North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores

1 Roosevelt Blvd, Pine Knoll Shores, NC 28512, USA

Address:	1 Roosevelt Blvd, Pine Knoll Shores, NC 28512, USA
Phone:	+1 252-247-4003
Site:	ncaquariums.com
Rating:	4.5
Working:	9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 12

Abby Gorge

Been going here since I was a kid. I love the nature trail that they have added and they have a great playground for kids. (Bring bug spray). I suggest going early (if you are going on a rainy day like me) because its full of families with their kids. The only thing that was disappointing is that they have moved Nimbus, the albino turtle, to Queen Annes Revenge and there is no sign about the turtle anywhere on the exhibit. Nimbus is my favorite part of the aquarium and would love if they added a plaque with his photo as they do all the other sea life next to his exhibit. They have stuffed animals for the sea turtle so I would hope they would show off his exhibit more. They do great with the size they have with how much they have to look at. Its about a 2-2 1/2 hour trip. They have different shows every half hour that can add to the experience and length. Its definitely a good highlight of my trip.

Jesus Terrazas

much smaller than expected the first time I went but my son loved it he was 1and a half when I first took him hes now almost 3. I must have taken him here at least 10 times. 45 min drive with little places to eat around the area but I constantly return the price is better than most places and well worth the admission. They have a hands on training type game at the end of the tour that talks you through the steps of cleaning a turtle my son loved it! Sea otter and shark show for the kids, robotic dinosaurs before the nature walk begins, they also recently built a play ground on the trail I had to basically rip my son away from the park to walk the trail which if you have a toddle could easily take 30 mins. If you havent gone then its a must go, if you have them you should probably return, your kids will have a blast.

Amanda Page

North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is a must see if you are visiting the area. We have a family membership for the year and tour the aquarium often! It is a treat every time we visit! The massive shark tank inside with the scheduled scuba diver show is great. The diver has a microphone and you can hear him in the room so that he can interact with the audience. They have the sting ray aquarium where you can touch the sting rays and the sea urchins that you can pick up and explore! Every year they have a different exhibit that they display for the entire season. We have seen the penguins, dinosaurs, and snakes in the past years. The aquarium is a treat for all ages!

Jesse Quevedo

Very fancy aquarium, good location. Sadly not what I expected from the eastcoast. This is my first aquarium in eastcoast and sadly disappointed given the wide variety of sealife in the atlantic. Myself and three kids entrance fee was overpriced for my opinion. The whole thing took us about 2-3hrs to walk through and we walked slow. Theatre was a nice touch and informative as most places should. Theres also a natural trail at the end of parking lot in which I decided to skip due to the possible disappointment. My comparison is oklahoma aquarium and ofcourse my favorite aquarium of the pacific in Long Beach, California.

Christine Robert

This is a lovely aquarium on the Bogue Banks of NC, right across the bay from Morehead City. It highlights local wildlife, has numerous exhibits and is not limited to fish. They have wonderful otter, screech owl, & sea turtle exhibits as well. They have touch tanks with a nurse shark, manta rays, horseshoe crabs etc. There is also a large shipwreck exhibit with many different types of larger fish, including sharks. They seem to educate the public on the nature that surrounds us, and is very kid friendly. The volunteers are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, and there are many photo ops! Highly recommend it!

Bryan Powers

Absolutely one of my favorite places to go visit. I have watched this aquarium grow over the years and have always been impressed by the additions. The staff is always friendly, the facilities are clean, and there is lots to see both inside and out. Plus, this is where my wife and I had our wedding. The aquarium transforms into quite a romantic and lovely place to hold a wedding, and the staff - especially Kerri Sommer, the Asst Special Events Coordinator - went out of their way to make our wedding a very special occasion. I am completely impressed by them and I recommend this place to everyone.

Clint Calhoun

Of the three NC Aquariums, Pine Knoll Shores is probably the easiest to get to. It has ample parking and has never been overwhelmingly crowded any time I have been there. While it is not my favorite of the three NC Aquariums, its redeeming quality is the otters. Each of North Carolinas aquariums has a slightly different theme and in my opinion Pine Knoll Shores gets a little neglected in terms of attention compared to the more popular Fort Fisher Aquarium and Roanoke Island Aquarium. Still worth visiting and has a really nice variety of fish and educational programs.

chris n

While not a huge aquarium, the general design and creativity of the exhibits more than make up for size. Several full wall displays including otters, sharks, and massive schooling tuna; outdoor nature trails border a marsh and allow you to cross over a floating bridge through a swamp forest full of wildlife; and a few touch tanks with crabs, rays, and a shark! The bird show is definitely worth catching as youll be up close without barriers to a variety of species. It never felt crowded thanks to the open design (and our visit was the afternoon of July 4th).

Avril Forbes

Wanted something to do with my 5 month old that was inexpensive and interesting. Very nice aquarium. Walking through all of the exhibits took us about an hour which was good enough because the little one started to get sleepy. I had a great time. I missed the 1130am presentation about the birds (we went in the afternoon ) and Im sad I didnt take a souvenir picture to commemorate our fun time out. But at least Ill have that memory. Of course she wont remember so well be going back to create some more memorable memories lol.

Nicole Lewis

You can spend the day here. Start out side in the morning, walking trails and on the playground just past the otter exhibit. When it gets too hot, spend the afternoon in the AC. Check for feeding times and special events to see scuba divers in the big tank, a bird show, the otters eating... And the touch tank is always a favorite! Sometimes in the summer or weekends they have kids crafts. Even though the prices went up recently, its still a fun day spent learning and exploring. The staff and volunteers are super too!

Sheps Crook

Its a great aquarium. The hidden gem aquarium near Emerald Isle. This place is great. Its clean, interesting, lots of creatures as well as some interactive aspects. The large aquarium with the sharks was easily our favorite. Some benches and chairs provide a nice spot to sit and rest your weary legs and watch the beauty of the sea-life. All staff was extremely friendly, and helpful. This is a great place to bring your kids for a cool, educational and air conditioned break from hot sand, or surf shop hopping.

Donna Criswell

This is an excellent aquarium that is sure to please just about anyone. Not overpriced, nice interactives, perfect for families, friendly and informative staff is how I would characterize this attraction. This was our second visit to this NC aquarium and enjoyed it as much as we did the first time three years ago. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this as a stop on your vacation, whether passing through or staying along the southern outer banks.