A fitting legacy of the Exxon Valdez oil-spill settlement, this $56-million marine research center is more than just one of Alaska’s finest attractions. As the only coldwater marine-science facility in the Western Hemisphere, it serves as a research and educational center and provides rehabilitation for injured marine animals.
Kids will love the tidepool touch tank, where they can hold sea anemones and starfish, as well as the ships helm and the massive two-story tanks where you can see seals, birds and more both above and below the water.
An outdoor observation platform offers a fabulous view of the mountains ringing Resurrection Bay where you can watch salmon thrash their way up a fish ladder. Plan to spend the better part of one of your best afternoons here.
It’s worth including an Encounter tour (adult/child $79/59): you’ll get face to face with the creatures you normally only see behind the glass with deeper dives into the lives of octopus, puffins or marine mammals.
