time visiting a Petco. The poor fish that were larger looked sad and helpless. I feel like I need therapy after witnessing such a sad situation. And don't get me started on the deplorable condition for those seals to live in. Several packed into a tiny cement box "swimming" enclosure so small all they can really do is go back and forth. That is not a life for those beautiful animals. They are like sad puppies wishing they can get out of there. People should picket this place - "SAVE THE ANIMALS!" Don't even think of going here. They need to be shut down. The people who gave this place 5 stars are absolutely out of their minds. They must live in a shoebox themselves. It is a teeny, tiny medieval so called "aquarium" where creatures are barely kept alive. Just SAD. I would give it zero stars if that were an option. read more

Living conditions are terrible for the animals. I would recommend just going to tidepools to see nature or walking up the coast and you'll most likely see seals read more

https://youtu.be/4fn-NHSl2XA Check out this youtube video about the conditions of this place. We went a year ago and although feeding the seals was the highlight of our trip according to our 4 year old, we were not impressed with this place. We were also concerned of the lack of staff presence while feeding and wondering if they limit the amount of fish they get. We were also very curious as to what the back area looked like for the seals. We will not be back to this place unless they change some of the way they do things. read more

Will always love coming here, somethings could use to be fresher up but other than that it's always a nostalgic and warming experience.

WE LOVE FEEDING THE SEALS! The seals here are little hams and it is a hilarious way to spend an afternoon. I highly recommend buying a fish tray per person and picking favorites. They put on a show for you. The aquarium is really neat too and they love to tell you more about the aquatic life there. Definitely check out the octopus. I got coolest sweatshirt with octopus arms on the back and it's so soft! So much cool stuff here! read more

Seaside Aquarium - Whale skeleton - Aquariums Near Me - Seaside, Oregon

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Okay, I admit that this place is touristy and if it weren't for the seals, it probably wouldn't have stayed in business as long as it has. And yes, it's expensive. At $10 per person and $2 for seal food (real pieces of fish-eww), I totally understand why the price turns people away. In fact, someone behind me as I was leaving said they were put off by the high price. However, I love any and all things aquatic, so I will pay almost any price to see aquatic animals. I have been to this aquarium probably ten times at least and I enjoy it every time. The star attraction, is of course the harbor seal enclosure which is in the very front. I highly recommend that even if you aren't planning on feeding them to wear either a raincoat or something that you don't mind getting wet because trust me you WILL get wet! The harbor seals LOVE to be fed and if they get riled up, they will splash-and it's absolutely hilarious. It didn't take long for me to get soaked from my hair to my shirt. I read that the antics they do are things they learned themselves so I'm pretty sure they're not trained, but to me that alone is worth the price of admission. Behind the harbor seals are the less famous attractions; a small room containing the remains of a giant lobster and the newspaper article about how he sadly lost his life (Don't worry, the remains aren't gross!), and several tanks of different fish and other aquatic animals. There is a touch tank with a volunteer/staff person who will let you touch them gently. As someone who volunteered at the Seattle Aquarium for over 20 years I know that people look down on aquariums, but this one seems to be well run. I made a point of putting this on my to do list and it wasn't very far from my hotel. There's a small gift shop that doesn't have a lot of stuff but I bought a cute sweatshirt and I still have a sweatshirt that I bought in 2003 that is still holding up very well. As others have said, this place is very small and you could probably go through it in fifteen minutes, but I love it and it has a lot of happy memories for me. read more

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Heartbreaking institution with small, unenriched enclosures for large, intelligent, animals (seals, octipi). While individual staff members may care for these creafures, the conditions aee barbaric. Please read and do some research before choosing whether to support with your dollar: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thedodo.com/amphtml/close-to-home/seals-inside-tiny-tank-seaside-aquarium-oregon. I did not visit the aquarium, but even walking by this tiny building was deeply unsettling, and sparked me to research. read more

It was way crowded but over all the seals were fun to feed. Just wish they had a bigger enclosure. read more

