We also have a Newport in Oregon. It's one of the biggest coastal towns and a big tourist hub. If going to the coast from Corvallis (where I went to school and J grew up) the most direct way leads you through Newport.
So when we think of Newport we think of cold and salty wind, the smell of sea and fish, beautiful views of the ocean.
There is also an aquarium in Newport. We called it the Newport Aquarium. Until we moved here, I never realized that its actual name was the Oregon Coast Aquarium. The aquarium also works with the research department at Oregon State University. The way that the aquarium is set up, it is mostly outside. There's a play area, small pools to touch tide-pool critters, a passage way that goes through a tank, and a short nature trail by the estuary to view wildlife where it belongs - in the wild. There are also indoor places that provide an educational experience for visitors. One of the outdoor areas that I remember loving as a kid was this area that simulated the tide coming in. Every once in a while a huge wave would come through and if you were standing close enough you'd get wet.
We love the Oregon Coast Aquarium, it's simple, it's educational, it's fun, and it lets you control your experience.
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| Hulk visiting the Oregon Coast Aquarium |
The Oregon Coast Aquarium is also the aquarium that hosted Keiko (for you Free Willy loving fans) before he was released back into the wild. I don't remember going to visit him but I have seen pictures of me looking into a tank at an orca and my mom claims it was Keiko - so...
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| Picture of a picture from my baby book (when I was around 7) |
The first thing I want to mention about the Newport Aquarium in Kentucky is that it is all indoors - where it is dimly lit. So when you have someone who is horrible at taking pictures (me) and put them into a poorly lit environment that equals bad quality photos. #sorrynotsorry
The Newport Aquarium is nice, it has a lot more variety than the Oregon Coast Aquarium as far as wild life goes. It doesn't have any seals, sea lions, or otters. But it has penguins (one of Hulk's favorites) and a lot more sharks, crustaceans, fish, and sea horses (it has a whole room dedicated to several different sea horse species, it's kinda cool).
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| Baby shark do doo... |
There's a lot more to see with a lot more variety. There's an indoor play area for kids that is really nice and there's the shark bridge that is highly advertised. Hulk enjoys the bridge but I feel that once you've walked over one rope bridge you've walked over them all. And you can't really see the sharks when you're on the bridge.
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| The shark bridge |
My biggest complaint about the Newport Aquarium is that it is set up like Ikea - meaning that you have to walk through the whole thing. It's one big loop and there is no cutting corners. This can lead to a lot of congestion at the beginning and people just rushing at the end because at that point you just want to get out. There's also a restaurant that you have to walk through about two thirds of the way through - you know, that prime spot where your kids are getting tired and hungry. But I refuse to be pray to their marketing techniques. Having a restaurant part way through your exhibit is like having to walk through the gift shop to get to the exit (another thing you have to do at the Newport Aquarium). It's good marketing on their part but I hate it and I will not be a part of it.
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| Japanese Crab |
The aquarium is big enough that you could easily spend over an hour there and still feel like there were things you missed. Around Christmas time they have scuba divers dress up as Santa Claus and his elves in the shark tank and they'll interact with kids on the outside of the tank. If you use the Newport on the Levee parking garage between 11am-2pm Mon-Thurs the parking is free (which I am all for). Newport Levee itself is a neat experience. We usually just walk around the patio area and along the waterfront.
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| Petting sharks |
It might be childhood nostalgia, it might be cultural, but I enjoy the feel of the Oregon Coast Aquarium more. I enjoy picking the order of the exhibits and wondering around outside. But I appreciate being able to visit the Newport Aquarium and the kids enjoy it too. Just be prepared for a lot of people to try to maneuver a stroller around and bring plenty of snacks because you may be there awhile.
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