Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium - Crystal Coast North Carolina

Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium in NC

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The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is located just west of Atlantic Beach on the beautiful island of Bogue Banks. The Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium is one of three of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resource’s state aquariums. The other two, the NC Aquarium at Roanoke Island and the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher combine with the NC Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium to promote the education, conservation and protection of North Carolina's marine animals.

The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores has featured numerous notable aquatic animals. The Aquarium's two river otters have fast became stars at the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium and are called Neuse and Pungo, named after North Carolina Rivers. These two delightful creatures entertain, amaze and enchant visitors to the aquarium and at each show prove to be quite a lively pair. Other large game fish swim through the NC Aquarium's large tanks. Children can watch in amazement as two sand tiger sharks stalk through the waters, and watch as one in particular, measuring nearly nine feet long, hides beneath the sea vegetation. Some favored residents of the NC Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium are a six foot long green moray eel, a goliath, four foot grouper, and various large sized nurse sharks and sandbar sharks. In addition to all of this, the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium also features two great educational, hands on exhibits; the Tidal Touch Pool and the Skate and Ray Encounters. The Tidal Touch Pool is a great place to snap a picture as children can handle and pick up a variety of large, aquatic invertebrates.

The NC Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium's centerpiece exhibit is a 306,000 gallon tank that is appropriately named Living Shipwreck, as tons of different native fish and other animals swim in and out of a gigantic replica of a U-352 German submarine. The real U-352 German sub had engaged with the Coast Guard off the North Carolina coast and sank to the depths of the ocean floor, just off North Carolina's beautiful Crystal Coast. In addition to this magnificent central tank, the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium is unique in that it is the only aquarium of the three that rehabilitates and releases loggerhead sea turtles. Every year the state Wildlife Resources Commission gathers several weak sea turtle hatchlings in from the nearby beaches into the Pine Knoll Shores NC Aquarium to be rehabilitated. Once they are healthy they are tagged with a special satellite transmitter device on their shells and released. Many of the turtles' travels are recorded daily and are put on exhibit as well.

The NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores features free, daily programs throughout the year. At different times children can enjoy live animal programs, feeding presentations, puppet shows, educational quiz games and other hands on activities. In the summers, beginning on June 1st, the Pine Knoll Shores North Carolina Aquarium offers snorkeling, surfing, and night trek turtle search classes for a nominal fee. Other excursions offered are river cruises, kayaking and canoeing adventures, and fishing lessons, many of which last well into the fall. If you wish to tour the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores privately, contact them about the behind the scenes tours: Dinner with Critters and Breakfast with Rays, both of which are offered year-round and are great ways to see the aquarium without the hustle and bustle of other large groups.

The Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium is also commonly used for special events such as wedding rehearsal dinners, weddings, receptions and other private parties. At Happy House Realty we can be your guide to the beautiful Crystal Coast North Carolina and the stunning communities of Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach, and Salter Path. Our knowledgeable real estate agents can help you buy and sell North Carolina oceanfront properties; browse through our Atlantic Beach homes for sale near Pine Knoll Shores and the wondrous North Carolina Aquarium.

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If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact us in Morehead City 252-342-4444, email us, or use our online request form.