I never heard of this cave until a friend wanted to visit. I thought it would be fun to see seal lions in a cave since I have been in other caves to see unusual things. For people with mobility issues, it's best to stay in the gift shop area - when you exisit the elevators, there are steps, dark lighting, no seating and slippery walkways. There is an outside walkway but don't know how far it will take you. Handicap parking is limited but walkable in a paved parking lot. There is only one viewing area inside the cave to see the sea lions. It's blocked by a wire screen. You can see sea lions sitting on rocks while the waves come in and out of its opening. Inside the cave, there are panels with explanations of how the cave was built, what is a cave, etc. It has some interesting facts. Being from San Francisco, our Pier 39 is known for its seal lions - open waters vs. a cave. I expected to see much more of the sea lions. I do appreciate the hard work in building this cave for an attraction. It's a good stop if you are in the area - great ocean views. Admission is reasonable - no fee to enter the huge assortment of merchandise in the gift shop. read more

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In August, there were no sea lions and unfortunately we didn't know that until we got down to look at them. There were five or six basking on the rocks while below us when we look down from above, but the caves were empty. There are flashing yellow lights to warn drivers that there are people crossing the road to enter the building , but it is dangerous anyway. It's on a curve and you can't see oncoming drivers. read more

Sea Lion Caves - Where are the sea lions? In our case, there weren't any. - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

Driving the Hwy 101 in Oregon you will come across Sea Lion Caves. Stop in and check it out. There is an affordable entry fee. You have to take a walk to the elevator down then once you get down you take a short walk to the viewing area. There were about 30-40 Sea Lions when I visited. Really cool to see them just lounging. Nice gift shop. read more

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I was told the Sea lion caves were the thing to do if you were near Florence so we made the time to stop. We were going north and so the parking was easier across the street. However if you are able to, with little kids or elderly, I would try to get the parking out front since the road is quite busy and there is a sort of blind curve that makes crossing the street a little treacherous. We paid for the tickets to go down into the caves but there is a cute gift shop at the top of the mountain that allows you to buy stuff without having to go down. We walked the three flights of stairs down to the cliffs and then made the downhill trek to the elevator. No line but the elevator does take a bit of time. Thankfully the elevator takes you down the some odd 260 feet to the caves so you don't have to walk it. I was thinking it would be stinky but on a cold and windy day it really wasn't that bad. We got to see a lot of sea lions in the cave on the rocks making a lot of noises drowned out by the wind coming through the cave. There was also so much fog that we weren't able to see the lighthouse from the cave. But the other views by point outside- cliffside- on the bottom of the gift shop was also a fun was to see the sea lions basking on the rocks. They have popcorn for the little ones that can be taken into the caves. Just something fun for them to enjoy if you have to wait. read more

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The Sea Lion Caves near Florence is a 93-year-old attraction that still holds up as a must-visit spot if you're traveling along the coast. It's one of those places that blends natural beauty with old-school roadside charm--and it delivers on both. The main draw, of course, is the massive sea cave, where you can often see dozens (sometimes up to 250!) of sea lions and seals resting, barking, and playing. It's an impressive sight and one of the largest sea caves in the world. We took the 215-foot elevator ride down into the cave, which adds to the sense of adventure. The viewing area inside also includes some interesting displays and info about the wildlife. An inexpensive stop on our trip, we felt it was worth the price for the experience. It's unique and gives you a rare look at these animals in their natural habitat. The gift shop is inexpensive and has a good variety of souvenirs, and the views of the Oregon coastline from the top are absolutely stunning. All in all, a classic coastal stop--perfect for families, nature lovers, or anyone who appreciates a little bit of quirky history with their sightseeing. read more

Sea Lion Caves - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

This is a long-overdue Yelp review, but I wanted to share our experience. We visited Sea Lion Caves in April 2025 while driving back to the Bay Area from Seattle. The cave is on the Oregon Coast, about 11 miles north of Florence, and it came highly recommended. One kid in our group really wanted to see it, and the sunny, clear weather made it even better. After entering the gift shop and purchasing our tickets, we took the elevator about 200 feet down into the cave. A short walk brought us to the cave itself, which was fascinating--and yes, definitely smelly! Sea Lion Caves is the largest sea cave in the United States, and seeing the sea lions in their natural habitat was impressive. Walking up a set of stairs in the cave led to a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean along the coastline--a perfect moment to pause and take it all in. Back in the gift shop, I couldn't resist sampling some of the delicious fudge, a sweet way to wrap up the visit. Overall, it was a wonderful experience to share with the family and a unique stop on our road trip. read more

