Out and About on the Outer Banks: The North Carolina Aquarium, Roanoke Island

Last visited: 11/2022

We stayed at Barrier Island Station

https://www.rci.com/pre-rci/us/en/resort-directory/resortdetails?resortCode=1008

As with all aquariums, this is a family friendly location. Please note: reservations are required at this time.

We have been visiting this aquarium since Stewie was little. It's fun taking flashback photos of things that we love about this place. It is well kept, clean, and informative. Exhibits allow you to get up close and personal, and if you are lucky, the animals will even interact with you through their enclosures, especially the river otters! We always seem to visit during off season times, but during the summer months they offer a variety of tours that you can sign up for like paddle boarding, crabbing, "What's the catch" where you can learn to fish, and a variety of inside tours as well. Find more information here: https://www.ncaquariums.com/roanoke-island

The sculpture at the front of the aquarium is an excellent photo op

The entrance way has a cool screen where it looks like you are interacting with various animals. Wish the one block was working

The "Please Touch" section allows kids (and adults) to touch horseshoe crabs and sting rays

The large shark tank allows you to come close to predators of the ocean

Cool jelly fish exhibition

Loving the big frog

Some things never change

The aquarium is active in conservation and rehabilitation. It includes about 7 large tanks where injured sea turtles can come for treatment and rehabilitation. There were Loggerheads and one Green turtle (I think!) when we visited.

The rehab center tanks

There is a hands on exhibit where you can pretend to be a scientist that helps to rehabilitate injured sea turtles.

Still a hit, and I think we got the one with a bowel obstruction again

There's even a wind tunnel you can try out! What's it like to be in a hurricane?