The Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, Oregon places #8 on my list of the "Top Ten Places You Should Visit This Summer." This amazing little aquarium is constantly ranked top in the nation. I'm a HUGE fan of the Oregon Coast and love the aquarium because ALL the marine animals there (except the otters) are from the Oregon Coast.
These are the stars of the aquarium: three female Sea Otters!!!! The Oregon Coast Aquarium has an amazing exhibit for these large otters complete with rocks, deep water, and (for the public) underwater viewing. Unfortunately these otters are in serious trouble out in the wild. Pollution and hunting are the main factors hurting this species.
The aquarium is HUGE on hands-on interactions. This is a picture of their large tide pool where guests can spend as much time as they want touching and interacting with marine life. My favorite: the sea anemones! They are the green squishy looking things (In this pic they are all closed up).
This is the Octomom...I mean Octopus (opps). These have to be one of my favorite marine creatures.