I received four passes to the Newport Aquarium to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own.

Growing up, I loved visiting the local pet store.  Not only did they have a variety of adorable puppies, hamsters, and such, I also spent a lot of time down the fish aisles.  It was so neat seeing all the different varieties, colors, and sizes.  So as our family headed to the Cincinnati area for a last minute Summer vacation, a stop at the Newport Aquarium was on our list on things to do.

The Newport Aquarium is a great place to see thousands of animals from all around the world, all show-cased in the million gallons of water throughout the property.  Utilizing both fresh and salt water tanks, there are more than 65 different exhibits and hundreds of aquatic species for guests to enjoy.

Explore

*World Rivers
*Shore Gallery
*Shark Ray Bay Theater
*Seahorses: Unbridled Fun
*Dangerous And Deadly
*Gator Alley
*Frog Bog And Playground
*Stingray Hideaway
*Amazon Tunnel
*Coral Reef
*The Gallery
*Surrounded By Sharks
*Shark Central
*Penguin Palooza
*Shark Bridge
*And More….

From tanks to tunnels, splash and touch ponds, and more, the kids were engrossed from the moment we exited the escalator and entered the first exhibit.  This adventure packed aquarium offered visual exhibits, interactive exhibits, and more.

Stopping at information and touch and learn stations throughout the aquarium was especially interesting to our kiddos.  They got the chance to see bones, teeth, and skulls up close and personal.  Getting to pick them up and experience them in person offered a whole new level of learning that they just can’t get from books.

The petting ponds were also a BIG hit for everyone.  There were several of these scattered throughout the Newport Aquarium as well.  From coral to stingrays and even a shark pond, the kids spend a lot of time at these hands on exhibits.

The Frog Bog was also a unique attraction.  Not only was there a variety of different frogs to view, the Frog Bog was also home to a playground, giant frogs (great for a photo op!), and even an arcade style Frogger game!

Highlights From The Day

At the end of the day when I asked everyone what their favorites were, the answers I received were:

• Stingray Touch Pond – Probably the exhibit where we spent the most time, this huge room had a high ceiling, lots of light, a 30 foot underwater tunnel to view the stingrays up close, and a ginormous touch pond where the stingrays could swim around.
• Shark Bridge – This was a large enclosed rope bridge that allows visitors to walk right over a tank of sharks!
• Underwater Tunnels – Walking through the enclosed underwater tunnels offered a special way to view a variety of fish, turtles, sharks, and more.  We even saw divers in their too!
• Feeding The Sharks – At first, they just dropped some fish in the tank with some tongs but then they used a long tube and had the sharks following it before they dropped the food.  Once the food dropped, the sharks shot up quickly to grab the food.

Current Pricing

They do offer annual passes for local guests but the daily general admission rates are:

Adults- $24.99
Children Ages 2-12 – $16.99
Under 2 – free

Final Thoughts

Overall, we had a fantastic day at the Newport Aquarium.  A couple things that would have made our day even better.  First off, the website suggested no strollers and that they have carriers for borrow.  So I left my carrier behind only to find out they only have small infant carriers that are only good for front carry up to 25 pounds.  So when our 2 year old got tired, she kept asking for my “back” but I didn’t have my carrier with for her to nap in.  Thankfully, some friends that we met up with brought both a stroller and carrier for their toddler so she was able to crawl into the stroller and nap for an hour.  Secondly, there were several large groups of children visiting while we were there.  They all seemed to arrive about the same time as us so it was quite crowded for the first few hours until they left.  We thought going on a Wednesday morning would be safe from big crowds but were wrong.  So my suggestion would be for them to dedicate one day a week as “group day” so families know to avoid the crowds that day.

Overall, we had a fantastic time at the Newport Aquarium and it’s definitely a must-see attraction when in the area.

Visit: Learn more about the Newport Aquarium and plan your visit today!

Miranda

I’m a city girl turned country by my awesome husband and we have three busy boys and two darling daughters. I love spending time with my family, reading Karen Kingsbury novels, and catching up with friends while our kiddos have play dates. I’m blessed beyond measure and can’t wait to see what God has in store.
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