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February 2023 by TravelFun_seekerz
Love this place! Sure there's enough to complain about but we're lucky to have such a great experience available.
Get the complaints out of the way. Yeah, it's kinda expensive. Can be really crowded. The constant game of bumper-strollers is annoying. Some of the stuff is once in a lifetime to see yet the kids complain of being bored after a couple hours... but it is what it is.
Positives, it's just a really special place to see. I appreciate their focus on sustainability; the Seafood Watch cards are educational and convenient. The tanks are amazing. I could sit and stare at the deep water tank all day long. The docents are all very helpful and eager to answer any questions. The folks doing the presentations at feedings are very enthusiastic and engaging for the kids.
For the cost you want to get in all you can see before the kids get whiney. Plan ahead. Arrive at opening and then move around with the Daily Schedule. We caught the otter feeding at 10:30. Kids loved how the otters come right up to the glass. Made our way over to the Deep Sea feeding at 11:00 and that was my favorite. It's amazing to watch the giant swarm of sardines swimming around and feeding as a group. Highly recommend. The kelp feeding was pretty cool, but the kids were more interested in the touch pools on the 2nd floor.
Overall a must-do experience. It didn't look like much of a cost-premium to upgrade from a single day ticket to a season pass but I don't know if its a trip we'd do more than once every year or so.
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February 2023 by Judy L
We spent almost a day in this aquarium and it’s simply amazing! There are so many to see, to touch, to discover, to learn, to feel. I love the sea otters they are absolutely adorable! And the story of the aquarium rescuing sea otter babies was very impressive. We’ll definitely come back again and discover more.By the way, to support the aquarium and their effort of protecting the bay and the ocean, you could consider become a member. We found the membership a great deal actually. One time ticket is $60, and individual membership is $95 and members can access the aquarium free in a year. So as long as you plan to visit the second time, it’s worth the price.
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February 2023 by Airlandseetheworld
I've been lucky enough to visit many aquariums and Monterey is up there with the best!
We spent 4 wonderful hours in the aquarium. Highlights included the kelp forest, the giant Pacific octopus and feeding time with the sea otters. Going outside, the chance to see seals and sea otters in the wild from the deck and through the tower viewers is amazing. The history of the canning factory display is also worth a read.
Every section is a joy and I can't recommend it enough!
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February 2023 by Z5141XXjacobl
I really appreciated the level of emphasis the aquarium put on the researchers and projects behind the exhibits. Would definitely like to see even more focus on this.
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February 2023 by Tomfitzg
I've been here around 4 times over the past 10 years. We recently took our kids and were completely floored by how expensive it is. Even a kid's hot dog is $15. I have no idea how families afford this. I've come to the realization that it's not worth the price anymore. This is sadly now an aquarium for rich people. There are many other fun things for kids to do in Monterey such as hiking, the beach and tide-pooling....all for free.
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February 2023 by 532lancem
Parking $20 + Ticket $60 = $80.
Expectations for an $80 experience, 9 out 10. Experience received, 3 out of 10. So many people you struggled to see anything. There seemed to be no large fish such as dolphins or sharks. The penguins were kept in such a small holding area I went away feeling sad. Do yourself a favor and pass on this wallet draining, underwhelming, heart string tugger.
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February 2023 by Karina D.
It's always a pleasure to come visit this beautiful aquarium! I appreciate how they have an area for the kids to enjoy themselves in the kids play area... many hands on experience. I was impressed with their nursing room.. I was able to use this facility to nurse and pump for my baby. Looking forward to coming here again :)
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February 2023 by J Christian E.
Love going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. An overall cool place to learn about marine life. I especially love the jellyfish exhibit. They have some cool jellyfish that you get to see and read about.
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February 2023 by Tony L.
They have great fish the service is fantastic. The donuts are marked up 300%. Just go down the street. Great for kids. Otterly cool.
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February 2023 by Jacqueline S.
This is a world class aquarium with a decades long protection, research and collaboration with several Universities, researchers and environmental groups. They have shared interesting information on our oceans in exhibitions in the aquarium- but also in art, and videos, sculptures-really a fantastic place to learn and enjoy our oceans and the animals that live there. Judging from the laughing kids at the sea otters as they were fed and the blissed-out kids watching the kelp forest sway ... it works for all ages. The tickets are expensive and so is the cafe, so l'm thinking that a visit isn't in the budget for all families but I wish it was. There are School field trips and various discounts, some discounts for local residents too. There are some access programs though libraries too. I think every kid in CA needs to enjoy a trip to this aquarium.
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February 2023 by Sarah S.
My guy and I took advantage of the free admission for residents and really enjoyed it! The price otherwise is a bit pricey but I would pay it, and is totally worth it. We went during a weekday around 2pm and still really busy so I wouldn't want to go during a weekend or busier time. It's great parents take their kiddos but the out of control kids running around screaming, tapping on the glass and blocking views was a bit much for me. We made our way around all the exhibits with the larger tanks being both our favorites with a hammerhead shark, schools of fish, huge tuna, and rays! We enjoy kayaking in Monterey Bay so is really cool to be able to see the local fish and sea life living below the kelp beds. There's an outdoor deck that overlooks the bay where you can see sea otters also. Another of our favorites was the giant Japanese spider crab! I think are around 6 ft and truly something to see. Also, the jellyfish exhibits and outdoors ocean with sea birds was really cool. You can walk through and the birds are on sandy shores running around free going about their business. I can't say enough about how cool the aquarium is! This was my second visit and love what they are doing, along with conservation and rehab of animals. I didn't see any sea otters as they had last time and was a little bummed but luckily can watch them free in the wild where they should be instead.
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February 2023 by Sebastian R.
By and far the best aquarium that I have ever visited. From the layout, the staff, to the exhibits themselves, everything about this aquarium is world class. While the entrance of the aquarium is unassuming and almost hidden in a corner of Cannery Row, it swallows you up and completely immerses you in the environment. You might be overwhelmed at first at deciding which wing to explore first, but just take it slow and have fun with it. They all sort of connect and it's best to just go along and see how the exhibits change and even transition into one another. My favorite was the open sea exhibit, which is essentially a massive indoor tank simulating the open sea with all kinds of fish. It is HIGHLY recommended to buy tickets ahead of time online as it will save you lots of stress, and be prepared to pay for metered parking if you arrive earlier in the day. There is an Andronico's across the street, but there is a security guard monitoring the lot to prevent aquarium guests from parking here. Lastly, we came here around early sunset, and the view is absolutely breathtaking outside on their patio. Highly recommend for both aquarium lovers and casual enthusiasts alike, you won't be disappointed at all.
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February 2023 by Demetri S.
Had a great time been probably 20 years for me . It was free for locals in January. Super cool.
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January 2023 by Nicole D.
This place is AWFUL. It was so packed that it was hard to move. There was literally people everywhere and you couldn't see every exhibit and if you did you had to wait in a long line that involved pushing and shoving. This Aquariam is definitely NOT kid or family friendly anymore and is more of a safety hazard because of how many people are there. This place is an accident waiting to happen and I hope the owners take my Yelp review serious. I understand Monterey Bay Aquarium wants to make their money by filling up the place by over capacity but this is so unsafe and not even enjoyable. Don't waste your money or time. It's not worth it anymore unless Monterey cuts back on their capacity limit.
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January 2023 by Vanessa V.
This is one of the best aquariums I've been to and I love in NY. The staff here really loves and cares about the animals, and it shows. All the animals I saw were well taken care of happy! The staff was also very nice and friendly!! I would DEFINITELY recommend. Also, I LOVE the lofi jellyfish videos they have on YouTube! Again, the best aquarium ever!
