Aquarium of Pacific

I visited the Aquarium of the Pacific today in Long Beach, California. Excellent saltwater exhibits. A whole lot of learning opportunities for children. But I must say the Baltimore aquarium is more impressive. Plus it has freshwater exhibits.

I haven't had a chance to visit Aquarium of the Pacific, although I've heard very good things about it. I am inclined to agree that the National Aquarium in Baltimore is top tier though I grew up in the DMV area, so I'm partial to it. I actually once got to SCUBA dive in their Atlantic reef tank.

If I had to pick a California aquarium though, my vote has to be for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Its prestige is well deserved.

The first aquarium I ever saw was the Monterrey Bay aquarium. Fascinating. I went in 1990. Later I went to the Tennessee aquarium which is also really good and then, when it was built, I had a 1 year pass to the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. I would take my kids and just sit and stare at the huge wall they have... The boys were 7 and 5, so after 30 minutes I'd reached the limit with their patience, but they enjoyed it too.

I loved to watch those grumpy old grouper slide by, and then to see the whale shark swim up and by the wall was amazing- those things are massive.

I was in Chicago once and had a plan to go to the aquarium there before I had to leave, but ended up in the Field Museum so long I never got over there.

That would be some good vacation planning- all the big aquariums around the country- hmmm.....