Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey

Monterey Bay Aquarium is a must see when in Monterey. There are things for kids of all ages and enough to keep anyone’s interest for hours at a time. Parking and directions are at here.

Watching humans interact with animals is fascinating, for kids and adults. I recommend going early to catch some of the feeding events. A favorite for us is the penguin feeding at 10:30 am at the Splash Zone (an area designed for younger kids). After playing a while there head over to the Kelp Forest where you can watch divers hand feeding the sharks.  The self service café has a fantastic variety of delicious food. The afternoon, when the attention span is sporadic, might be the best time to visit the tide-pool exhibit where you can touch some of the animals, or see the sea otters get fed at 3:30.

During the peak season the aquarium can get very crowded, so if you have kids between ages 3-9, consider going early to the Aquarium Detectives. On Thursdays one hour before the Aquarium opens, they have a program for the kids to get a more in depth look at the animals. Prior registration is necessary.  

Special Events: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/aquariumlibraryweb/ui/calendar/calendar.aspx