East Idaho Aquarium
4.3(2.7K)google
3.5(57)yelp
WildlifeFamilyKidsEducational
Overview
The East Idaho Aquarium in Idaho Falls is a dynamic, highly interactive educational marine wildlife facility designed to bring hands-on oceanic exploration to the inland Pacific Northwest. Unlike traditional aquariums, this facility focuses heavily on sensory touch exhibits, allowing visitors to safely hand-feed gentle stingrays, hold colorful parakeets in a walk-in aviary, and feel the unique skin of starfish. With extensive displays showcasing electric eels, unique sharks, freshwater giants, and bearded dragons, it offers an exceptionally fun, memorable experience for children and ocean lovers.
Practical Info
Mon11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tue11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Wed11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thu11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Fri11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sat11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sun1:00 – 6:00 PM
Suggested Duration1.5-2.5 hours
Best TimeAn outstanding year-round indoor destination. Visiting on a weekday afternoon between 2:00 PM and 4:30 PM is highly recommended; by this time, the bustling morning school field trips have departed, granting you open, crowd-free access to the unique stingray touch tanks and avian feeding aviaries.
Getting ThereSituated in the northeastern commercial district of Idaho Falls. Driving is straightforward: from US-20, take Exit 152 (Holmes Ave), drive south for about a mile, and turn right onto E Lincoln Rd to find the modern facility. The aquarium provides its own large, flat open-air parking field that is completely free.
Travel Tips
- Purchase stingray and avian feeding tokens entirely at the main desk upon entry; the automated token kiosks deep inside galleries suffer frequent mechanical breakdowns.
- The narrow touch-tank corridors experience intense gridlock from 11:00 to 14:00 on weekends; opt for weekday late afternoons to secure direct water access.
- Active interactive touch stations cause persistent localized floor moisture; running is strictly banned on the tile walkways to prevent slips.
Reviews
Positive
- Unmatched interactive aquarium! You can touch stingrays, feed massive koi fish, and even host colorful lorikeets on your arms.
- Fully indoor with solid AC, kept very clean; a safe, contained space perfect for high-energy toddlers on a rainy day.
- Staff are incredibly enthusiastic and caring, patiently coaching kids on how to touch marine life safely while sharing ocean science.
- Perfect for a 1-2 hour indoor excursion, especially in bad weather, delivering interactive joy that far exceeds the ticket price.
Heads up
- The facility is very mini, housed inside a strip mall plaza; do not expect massive ocean tanks like Monterey.
- The base ticket isn't bad, but most close interactions (feeding otters, birds, or fish) demand extra token purchases, driving up add-on costs.
- On holiday weekends, the small gallery gets packed with screaming, energetic kids, making it very loud and chaotic for solo adults.
- Some tank glass panels get heavily smudged with children's fingerprints; during peak hours, staff cleanups can't keep up with the mess.