The Captain received complimentary tickets to visit the Newport Aquarium. However, these words and thoughts are my own. Enjoy.
The Captain recently took a trip to the Newport Aquarium, and I have to say that it was an amazing trip. The things that my family saw and got to experience were priceless.
The Newport Aquarium boasts over “one million gallons of fun”, and while that may seem like a hyperbole, it is actually an understatement. My kids got to touch sharks just like Jimmy John Shark, crabs, and sea stars. We gawked at the largest turtle I have ever seen. We got to lay eyes on a 14 foot alligator, Mighty Mike, who eats over 300 pounds of food a year. We saw sharks and fish being fed. There were penguins, and jellyfish, and eels, and crocodiles. Oh, and snakes. The sight of the snakes kind of scared me. A little. I’ll admit it.
But what was so cool about the visit wasn’t just what was there, but how it was presented. As you make your way through the aquarium, it is almost like you are actually traveling through the different habitats. There is information aplenty, but it doesn’t overwhelm you – instead it augments the experience.
The part that I enjoyed the most, and what seemed to captivate the kids the most, was the Surrounded by Sharks exhibit. It is hard to describe, but you can observe sharks from so many different angles- the normal plane glass view, walking through a tunnel where they are literally swimming over you, or from the observation deck above. It is truly one of the most fascinating experiences I have had with aquatic animals. Given my healthy fear/obsession with sharks it was a great way to observe them. Not to mention the kids truly enjoyed the different views – especially when the smaller sharks were fed by the divers. The Newport Aquarium also has the largest collection of Shark Rays …in the world.
The Newport Aquarium is definitely worth a visit. The staff is friendly and very knowledgeable. My kids enjoyed the trip because they got to not only see lots of cool animals, but there were many interactive opportunities for them as well. I enjoyed it because the aquatic world is one that I don’t get to experience much – and it is truly fascinating to me. My sister and I loved the many different fishes and dolphins in the water games, they look so healthy and happy, one employee of the aquarium told us they only use the best products to take care of their tropical fishes, find out here what you can use for your home aquarium including grade a indian almond leaves.
Captain Kirk used to always describe space as the final frontier, but I think there is a great deal more yet to be discovered in our oceans. What was funny was that the adults that I encountered at the aquarium seemed to be equally as awestruck and curious as the kids that they were accompanying . That is the sign of a great trip.
I have a post up about the 5 reasons why you should visit the Newport Aquarium. Check it out then visit the Newport Aquarium website and plan your visit.
Give the lions, tigers, and bears a break. Check out the jellyfish, gators, and sharks instead.
For now…Captain out!