I almost didn't stop in. I've had touristy wildlife experiences that didn't meet expectations. When there was a parking spot right up front, it seemed like kismet. Went into the gift shop and saw on the live cam that there were plenty of sea lions in the cave. Handed over $18 and off I went. Down the elevator and into the (not so fresh smelling) cavern. It was awesome!! So many loud creatures were in the cave, chilling on rocks. Happy in their natural habitat, rolling all over each other, singing along in husky voices with lots of birds chiming in. It was super cool! There are activities, educational videos, a stairway up to a crevasse where you can see a lighthouse in the distance if it wasn't so foggy. Then you can head back up and outside to sea a bunch more sea lions on the cliff below. It was a wonderful experience. Touristy yes, because it was full of tourists, but it delivers! read more

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Roadside cash grab. Definitely not worth $18/person, but it is a cool spot to see once. We spent probably 40 minutes there total. A few informational signs were around, and of course the sea lions were fun to see. The fudge samples in the gift shop were pretty good. Maybe a "do one time" kind of stop, but I wouldn't return. read more

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This is probably one of the coolest experiences we have had! The price was reasonable, I think it was around $60 for 2 adults and 2 kids. The tour started by going down a bunch of stairs and an elevator to get to the bottom of the cave where you can see the sealions in their natural habitat acting like sealions. We had passed it multiple times in the past and decided this time we would go. It was foggy on the coast, but they can't control the weather, it will be really cool to go on a more clear day as well. Disclaimer: there is a lot of stairs and walking, it can be a little challenging for those not in tje best shape (including myself). Also, it smells like sealions and the ocean, a little stinky but that should be expected in an experience like this. read more

We went to see the sea lions in the cave but this time of year apparently they are outside. We didn't realize we had to walk quite a bit to see them. It wouldn't have been so bad except there was have winds and it was cold. We did go into the cave and it was interesting to see it. There was some information and a video there. It was nice to see the cave and would have enjoyed walking the path to see the sea lions but just too miserable with the wind and chill. They have a gift shop with a variety of items. read more

Sea Lion Caves - Inside the cave - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

Largest sea cave in the... world?! Could be! Well, at least in the United States. From Florence we drove 11 miles north on Highway 101 and we reached the Sea Lion Caves. In November the crowd was not so bad. There is a small area for parking just outside the gift shop. If that area is full there is additional parking across the street. Exercise caution when crossing the street... after all, that is Highway 101! As you enter the gift shop the ticket booth for the caves is to the right and towards the back. The gal at the tickets was vey nice and friendly. She has a 10-acre ranch in Wheatland CA. Hey, we know where that is! LoL! she is approx 30-mins from where we live (I digress). The tickets are normally $18/adult but it was discounted to $16 this time because the sea lions were out of the caves (meaning no sea lions to see during our visit). The sea lions are not paid entertainers so they can come and go as they please LoL! We totally understand. In addition, we can come back to the caves next year and if we show them the original receipt we purchased the tickets for we get a free admission. The elevator took us down 208-ft. The stairs would've been 250 steps. No, thank you. It was an engineering marvel how the whole thing was constructed. The cave is a year-round home of the Stellar Sea Lion. There is a short video to watch, a sea lion skeleton (exhibit), of course, the caves, and if you ascend the wooden steps to the North Cave entrance there is an opening to view the waves crashing into the rocks and we could also see the Heceta Head Lighthouse yon. Watching the angry waves of the mighty Pacific Ocean from the South Lookout is pretty amazing. Hopefully, we can come back next year to actually see the Stellar sea lions. Review #3244 read more

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This was a pretty cool experience, my kids enjoyed it as did I. Popcorn smell when you walk in was nice. My only complaint would be the price seemed a little high, but not high enough to discourage me from going. read more

