Prepare to be amazed by all of the purple sea urchins, red sea cucumbers, giant green sea anemones, colorful sea stars, hermit crabs, harbor seals and sea birds your family can handle at these seven protected intertidal ecosystems, known as marine gardens, along the Oregon coast. All of the gardens are hands-on sites that enable your little scientists to carefully touch the starfish or pick up hermit crabs. Click through our album for the splash-tastic scoop on where to find them.

For Puffins: Harris Beach State Park

The park, to the north of Brookings, is constructing a bike path through November, so it is expected to be a little noisy from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., but if you don't mind that, you'll be in for a treat. In addition to its rocky marine garden and sandy beach this incredible park includes Bird Island, home to tufted puffin, harbor seals and California sea lions.

Hwy. 101
Brookings, Or
541-469-2021
Online: oregonstateparks.org

Photo credit: wikimedia.org via Creative Commons

Where is your favorite tide pool to explore? Let us know in the Comments below!

–Suzie Ridgway

Advertisement
phone-icon-vector
Your daily dose of joy and connection
Get the Tinybeans app