Accurately describing itself as “not a museum nor an aquarium,” the Dana Point Ocean Institute is Orange County’s closest approximation to LA County’s Aquarium of the Pacific – a small collection of fish, shellfish, and snakes plus educational facilities right on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Play and exploration areas include touch pools for starfish and rays, a science lab offering access to microscopes, jellyfish tanks, and squid dissections, a tidepool explanation zone, and a life-sized replica of a whale’s heart. An open-air auditorium hosts classes, and a nice gift shop offers everything from stuffed animals and clothes to snacks and sunscreen.
Admission to the Ocean Institute is $15 for adults and students older than 12; unless you’re visiting with young children, expect to spend an hour or less exploring the exhibits. Passengers on the Ocean Institute’s Whale and Marine Life Tour can visit the Institute for no additional charge following their boat rides, an ideal way to experience both attractions. Parking is free in an immediately adjacent lot.
