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Location
Visitor tip
Bring a change of clothes and shoes if visiting with kids, as beach access and intertidal mud flat exploration are major interactive features that encourage hands-on exploration
Visitor tip
Combine your visit with the adjacent trail system and overlook site to maximize your experience—you can see eagles, herons, ducks, and other birds year-round or during migration seasons without additional cost
Best time
Visit during nice weather to fully enjoy the combination of indoor exhibits (touch tanks, informational displays) and outdoor experiences (beach access, trails, wildlife viewing)
Quick Facts
- Type
- Aquarium
- Location
- Padilla Bay Reserve, 15 minutes west of I-5 in Skagit County, Washington
- Admission
- Free
- Highlights
- Marine life aquarium, 8,000+ acre eelgrass meadow, eagle and heron viewing
What visitors say
Free! (We gave a nice donation) Awesome experience for the kids to see aquatic life close up and touch also. We were happy to learn that there is a beach access where the kids can get down and dirty, literally. Highly recommend for…
This place is amazing!! The building is so cool and the touch tank.was so fun! We loved the walk to the beach. So peaceful and beautiful!
Free informational exhibit with touch tanks and small indoor play area (coloring, educational toys, etc.) Adjacent trail is wonderful during nice weather. Ample parking. Staff is friendly and restrooms clean.
From 93 Google reviews
Did You Know?
- Free admission with direct access to intertidal mud flats and beach for hands-on exploration of marine ecosystems
- Touch tanks featuring wolf eels and other interactive marine life exhibits, highly praised by visitors across 93 reviews
- Located within Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, offering integrated access to a protected research area for environmental education
More Family Fun Nearby
Other venues within driving distance:
Children's Museum of Skagit County
Children's MuseumsBurlington, WA
7 miles away
Imagination Cove Children's Museum
Children's MuseumsOak Harbor, WA
16 miles away
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