I went into this experience with no expectations not really knowing what I was getting my self into. In the end I really enjoyed the Sea Lion Caves. I would highly recommend this road side attraction. I went off season so we didn't see any Sea Lions in the cave but our ticket was good for a return visit during season if we returned within that year. I am from out of town so we didn't do this but thought that was a good deal. Explore the cave when off season when no one is there then come back and see the sea lions some other time. The attraction consisted of an elevator ride, small hike, cave exploration, video, and information about the cave. Depending on how many people are there this is like a 15min to 30min activity. Probably can spend an hour if you read all the information panels. Fun stop for the family if you are driving by and want to take a break evenifthereare no sea lions. read more

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We visited the Sea Lion Caves and didn't want to leave. For 2 adults and 2 kids, it was $60, and worth every dollar. Watching the sea lions up close was amazing, and our kids were absolutely thrilled. The short video was interesting, and the whole place had such a unique atmosphere. It's one of those experiences that stays with you, and we'll definitely remember it for a long time. read more

Sea Lion Caves - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

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I loved seeing all the sea lions. It's chilly and a walk, but once you get to the elevator there's a staff member in there so that's excellent. Staff member stated that once people jumped in the elevator on the 4th of July, and it stalled for 4 hours , hence there being staff in the elevator. The cave is not as stinky as I thought it would be, and it is well worth the drive. I love them all. read more

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This was one of our stops along the Oregon coastline to see the sealions. There are a few parking spots in front of store and plenty across the street. Be careful its a sharp curve in this location, people running across the street not looking both ways. Cost is $16 to enter the sea lion area. We opted to pass this due to the them not being in the cave. This was my whole point in stopping at this location. We where told there are some on the rocks down below. This is a great area for the views of ocean and lighthouse. The bathrooms are clean, and the shop had plenty to choose from. Customer service was good. Im sure its a great educational opportunity for some. If you have never see sea lions I encourage all to not miss this along the way. Don't worry if you don't see the sealions, there are plenty of opportunities in Oregon for you to see them. @glampedlife read more

Sea Lion Caves - Heceta Lighthouse view from Sea Lion Caves - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

What a neat experience when heading to Florence, we found this place by accident. We had a lovely day and a nice walk taking plenty of pictures. It was King Tide season and there were strong waves crashing into the rocks and knocking the poor sea lions around. We took the elevator down into the cave to get a little closer view of the 185 sea lions and learn more about their habitat and the cave itself. We grabbed a couple things to take back home from the gift shop like a carved sealion from wood and since it was Valentines weekend hubby bought me some cute heart shaped opal earrings. Nice time, made some memories and definitely got our steps in! read more

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Came on a windy 57F degree day in July. Price was $18 per adult and $12 a child. We were told there were only 15 seals in the cave, but many more on the rocks outside. We were educated that these seals "roar" and were different than the SanFran seals on the pier that "bark". The seals were also large and the male (bulls) could be as big as 500 lbs. In the cave, we were pleasantly surprised to see about 40+ seals of all sizes (babies, females and huge bullying males)! Was fun to see them frolic, play, sit on the rocks, swim. I brought my own binoculars which really paid off as we got to see seals "up close". Outside of the caves on the rocks, we got to see another 30! Because of all the action, we stayed over 1.5 hrs and enjoyed ourselves. Well worth the trip and the money. Recommendation: Bring binoculars. Dress warm. read more

Sea Lion Caves - Many Seals inside cave - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

Another great find that a local said was a "DON'T MISS" - I couldn't agree more, for the able-bodied. (Note: I think the mobility-challenged crowd might not enjoy this.) The elevator worked great...but it was small and I worried, what if it broke? In any case, the lions were all in the other side anyhow, for mating, as the woman advised us in the gift shop...however, I'm glad to have seen the caves (there's TONS of inner stairs in that part)...it's where I took the prettiest waterfall pix on our trip! It was fun to see (and hear) the lions on the long walk on the other side...but they were kinda far away. A great excursion for the money. The gift shop was large, and I got bags of the softest, most delicious marrionberry taffy that I've ever experienced. My neighbors and I loved that taffy SO much! Anyhow, I highly recommend this if you don't mind walking, stairs, and hills. read more

