I stopped in while on vacation, and I am so happy that I did! The building opens up into a large gift shop, that has tons of fun little trinkets and toys, and cute souvenirs. We paid an extremely modest price for our tour, provided by the aquarium's manager. I wish I had remembered her name, because she was amazing. Being extremely interested in all things oceanic and marine-related, we had seven hundred questions about the animals, the facility, the water, the environment, and more, and she happily answered every one of them. My five-star rating, however, is due mainly to the animal welfare. Aquariums and zoos often forego the wellbeing of their animals, giving them tiny spaces, incompatible living partners, and pump tons of chemicals into the tanks. This aquarium had none of these problems. Though it is small and doesn't have a plethora of variety, the animals are given ample space to exist happily. They don't overcrowd the tanks, which in turn keeps the natural water quality in good condition, removing the need for harsh chemicals. Though it is not connected directly to the ocean, they do pull water in from the ocean, which is extremely helpful to the tanks. Since it is February, they were doing some construction to the lower aquarium, replacing the windows on the shark tanks. They do this every three years, I learned, which is another example of how on top of maintenance they are. That's so refreshing to see! The shark touch tank was so fun and interesting! We learned they rotate the sharks out almost daily, which makes it so much safer for the sharks. The seal and sea lion show was absolutely incredible! I had no idea how intelligent both species are. Our tour guide was also a trainer, so she worked with them all using vocal and hand signals. They were generously rewarded for each trick, and were eager to continue on with the show, which is so amazing to see. It was obvious that they have been treated with love and care. This place is so worth it, I hope I go through Crescent City again to come back. read more

My favorite place to go. This place rocks! They have a great selection of stuff in the gift store and the aquarium and sea lion show is amazing! Friendly staff and very clean. read more

So, you visited the park, went camping. hiking, and walked on the beach. Got no where else to go in Crescent City? Check out Ocean World. It's really not that bad and it's fun for the kids! Pet a shark! (it's not what you think, but apparently, it's a shark!) Pet a sea lion! Totally cool! Really cool shows! STAFF: Friendly service! And very helpful people especially in the gift store! They are awesome! **OVERALL: Go pet a shark... and poke some star fish! 4 stars! read more

I got the impression that Ocean World is a gift shop first and an aquarium second -- the gift shop had and overwhelming amount of knick-knacks and souvenirs that had little to do with fish. That said, though, I really enjoyed myself. Though the aquarium was very small, the tour guide was an animal trainer who was very knowledgeable in his first-hand experiences. There was also a very impressive show afterward with a seal and a sea lion. read more

Cute little Aquarium & something to actually do in a city where everything else shuts down at 4/5 pm. I wish I knew what to expect. I thought it was an Aquarium where we'd be free to roam around, so I had the double stroller. No one told us it was not stroller friendly because of the stairs at one part. Also, no one told us that we wouldn't be free to wonder around after the tour. It's strictly a guided tour & you're done. They said it would be 45 minutes & it was closer to about 20 minutes. I wish the time in each room was longer, we were rushed through & weren't allowed to go back. The gift shop is really nice though, they have a huge variety of cute things to purchase. read more

Pros: -Sea Lion show- they are trained well and are absolutely adorable and rather funny. I was in stitches at the antics of these sea lions. -Touch opportunities- got to touch a shark multiple times. Tours were intimate so there was plenty of room around the touch areas. The sharks actually seemed to enjoy the touch. In fact, one of them would stop and let you pet her like a dog would. Very neat. -Tour guide was knowledgeable Cons: -Touch tide pool didn't have a lot of diversity and seemed a little barren Neat little place that had some things to see. Kind of interesting to see an aquarium in Crescent City. At first I though I would be concerned about the conditions the animals lived in,. but I was very surprised. Everything was very clean. While it wasn't the most diverse or exciting of places, things were taken care of and animals were in good condition. Also, I really appreciated that the majority of the exhibits were left as they were before the sides were enclosed. All the water was ocean water, all the substrate of the "tanks" was natural of what used to be in the pier before there was an enclosure area built. Sea lions had a really nice area and were actually very content looking. They swam around and one of them was porpoising a lot like you would see in the wild. I was very surprised at how great the sea lion enclosure was. Also, they are well trained and entertained during the day. It was fun and inexpensive. Something like $8 per person. There is a huge randomly filled gift shop, which I'm sure helps to pay the staff and keep costs down for visitors. read more

