Some of the world's most majestic, colorful, amazing life forms spend their lives – all or in part – within the world's rivers, lakes and oceans. 10Best asked a panel of wildlife experts to nominate their top 20 places in the United States to observe aquatic life, then we turned it over to you!
After four weeks of reader voting, the results are in and Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary in Massachusetts has taken the title of Best Place to See Aquatic Life.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Place to See Aquatic Life are as follows:
- Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary - Massachusetts
- Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary - California
- Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge - Florida
- Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge - Hawaii
- Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park - Florida
- Channel Islands National Park - California
- J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge - Florida
- Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary - Florida
- Everglades National Park - Florida
- Puget Sound - Washington
A panel of experts picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts David Houghton (National Wildlife Refuge Association), Stephen W. Kress (National Audubon Society) and David Mizejewski (National Wildlife Federation) were chosen based on their extensive knowledge of American wildlife.
Other contenders for the title included Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Florida, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in Midway Atoll, Monomoy Island National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts, Point Reyes National Seashore in California, Vieques National Wildlife Refuge in Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands National Park in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Congratulations to all our winning parks and refuges!
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The Experts
David Houghton
David Houghton is the President of the National... Read More
David Houghton is the President of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. The Refuge Association advocates for the 573 million acre National Wildlife Refuge System and Pacific Marine National Monuments. David has worked to add millions of acres to the Refuge System. David lives in Naples Florida and has been to more than 350 National Wildlife Refuges.
David Houghton

David Houghton is the President of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. The Refuge Association advocates for the 573 million acre National Wildlife Refuge System and Pacific Marine National Monuments. David has worked to add millions of acres to the Refuge System. David lives in Naples Florida and has been to more than 350 National Wildlife Refuges.
Stephen W. Kress
Stephen W. Kress is the National Audubon Society’s... Read More
Stephen W. Kress is the National Audubon Society’s Vice President for Bird Conservation and director of the Audubon Seabird Restoration Program and Hog Island Audubon Camp in Maine. He is an associate of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in Ithaca NY, where he developed and teaches a course in field ornithology. His work in seabird conservation and management and habitat restoration is world renowned; he is also known as “The Puffin Man” because of his role in establishing and leading Audubon’s Project Puffin in Maine, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in July 2013. Audubon started Project Puffin, led by Kress, in 1973 in an effort to learn how to restore puffins to historic nesting islands in the Gulf of Maine. This innovative restoration project is a model for seabird habitat restoration around the world. A widely-respected ornithologist, Kress has served on a multitude of committees and advisory groups, and has been selected for numerous conservation awards, and authored several books.
Stephen W. Kress

Stephen W. Kress is the National Audubon Society’s Vice President for Bird Conservation and director of the Audubon Seabird Restoration Program and Hog Island Audubon Camp in Maine. He is an associate of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in Ithaca NY, where he developed and teaches a course in field ornithology. His work in seabird conservation and management and habitat restoration is world renowned; he is also known as “The Puffin Man” because of his role in establishing and leading Audubon’s Project Puffin in Maine, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in July 2013. Audubon started Project Puffin, led by Kress, in 1973 in an effort to learn how to restore puffins to historic nesting islands in the Gulf of Maine. This innovative restoration project is a model for seabird habitat restoration around the world. A widely-respected ornithologist, Kress has served on a multitude of committees and advisory groups, and has been selected for numerous conservation awards, and authored several books.
David Mizejewski
David Mizejewski has been fascinated by our... Read More
David Mizejewski has been fascinated by our natural world for as long as he can remember. A lifelong naturalist, he spent his youth exploring the woods, fields and wetlands, observing and learning about the surprising diversity of wildlife that inhabits them. David is a media personality, author, blogger and a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation. He holds a degree in Human and Natural Ecology from Emory University and is an expert on wildlife and our environment. He’s dedicated to using his knowledge and his enthusiasm to help others understand and protect wildlife. David is co-host of NatGeo WILD’s new prime time television series Pet Talk. He helps viewers understand wildlife through their pets and how pets and wildlife interact and affect each other. He appears regularly as a wildlife expert on other NatGeo WILD series such as Are You Smarter Than, How Human Are You, and Unlikely Animal Friends.
David Mizejewski

David Mizejewski has been fascinated by our natural world for as long as he can remember. A lifelong naturalist, he spent his youth exploring the woods, fields and wetlands, observing and learning about the surprising diversity of wildlife that inhabits them. David is a media personality, author, blogger and a naturalist with the National Wildlife Federation. He holds a degree in Human and Natural Ecology from Emory University and is an expert on wildlife and our environment. He’s dedicated to using his knowledge and his enthusiasm to help others understand and protect wildlife. David is co-host of NatGeo WILD’s new prime time television series Pet Talk. He helps viewers understand wildlife through their pets and how pets and wildlife interact and affect each other. He appears regularly as a wildlife expert on other NatGeo WILD series such as Are You Smarter Than, How Human Are You, and Unlikely Animal Friends.