Public Visitation
Hours Today: Open 10:00am - 3:00pmLaurena G. Chambers Gift Shop
Hours Today: Open 7:00am - 4:30pmGive your child a summer of adventure and hands-on learning with Ocean Institute’s week-long camps for ages 5 to 17. Camps run Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM. Campers will receive a free Summer Camp Shirt and enjoy unforgettable experiences like sailing a historic tall ship, whale watching, exploring tide pools, and getting up close […]
Guided Snorkel Tour Explore the ocean with us! Join our semi-private guided snorkel tours and explore the stunning marine life of Shaw’s Cove! Meet at the beach where your expert guide will lead you through Southern California’s beautiful kelp forests. Enjoy 45 minutes in the water as our guide introduces you to the beauty of […]
Guided Snorkel Tour Explore the ocean with us! Join our semi-private guided snorkel tours and explore the stunning marine life of Shaw’s Cove! Meet at the beach where your expert guide will lead you through Southern California’s beautiful kelp forests. Enjoy 45 minutes in the water as our guide introduces you to the beauty of […]
Explore the ocean from the water! Join the Ocean Institute for a 2-hour interactive kayak tour around the Dana Point harbor. Learn about the history of the harbor and its unique ecosystem from one of our expert Naturalists. All experience levels are welcome. Guests under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Pricing Adults (14 […]
Join our crew for an experience you will never forget. Your 2 and a 1/2 hour adventure aboard the RV Sea Explorer, Ocean lnstitute’s 65′ research vessel, takes you miles beyond […]
Ocean Institute’s general admission invites the public to engage with our immersive, hands-on exhibits and rotating themes!Our rotating themes allow visitors to keep coming back to discover the ocean’s underwater […]
Add-on experience for General Admission! Dive into a hands-on experience suitable for all levels of curiosity with our squid dissections! Join our expert guides who will lead you through an exploration of anatomy and adaptations. Each dissection is 30 minutes long. Every dissector requires their own ticket and may be accompanied by 1 additional person. Each […]
General Admission add-on experience! Have you ever wanted to hand-feed a sea star? Join us for this interactive feeding experience at 12:00 pm where you can prepare their food alongside our staff and hand feed a sea star with this up-close encounter you won't forget! The sea star feeding is a two-part experience, the preparation […]
Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at the Ocean Institute? Join us on our immersive Behind the Scenes Aquarium Tour to learn all about what it takes to run an aquarium! This tour takes you beyond the eyes of the public to our husbandry prep kitchen, the quarantine lab, and the […]
Set sail aboard the schooner Spirit of Dana Point and experience California from the perspective of an early tall ship explorer. Join the crew to help raise sail, handle lines, and steer the ship, or simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the majesty of sailing the seas aboard a tall ship. During the summer, enjoy […]
Guided Snorkel Tour Explore the ocean with us! Join our semi-private guided snorkel tours and explore the stunning marine life of Shaw’s Cove! Meet at the beach where your expert guide will lead you through Southern California’s beautiful kelp forests. Enjoy 45 minutes in the water as our guide introduces you to the beauty of […]
Join our crew for an experience you will never forget. Your 2 and a 1/2 hour adventure aboard the RV Sea Explorer, Ocean lnstitute’s 65′ research vessel, takes you miles beyond […]