This is a fun place to kill about 30 minutes. It is a bit of tourist trap, but the staff is amusing, the shark petting tank is neat, and the seal show is adorable. Most of the stuff in the tide pool exhibit can also be found around the Battery Point area for free, but this a safer and easier way to play with sea stars and such without worrying about tides and sneaker waves. We don't have kids, but we still found it to be fun. read more

Ocean World - Shark Petting Tank - Aquariums Near Me - Crescent City, California

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Super fun way to spend some time at the beach. Got to pet a shark as well as see a seal and sea lion show off some tricks. The tour is a little pricy but a neat way to experience the sights and sounds of local sea life up close. And the gift shop is huge! read more

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We are so happy we added Ocean World to our vacation itinerary. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. They host a great selection of animals. We loved the hands on interaction. Cora, the sea lion, was absolutely fantastic! The tour ended into a gift shop with cute keepsakes that were reasonably priced. read more

The Seal/Sea lion show was pretty great. The aquarium was decent enough, it did not have a lot of diverse sea life but it was interesting enough to see the fish, sharks, and sea lion/seals. This place is pretty small, but it is good. Don't expect the Monterey Aquarium, but it is definitely a place to check out if you are in Crescent city. For the price is worth it. read more

Super cute place, well run, friendly and knowledgeable staff. Sea lion show was great, you can see it more than once if you'd like on your tour and they do different tricks. Kids had a blast touching sea anemones and star fish... Nice aquarium area. And for the great finale you get to pet a shark! Come'on! A shark! All for under $40 for a family of four! read more

Very entertaining for about an hour, and a great place to take pictures. Our tour guide was funny and full of interesting facts I never knew. You get to pick up starfish and sea urchins and pet a tiger shark. You also get to view seal and sea lion training sessions. The exhibit is on an old glass bottom boat that adds to the kitschy vibe of the experience. Great for adults and kids. read more

My boyfriend has two of the most amazing teenage boys ever. Naturally, I want to take them everywhere we go, and show them new places they haven't been before. In our year together we've been out of the country and out of the state and out of the Bay Area countless times. Our recent road-trip up the coast is on my top 5 of favorite vacations with them yet. Crescent City was our final destination, so that we could visit Ocean World. It was better than I even remembered. The kids had a great time and couldn't believe they were allowed to pet a shark and hold a shark egg during the tour. The aquatic show at the end was exciting for them too! Four admissions (with a small discount for staying locally the night before) was only $46.62. (Plus the couple hundred dollars we spent on clothes and items in the gift shop after!) This is totally a fun stop and if youre driving up the coast you don't want to miss it! read more

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Wonderful! We got to pet sharks, see a sea lion show, touch anemone and starfish and learn about sting rays. Great tour. Awesome gift shop! read more

Ocean World - Aquariums Near Me - Crescent City, California

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Awesome place to stop with children. We had 2 with us and they both loved the attractions. Gift shop was lovely. It had a bit of everything and prices ranged from 50 cents on up so anyone can afford something from the shop. Nice place and very memorable. Get the grab bag. My son got a bit stuffed animal from it and it made his day! read more

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I am a local so I have been on this tour many times. When I was little this was one of my favorite places. I do not have kids but my friends' kids all love this place. My review is mostly for the gift shop because I love it. The staff is always super friendly and helpful. There are few places to shop in Crescent City but Ocean World is actually a great place to buy a variety of things such as home décor, jewelry and gag gifts. I love this store and the staff is amazing. read more

A few years ago we took a trip to Oregon, and decided to make a detour on the way back to Sacramento. The staff here are really knowledgeable about the animals and were quite entertaining too. It's cheesy and small but great! read more

Gift shop is nothing special. No sticker for Ocean World for those of us traveling. Tour is great and suggest you go on it. read more

Ocean World - Two of their many sea lions. One was hurt in Miami and can't be released into the wild so they take care if her here. - Aquariums Near Me - Crescent City, California

We stopped in to see some of the local attractions while on vacation. It is a bit on the small side, they need more stuff in the touch tank....BUT having said that, we got a coupon from our hotel (a brochure) and got 10% off the tour. Which made it about $17 for the two of us. Not too bad. We got to pet some really friendly sharks, one little guy actually loved the attention! We got to see some stingrays, seals, and sea lions, more sharks and some other neat fish. The seal/sea lion show was a small affair but very cute and funny! Their animals are friendly and adorable! Would recommend to couples and families who love animals! read more

