Monterey Bay Aquarium

A first time visitor at the aquarium and I was amazed at the diverse flora and fauna presented at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. At times it got too crowded, especially during feeding/show times, but it never bothered me as much since they equipped the room with external monitors for people to see the show. I loved talking with the staff— everyone is so knowledgeable, interesting, and kind. Definitely coming back!

Having been a family charter member since it first opened, I’ve seen many changes over the decades. Fundamentally the same though as it’s an incredible place to come with family and friends. Price has definitely gone up, but that’s what keeps it going strong. A corner stone for the tourism industry in the area, it provides a stable economic contribution to the region. I used to bring my young kids all the time and they loved it. I always enjoyed bringing my camera to shoot the aquatic life close up. Now, I usually just escort visitors when in town. If it’s your first time here though….. it’s definitely worth a trip!

This aquarium is amazing! I went with my brother and my two kids. We arrived around 12:30pm on a Monday and there was no wait to get in. It’s very clean and the animals are well taken care of. My favorite animals to see were the otters, hammerhead sharks and the penguins. Being able to touch and interact with the bat rays was an awesome and unique experience. If you have the chance to go I definitely can’t recommend it enough! I can’t wait to go again.

A majestic must see when visiting the Central Coast or Monterey Peninsula area. I will start with the parking situation, if you are arriving on a weekend expect to park in the paid parking structure if you're lucky you'll find free parking on the streets nearby wave Street Prescott and David Street are close by if you can find free parking. We pay $20 for all day parking and it was worth it not having to circle around the busy streets. It was a bit of a walk to the aquarium from our parking structure but it wasn't terrible. We bought our tickets Advance which I highly recommend because we did not have to wait in line even on a busy sunday. The staff was so kind and helpful. The facilities are clean well organized and well maintained. There's so much to explore from different exhibits Hands-On experiences and beautiful floor to ceiling aquariums where you get to gaze into what looks like the depths of the ocean. A great place to bring children very educational they have so many exhibits and activities for the kids. I will say it was a little overcrowded for my liking so it was difficult to take a moment to enjoy the beautiful aquariums because so many people were rushing in and out. I will definitely recommend coming during a weekday where you can sit take some time to really appreciate the Beautiful views. There are so many observation decks overlooking the Pacific Ocean where you can escape out to for some alone time. You get beautiful views of the Bay and the sea otters on the nearby rocks. The cafe was overpriced. So I would highly recommend grabbing a meal before coming in. We paid almost $8 for a basic coffee. Expect to spend between 3 and 4 hours if you really want to get the most out of your experience. I would recommend getting there after 3:00 p.m. where the crowds start to die down.

Pricey but lots to do and see. We all enjoyed our time at the aquarium, all ages. I like how tranquil it was, the music is a great touch. Exhibits were clean and well taken care of. Could definitely spend all day there. If you have little ones, the splash zone is a great place for them.

I love aquariums and this small aquarium was great. Don’t be fooled by the size, this place was wonderful and backs right up to the ocean with amazing viewing decks. There are a ton of cool activities for children as well I might have played with a few myself All of the staff were super pleasant and full of knowledge, presentations were great and gift shops are amazing

It was an amazing experience. Beautiful aquariums throughout. The sea otters, penguins, puffers, and seaweed/kelp displays are really interesting to watch. There is so much to see and do. The wildlife is well taken care of. There is a beautiful view of the ocean as well.Visited onWeekdayWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedYesPrice for adult entry$31+

We got there before they opened on a Saturday and it was BUSY! We had guess passes so we were able to skip the line. Not sure if it’s worth paying $60 to see. The jelly fish were AMAZING. They do amazing things for the community and we had fun. Very interactive for kids as well bVisited onWeekendWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedYesPrice for adult entry$31+

We visit weekend and it is crowded! But thanks to other reviewers, we reached early and right at the opening so entry queue was not that long. I highly recommend checking out the feeding times/shows at the aquarium. They are worth seeing! Highly recommend for kids the place were full of them and it was lovely to see them enjoy! Now price : I find the aquarium a bit pricey compared to others but still it is definitely worth visiting May be one time for couples The Monterey is beautiful! You could see the beautiful ocean from the aquarium deck. Cost approx $60/adult. The aquarium also has a caffe and restaurant but by afternoon it is bit crowded as expected with families with young kids. We chose to eat outside ! Last but not the least a big shout out to all the volunteers and the staff working there. They were all amazing! Thank you

We had the best time here! The exhibits were huge and had lots to offer. We loved seeing the otters and giant fish being fed by divers, very cool. Would love to come back. Also lost our phone and the staff was excellent in helping us find out. Overall 10/10 experience.Visited onWeekendWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedYesPrice for adult entry$31+