Since then, the aquarium has been remodeled, and it’s even more breathtaking than it was back then (or what I remember of it). The (little) kid is 5 now, and he was the perfect age to explore what the aquarium has to offer. He even enjoyed some of the short presentations.
We decided to stay overnight at a local hotel, which allowed us to buy a special ticket only available at participating hotels. For the price of a regular one-day ticket, hotel guests get entrance to the aquarium on two consecutive days. This worked out great, as we visited the aquarium on the first day without the pressure to get a good look at everything as we knew we would return the next day.
The first day, we decided to walk to the aquarium from our hotel. It was about a 3 mile walk round trip. With all the walking at the aquarium, we ended up walking almost 7 miles that day! Let’s just say we all were tired at the end of the day, especially the kid!
![DSCN5333 DSCN5333](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ENn37kgp8YY/UV1ulnElEHI/AAAAAAAAI3I/OEimfWKNdEM/DSCN53335.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5376 DSCN5376](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RsyDZq4TrKQ/UV1ulwUZ9-I/AAAAAAAAI3Q/56z1r0BgXgA/DSCN53765.jpg?imgmax=800)
Monterey Bay Aquarium Day 1
![DSCN5416 DSCN5416](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3VO6xCe-j7Y/UV1umQ_PXwI/AAAAAAAAI3Y/EJ7sAZreyos/DSCN54165.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5421 DSCN5421](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GaGcqaYvpM8/UV1umyCiEfI/AAAAAAAAI3g/f2J2rz23tMo/DSCN54215.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5422 DSCN5422](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Sw6JTkFGzrA/UV1unGRQpGI/AAAAAAAAI3o/3UPSfBpaf6o/DSCN54225.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5438 DSCN5438](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZImXyUdmWUw/UV1unm546zI/AAAAAAAAI3w/YWc_0EtHrfk/DSCN54385.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5442 DSCN5442](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qCzL5uWGMqk/UV1un9xfzJI/AAAAAAAAI34/kpNcYDYBOBk/DSCN54425.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5470 DSCN5470](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BOup8u8Z_5A/UV1uoeGHxyI/AAAAAAAAI4A/4_vSymDshWs/DSCN54705.jpg?imgmax=800)
I remembered that there was a Ghirardelli Store on Cannery Row, and I had planned to stop there on our way back to the hotel.
![DSCN5528 DSCN5528](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LIsAPNSlD4U/UV1uosoY3kI/AAAAAAAAI4I/KbKNfJDHnIk/DSCN55285.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5531 DSCN5531](http://lh3.ggpht.com/--zduLJSYEEQ/UV1upJ6dttI/AAAAAAAAI4Q/WjCNyLdCuxc/DSCN55315.jpg?imgmax=800)
After some rest and a little ice cream, the kid had enough energy to continue to walk to the hotel…
![DSCN5540 DSCN5540](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YLNuBKP8IDs/UV1upZT3oaI/AAAAAAAAI4Y/A-tiecI0jgw/DSCN55405.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5546 DSCN5546](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-z0X-2v9dfYY/UV1up8I4saI/AAAAAAAAI4g/L23fTIrwY-8/DSCN55465.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5563 DSCN5563](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zwWcPuo79Wk/UV1uqSO2qfI/AAAAAAAAI4o/4pXPtc9XVvI/DSCN55635.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5571 DSCN5571](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UKC5Wgt9wis/UV1uqpCfhHI/AAAAAAAAI4w/4DCqkXjnPqM/DSCN55715.jpg?imgmax=800)
Monterey Bay Aquarium Day 2
![DSCN5699 DSCN5699](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-l7TWqekzzzw/UV1urRotyvI/AAAAAAAAI44/Fen5X4eMISM/DSCN56995.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5711 DSCN5711](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-973Wxsk2emE/UV1urjxQKjI/AAAAAAAAI5A/U2n6jhxtUmA/DSCN57115.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5712 DSCN5712](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-yaVB8_jjGz0/UV1usOhIXZI/AAAAAAAAI5I/330mXT4qfxc/DSCN57125.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5719 DSCN5719](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vcVhJs8hQRA/UV1uskZ58rI/AAAAAAAAI5Q/348vfowN1cI/DSCN57195.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5728 DSCN5728](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cuq0LTdZdEo/UV1utLLh4fI/AAAAAAAAI5Y/CdALmcyS7ek/DSCN57285.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5734 DSCN5734](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kYQfrxKXW4k/UV1utpN3PAI/AAAAAAAAI5g/av1L3cComPk/DSCN57345.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5743 DSCN5743](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tRjEzdtlBgs/UV1uuLRWhJI/AAAAAAAAI5o/kxXZNAQ6NIo/DSCN57435.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5753 DSCN5753](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gHCl8pG0-e0/UV1uuR5m28I/AAAAAAAAI5w/imtxGIu1hD0/DSCN57535.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5763 DSCN5763](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KNao-kHmPPs/UV1uu91U04I/AAAAAAAAI54/VxTLoPbImCI/DSCN57635.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5771 DSCN5771](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-iwwgvuQUwVA/UV1uverFTAI/AAAAAAAAI6A/pDAqkDfQ5_4/DSCN57715.jpg?imgmax=800)
We finished the day with a late lunch at Schooners before driving home.
![DSCN5819 DSCN5819](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mWKnApg1jNc/UV1uv-y8a8I/AAAAAAAAI6I/hr7BbURmVUk/DSCN58195.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5821 DSCN5821](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sLx76z1Rsmg/UV1uwW_EuBI/AAAAAAAAI6Q/TN0f3yu86ZE/DSCN58215.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5832 DSCN5832](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ig6fQswFDXA/UV1uw3d75jI/AAAAAAAAI6Y/qGW2QA1zzdo/DSCN58325.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5852 DSCN5852](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VcSY4ak7KFc/UV1uxR60xdI/AAAAAAAAI6g/FU1e064RbDI/DSCN58525.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5871 DSCN5871](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ygfDMojRn7M/UV1uxtTxTAI/AAAAAAAAI6o/ATWm6h1udys/DSCN58715.jpg?imgmax=800)
![DSCN5874 DSCN5874](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GVNPVIrvHsc/UV1uyK0aRUI/AAAAAAAAI6w/aoqrgY4k3u0/DSCN58745.jpg?imgmax=800)
It was a great, short trip. Hopefully, we’ll make it back to the aquarium sooner than 17 years from now!
Questions: What’s your favorite sea life to explore at an aquarium?
Be well,
Andrea