A Trip to the Newport Aquarium in Kentucky
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I had NEVER been to an aquarium until I was an adult. I guess you could say I lived somewhat of a sheltered life. So when I had kids, I was determined not to let them miss out on some of those experiences, so as soon as they were old enough to go, away we went to the Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky! And let me say, it didn’t disappoint! (Plus Cincinnati, Ohio is literally just across the river. So there’s a TON to do if you’re up for an adventure.)
Where to Stay
There are several different choices about where to stay. One of the things I found most fun about picking a place to stay is that I could pick a hotel in Newport, Kentucky or a hotel in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Cincinnati traffic gives me major anxiety, so I opted for a hotel in Newport. We ended up staying at the Hampton Inn & Suites, and it didn’t disappoint. For a few dollars more, I upgraded to a room with a view of the Cincinnati skyline. And I’m so glad I did. All we’re surrounded by in our small Indiana town is cornfields, so this was a totally new view for the boys.
Plus I adored the fact that the hotel was within walking distance from the Newport Aquarium (translated to “I don’t have to pay for parking! Woo-hoo!”), less than a 2 minute walk from the riverfront (certainly worth exploring), and 1 minute away from The Great American Ballpark (someday soon we are going to go back and walk across the bridge to catch a Cincinnati Reds game), and less than 1 minute from Paul Brown Stadium (my boys are also dying to go back and see a Cincinnati Bengals game someday), and the Cincinnati Zoo is only 4 miles away (I love this zoo by the way. But that’s another story.). So as you can tell, there is plenty to do. There are also several cute shops and little places to eat within walking distance at Newport on the Levee. I LOVED not having to load everyone up into the car and navigate our way around an unfamiliar city. We ended up eating at a place called Dewey’s Pizza, and no one left hungry.
The hotel offered a free continental breakfast in the morning, so the boys were able to eat until they were stuffed before we headed out to the aquarium later that morning. And since we don’t have river boats and barges in cornfields, the boys were fascinated with the ones going down the Ohio River when we woke up in the morning.
The Newport Aquarium
The aquarium is two levels and just the right size to keep kids entertained without tiring them out. There is the Plaza Level, which is where you enter and find an information desk, lobby, and gift shop. Then there is the Lower Level. This is where all the fun happens. You’ll start your adventure in the Freshwater Falls, where you’ll learn about animals that live in freshwater. This area didn’t keep my kid’s interest for too long because they were familiar with most of the animals here, but it’s not an area to skip. You’ll see and learn something new here, I’m sure. Next, you’ll wind your way around through an area called Shore Gallery, and then you’ll end up at Shark Ray Bay Theater. Shark Ray Bay Theater is stunning! Here you’ll find a GIGANTIC window that allows you to view the aquarium’s shark exhibit.
Once you decide you’re done being mesmerized by the sharks (My family had to drag me away!), you’ll explore the seahorses and new exhibit this year called Shipwreck Realm of the Eels. The Shipwreck exhibit is new for 2020, but the Newport Aquarium website says you’ll see “the ruins of a long-ago sunken ship scattered across the sea floor now home to hundreds of animals including mysterious eels, brightly colored fish and curious creatures as they thrive in this accidental reef.” It makes me wish it had been there when we visited in 2018!
From there, you’ll visit Gator Alley. There are some fascinating alligators here. We learned about an alligator that ate small rocks when he had an upset stomach! The thought of that makes the stuff we take for an upset stomach pale in comparison. Bleh! We also got to see these gorgeous white alligators. They can’t survive in nature for obvious reasons (they don’t camouflage well), but they sure were beautiful.
From here, we went to an area called the Frog Bog. This was a fun area for kids to let loose a little and learn about frogs and toads. There were even some cute frog photo ops. They also added a new exhibit to this area called Jim Henson’s Splash Bubbles Reeftown Adventure for 2020. The Newport Aquarium website describes the exhibit like this: “Kids can climb and play their way through Coral Cove and become a Reeftown Ranger as they learn about our One Big Ocean and the animals that call it home. The experience will also include the Kelp Forest, a completely new area to guests. Through technology, families can color their own fishy friends and bring them to life in the animated world of Splash and Bubbles.” I don’t know about you, but I think it’d be fun to color my own fish and bring it to life. I’m sure the kids would love it as well.
Once you’re done exploring the Frog Bog, you’ll head on over to Stingray Hideaway. There are a couple hands on activities for your kiddos in this area, and my boys loved it. You can pet the stingrays, or you can go up through a tunnel under the pool they’re in and watch them being fed. So cool!
Once you’re done here, your next stop will be the 32 foot long Amazon tunnel! Here you’ll get an up close look at the animals that live in the Amazon River. This area gives you such an appreciation for the diversity of life living in that river.
Next, head on over to the coral reef and explore the life that lives here. If you’re lucky, you’ll even get to see the octopus. The octopus was being stubborn the day we were there, so we did’t get to see it. But it’s just an excuse to make a return visit, right?
Finally, you’ll step into a series of tunnels that lead you under the ocean into my absolute FAVORITE exhibit-Surrounded by Sharks. You will feel like you’re standing in the ocean while sharks swim all around you! It was strangely peaceful to watch, but maybe I wouldn’t have been so calm if I didn’t have acrylic separating me from the sharks. This exhibit is amazing, and I’m sure that I was the lady that didn’t move very much and annoyed other visitors. Sorry about that!
That just about wraps up your trip to the aquarium, but there is one last thing to do if you dare. To leave the aquarium, you have two choices: You can either walk across the 75 foot rope suspension bridge that is just inches above a dozen sharks, or you can walk along the side of the shark pool to the exit. The shark bridge is free with admission. Be warned that it does move a little as you walk across it, so you’ll want to make sure you have steady feet. It’s also a pretty enclosed space, so if you fear tight spaces, you might want to bypass it. Our entire family loved it, even my husband who hates swaying bridges didn’t think it was too bad.
So there you have it. Our trip to Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky. If you’re looking for a place to take your kiddos that isn’t overwhelming, then I highly recommend it. Make a weekend out of it and visit a few of the other great places Ohio and Kentucky has to offer. Have fun!