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Extremely happy with our visit to the Seaside aquarium!! First of all the price can't be beat for a family (group) of 6! It's not a HUGE building or fancy- but the history they provide of the building, the information on the sea life they show, the amount they do have nicely fit inside and most importantly the SEALS! YOU CAN FEED THE SEALS! They will clap, splash, speak and lots of other things to get your attention and the fish you're holding! You pay $2 for a paper tray of small fish, that is beyond reasonable! They do have a small area with hosting a good variety of 'touch buckets' where you can touch live starfish, anemones, etc. The gift shop they have is small for sure, but they have a nice little variety of things for you and children that are also very reasonably priced. Being small as well as reasonably priced helps when with children- I say this because you aren't spending an hour in the gift shop and you can also buy things without being shocked or upset with how much you've paid for said items. If I find myself back in seaside, I will most definitely visit the seaside aquarium again! Thanks for being a great family fun, affordable & educational place Seaside Aquarium! read more

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This family friendly location has something for every generation! My five year old loves petting the sea anenomies, my 8 year old twins are amazed by the performing seals, & I love seeing everything again through their eyes. read more

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For the price I think this was well worth it. Pay the extra $2 to get some food for the seals and they will do fun tricks for you. Pretty small little aquarium that you can get through within a half hour - but spend the time with the seals. They learned all the tricks on their own and are adorable! I would say if i had to pay more than $10 it wouldn't be worth it - but again for the price it was a fun little adventure. read more

Seaside Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Seaside, Oregon

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For being the saddest little aquarium on earth, it sure does have a lot of charm. For $8, you get admission to see some amazing seals (you can feed them for $2, too!) that live here, as well as experience touch tanks (tons of adorable crabs and starfish), and see a giant Pacific octopus! It is located right on the promenade and is walkable from most of the Seaside hotels/motels. Don't try to map it from Google, though, because it takes you somewhere completely different. Just follows the signs in town to find it. You can literally walk through here in 10 minutes, but it's definitely worth it, especially if you're from out of town and love animals. read more

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It is what it is. A very small tourist attraction that has been around for years. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did, but the harbor seals were like a bunch of comedians. They all had their own shtick. To get a sardine thrown their way, one would pat his chest quickly with a flipper. Another would climb atop the rock in the middle of the tank and roll back and forth (total yoga move) and then there was the SOB seal. That seal seemed to take pleasure in splashing everyone along the tank. So be careful with your cameras. Bad seal, bad, bad seal. Of course, my boys thought this was hilarious. Aside from the half dozen harbor seals in the small tank at the front of the museum, there is a room in back with aquariums filled with a variety of sea life. The most interesting thing in the back room was the octopus. Unfortunately it is in a painfully small tank. The rest of the animals weren't terribly interesting, but there is a small touch tank and a station to make etchings with crayons. Is it worth visiting? Only if you have kids in that magical zone (4 - 10) who will really think the seals are outrageous. I'd probably save the cash and just send one parent inside. Kids 6 - 13 are $3.75 and adults are $7.50. No AAA or Entertainment discounts. You'll pay an extra dollar for a small container of seal food. My kids absolutely loved the place and have previously visited with school groups. Pretty soon they'll outgrow it, but until then they'll be back for the comedy show. read more

Seaside Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Seaside, Oregon

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Since my bf & I are essentially kids with jobs and a car, this aquarium was so much fun. There were moments of "Oooh mommy look! Look!" and fear and wonderment. We started off with feeding the seals that were already fed all day and annoyed that we were disturbing their I'm-too-full-to-function naps. They eventually got over it though and danced around a bit. Then we saw Victor the lobster. He's impressive. (See pics.) And then we stenciled octopus and other fishes at the coloring station. And then the stingray decided to get up from his slumber to talk to me. Meanwhile, my bf was scared of the alien-like creatures you can find in the ocean. And then the huge octopus behind the railing decided to inch (or should I say foot) around in his area taunting people. We saw the petting area lady get mad at a kid for picking up and dropping all the animals. After, we were hypnotized by the neon green seahorse/worm-like creature that kept looking at us and spinning in circles. Don't get me wrong, this place is really small and not even comparable to the aquarium I'm used to going to as a kid (Monterey Bay), but I think it's plenty for a kid to learn and stare at. I speak from experience. read more

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Where's PETA when u need them lol seriously tho I felt like it was just a waste of money just to see Beautiful creatures in prison basically .smh! Dark,tight space and dirty pretty small they say it's spacious but from the out side seems smaller or unless there's a huge underworld where they are kept which I doubt . read more

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I came here with my two kids on a day with not great weather. They are six and two. For the price I think this is a really adequate activity for kids this age. Is the Newport aquarium better? Sure. We spent 45 minutes there and I would probably go back if I were in seaside for several days again. I'll give it five stars for what it is. A cool way to spend 30 to 60 minutes with two young kids when you are in seaside for a couple days. read more

