Is the Monterey Bay aquarium a good place to take young kids? Our kids are two and five years old and we wondered if they would be too young to appreciate the experience. Would it be an epic adventure or a big bust?
The experience – The Monterey Bay Aquarium sits at the water’s edge in the eclectic little town of Monterey, California. The sunshine and sailboats on our drive in were enough to get us and the kids excited for a day away from home. The aquarium is situated at the end of Cannery Row in all its glory–John Steinbeck’s old stomping grounds.
Since we arrived an hour early we decided to have breakfast at Crepes On The Row Cafe across the street from the aquarium’s main entrance. If you have the time, it is a tasty little stop and the boys loved the banana-chocolate crepes.
Our reservation was for 10 am at the aquarium. At 9:45 the line at the door was starting to get really long. Fortunately, we purchased our tickets online, at least we thought we did (more on this below), which meant a quick scan of our QR code and we’d be on our way. The line moved very quickly once the gates opened.
As the kids entered the aquarium they were immediately treated to views of a massive kelp forest that included sharks, rays, and all sorts of other fish. Of all the creatures in the tank, the boys were most excited by the scuba divers.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium boasts over 200 exhibits and over 80,000 types of plants and animals. During our visit, the aviary was closed but that didn’t stop us from spotting some wild sea birds including an osprey and lots of gulls from the aquarium viewing stations.
The boys went from tank to tank excited to see each new creature they discovered. From a giant octopus to sea otters and penguins, each tank held something fascinating for the kids to see.
But this was much more than just a visual experience for them, touch tanks also allowed them to have a fully tactile experience. Each touch tank had a knowledgeable staff member guiding the kids through how to touch sea cucumbers, sea grass, sea stars, hermit crabs, bat rays, and more while simultaneously educating the kids on the different organisms. On our drive home I asked the boys what their favorite part of the aquarium was and our oldest excitedly blurted out, “touching the animals!”.
Beyond seeing and touching, the aquarium also has a water fill station that generates a wave that washes through the tanks oxygenating the water and generating a thundering sound that really gave the kids the full marine experience. Our Trip to Monterey Bay Aquarium is on YouTube and you can watch the wave on this video at the 1:04 mark.
The timing was key to the success of our whole experience. By getting there early, we were able to see the animals feeding. A friendly staff member explained that this allowed the boys to see animals that are typically hard to spot because they hide in the cracks and crevices all day, and are usually only seen while they are eating.
We were able to explore the aquarium for about an hour and a half before the boys started to lose interest and get hungry. We spent the last half hour playing on a marine-themed playground inside the aquarium before we headed out. The aquarium does have a food court but we opted to head down to fisherman’s wharf for lunch on a waterfront patio.
Keys to a successful adventure
Getting there early – Timing was key as it meant the kids were well-rested and we got to see the animals eating.
Feeding the kids first – Eating at the start of the adventure really helped, they are so much easier when they have full bellies.
Setting realistic expectations – The amount of time we had to view each exhibit, and the overall time we had to spend at the aquarium was ultimately determined by our boy’s attention spans and appetites.
If you are planning a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium with kids soon here is some additional information about the aquarium and a quick video of our adventure.
Reservations – You can make reservations online at the aquarium’s website. This seems relatively straightforward but this is where we made our first mistake. You can read more about that below when we discuss the staff.
Ticket prices through March 31st, 2023.
- Adult (18-64) – $49.95
- Youth (13-17) – $39.95
- Child (5-12) – $34.95
- Senior – (65+) – $39.95
Become a member and enter for free. Family memberships are $250 and can be used for 2 adults and children or grandchildren 5-21.
Parking – At 9:30 am on the Saturday before Thanksgiving we found metered street parking on Wave Street a half block from the Aquarium’s entrance. It was $6 and some change to park for four hours which was more than enough for us. There are also three parking garages in the area. The closest one is on Irving Ave. between Wave Street and Foam Street.
Staff – I’ll start by saying the staff is outstanding and completely engaged. In the short two hours that we were there, we had contact with seven friendly staff members. We even had a bit of an embarrassing situation and they were absolutely gracious in guiding us through it.
This trip was a last-minute decision, we purchased our tickets the night before and in our haste, we accidentally purchased tickets for the Long Beach Aquarium. When they scanned our QR code they quickly realized what the issue was. Within a few short minutes, they took us into the side office, assured us that this happens to more people than you’d think, and had our ticket issue sorted out. Fortunately, it was quick and easy to get our reservation refund from The Aquarium of the Pacific.
Strollers – We were able to bring our small umbrella stroller for our little one. He was in and out (mostly out as there was much to see), but it was easy to get around and even had stroller parking zones for convenience.
So, was the aquarium a success or failure with kids? I’d say it was an absolute success. The boys had a blast and it was an easy day to be a parent.
Side Note:
Fishermans Wharf is home to glass-bottom boat tours, bay cruises, gift shops, and plenty of taffy. It too was overall a fun experience for the kids. If you do head down to Fisherman’s wharf we suggest you AVOID Old Fishermans Grotto if you have children with you. The sign in their window read “No strollers, No high chairs, No booster chairs Children crying or making loud noises are a distraction to other diners, and as such are not allowed in the dining room”. The host at the front door of this place was about as pleasant as the sign.
In contrast, we highly suggest heading to Abalonetti Bar and Grill. They had a sign on the window that read “Yes strollers, Yes high chairs, Yes booster chairs. Adults cursing or making loud noises are a distraction to other diners, and as such are not allowed in the dining room.” The food was fantastic and the setting couldn’t be beaten.
I hope you found some useful tips here. I’d love to hear from you about ways that you experience life with your little ones.
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