3) Monterey Bay Aquarium
Two million people a year visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium and for good reason. The 28-foot high kelp forest is home to leopard sharks, wolf-eels, sea hares and the red octopus. Scuba divers can frequently be spotted trimming the kelp since it grows four inches a day. The Viva Baja! Life on the Edge Exhibit contains the green moray, desert tortoise and the Pacific seahorse. Other exhibits display penguins, sharks, sea otters, puffins and more. An adult ticket is $49.95 and child is $29.95. Student and senior discounts are available. The Aquarium itself sits on the coast and pumps sea water into the exhibits, and its location on the Monterey Peninsula is perfect for adding on trips to check out Carmel-By-the-Sea and Santa Cruz.
