For my first contribution to the East Valley Mom Guide, I am so excited to tell you about the trip we took to the Arizona Sea Life Aquarium located at Arizona Mills Mall in Tempe.
Every member of my family of four had a wonderful time. I think that the aquarium is especially magical to all of us desert dwellers. My husband and I enjoyed reading about all the animals and the kids of course enjoyed all the bright colors and the many kid-centric activities.
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| One of the 30 amazing displays you can see at the aquarium. |
The touch pools were a big hit with my kids. You can touch star fish, sea urchins, and crabs in the Rockpool Experience. There were several friendly employees there telling us all about the animals and generally being very helpful and pleasant.
One of my favorite parts of the aquarium are all the different domes that you can climb in and get a new perspective on the exhibits. It makes for some really fun photographs.
As big fans of the show Deadliest Catch, I really liked seeing the Claws exhibit. Here is the biggest crab on display, the Japanese Spider Crab.
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| Japanese Spider Crabs can reach a leg span of 12 ft 6 inches from claw to claw. This guy was BIG! |
The aquarium also has a little movie theater called the Dive Discovery Theater. Currently showing is a short film about Riva the Sea Turtle. Construction is currently going on, so Riva can come and join the aquarium.
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| The Moon Jellies might have been my favorite display. They are so serene swimming around. |
At the end of the aquarium there is the Submarine play room which was a huge hit with my kids. In addition to a large play structure, there are tables and chairs where kids can color. We stayed here at least 30 minutes while the kids had a blast running around playing.
Here are some things to know before you visit the Sea Life Aquarium:
- Your ticket is good for all day. You can leave the aquarium and return the same day for free.
- No food or drink is allowed in the aquarium.
- Flash photography is prohibited as it disturbs the animals.
- Currently the Ocean tank is closed for construction. This includes the 360 degree Ocean Tunnel. As I mentioned above, Sea Life is making a new home for Riva the Sea Turtle.
Sea Life Arizona has a great deal coming up for Thanksgiving. From 10 am – 5pm(last admission at 4pm) on Thursday, November 24, 2011 everyone gets in for the price of a kid’s ticket. You can enjoy an ocean-themed story time and “thanks for the ocean” activities all day. Plus, watch the octopus eat its Thanksgiving meal at 12:30pm. For more information you can visit the Sea Life Aquarium website HERE.
*I was not compensated for this review. I was provided tickets for admission to the aquarium. All opinions are strictly my own.
Hi, my name is Ashley! I am an Arizona native with no plans of moving anytime soon. I has been married for seven years and have two children: a 6 year old son and a 4 year old daughter. I am a self proclaimed Diet Coke and Reality TV junkie. I love exploring my creative side whether it be sewing, crafting, or cooking. I shares my passion for creating at my other blog Cute as a Fox Creations, http://cuteasafox.com.
