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Regular Hours
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Daily Closed Dec. 25
Holidays
9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. E-MAIL NEWSLETTER
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Plan a Road TripTo help you plan a whole day or weekend around your aquarium visit, we've put together some fun "roadmaps" for exciting ways to experience the area in and around Monterey and on your way from San Francisco.
In Monterey Monterey is a perfect family destination, and top-rated by traveling families. There are so many options, you could easily stay a week and not discover everything the city has to offer. Here are some suggestions for your family adventure, whether you're visiting for a day or staying for a while.  Allow at least 45 min.; great place to picnic and play Created by cartoonist Hank Ketcham, this free playground is a family favorite. A drinking fountain inside a lion's head, run-through hedge maze, swinging rope bridge and a real (and climbable) steam locomotive are just a few of the highlights at this whimsical—and out-of-the-ordinary—city park. You can even rent a paddle boat to ride on Lake El Estero.
Open daily 10 a.m. to dusk; free admission Pearl Street between Camino El Estero and Camino Aguajito, Monterey Map it 
  Allow an hour, or more time if you plan to have lunch or dinner Old Fisherman's Wharf is a great spot to take in the sights, sounds and smells of Monterey. Enjoy a stroll down the wharf with a cup of hot clam chowder, or stop by one of the many restaurants featuring fresh Monterey Bay seafood. Neighboring Wharf No. 2 is the heart of the area's commercial fishing industry. You can watch working boats unload the catch of the day. If time allows, head out to sea! Whale watching and sportfishing boats leave from Old Fisherman's Wharf several times a day.   
This historic waterfront district was once the heart of a thriving sardine-packing industry, as immortalized in John Steinbeck's novels Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday. Today, former warehouses shelter shops, restaurants and galleries. Maps and markers along the Row identify historical sites.We offer a two-hour Cannery Row Walking Tour on the first Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. through our Aquarium Adventures program. 
 Allow at least 1 hour; a great stop between the aquarium and Fisherman's Wharf
At MY Museum, children are encouraged to have fun as they discover how they learn best. Exhibits include the Creation Station, Water Blocks, MY Pizzeria, MY Theater, Build a House, Body Works and Pet Vet areas. Especially good for younger kids.
  Pile the family into a surrey bicycle and cruise Cannery Row and the spectacular recreation trail that runs along the bay through Pacific Grove and Monterey. While you're pedaling, you might spot a resting sea otter or migrating gray whales! It's great fun for any age, whether you're big enough to help pedal, or you're just along for the ride. Some bikes can hold six or more.
  This family-friendly museum has permanent exhibits which interpret the native plants, animals, geology, and native American populations of Monterey County and features a variety of special exhibits throughout the year. It also offers information and videos about the Monarch Butterflies which return to Pacific Grove each year. There are many hands-on interactives and a life-size gray whale to climb on.
Open Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove | (831) 648-5716 www.pgmuseum.org | Map it
  This sheltered cove is a perfect spot to enjoy a warm day with the family. The park has a large lawn area, picnic tables with grills, restrooms and a sand volleyball court. Bring a picnic or have lunch at the waterfront snack shack serving fast food with an old-time California beach town ambiance. You can also rent kayaks and bikes here.
Ocean View Boulevard at the foot of 17th Street, Pacific Grove
Around Monterey BayThe Monterey Peninsula and Santa Cruz share the Monterey Bay shoreline, but their atmospheres are worlds apart. Families will enjoy a stop in the more bohemian Santa Cruz area, where California beach culture is alive and well!  The half-mile-long waterfront amusement park features two national historic landmarks (the 1924 Giant Dipper roller coaster and the 1911 Looff Carousel) and a lot of family fun! It's the only major seaside amusement park still operating on the Pacific Coast, and blends old-time nostalgia with modern thrills.
Open weekends and some holidays (fall through spring); open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz | (831) 423-5590 www.beachboardwalk.com | Map it
  Allow at least an hour for your visit Tour the many natural habitats of Santa Cruz with a stroll through exhibit galleries that highlight woodlands, chaparral, grasslands and marine environments. Pound acorns the Ohlone way, excavate sand dollars, tickle a sea star, or get up close and personal with a living bee hive. Great for all ages.
  There's no better way to experience a connection to the bay without getting wet than kayaking. In a single or two-person kayak, you ride so close to the water that you feel you're part of the kelp beds. Kayaking offers an "up close and personal" view of many inhabitants of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
  Allow at least an hour for your visit Visit the National Steinbeck Center to experience a journey through John Steinbeck's world, where literature jumps off the printed page and into your imagination. Discover Steinbeck's works and philosophy through interactive, multisensory exhibits for all ages and backgrounds. Seven themed theaters showcase East of Eden, Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath and much more.
Open daily 10 a.m.- 5 p.m; closed some holidays One Main Street, Salinas | (831) 796-3833 www.steinbeck.org | Map it
  Most whale watching tours are a minimum of two hours Spring is still a great time to catch a glimpse of gray whales as they migrate back to Alaska along the Monterey coast. You may also see orcas hunting the migrating grays, and spot other dolphins and whales. From late spring through early fall, blue and humpback whales visit Monterey Bay to feed. The local whale watching fleet offers daily trips with on-board naturalists. On the Way to MontereyThe journey is half the fun, so check out these great family attractions as you drive down. Your family road trip will be an adventure when you break up the drive in San Jose so the kids can blow off some steam!  Arguably San Jose's most famous tourist attraction, this beautiful (and bizarre) 160-room Victorian mansion was built and constantly expanded by firearms heiress Sarah Winchester over a period of four decades.With four stories, 47 fireplaces, 17 chimneys, and 950 doors—including some that lead nowhere—it's well worth a stop. Guided and self-guided tours are available.   Allow at least one hour Located in downtown San Jose, The Tech uses hands-on exhibits to explore every possible application of technology—science, medicine, astronomy and more—to our daily lives. Check out the spectacular IMAX theatre, too. With a city park across the street (complete with fountains made to play in on hot days, and frequent free concerts), The Tech is a great place for families.
Open Tues.-Sun., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Mondays (except holidays) 201 South Market St., San Jose (408) 294-TECH | www.thetech.org | Map it   Allow at least an hour; especially fun for younger children. Located in Discovery Meadow Park in downtown San Jose, the museum is fun for the whole family. Touching the exhibits, making noise and running around is actively encouraged. Just outside, you'll find a vast green meadow with picnic tables and climbable sculptures. It's located on the city's light rail line—a fun way to explore the downtown area.
Open Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 12 p.m.-5 p.m.; closed Mondays 180 Woz Way, San Jose (408) 298-5437 | www.cdm.org | Map it   Allow at least two hours See California's towering redwood forests from two historic railroads and experience the recreation of an 1880s logging town complete with a general store, depot and the smallest covered bridge in America. Travel by steam train up a narrow-gauge track through the Big Trees to Bear Mountain or by beach train down the scenic San Lorenzo River to the sunny beaches of Santa Cruz. Food concessions are available, or you can bring your own food and enjoy a picnic on the beautiful grounds.
Trains run daily except Dec. 25 6 miles north of Santa Cruz off Hwy 17 at Mt. Herman Road (831) 335-4844 | www.roaringcamp.com |
Hotel Packages
Simplify your vacation planning with a hotel package. All packages include two admission tickets. Learn more Tips for a Great Trip
Busy kids are happy kids. Do these fun activities in the car, before your visit or at the aquarium.
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Inspiring conservation of the oceans
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