Monterey Bay Aquarium With Kids
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is considered one of the best aquariums in the world, and the lines outside certainly back that up. Luckily we had purchased our tickets in advance and waltzed straight inside. We're lucky we did, as the day went on, the museum grew increasingly crowded, and it was nice to view the exhibits before the crowds became overwhelming.
The aquarium was built long after I moved away from this area, so I have no childhood memories of it. I do remember my first visit, in college, and how absolutely floored I was at the thoughtful design that lets you view marine animals in something as close to their natural habitat as possible. That type of exhibit is becoming more popular now. Still, even after visiting aquariums in cities around the world, the Monterey Bay Aquarium stands out and I'd recommend a detour if you are visiting the San Francisco area.
One thing that makes the aquarium so special is the way that it features local wildlife in realistic environments. The kids were absolutely in love with the "Sandy Shore" aviary. There's something so soothing about watching waves lap softly against the shore and following the birds as they wade against the edge of the waves and forage for insects in the sand.
We finally had to drag the kids out to see more of the aquarium. If it was up to them, we would have spent the entire day in the aviary.
The touching pools were a little too crowded, so we headed instead to the Kelp Forest. This tank is 28 feet deep, making it one of the tallest aquarium exhibits in the world.
The kids don't realize that, though, they're fascinated to see the schools of fish they've read about in books in real life. It's hard to imagine so many fish moving together in unison until you see it in person.
Like most of the exhibits at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Kelp Forest tank is at a height that works well for my 3 and 5 year old, letting them stand and take it all in for as long as they want (without moms arms tiring out). That's good... I'm sure I've never seen them this engrossed in anything on TV.
Without planning to, we optimized for depth instead of breadth on this visit, and as hard as we tried to get the kids into the shark exhibit, the penguins, and the seahorses they eventually just ran out of steam and couldn't take in any more. I know they deeply loved what they did see, so that doesn't stress me out, but it does leave me plotting to make a future trip to the aquarium in which we reverse today's itinerary.
Pam of Nerds Eye View would probably refuse to share any more cupcakes with me if I didn't mention the aquarium's excellent Seafood Watch Program. Seafood Watch's handy pocket guides help you choose environmentally responsible seafood when you shop or dine out. They're cute, easy to use, and fit in your wallet. Or, better yet, download the Seafood Watch iPhone app
Related Links
City Guide: Monterey With Kids
11 comments |
Posted on March 9, 2010 |
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Amie from Ciao Bambino on March 9, 2010 at 10:03 a.m.
You can sleep over at the aquarium too. This an amazing experience with older kids! Dana did it with hers and wrote about it on the CB Blog - http://www.ciaobambino.com/ciaobambin...
Debbie on March 9, 2010 at 10:07 a.m.
WOW, does that sound fun!
Debi from Go Explore Nature on March 9, 2010 at 10:48 a.m.
Great review -- I love this aquarium, too. Thanks for the tip about buying tickets in advance -- that saves some serious waiting time. And yes, you will have to go back to see the penguins. On our last visit, I couldn't pull my son away from them!
Lorraine on March 9, 2010 at 6:49 p.m.
Love that last photo of the kids staring up in awe at the aquarium. They are truly wonderous places - and this one is tops!
Carolina on March 9, 2010 at 9:03 p.m.
We love this place, have been there so many times, I've lost track. I can't wait for their new hot, pink flamingos exhibit.
You're right, on crowded days, it's hard to cover the whole place with young kids. Especially if they get engrossed in some of the touch-pools and play areas.
We love to go in the late afternoons, or on member nights if possible.
Carol from NYCityMama on March 10, 2010 at 1:19 p.m.
Great review! And awesome pics. It has been added on my list of places to visit : ) Thanks!
WanderMom on March 11, 2010 at 9:10 p.m.
You can sleep over at the Aquarium in Seattle too. You sleep (kids + parents) on sleeping bags in the Underwater Dome area.
Members get early notification of events - so if you're not a member...
Camels & Chocolate on March 11, 2010 at 11:23 p.m.
OK, but as a Californian who covers the whole state for a myriad of guides, I must disagree with all those who think it's so great (regionally, sure, but on a grander scale, not so much). Monterey Bay Aquarium is NOTHING compared to Georgia Aquarium (the biggest and best, with whale sharks and belugas galore) and the Tennessee Aquarium (the biggest freshwater collection in the world). Every time I'm back home in the South, I make it a point to visit one or the other. Hopefully, you can take the kidlets there someday if you haven't already!
fairlyODDtravel on March 14, 2010 at 12:16 a.m.
Love love LOVE the Monterey Bay Aquarium. There are so many cool aquariums in California. Your post brought back memories from my own childhood of trips to MBA, Scripps and Sea World of course.
Camels, I have a friend who lives in GA and took her niece to the Georgia Aquarium and I was sooo jealous looking at the photos of that place. I really hope to take our kids there someday. Kids love the whole under the sea thing don't they?
Anna H on March 1, 2014 at 9:37 a.m.
We are hoping to take our 5 and 3 year olds to the aquarium soon. Do you remember how many hours your kids lasted? Just trying to plan accordingly!
Debbie Oreizy on March 3, 2014 at 12:02 p.m.
Anna,
I think we spent about a half-day, maybe more. We had lunch there, and some snacks, and spent a little time running around outside as well. Breaking up the activities made it easy to spend much of the day there.
I hope you enjoy your trip!