Our Mystic Aquarium Visit #Review #CTVisit #MysticAquarium

Our Mystic, Connecticut journey continues as we take on the Mystic Aquarium. We are big fans of aquariums and have been to several in many states. The first time I visited here was with my husband on our first wedding anniversary. We had a blast and this remains one of my favorite spots. It was great to be able to bring the kids.

Mystic Aquarium:

It was a perfect Fall day when we first entered. I want to mention right away that every single staff person we encountered that day were friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to help. That must be tough considering the amount of visitors and field trips that cross through these doors.

Our first stop was to see the Beluga Whales! These are the only two in New England! One of them weighs four thousand pounds! I don’t know how long we stood there watching them, but my son said, “If this was all there was to see here I would be happy.”

Beluga Whales:

Loving the Beluga whales! #mysticaquarium #ctvisit #whales

A video posted by Milena Barrett (@beyourbestmom) on Nov 10, 2016 at 6:38am PST

These gorgeous sea lions were truly enjoying their day. The staff member kindly reminded me not to lean over the rail with my phone. Good call because in the excitement and with the sudden rush of kids I could most certainly drop it in! Thanks for the tip, as I’m sharing it!

A fun fact that I didn’t know: Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Clinic has been rescuing marine animals along 1,000 miles of the Northeastern coastline since 1975. Working closely with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries and other government agencies, the Animal Rescue Team responds to an average of 30 stranding calls each year while also providing support to other stranding facilities in New England and even as far as California. They get these guys ready and release them!

We arrived in time to witness the penguin feeding! These cute little guys won our hearts! We found out that most penguins are actually warm weather birds. These little guys are going to be moved indoors soon.

This guy in the vest made me tear up. He is one of the special needs penguins. Penguins mate for life and this guy found himself a female penguin that also has special needs. She wears a boot. I couldn’t a picture during feeding time, but the staff told us you can see the pair sitting together. They have been together for over twenty years.

Now don’t think that your older kids won’t enjoy a visit. My oldest is 12, almost 13 and thanks to Instagram he had plenty to share! LOL!

We waited and waited, but we finally had a chance at the shark touch tank! I don’t care how old you are, but when you get a chance to touch a shark or stingray you just need to do it!

We also had a chance to view one of the short films in the 4D Theater. We stopped by to get tickets and the friendly staff member gave us tip. She said that it gets crowded after the Sea Lion Show and suggested we try to grab a viewing before it. Lucky for us we were the only 3 people in the theater! It was the coolest! You have to do the 4D!

The Jellies:

Relaxing with the Jellies! #jellyfish #mysticaquarium #travelblogger

A video posted by Milena Barrett (@beyourbestmom) on Nov 10, 2016 at 7:21am PST

Sea Lion Show:

The Sea Lion Show was not what I expected, and that’s not a bad thing. I expected a ton of tricks, etc. Instead, we were educated as well as entertained. We learned many facts about the sea lions and the rescue program at the aquarium. It was well worth it.

We also picked up a card that allows you to do a scavenger hunt by identifying frogs. There are so many educational opportunities for every age. We loved our time here!

Tickets can be purchased online at a discount or on site! Regardless of age the Mystic Aquarium has something for everyone. It’s a must see on your trip!

Disclosure: Tickets were provided free of charge for this visit, all thoughts are our own and have not been influenced.