Monterey Bay Aquarium

Monterey Bay Aquarium

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Posted 2012-12-08 by Karen the Wordierfollow
The is the biggest and best aquarium I've ever been to. This immortal jellyfish is new.

The Secret Lives of Seahorses downstairs area hosts awe-inspiring sights. There's a visual display of the seahorses courting dance. It really is a dance, like a ballet.

There are sea horses there that are smaller than a fingernail.

Others are as big as your hand. Many are other-worldly, fascinating with strange leafy attachments.

There's an overhead bridge from one side of the upstairs to the other. Both sides have multiple rooms and displays. The jellies have several featured areas. This kaleidoscope photo op is one of the displays in the new psychedelic jellyfish section.

There's a new one downstairs. It is excellent. The upper one is great, too.
[IMAGE="http://www.weekendnotes.com/im/008/05/image1178212.jpg" width="400" link="http://www.weekendnotes.com/im/008/05/image11782121.jpg" align="CENTER"
thumb="http://www.weekendnotes.com/im/008/05/image11782122.jpg" border="1" caption="from the Aquarium website" wrap="0" title="" margin="5"]
The massive tank in the amphitheater room is filled with rays, sharks, and complete schools of large fish. It's fun to sit in there and ponder the majesty of it.

The otters are super cute. Their large tank has upstairs and downstairs viewing. Surrogate otter mothers take care of pups that would not have survived in the wild. This is only one of a great many conservation programs and awareness displays.



Child friendly elements are everywhere ranging from hands on experiences to slides and sea life costumes to wear. Kids are treated like the guests they are. The Splash Zone is an area especially for kids, complete with a baby area and a toddler area.

It's open from 10am-6pm.
General Admission
Adult $34.95
Child $21.95(Age 3-12, under 3 free)
Student $31.95(Age 13-17 or college ID)
Senior $31.95

For families, it's totally worth it to buy a year's membership. This is a non-profit for conservation of the oceans. It's basically like buying something great and donating to a great cause at the same time. We get them almost every year and have been glad every time.

It's a 2 1/2 hour drive from the city, so plan for a full day. Also, the cafe is very expensive and not that tasty. I get a hand stamp and head out to the score of great restaurants right outside the doors. Bubba Gump's is great, but involves a wait. This is a great dinner option, if you want to eat before going home. After lunch, I return for a few more glorious hours before driving back. If you leave during sunset, the first few miles of the drive back along the coast are gorgeous.

Here's the website: Monterey Bay Aquarium

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#near_san_francisco
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%wnsanfrancisco
94219 - 2023-06-12 01:14:17

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