Nothing like the aquariums down south but amusing, affordable and pleasant. Good place for kids, awesome gift store. Tour was a little pricey, short and predictable. I would definitely return, though! read more

I have been here many, many times (I'm a local). I have done this tour a lot (as I have 2 toddlers). It's cheap, fun, entertaining and educational. You get to pet sea anemones, starfish, sea cucumbers, sea slugs AND sharks! There is an aquarium you can view stingrays, lots of fish, several different kinds of sharks, sea lions and more. There is a sea lion show too and its so fun for the kids to watch (and the adults). The trainer did an excellent job on the tour and we were extremely satisfied. It lasted an hour and for the four of us, two adults and two children it was less than $20. Children under 4 are free. This place also has a wonderful gift shop. It has toys, blown glass, clothing, sea shells, wind chimes, gag gifts, jewelry and a bunch of other stuff. If you are a local, visiting or passing through this is a great place to waste a day and pet some fun things not many people can boast about! This would be a nice place to stretch your legs if you are doing a long drive. Would recommend and will no doubt, return. read more

Website says they are open until 8 pm. We planned our day to show up around 6:30ish. When we arrived we were told they wouldn't be doing any more tours for the day. Very disappointing... read more

Was in town checking out the sights. I'm not sure what to think of this "aquarium." It's kitschy and more of a "road side attraction," in an area with rows of motels and pawn shops. The displays and "shows" seemed better for the kids. But my bigger gripe is about the animals' welfare. This is not at all bordering the sea even if it looks like it's off the coast - I know this is no Morro Bay or Monterey Bay Aquarium. I was very uncomfortable seeing the size of this place was similar to a size of a department store. I felt like I was in a Ripleys Believe it or Not. I do know that their sea lions were imported from a Zoo in Germany in 2009 and I'm not really ready to believe that they were "rescues." I don't know if a rescued sea mammal deserves to live in this environment even if they would have been worse off in the wild. This is not a nonprofit or government run/funded facility. It is privately owned. If it matters at all to you, save your money and drive up North to the Oregon Coast Aquarium or down South to Monterey. Though I saw no neglect of the animals and the staff were friendly enough, I just didn't feel right about this place and I honestly felt bad for these animals spending all day throwing balls in hoops and going down slides. Sigh. read more

Ocean World - Overview shot of the Ocean World's facility that houses sea mammals, sharks, fish, etc. - Aquariums Near Me - Crescent City, California

OK...let's start off being perfectly clear. Ocean World is not a huge aquarium owned by a university or major corporation. It's a small operation with a small budget. Now... I had a great time on the tour and sea lion show. The gift shop is good (spent more than I should have!) And the staff was helpful, informative, and friendly. I'm not the least bit disappointed, but I knew going in this is not Sea World or Scripps. Give this place a go. read more

My family visited Ocean World on Saturday May 29th. I ended up leaving a bag of some items I purchased. I didn't realize this til Monday May 31st when I finally went thru my gift bags. I called Ocean World that day and asked the gal that answered the phone (Kayla) if there was a bag set aside with my stuff. She checked in the back and it was there and went over what I was missing. I was told to send pics of my receipts to a cell and that she would have the person in charge of this type of thing would be in Wednesday to help me and go over everything and get it mailed to me as we live in Oregon. No phone came that Wednesday. I call Thursday and they told me the manager won't be in til either that evening or Friday and left my information again. Still no phone call. I call again and ask for the office manager and again no manager til the following day. Left my information again and no call. Call again and get told again no managers are in. I spent almost $250 in the gift shop, I have half my items and just want the rest that I paid for. I'm so pissed that I keep getting blown off. So basically they are either pocketing the paid for items or pocketing the money. Ridiculous that there's no one there that can do their job and have the decency to call me and get this rectified. Worse customer service and even worse that even the office manager can't do their job. We will not be coming back. read more

