- Time needed
- 4 hr
- Tickets
- book ahead
- Best time
- Monday morning or a weekday after about 2 p.m. Fall and winter can be especially pleasant for a quieter indoor visit, with the final one to two hours before closing generally quietest then.
- Time needed
- 4h
- Tickets
- Book ahead
- Best time
- Monday morning or a weekday after about 2 p.m.
Buy official general admission for a weekday after about 2 p.m. (or Monday morning), allow 3–4 hours, and prioritize Kelp Forest, Open Sea and Into the Deep; add a behind-the-scenes tour only if animal care or aquarium operations are a specific interest.
Tickets and tours
Plan the visit
Buy date-specific admission directly from Monterey Bay Aquarium’s official ticket page; do not use resale or third-party sellers. General admission is not timed, so enter any time before the date’s last-entry cutoff (one hour before closing). For a quieter visit, book a Monday or arrive on a weekday after about 2 p.m.; if booking a behind-the-scenes tour, reserve it ahead and allow at least 30 minutes for parking and entry during summer or holidays.
When to go: Monday morning or a weekday after about 2 p.m. Fall and winter can be especially pleasant for a quieter indoor visit, with the final one to two hours before closing generally quietest then.
Avoid summer, weekends, holidays, and Tuesday–Friday mornings/early afternoons during the school year, when school groups are common. Do not assume opening is quiet; many visitors arrive then. Later weekday entry is often faster.
- Use the Main Entrance at Cannery Row and David Avenue for regular tickets, re-entry, and EBT/Museums for All admission; the Hovden Way entrance is for pre-booked school groups.
- There is no public aquarium parking lot. Use nearby Cannery Row city lots/garage, and allow extra time because popular-day parking may be several blocks away.
- Bring the QR ticket for every guest, including children age four and under. Get a hand stamp before leaving if you want same-day re-entry.
- Do not bring luggage, coolers, outside alcohol, weapons, scooters, or outside meals: there is no general visitor luggage storage. Small snacks, reusable water bottles, infant supplies, and medically necessary food are allowed.
- For sensory or mobility needs, free manual wheelchairs are first-come, first-served; ask after entry for a free sensory bag or noise-reduction headphones.
Getting there
Monterey Bay Aquarium is in Monterey (not Pacific Grove), at 886 Cannery Row. Enter through the Main Entrance at Cannery Row and David Avenue; use Hovden Way only for pre-booked school groups. There is no aquarium parking lot: use Cannery Row Lot 7 (160 Irving St.), Cannery Row Parking Garage (601 Foam St.), or Lot 21 (32 Cannery Row), then walk to the entrance; spaces may be several blocks away on busy days. For mobility needs, use the Cannery Row passenger drop-off/pick-up zone; guests unable to stand in the general queue may use express entry. From Lovers Point, take the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail—about 1 mile, roughly a 20-minute walk; free bike parking is across from the entrance by the bus turnaround. In summer, the free wheelchair-accessible MST trolley stops directly outside. All galleries are ramp/elevator accessible, and free manual wheelchairs are available first-come, first-served.
Nearby
Worth pairing: Cannery Row · Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail · Lovers Point
Where to eat
Restaurants near the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Where to stay
Hotels near the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Add dates to see nightly prices.
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About Monterey Bay AquariumShowHide
Monterey Bay Aquarium is a major nonprofit public aquarium and ocean-conservation institution at 886 Cannery Row in Monterey—not Pacific Grove—built in the former Hovden sardine cannery. Opened on October 20, 1984 after the regional sardine-fishery collapse, it presents Monterey Bay habitats while supporting sea-otter work, education, sustainable-seafood advocacy and research links to MBARI. Its headline exhibits are the 28-foot Kelp Forest, the million-gallon Open Sea tank and the 10,000-square-foot Into the Deep gallery, billed as North America’s largest deep-sea-life exhibition. By the end of 2023, it had welcomed more than 70 million visitors. [source](https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/about-us/about-the-aquarium/our-history)
This is a genuinely worthwhile anchor for a Monterey Peninsula day: the Kelp Forest, Open Sea window and Into the Deep make it feel like a sophisticated living science museum rooted in the local coast, rather than a generic tropical-fish attraction. It is particularly strong for families, multigenerational groups and rainy-day plans, with touch pools, short programs, benches and substantial accessibility provision. Skip or downgrade it if you have only one clear day and would rather spend it hiking, kayaking, diving or watching wildlife outdoors; it can also be crowded, dark and noisy on summer weekends and holidays.
Before you go
Questions worth settling
Where is Monterey Bay Aquarium?
Despite being commonly grouped into Pacific Grove itineraries, the aquarium is in Monterey at 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940, at the west end of Cannery Row just east of Pacific Grove. Its public Main Entrance is at Cannery Row and David Avenue. (source: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/visit/directions-parking)
Should I buy tickets in advance, and where should I buy them?
Buy only from Monterey Bay Aquarium’s official admission site. The aquarium says it has no third-party ticket sellers or distributors, so do not use resale sites, tour platforms, hotel concierges or ticket brokers. Tickets are date-specific but not timed: enter any time before the day’s final-entry cutoff, one hour before closing. If the official calendar has no availability, choose another date or continue checking that calendar; the aquarium publishes no waitlist or authorized resale option. (source: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/visit/admission-tickets) (source: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/visit/visitor-faqs)
How much is admission?
Official public admission is US$65 for adults ages 18–69, US$50 for youth ages 5–17, US$50 for seniors age 70+, and free for children age 4 and under. Every child age 4 and under still needs a ticket/QR code for entry. Regular admission includes the regular galleries, daily feedings and auditorium programs. (source: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/visit/admission-tickets)
Can I leave the aquarium and come back the same day?
Yes. Get a hand stamp when exiting, then re-enter on the same date before the day’s final-entry cutoff. This makes it practical to leave for lunch or a walk on Cannery Row. (source: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/visit/visitor-faqs)
How long should I allow for a visit?
Allow 3–4 hours for a first visit. A brisk adult visit can take about 2–2½ hours if you skip programs, while families, visitors taking a tour, or people planning lunch and same-day re-entry should allow 4–5 hours. (source: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/visit/visitor-faqs/accessibility-and-inclusion)
When is the least crowded time to visit?
Monday morning or a weekday after about 2 p.m. is the best practical bet. During the school year, Tuesday–Friday can be busy with school groups until about 2 p.m.; weekends, summer and holidays are the busiest periods. Do not assume opening will be quiet, as many visitors arrive then. In fall and winter, the final 1–2 hours before closing are generally quieter. (source: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/visit/visitor-faqs/accessibility-and-inclusion)