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Who doesn't love to listen to sea lions? Who doesn't love to have that experience on the water watching them, sleep, eat, and swim?! I would love to say that we had the opportunity to do just what we went to the sea lion caves four, but that wasn't the experience at all. Let's start off by saying that parking is beyond horrendous, and I don't know that it's really worth the push. We lucked out, and we were able to find really good parking, only to be met with the fact that when we were at the disorganized counter, paying for tickets, we were told that the sea lions were not in the area, but we could still pay for tickets to walk down the 200+ steps to go look at the ocean. Ticket prices run around $20 a person, and they offered to take a couple of dollars off the tickets since the sea lions were not there. All I kept thinking is they want to charge us for looking at the ocean. One of us opted to take the walk, and I opted to check out the gift store and look around. The gift store is your typical touristy garbage that's filled with overpriced tchotchkes, and other needless things. The one thing that caught my eye was they carried a variety of wines made from local blackberries, blueberries, etc. and it was tempting to buy, but I absolutely refrained. Maybe if the sea lions are around, it's worth the price of admission, but to charge to walk down and look at the water is ridiculous. read more

It's always nice to come here, specifically with family for me anyway. I used to come here a lot as a kid with family and I remember it being a great time, and it was! I love seeing all the sea lions whether they're swimming or sunbathing. It was about $20 per person, for adults to get in. There's a bit of a walk to get to the elevator and then you see the sea lions behind a fence. Very scenic for sure! On our way back up to leave, the elevator wasn't working for about 10+ minutes or so, not sure if that's a normal occurrence but it wasn't that serious anyway, it was fixed and working and we were on our way. Just thought I'd mention it. The shops after the caves have lots of things, from fudge to dreamcatchers to shot glasses to crystals. Lots of cute souvenirs to choose from. read more

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The sea lion caves are one of my favorite attractions the Oregon coast has to offer. The trick is you have to go during the winter months because that's when the sea lions take refuge in the cave. This summer I made the mistake of going and we didn't end up seeing any. Although, the employees gave us a free voucher to come back anytime! I thought that was so nice. And it never expires so you can save it for as long as you want. Especially nice for out of towners who may be visiting from pretty far. When the sea lions are in the cave you will see hundreds! It's pretty amazing. Such a great experience you definitely need to see if you haven't already. read more

Sea Lion Caves - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

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Unfortunately, the day we visited the sea lion caves, the elevator was broken, and we could not go down to the observation area. For half the price of normal admission, we could walk down to the South Lookout and get a peek of the sea lions gathered in another area through coin operated binoculars. It was our last day in the area, so we couldn't say no to our only option. It was still worth it, we still got to see and hear plenty of sea lions and other coast life, it was just disappointing to not be able to go down into the cave. There are amazing views of the ocean from the top, and there is a great gift shop with a lot of very reasonably priced merchandise. read more

We went on a day there were no Sea Lions. It is a wild card if they will be there or not and if they aren't they give you $2/off tickets and a rain check (which if you are road tripping like us is useless). However, the caves are cool. They do have skeletons and informational boards below. You can see the Hecata Head Lighthouse from here too! I think it is a bit overpriced only because you can actually just see sea lions in the wild for free, but it was something fun to do on a roadtrip and it got us out and walking around. There are a few spots to park in front of the place, but most of the parking is across the street (lots of parking). Just know you will have to run across the 101 to get there (and it can be a bit crazy). read more

This is so fun to do if you are in the area. I've done it twice now. It's a great tourist place for pictures and it's so gorgeous over the ocean. There are many sea lions to see. There is also a fun gift shop. read more

Sea Lion Caves - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

We did a quick pull off the road to check this tourist spot. They had a gift shop that we looked around but ended up not going down to the caves because it is not sea lion season. They offered a small discount (I think a dollar off) and said they would honor the ticket for another visit sometime within the next year in the event people wanted to come back to try to see the sea lions. We were able to see the cave via a TV screen in the gift shop. Staff were very friendly. read more

Overall so, so. I suppose this place is a hit or a miss. It's supposed to be one of those must do things if you are doing the drive down the Oregon Coast. We paid $60 for a family of four, and took the elevator down to the caves. The caves themselves are pretty cool (literally and figuratively). However we only saw three sea lions. So for us it was a miss. There is a pretty extensive gift shop, which only half is dedicated to actual seals, and there is other stuff like popcorn, fudge, jewelry. The fudge was good. In the end, not sure if it was worth the price that we paid. read more

