• Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (Portland): With an OMNIMAX theater, a planetarium, a submarine, and loads of hands-on exhibits, this Portland museum is fun for kids and adults alike.

    •  

  • Oregon Coast Aquarium (Newport): This is the biggest attraction on the Oregon coast, and justly so. Tufted puffins and sea otters are always entertaining, while tide pools, jellyfish tanks, sharks, and a giant octopus also contribute to the appeal of this very realistically designed public aquarium.

    •  

  • Sea Lion Caves (north of Florence): This massive cave, the largest sea cave in the country, is home to hundreds of Steller sea lions that lounge on the rocks beneath busy U.S. 101.

    •  

  • West Coast Game Park Safari (Bandon): The opportunity to pet baby wild animals, including leopards and bears, doesn't come often, so it's hard to pass up this roadside attraction on the southern Oregon coast.

    •  

  • Wildlife Safari (Winston): Giraffes peer in your window and rhinoceroses thunder past your car doors as you drive the family through this expansive wildlife park. The savanna-like setting is reminiscent of the African plains.

    •  

  • The High Desert Museum (Bend): With its popular live-animal exhibits, this is more a zoo than a museum, but exhibits also offer glimpses into the history of the vast and little-known high desert that stretches from the Cascades eastward to the Rocky Mountains.

    • Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.