Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, Connecticut

Hubby and I drove up the East Coast starting at the New Jersey shore and ending in Mystic, Connecticut. The weather was great-temperature in the 70′s, bright and sunny. We have driven that route for twenty years, always in a rush, on the way to one destination or another. I always wanted to visit the Mystic Aquarium. This time around, hubby planned it to definitely make the time. Am I ever glad he did!

I never learned to properly swim, just the doggie paddle and a bit of backstroke to keep my face from being wet. To look at all kinds of creatures of the deep in their element, WOW! I have a fish tank at home that pales to the size and stock of Mystic’s. I couldn’t wait to see, hear, and get touchy feely first with the stingrays in the touch pool then later with the crab, lobster, and starfish exhibits at the interactive station.

I loved its turtles, tropical fish, sea horses, star fish, penguins, seals, and I could go on and on indefinitely.

Sea horses. Photo by Dean Digital Imaging

I was drawn to the penguin, shark, sea lion, seal and whale exhibits.

Boomerang the juvenile California sea lion jumps during one of the daily Marine Theater shows, featuring four sea lions. Photo by Dean Digital Imaging

I thrilled watching see the beluga Kela, Naku, and Juno gliding about the holding pool. I was wary around the charged moray eels. I remained cautious at Hidden Amazon with its poisonous frogs and deadly piranhas.

African penguins in the Roger Tory Peterson Penguin Exhibit. Photo by Tracy M. Brown.

I had mixed feeling as at the Challenge of the Deep attraction. I loved Deep Sea 3D. When I saw the artifacts of the Titanic on display, I felt that I would have preferred they remain with the lost in the deep. I was so happy to learn that there were no artifacts from the Titanic on exhibit – everything is re-created. The only “artifact” on exhibit is the footage Dr. Ballard and his team captured while revisiting the shipwreck.

Mystic Aquarium is located at 55 Coogan Boulevard, Mystic Connecticut 06355. It was founded in 1973, is a year round attraction with 4,895+ exhibits, 70+ species, and 340+ specimens. Home of Seal Rescue Clinic, it works to rescue, rehabilitate, and return mammals to the oceans. For further information telephone 860-572-5955 or go to www.mysticaquarium.org.

You can find Mystic Aquarium on Facebook, Twitter and their YouTube channel.

Admission to the attraction featured in this review was provided for the sole purpose of review. This review has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.