Don't expect to see lions in September, but come with an open mind and you can still have a nice time. UPFRONT AND HONEST. We braved a treacherous highway crossing and made it into the Sea Lion Caves building. The ticket girl was immediately upfront with us that there were no sea lions at this point in the year (mid-September) but we could still go down to the cave if we wanted to. We decided to give it a chance and appreciated her honesty about what to expect. Going above and beyond what Sea Lion Caves needs to offer, they give you a $2 discount on your ticket if there are no sea lions and a raincheck to come back again any time in the next 12 months. WHAT TO DO WITHOUT SEA LIONS. We headed outside the building and there was a lovely sea lion sculpture. We meandered along the walkway and looked out upon the ocean, getting great rocky views. The wind was so high up on the hilltop I was nearly blown over. Going down the elevator we saw the cave (neat, even without sea lions) and walked up to the viewpoint to look out over the Heceta lighthouse. There were some educational readings and a short video too. All in all, I'm glad we bought tickets even without sea lions on the premises. read more

Sea Lion Caves - Heceta lighthouse view from the sea cave. - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

My wife and I drove to the Sea Lion Caves as part of our 25th Anniversary road trip. It did not disappoint. We were blessed with fabulous weather to start with. It wasn't too crowded so finding parking across the street was easy and buying tickets was quick. The views of the coastline were spectacular. We went straight to the elevator for the quick ride down, something like 200 feet in 30 seconds, to see the cave. The elevator has a screen in it that counts down your decent which is kind of fun to watch. There's an interesting movie that plays constantly that we watched in the cave. The cave viewing area is fairly small, but since it was late May when we went, it wasn't crowded because the sea lions are not in the cave, they are out on the rocks. It was still a beautiful sight to see and there were lots of birds in there. Even without the sea lions there, there's still lots to read and learn about in the cave. We then ventured back up the elevator and walked over to the viewing area to see the sea lions basking in the sun on the rocks. To get the best view, bring a monocular or some binoculars because they're pretty far away. Overall, we spent a little over an hour exploring and viewing the sea lions. Totally worth the $36 we spent to get in and it's great to know you're helping to support the protection of the sea lions and this wonderful place. We'll be back in the winter! read more

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A great stop! The people complaining should be ignored. They probably hate most of their life. A few sea lions in the cave and a ton at the Rookery sunning themselves. Great reading about the history and the bathrooms were perfectly clean. Also, there's a live video feed before buying tickets so these people complaining about the cost to not see sea lions are just nuts. read more

Sea Lion Caves - Sea lion cave - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

What an Awesome Experience. I can see why people have given lower ratings, the pricing feels a little steep, since there's not much else to see other than sea lion, and you can't really guarantee how many there will be on the day you go. The cave is amazing, you take a long elevator down, and as the biggest Sea-Cave in the States it definitely feels that way. The cave is massive, and we were fortunate to go in the Spring when it is at it's busiest. There were Sea-lions covering almost every inch of the cave and sound was almost deafening. read more

This is an awesome natural feature, but be warned that as a tourist attraction, you really max out at probably an hour spent. You enter in through the gift shop (which is honestly a great gift shop!), travel down a couple flights of stairs to a cliff area with bathrooms, a big sea lion statue, and paved trails to the left and right. To the left, you follow the trail to a lookout area where you can see the sea lions if they are out on the rocky shore. There are several binoculars that operate on quarters. To the right, the trail takes you to an elevator that takes you 200ft down to the sea lion cave! It's all very safe and paved. There's an area marked off for viewing a fossilized sea lion skeleton, and you can walk over to a small balcony to the left where you can view the actual sea lion cave with water coming in it through a window. Sometimes the sea lions are in there, but they weren't when we went. To the right is a little cove where you can watch a 6 minute informational video, and stairs where you can see a sea lion skeleton and some other cool stuff, leading up to a deck where you can view a waterfall and the lighthouse. That's about everything there is, unless I missed something! read more

I personally think you have to visit this location at least once. We went at the end of August. There was a wait because they were only allowing a certain amount of people in so when others left, you were allowed in. You still have to wear your mask. I recommend taking hand sanitizer, just because you may touch hand rails, etc. Here's the thing, during the day, there are no sea lions in the cave. They are sunning on rocks outside of the cave. Apparently them come back in at night (what I read). Granted, it is still cool seeing the cave and you can use your imagination. ;) There are different areas where you can see the sea lions so don't worry, you'll see some. There are a lot of stairs so if you are in a wheel chair, you will not be able to see everything. The elevator takes you down so don't worry, you will not have to walk a millions steps down then up (can you imagine?). There is plenty of parking in front or across the street. We were traveling and were able to park our travel trailer across the street. Just be careful because there are not cross walks or lights so cars zoom by. I did see some pictures that Yelpers took with sea lions in the cave. Maybe read those to see what time they went and saw the seals in the cave. read more

