• Tiny Tots

    Tiny Tots

    Calling all ocean explorers! Join us for this “Mommy & Me” style program dedicated to exploring your world through song, movement, and your senses. Enjoy new activities each session and a new animal every month! *Please note that a parent/guardian must participate and attend with their child. This is a “Mommy & Me” style class. ...

  • Guided Snorkel Tour

    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...

  • Tiny Tots

    Tiny Tots

    Calling all ocean explorers! Join us for this “Mommy & Me” style program dedicated to exploring your world through song, movement, and your senses. Enjoy new activities each session and a new animal every month! *Please note that a parent/guardian must participate and attend with their child. This is a “Mommy & Me” style class. ...

  • Bioluminescence Night Cruise

    Bioluminescence Night Cruise

    There’s a luminous underwater world just waiting to shine! Learn about the remarkable ability of some marine animals to glow in the dark and witness this curiously beautiful phenomenon.* Come aboard the R/V Sea Explorer and join us off the coast of Dana Point at night to explore the nocturnal world of marine birds, sea lions, and bioluminescent plankton....

  • Guided Snorkel Tour

    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...

  • Bioluminescence Night Cruise

    Bioluminescence Night Cruise

    There’s a luminous underwater world just waiting to shine! Learn about the remarkable ability of some marine animals to glow in the dark and witness this curiously beautiful phenomenon.* Come aboard the R/V Sea Explorer and join us off the coast of Dana Point at night to explore the nocturnal world of marine birds, sea lions, and bioluminescent plankton....

  • Kayak Tour

    Kayak Tour

    Explore the ocean from the water! Join the Ocean Institute for a two-hour interactive kayak tour around the Dana Point harbor. One of our expert naturalists will teach you about...

  • Adventure Sail

    Adventure Sail

    Set sail with OI for an unforgettable family adventure! Start with a muster and dive into hands-on activities like raising sail, navigation, helmsmanship, and bow watch. Enjoy a thrilling demonstration of the ship’s cannon as our crew showcases naval gunnery. This exciting program is perfect for families looking to create lasting memories on the open...

  • General Admission

    General Admission

    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 world with our fun, interactive spaces and activities that indulge curiosity.Explore marine mammal artifacts, interactive exhibits, and local aquaria. Interact with a shark and ray touch and an intertidal touch tank.Bring history...

  • Squid Dissections

    Squid Dissections

    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...