Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium is a great place for kids and adults alike. Bogue Banks Island is more often known for the beach but the aquarium is worth adding to the itinerary. With 6+ major exhibit areas you will be surprised by the array of different aquatic life that can be found in and around NC
Wait Isn’t There Another?
Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium is one of several NC Aquariums along the coast. This aquarium is located on Bogue Banks Island. There are 3 other locations at Fort Fisher, Roanoke Island and Nags head. As you drive into Bogue Banks Island, you will get some great views of the NC coast from the bridges coming into either Emerald Isle or Atlantic Beach.
The parking is adequate but on a busy day can get tight. We came in April when it was cooler so the parking lot was on the fuller side. Be sure to drive slow when you enter the aquarium parking area. There is a walking area on the side of the road. Additionally there is a nature trail with parking just past the entrance to the Aquarium grounds. This can serve as overflow for the main parking area.
Welcome to the Aquarium
The exterior entryway is a little confusing if you have not been there before. Facing the building, the entrance is to the left. You will know you are in the right place if you see ticket booths. Ask for help if you see a Dairy Queen (not a joke). The entry path is filled with local plants, wetland and mostly log-construciton overhands. This pairs really well with what you find next. All of this pairs well with the statue out front of a school of fish over a fountain.
Prices are reasonable to enter. If you are a pass holder for the NC Zoo Associations, admission is free. These passes are really neat and very worth it if you have a big family or you go out to zoos and aquariums frequently. There is a whole list of zoos, aquariums and other museums that are either free or half off to pass holders. We plan to grow our family and really enjoy the zoos/aquariums so the lifetime pass sounds like a great deal. The Grandparent pass would be a great one to like to take your grandkids to the zoo/aquarium often or want the option to.
Mountain Waters
The Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium traces out the path of water from the mountains to the sea in different stages. Each area highlighting the different aquatic life that the region has to offer.
The first area you will hear is the water fall for the mountain area. This is a big 2 story waterfall inside that cascades into a central pool. This is just past the entrance foyer. Just beyond the waterfall is a few tanks. There is not much to this area but the waterfall is very memorable. Makes sense since the Smokey mountains are not exactly teaming with sea life. There is, however, a hellbender on display which is one of the largest reptiles in North America (fact check me on that)
The Piedmont
The Piedmont is the eastern foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. If you grew up in NC, the Piedmont is what we refer to as the central part of the state. This part of the aquarium features all sort of fresh water aquatic life. The best part for Madilyn was these giant frog scupltures placed through out the area. These were made for kids to climb on and were positioned through out the exhibit to help kids move through the aquarium. Well done to the planners on this part. Here we found a big turtle sculpture for Madilyn to climb on too. These fish could be caught in streams/lakes throughout the state.
Marsh Boardwalk
You will notice a door out the back between some exhibits. This takes you out to a boardwalk that has two wild life overlooks. These platform areas overlook the sound side of the island. We were able to ACTUALLY see some wild life not too far away when we came. There is also a snake exhibit in a separate building only accessible from the boardwalk area. They did a very nice job highlighting the different common snakes in NC and helping kids understand venomous vs not.
Funny story: When we were leaving one of the outlooks, there was a couple with a 3-4 year old boy infront of us. The little boy stopped and told his parents that he needed to pee “now”. The parents looked at eachother, shrugged and said “OK”. They then proceeded to have their kid pull down his shorts to his ankles, lean into the railing and pee into the sound in full view of the aquarium. We did not break stride or whisper a word until we were well out of ear shot. The bathrooms were maybe 30-60 seconds away and bushes were closer than that. Not criticizing just was one of those moments that was a little shocking to witness.
Coastal Plains and Tidal Waters Galleries
These exhibits will be the next area after you come back in from the outside. These areas are probably what you typically think of when you go the aquariums. Touch tanks for kids to see/feel stuff. The classic shallow water aquatic life that everyone like to see. Alligators and catfish as big as your head are also in these areas. These fish are something your kids could actually see in person one day if you live in the easter NC area.
The crowd favorite was the Stingray touch tank. you can reach in and fell a sting ray as it swims by. Madilyn was NOT interested once she realized why we were putting her hand in the water. There is another touch area that was closed but appeared to be oriented towards smaller kids. Next time. The touch tanks could capture your attention for a while but there is nothing in particular we hung out for. Madilyn found a giant crab statue that she HAD to get her picture with so that was entertaining.
Ocean Gallery
Until little Timmy is a deep sea certified diver, he will probably never see any of the aquatic life in this area in the wild. That being said these are the most anticipated exhibits for most people. Most of this area is based around “the living ship wreck”. I wish that meant the ship wrecked moved, but instead I settled for a deep sea shipwreck replica with all kinds of deep sea life swimming through it. This is better described as an very large swimming pool for fish rather than a tank.
The big bubba’s in this tank were as big as my chest and probably weighted more. This is something I could have just sat and watched for an hour if I were by myself. Something about the way these fish moved in person does not show up on the camera. This exhibit alone is worth the cost of admission.
The other exhibits in this area pale by comparison but are well done in their own right. Madilyn gawked at the jellyfish for a little. This lasted for about 30 seconds before she decided that she was done and ran out to the…
Gift Shop and Kids Play
As with many attractions, you have to have a gift shop. The Aquarium is no exception. At the end of the exhibits is a sizable gift shop and a new kids play area called “Imagination Bay”. This is a series of climbable sculptures and cool bubble windows for kids to run around. I think someone realized that the best way to reduce how much merchandise was broken and to increase sales was to provide a space for kids to play while one of the parents shops. Brilliant. It works well. Madilyn liked the Finding Nemo fish tank in this area and just a little bit of freedom before we got back in the car.
Just outside is a Dairy Queen concession stand with some seating. Not a bad idea to grab an ice cream cone to end your trip. This last leg of the Aquarium made it clear that the designers had kids and families in mind when they built this place.
Overall
The Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium is a great family outing for all ages while still having adequate sophistication and grandeur to appeal to adults. Most people will likely be on Bogue Banks for the beaches but this aquarium is worth visiting regardless of the season.
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