I would really give 0 stars!!! The animals are kept in horrid conditions. The fish stands are leaking and dirty... the octopus tank has no rocks are kelp for the octopus to hide in (they are very shy animals) , don't even get me starred on the seals enclosure !!!!!! TINY !!!!! DIRTY!!!! DANGEROUS!!!! there is NO ONE supervising people feeding the seals.... people throw random items to the seals !!!! This facility is very understaffed and not financial capable of care for these animals properly!!!! Please close down !!!! read more

Had a great experience at this aquarium earlier today. Girlfriend loved feeding the seals and really learned a lot from one their amazing staff, Jacob. Such a nice young man and super knowledgeable when it comes to marine life. He was very patient and listened to the entire question before answering our questions, a rarity nowadays. Lots of neat things to see. My favorite were the 2 different octopus, one of each sex. The facility is very clean and all the animals have plenty of room and look very healthy. read more

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Truly dismal space. The seals are up front and all crammed into a small pool. They are obviously the money makers. The rest of the aquarium is sad looking and outdated. Also note there are no restrooms available. Even if you require ADA accommodations. I was told there are no public restrooms which means they do have them for staff but denied me access with a disability. I was told to walk 3 blocks to the nearest public restroom. The day I visited it was 48°f out with 21 mph winds and torrential rain. I had to leave twice and fight the elements to use a bathroom I was denied access to. I'm fairly certain this is illegal. How they treat their customers is a direct sign to how they treat the animals in their care. read more

I like this place but the animals are all in small living spaces. You can feed the seals and can touch certain sea creatures. There's a few neat sea creatures in here but again all in very small tanks and no real habitat I only give three stars because it is fun to feed the seals for kids but once you've grown you realize how wrong it is and learn not to support business's that mistreat animals like this. So I guess take your kids if you want but educate them about these types of things while you're there. read more

There are 11 seals confined in a small, narrow space with murky, unkept water. These seals are behind an old metal fence and they have no room to swim in their enclosure. The fish exhibits contain sad fish slowly floating around their small, dark tanks, with no greenery or color to stimulate them. I simply cannot support this aquarium's treatment of their animals. Here is a link to Jacob Colvin's "Seals in Prison" video if you are interested in seeing what the place is like for yourself. https://youtu.be/4fn-NHSl2XA read more

The animals are in BAD condition here. I got really depressed after seeing this how the sea life was kept. I honestly wish I wouldn't have spent my money here. WILL not be coming back.... (The seal enclosure they had should Be illegal...10 seals crammed in a tiny tank) read more

I went hear on a sunny friday in february, so there was no crowd. The big attraction is feeding the seals. It's neat, but for shorter people, it's a bit hard to see due to the mesh fence. You have to pay $1 for a little bit of fish pieces. We go lucky and the staff fed them with the large fish and it was really active. The inside is a bunch of aquarium tanks with various species of fish and other sea creatures. The tanks are clean and we were able to see all. The touch tank is really small and I've seen better, but it's only about $6 to get in. I can imagine if it was crowded, it wouldn't be a good experience and if it gets warm, it's likely to be smelly. It's a fun place for younger kids to go (under 11 or so) I can say I've done it and that was enough. read more

Seaside Aquarium - Inside the exhibit - Aquariums Near Me - Seaside, Oregon

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The Seaside Aquarium is something to do to get out of the wind but for my kiddo, she had a blast. It's a small place, basically one room with several places to look at a variety of fish, crabs, octopi, starfish and anemone. Plus a separate area up front to see some always hungry spotted seals. It cost under $30 bucks for all six of us to go, so that's a pretty good deal if I must say, plus we paid a little extra to get some fish to feed the seals. The kiddo loved that, and two seals pretty much stayed right by the glass where we were just go have her throw the fish to them. That was fun. Indise the big room, we saw a tribute to a 28lb lobster that passed away. Big sucker, might have gone nice with drawn butter.... Many fish and a two tanks of a petting area. The kiddo got to hold starfish and crabs, touch a few anemone and a sea cucumber and she kept going back for more. There was a fish camera and a tv off in another part so I could look in the camera and the kiddo saw me on the TV, she thought that was funny. This is basically a simple little "mom and pop" type of place so you're not going to see shark and some of the larger fish of the sea, but it's good for a short spell and it kept us happy. read more

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