Love One An Otter
Written: Jun 28 '02 (Updated Jun 29 '02)
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Pros: A family friendly, handicap accessible aquatic treasure that is a fun-filled learning environment.
Cons: Monterey, CA is clear across the country from our home near Washington, DC.
The Bottom Line: A magical place for young and old alike. It has something for each of the five senses - hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching. Plan to spend several hours.
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| gungian's Full Review: Monterey Bay Aquarium |
Before our recent trip to Monterey, CA, Mrs. G and I each composed a listing of “must visit” attractions. Not surprisingly, The Monterey Bay Aquarium was #1 on both of our lists.
There were probably a hundred people in line when we arrived about an hour before the doors opened. But the line moved quickly and we were making our way to the first display by 10:15.
The museum itself contains a central hall and two massive wings - the Nearshore Wing and the Outer Bay Wing. Each of the three sections stretches across two floors. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is more than a fun place and more than a learning place. It is truly magical!
FIRST FLOOR
Aviary – located on the first floor of the Nearshore Wing, the Aviary is home to a wide variety of shorebirds. This exhibit is comprised of beach area, dunes, and wetlands and it contains numerous flocks of feathered friends.
Jellies: Living Art – a most unusual blending of the animate and inanimate. This is where you can see the great influence of nature on art. In fact, some of the art is actually displays of living jellies in some most interesting environments.
Monterey Bay Habitats – has its main display on the first floor of the Nearshore Wing but extends upwards to the second. Shellfish cling to pilings. Sharks cruise amidst schools of game fish. Catch a glimpse at the sand, reefs, and waters that are home to the plethora of marine life.
Mysteries of the Deep – another Outer Bay Wing exhibit features some of the strangest creatures around. These are the denizens of the very deep canyons and are seldom seen by the human eye. From mushroom corals to ratfish – they provide a visual feast for the visitor.
Outer Bay Exhibit – takes up much of the first floor space of the Outer Bay Wing. This huge 1 million gallon exhibit extends upwards to the second floor and has viewing areas on both levels. Small sunfish to giant tuna swirl about. The giant sea turtles seem to fly like underwater birds.
Sea Otters – are the centerpiece of the main hall. Here these playful critters frolic in a two-story tank that they share with other local marine life. [This was my favorite display.] While watching these marvelous creatures, informative staff members tell the story of the aquarium’s efforts to protect these beautiful creatures.
Touch Pools – adjacent to the Avairy, this is one of the aquarium’s many “kid-friendly” areas. Think of it as an aquatic petting zoo. While we were there the children could handle crabs, rays, and sea stars. There was much “giggling” and “shrieking” – and that was not all coming from the youngest handlers.
SECOND FLOOR
Drifters – is the second floor, Outer Bay Wing, home of the jellies. This is among the largest exhibits of jellies in the entire world. At times we felt like we were actually adrift ourselves in a sea of these pulsating and drifting creatures.
Flippers, Flukes, and Fun – looks out from the Outer Bay Wing to the broad expanse of Monterey Bay. Sittings are very much at the whim of season and weather but you can depend on some aquatic antics to brighten your visit.
Kelp Forest – has its main area on the second floor of the Nearshore Wing but it actually extends over three stories. This is an underwater forest that sports an amazing variety of algae, kelp, and seaweed.
Splash Zone – located in the Nearshore Wing is probably the magnet attraction for the little ones. There are costumes, games, and interactive displays that introduce children to eels, fish, penguins and a plethora of aquatic life. This is a delightful intersection of learning and play.
Animal Feeding Shows
There are three venues for visitors to watch the feeding of the residents. Each of the feeding shows features a diverse set of animals and generally follows a somewhat different pattern.
Daily feeding of the many inhabitants of the Kelp Forest occurs daily at 11:30 AM and 4:00 PM.
The resident sea otters like to eat even more frequently. You can see them “cavort for their chow” at 10:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:30 PM each day.
Outer Bay inhabitants are enticed with tasty morsels at 11:00 AM each Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Visitor Feeding Shows
Similarly there are three venues for visitors to watch the feeding of their fellow visitors or, more likely, where they can eat themselves. Each of these commands a breathtaking view of Monterey Bay.
There is a self-service Cafeteria that is open between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM daily. It serves a nice mix of hamburgers, grill items, pasta, pizza, and seafood as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
The Portola Café restaurant is a full-service eatery and reservations are strongly recommended. It has pasta and vegetarian dishes along with a wide variety of seafood specialties and a full bar menu. The restaurant operates daily between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
The Oyster Bar is co-located with the Portola Café and serves from 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM daily. This features hot and cold appetizers. As a special bonus, binoculars are available to get a closer peek at the surrounding seascape.
Each of the three eateries requires aquarium admission and all accept cash, major credit cards, and travelers checks. Representative menus can be viewed at http://www.mbayaq.org/vi/vi_aquarium/aq_port_menu.asp.
Who knows? Perhaps, by becoming more familiar with the marine life that shares our planet, we can all learn to love one an otter.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is generally open between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM every day but Christmas. It is located at:
886 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA 93940-1085
831-648-4888
www.montereybayaquarium.org
Tickets range between $7.95 and $17.95 and memberships are also available. For additional details you can check out http://www.mbayaq.org/vi/vi_aquarium/vi_aq_ticket.asp.
© 2002 Gungian
Recommended:
Yes
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gungian
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Location: Falls Church, Virginia
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10/16/06 - Life is hectic - but good! Write On!
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