The Monterey Bay Aquarium has always captivated people and its newest exhibition, Into the Deep, is no exception. In fact, it’s exceptional, adding a fully integrated ocean experience by taking you from mesmerizing shoreline kelp forests all the way to the bottom of the sea, where kelp deposits play a vital role in sustaining life in the lesser-known and unfamiliar depths of the ocean. Sea for yourself.

Walk this Sway

Talk about a dreamlike flow…the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s impressive three-story living Kelp Forest exhibit looks like an underwater fairytale and casts “forest bathing” in fresh light. Sunbeams filter through gently swaying kelp fronds as leopard sharks cruise, golden garibaldi glide, and schools of anchovies glitter.

The kelp forest is home to myriad cool critters that thrive among its productive golden fronds, which can grow up to a foot a day! Be sure to also spend some time with the playful sea otters at the Aquarium—rescued animals that can’t return to the wild but that raise pups who can.

Experience the New Exhibit

Kelp Is on the Way!

Monterey Bay Aquarium’s newest attraction, Into the Deep: Exploring Our Undiscovered Ocean, is a first-of-its-kind living exhibition where you can meet the crown jewel creatures of the deep sea—some so new to science that they have yet to be named. So, what’s kelp got to do with it? Well, if you visit the aquarium’s Kelp Forest exhibit you get a glimpse of what lives and thrives just beneath the surface of the sea; Into the Deep takes you to unfamiliar ocean depths where some creatures feast on food drifting down from the surface – including kelp.

At the aquarium you’ll get to meet some of the most fascinating deep-sea creatures, from the bloody-belly comb jelly, to the giant isopod (which looks like an alien being), and the elegant sea angel (actually a prowling predator). The kelp forest is an integral part of the deep sea’s productivity, as winter storms tear it free to fall to the ocean floor.

The View from Above

After meeting the amazing ocean animals at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, venture out and encounter some in the wild. The aquarium is an ideal starting place for activities like whalewatching, scuba lessons, and kayak trips where you might spy otters as you float above sea kelp and—thanks to the aquarium—know what lies beneath!

You can also stroll the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail, which overlooks Monterey Bay. And be sure to grab some fresh chowder on the Wharf.