This child-friendly educational center encompasses four separate ocean-centric ‘adventures.’ On Sundays, admission includes the opportunity to discover what life was like aboard an early 19th-century tall ship, the brig Pilgrim . Guided tours of this full-size replica of the ship sailed by Richard Dana during his journey around Cape Horn to California are offered hourly.
The Ocean Education Center is reserved for school groups on weekdays, but on weekends families are welcome to enjoy the interactive marine-focused exhibits. You can also board the R/V Sea Explorer (adult/child four to 12 from $35/22), a 70ft-long floating lab, for a science-focused snorkeling cruise or blue-whale safari, or join a ‘pyrate’ adventure or gray-whale-watching cruise on the Spirit of Dana Point (adult/child four to 12 $40/23), a replica of an American Revolution–era tall ship. Make reservations.
