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Location
Visitor tip
Interactive animal encounters happen every 30 minutes to an hour with staff bringing out different animals. Arrive early and ask staff about the encounter schedule to time your visit around these hands-on experiences, especially for young children.
Visitor tip
The upstairs play area is a highlight for toddlers and young children. If visiting with kids under 5, budget time for this imaginative play space as it's frequently mentioned as a favorite feature in reviews.
Visitor tip
Don't miss the Ghost Crab Hunts ($20 per child, free for parents) held after dark on the beach. This unique nighttime experience combines beach exploration with wildlife observation and is mentioned as a distinctive offering not found at typical aquariums.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Aquarium
- Highlights
- Touch tanks, shark exhibits, rescued reptile jungle room, ghost crab hunts
- Admission
- Walk-in general admission; $150/year membership
- Special Programs
- Ghost Crab Hunts, Aquarium Apprentice, birthday parties
What visitors say
What a great experience. Jen was amazing! She educated us on the all the animals. Highly recommend stopping by this treasure of fun!
Very cute and informative for the size of the place. My toddler LOVED the upstairs play area. Definitely worth the money and time. If I lived in the area I would for sure use their birthday services.
Actually a really cool spot to check out at a pretty affordable price. It's nothing crazy, you can see everything in about 30 minutes, but they have some really cool animals on display with many of them available to touch. They bring…
From 366 Google reviews Read all reviews
Did You Know?
- Topsail Aquarium features Big Boris, a tarantula weighing approximately 33 pounds, making it an exceptionally large specimen for display
- The aquarium offers Ghost Crab Hunts, after-dark beach hunts where children hunt for ghost crabs with free admission for accompanying parents, combining education with outdoor exploration
- Topsail Aquarium maintains an Aquarium Apprentice program offering week-long intensive experiences (Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm) for hands-on wildlife education at $175 per child
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