Monterey Bay Aquarium
Monterey Bay Aquarium is a nonprofit public aquarium in Monterey, California, United States. It dates from 1984. The first name on our list around it is 17-Mile Drive, 4.2 mi away.
A zoo & aquarium inside Monterey
You can stay in Monterey
Monterey Bay Aquarium is inside Monterey, which has 87 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from San Jose
San Jose is about 47 miles north and San Francisco is about 85 miles north (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct and Nov
May, June, July, August, September, October and November are the mild months, with highs of 63–68°. When to go ↓
An airport 4 miles away
Monterey Regional (MRY) has airline service, about 4 miles from Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Established in 1984
Monterey Bay Aquarium dates from 1984. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Choosing a month
Here are the months at Monterey Bay Aquarium, with their weather.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Monterey Bay Aquarium is a nonprofit public aquarium in Monterey, California, United States. Known for its regional focus on the marine habitats of Monterey Bay, it was the first to exhibit a living kelp forest when it opened in October 1984. Its biologists have pioneered the animal husbandry of jellyfish and it was the first to successfully care for and display a great white shark. The organization's research and conservation efforts also focus on sea otters, various birds, and tunas. Seafood Watch, a sustainable seafood advisory list published by the aquarium beginning in 1999, has influenced the discussion surrounding sustainable seafood. The aquarium was home to Otter 841 prior to her release into the wild as well as Rosa, the oldest living sea otter at the time of her death in 2024.
- Type
- Zoo & aquarium
- Animals
- 35 animals · 550 species
- Established
- 1984
- Wikipedia readers
- 55K a year
Places to stay near Monterey Bay Aquarium
The closest lodging is in Monterey (87) and Pacific Grove (42).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Monterey Bay Aquarium | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monterey | in town | — | 87 56 hotels · 14 motels · 11 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 1 RV park | 28,953 | $1,076K | C− |
| Pacific Grove | 1 mi west | — | 42 19 hotels · 1 motel · 19 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins | 14,659 | $1,190K | B |
| Carmel-by-the-Sea 45% vacation homes | 5 mi south | 5 min | 49 22 hotels · 21 inns & B&Bs · 5 lodges & cabins · 1 RV park | 3,105 | $2,000K | — |
| Seaside | 5 mi east | 5 min | 17 11 hotels · 3 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs | 31,636 | $787K | C |
| Marina | 8 mi northeast | 10 min | 16 12 hotels · 2 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 23,256 | $819K | C |
| Del Monte Forest 37% vacation homes | 3 mi southwest | 5 min | 10 9 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins | 3,613 | $2,000K | — |
| Salinas | 16 mi east | 25 min | 36 18 hotels · 16 motels · 2 lodges & cabins | 159,134 | $654K | C− |
| Santa Cruz | 26 mi north | 40 min | 66 37 hotels · 9 motels · 15 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 campground · 2 RV parks | 61,797 | $1,209K | D |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Places to add to Monterey Bay Aquarium
These well-known places are within 64 miles.
Big draw54 mi Stadium & arenaLevi's Stadium
14 mi Scenic drive17-Mile Drive
Big draw54 mi Theme parkCalifornia's Great America
49 mi Stadium & arenaSAP Center
42 mi National ParkPinnacles National Park343K visitors a year212 mi Canyon & gorgeMonterey Canyon
325 mi Theme parkSanta Cruz Beach Boardwalk
63 mi MuseumFiloliPhoto credits
Levi's Stadium: Matthew Roth, CC BY-SA 2.0 · 17-Mile Drive: Humanoid one, CC BY-SA 3.0 · California's Great America: Oleg Alexandrov, CC BY-SA 4.0 · SAP Center: Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Pinnacles National Park: Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: Josta Photo, CC BY 2.0 · Filoli: Sukuru, CC BY-SA 3.0
Monterey Bay Aquarium: common questions
Is Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey?
Yes. It’s inside Monterey, CA.
When is the best time to visit Monterey Bay Aquarium?
May, June, July, August, September, October and November, with highs of 63–68°.
How far is Monterey Bay Aquarium from San Jose and Oakland?
About 47 miles north of San Jose and about 82 miles north of Oakland, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Monterey Bay Aquarium?
Monterey Regional (MRY), about 4 miles away. The nearest big hub is Mineta San Jose (SJC), about 51 miles.
Where should I stay near Monterey Bay Aquarium?
Monterey (in town, 87 places to stay), Pacific Grove (1 mi, 42 places to stay) and Carmel-by-the-Sea (5 mi, 49 places to stay).
Ask people in Monterey
People in Monterey have not posted tips yet; their Town Square is open.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.