Wanna get away for the day or plan a weekend get-away? Newport Aquarium in Cincinnati, well Newport, KY, is a good option. I took the kids down for a day trip and they had a blast. The drive was easy, admission prices weren’t bad because they had a deal going on, and the kids got to see cool aquatic life. Please note – I’m on a budget and would not do a day trip if I had to pay full admission price for my whole family ($22/adult and $15/child), but they had a Winter Family Day deal where one adult admission got two children in for free (I was also asked to do a write-up for Kidslinked on Newport Aquarium). Watch for deals on the Newport Aquarium site if you want to visit or perhaps get an annual pass if you plan to go more than once in a year.
The aquarium is huge and divided into areas that showcase specific water types or interesting fish and invertebrates: Surrounded by Sharks, Ohio Riverbank, Amazon River, The Frog Bog, and Rainforest, just to name a few. Kids get the chance to pet starfish, horseshoe crabs,…and sharks. egads! At various times throughout the day patrons can watch as sharks tear their lunches apart or scuba divers hand-feed eels. The Frog Bog is where kids can listen to the various sounds frogs make from croaks to squeaks, and play in the netted jungle gym or climb all over soft statues of frogs.
I would suggest packing a lunch or eating at one of the area restaurants. There are tons to choose from within walking distance of the aquarium. Also, they do not allow strollers during certain times of the year; please check their site for dates. They do, however, offer backpacks free of charge to carry children who weigh 30 pounds or less. No lockers, so be prepared to carry what you bring in. There is an unguarded rack for coats.
For more detailed information, check out the post about my trip over at Kidslinked: Pet the Sharks at Newport Aquarium.
Newport Aquarium
One Aquarium Way
Cincinnati, OH 41071
(859) 261-7444
Using a GPS?
Enter One Levee Way Newport KY, 41071
Aww…sigh of relief. You are a life saver. We moved here in the beginning of December, and we have 5 children. Now I feel like I finally have the inside scoop for what to do and where to do it. Thank you, I’ll be blog stalking you for a while!