This aquarium-gift shop is a little gimmicky, but it's a great stop for kids and those who want to get up close and personal with the local sea critters. You're taken on a guided tour through the aquarium where you start by visiting a touch pool of starfish, sea slugs, and anemones. Then you're guided to the murky tanks with coastal water pumped in for the local rockfish, rays, and sharks. Next is another touch tank for you to stroke leopard sharks as they whiz by, swimming laps in their pool. There are some kitschy shark teeth you can pose for photos in, and then it's onto the grand finale: the sea lion show. While the tour felt a bit rushed - though perfectly paced for kids who want to hurry onto the next attraction - the guides were friendly, informative, and invited lots of Q&A from the audience. For $10, it's really a great deal and an entertaining way to spend an hour or so. Ocean World is also your one-stop shop for Crescent City souvenirs as well as ocean themed toys, games, and educational gifts. For a city that doesn't offer much in the way of tourist attractions besides roads into the redwood forests, Ocean World is a solid family-friendly choice for something to do within the city limits. read more

I didn't expect much and was pleasantly surprised by the fish we saw, tidal pool area, and even a seal show. Our tour guide, Chase, was friendly and knowledgable. The sea life at the aquarium is limited to animals and fish you would see locally. read more

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Great! Dedinitely worth going for families/couples: pet sea creatures, good seal show. Worth the money as a quick stop

It's just ok... The gift shop is pretty big, but the tour was definitely not worth paying for! We will not be making a return trip. There isn't a very wide variety of ocean life to see and I feel like the overall experience was a waste of time. read more

Do it! $13 and $8 per adult and child, under two years is free. Watch a sea lion and seal show (much smarter than I knew), touch sea stars, anenomies and SHARKS! And, of course, tour the old boat turned aquarium and the gift shop, take pictures in the mouth of a giant great white. If you want to watch the show twice, go for it! LOTS of reasonably priced gift shop items- get a few things to bring home to your nieces and nephews, we did! We are from WA and always take the scenic hwy 101 route when we go to CA, should have stopped here sooner and will be stopping again next time. read more

Fun time with the kids. Huge gift shop. Seal and sea lion show was the most fun. Kids enjoyed petting sharks. Knowledgeable tour guides. read more

Ocean World - Cora Sea Lion - Aquariums Near Me - Crescent City, California

Wasn't expecting much walking in but was pleasantly surprised! It's tour guided (which keeps groups small), the touch tide pool was fun, but highlights were petting the two types of SHARKS and a very cool Seal show! Worth every penny. Don't judge it by outside appearance. read more

Ocean World - Very cool Seal show! - Aquariums Near Me - Crescent City, California

Worth one visit. Unfortunately you have to take the tour. It isn't big enough to just walk around and look. You're on their time. So one time is enough. Best part about it is the gift shop. Huge! You can spend three times as much time in the gift shop versus the aquarium tour. read more

They should just call it the sea lion show. It was fantastic! I don't want to give any spoilers so you'll have to come check it out for yourself. The tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Overall, it's small aquarium and doesn't have too much variety but it's definitely worth seeing. Pet sharks and sea anemones, go underwater to see the manta rays/rock fish, and more. $12 a person and young kids are free. It's geared towards a younger audience. read more

What a fun place! We had a private tour (no one else was there). It's pretty interactive and the sea lion and seal presentation was so cute. Our guide was super informative and answered all of our questions. read more

Wonderful little aquarium. Their family owned and have a few rescued seals and sea lions. There are fish and some shark petting tanks. The place is modest in size, but worth it to keep a roof over the head of the rescued animals. There's a show! And it's worth it to go see a sea lion slam dunk a basketball! We really enjoyed our day, thanks ocean world! read more

Had a great time with the family at Ocean World. While small, the staff were all friendly & helpful, the tour guide was very knowledgeable, there was a.variety of sea life to experience including a hands on tidepool, a tank to touch sharks, and ended with a harbor seal and sealing show! read more

Ocean World - Aquariums Near Me - Crescent City, California

SO much fun!! Touch pools and shark petting were great. They gave you plenty of time at each stop. Not an exhausting aquarium experience. Totally worth the money. read more

Brad was an awesome guide. Very friendly. My sons loved seeing the sharks and "Stink rays" (2.5 year old calls them this). I have been visiting since I was a kid. read more

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On a day trip with my children and stopped there because it was on a list of things to do in Crescent City. It was fun, interactive and clean. Though I think it only lasted thirty minutes. But my kids loved it read more