Sea-life Aquarium: A Must Sea!

One of our favorite things to do is explore… especially in our hometown. A few weeks ago, the little guys and I were invited to explore the Sea-life Aquarium in Carlsbad, CA; which is right next door to (one of our favorite spots) Legoland! It was our first time there and one of the few first outings for me with the little ones, on my own.
If you check in here, you know that the morning of our aquarium excursion was not one of our best mornings. What can I say? I’m still learning how to synchronize the act of getting two little ones out the door (and, apparently, how to write about a cool place in a timely manner). After our morning hiccup and after we missed the first part of the shin-dig, arriving at the aquarium was a breath of fresh air.
We were greeted by the wonderful staff and a bunch of friendly moms and kids; all gathered around the outside patio tables at the Ocean Journey Cafe. Shortly after we said hello (because we were late), we were whisked away to the entrance of the aquarium and then into a tunnel where the sharks and fish swim freely, above your head and all around you. To say that B was in awe would be an understatement.
“Welcome to the Lost City of Atlantis!” we were told.
B immediately found the Lego creations- scuba divers, submarines, and the like- in the midst of all the fish, rays and sharks.

“Legos!!!”

“Nemo!!!”

The sand-like walkways twist and turn revealing fun viewing spots, colorful scenery inside the displays and educational information about the beautiful sea life that inhabit each tank. At the end of the 1st floor walkway, we all gathered around a glass cave-like wall at Shipwreck Seating. Because the baby was due for a morning nap, I brought our large double stroller. It was a life saver (mainly for my sanity) but a slight hindrance when it came to the shows. I ended up parking the stroller around the corner from the seating area- and out of traffic- but because the baby was sleeping, I couldn’t leave it. So, unfortunately, B and I caught little tid-bits of The Daily Dive show; mostly I was listening and B was roaming the nearby tanks with a huge smile on his face. I wish I would have planned that a little better, but now I know.
The Daily Dive is a fun, interactive show that allows the audience to ask questions and converse with a diver who is in the water! Between running after B and checking on the baby, I was able to catch a little bit of the show and could tell it was very engaging for the young, and old.
After the show, it was time to explore. B stopped at every window and with extreme delight, pointed and waved to all the creatures and Legos.
The Discovery Zone was by far our favorite spot. B was able to peek inside stand-alone tanks and get in the middle of all the action. He also enjoyed getting wet and petting some starfish. I (being the germ-a-phobe that I am) loved that there was a hand washing station conveniently located right next to the petting area.

Another favorite of mine, Shark Talk! This time, we were able to shimmy our way into Shipwreck Seating to watch the interactive puppet show. You know it’s a good show when it can keep the attention of a busy 2 year-old boy, especially mine. Hammy the Hammerhead shark was B’s favorite and the show provided a bit of adult humor that had all us mommies laughing right along with the kids.
Tip- Make sure you stop and eat at the Ocean Journey Cafe. It’s a market style eatery with fresh local food and goodies; it’s very yummy. B and I shared a grilled sandwich with a side of fresh fruit but everyone was raving about the mac n’ cheese. Next time, I’m getting that!

I can’t wait to take the kids back and explore even more! For our first time at Sea-life, it was definitely memorable, fun, entertaining and I learned a few mommy-travel-tips for our next visit.

More reasons why Sea-life is awesome-
Sea-life is committed to:

• Promoting education and awareness of our oceans
• Only exhibiting marine animals suitable for the aquarium environment
• Pioneering breeding programs
• The rescue and rehabilitation of marine-life in distress
• Exposing global issues of concern via the S.O.S. Conservation and Rescue campaign.

More on the Sea-Life S.O.S. Conservation and Rescue

Thank you Sea-life for the opportunity to explore, creating a beautiful and friendly place, having great food, and providing education; not only about the beautiful sea creatures but also about conservation and awareness.