Sea Lion Caves - August 2020 * Sea Lion Caves - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

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Really cool, great experience. Just be forewarned that even though it says there is an elevator that does NOT mean you won't do a lot of stairs and a nice little hill to hike. Staff was super friendly and a cute little gift shop. Lots of seals when we were there. Love that they have a livestream in the gift shop, so you can see if there are seals in the cave before you pay to go down to see them. read more

What a fantastic experience! Showing family from Florida what Sea Lions and the Oregon Coast is all about makes the Sea Lion Caves a must! It's a thrill to watch the sea lions swim and growl and lumber about in this gigantic natural cave. And the staff is quite knowledgeable and friendly. Great experience! Can't wait to go back. read more

Sea Lion Caves - Sea Lions - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

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It's a 50/50 deal this time of year. This is the off-season and the sea lions are not around. So what they offer is tix 2 dollars off and then you get to come back for free in the next year. Ok if you live in the area not so much if your not gonna be back this way.Other than the main attraction being gone leaves not so much to see. read more

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I thought we were going to pay just to see sea lions in a cave. Turns out you get a tad bit more than that. There are displays of sea lion skeletons, educational videos about sea lions and other fauna in the area. There is a vintage point to view the nearby lighthouse. There is also another vintage point above some rocks by the cliffs outside to view sea lions that were not in the cave. It was worth a visit. Kids loved it! read more

Remarkable experience. We stopped in this afternoon less than an hour before closing time on our way back up the coast. To be transparent, I initially hesitated at the sticker price. It was $16 per adult and $10 each, for our two children. However, that was a VERY FAIR price in hindsight. When purchasing passes, we were told not to rush. That they would close down once the last guests had finished. After walking down 37 steps, we exited onto a path that split in directions: to the left was a lookout on which one could observe approximately 300 sea lions frolicking below. It was sprinkling, and the overlook had a convenient roof to block out the rain. One could easily spend 15-20 minutes observing these amazing animals. We walked back up and enjoyed an amazing view from one of many observation desks. We then headed in the opposite direction down to an elevator. As noted in a previous post, the elevator door does close really fast. So fast that we missed our first chance. However, we made it down on the second try . A short trip down and one arrives in a stunning cave. Newsflash: it is a cave with sea lions. If you like, or want to learn more about them, this is your chance, there is one view into a cave in which 30+ sea lions were hanging out. In addition to this, we're some pretty neat birds (Pigeon Guillemots). I could have watched for hours. The highlight of our experience was the information. shared by the employee at the bottom of the cave. He took time to describe and teach our family about the sea lions. Without that conversation, we would not have enjoyed our experience as much. I was very impressed with his passion, professionalism, and remarkable communication skills. We will be back on our next trip to the region. Some considerations: 1. Would likely be a better experience at "less busy" times. 2. Parking: there is ample parking across the street, 3. Accessibility: for those who have disabilities that impact mobility, this may (?) be a challenge - in particular those in wheelchairs. 4. Ask questions: when you reach the cave. read more

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Watching these cuties howling and lounging around in their natural environment is well worth the steep cost of admission. You should absolutely stop here once if you're on the coast. read more

Sea Lion Caves - Sea Lions - Active Life Near Me - Florence, Oregon

We stopped by here on a coastline cruise. I think i was expecting a tour and educational moments but instead paid about $60 for my wife and kid to take a long elevator down to a cave that overlooked another cave with a few hundred barking sea lions that were about 100 - 200 feet out. The cave itself is pretty cool, there are a couple of boards with information on it to read over. Once you go back up the elevator shaft, you walk over to the other view point and see a few more sea lions hanging out on rocks. There are a few coin op binoculars to use as well but they dont zoom in very far. All in all - a nice spot to stop by as part of a trip/break and experience it but unless you're really into sea lions - for your casual road tripper - it does leave a bit more to be desired for the price point. read more