Newport Aquarium

I was kind of surprised with some of the reviews. We have attended a couple of times and it has always been pleasant. Our favorite time to go is near the Holidays. The kids love being able to reach in the water and get a feel.

This is a great place to visit. It's located at Newport on the Levee. Parking is convenient and reasonable. Admission isn't cheap , but about what you would expect.

I visited the Newport Aquarium on a Sunday during the "family hours". Here is my first complaint...they only allow 2 1/2hrs for "family hours", or hours in which a family may bring a stroller. As a mother of 3, one of which is a newborn, a stroller is essential for family outings. So I didn't think it was family friendly if they only provided a limited time for familys with stroller-aged children. Also on this point...to enter and leave the aquarium they have a escalator to do so! Not possible with a stroller. So you'd think they'd have signs to tell you this...they don't! When you do figure out that "oh I need to take the elevator"....you can't find it because it isn't exactly brightly lit in there. And the elevator is very small and cramped...so maybe 1 or 2 small stroller families can fit. My 3rd complaint is find the aquarium in the first place. There is no clear sign to say Aquarium Parking, turn here! If you miss that turn guess what?...you're heading back across the Ohio river into Cincinnati near a large ball park where if there is a game going on, you'll hit major traffic trying to turn around. We lucked up on there being no game...but had a hard time figuring out where to turn around. Okay, after you park and take the elevators to the riverwalk level...the aquarium isn't RIGHT there, you've still got some ways to go before getting into the building. My 4th complaint....if your child doesn't use the restroom right when you get inside, they may not be able to again for quite some time there because the aquarium is like a dark one-way alley. And you've got to shuffle through without a clue of when you can exit. It was soooo crowded! If you stop to look at an exhibit, you start to feel bad because you're blocking about 10 people behind you from proceeding because the aisles are so cramped. My 5th complaint...stay with me, lol...is that the exhibits are not too great. Some house super small fishes, and have no WOW factor whatsoever. And some of the displays are up high where little ones have to be picked up high to see. The displays aren't clearly marked either.....I have somewhat of a snake phobia, and was taken aback when I suddenly approached a display with one. There was no warning. Other displays have glass that is so dirty or scratched that you can hardly see whats inside!! Like the Penguin display...one which we were so anxious to see, but were very disappointed once we finally did. And my 6th and final complaint is that while being shuffled through the maze, you are forced to go through the food court (uncoincedentally when you may be ready for a snack) in order to get moving through the aquarium. You also are forced to go through the gift shop to get out of the aquarium! So forwarning here...there are huge displays of stuffed animals that your children will be crying and screaming to get as you try to get out of that place!! They are definitely all about trying to get their money!! A horrible time indeed. The only 1 Good thing about the aquarium were the glass tunnels which had sharks that swam right over you! That was the one and only good thing about this aquarium. You'd be better off spending the money and going somewhere where they know how to have a REAL aquarium...like Virginia Beach. That's a good one...

I visited on a Saturday, very crowded. The aquarium is a privately owned business, ie they want to make money off or you and cram as many people in per day as they can. The layout of the aquarium is unlike any other; visitors are herded through dark lit narrow hallways. Once you enter the aquarium you cannot access a bathroom or concessions, there are no places to sit. The staff was rude or under trained timid adolescents, there were no adults in the aquarium. My time and money would have been better spent at the local zoo.