Adventure Aquarium has always been a favorite venue of ours and we are long-standing members (membership is so worth it!) of this slice of kid heaven. Just when we thought it couldn't get better (after all the Scuba Santa rage, revamped Stingray Beach, AND visit from Alligator Mike), we found ourselves in the new and improved 3rd floor KidZone. WIth an eight, six, four and three year old in tow, we thought that maybe KidZone was geared towards a much younger age with crawl spaces, musical instruments, and small animals to climb but as we moved through, we realized this was a place for any aged child.

The tanks are lower and filled with delights like frogs that disguise themselves as mud, the ever-entertaining poison dart frogs, and curious little fish that bury themselves in the sand were a definite hit. We also had a chance to enter tanks where kids become part of talking tubes.

Families are also given the chance to touch starfish, let shrimp crawl all over you, make a worm-tube plant disappear and much more! KidZone is such an incredible addition to Adventure Aquarium that we thought we’d share some tips on how to make it even more enjoyable.  

·   Go when it opens. If you’re not a member, get your tickets online first and avoid the lines.

·  Once you’re in, go in reverse order. It’s human nature to start with Zone A but we always start with Zone D (hippos, shark tanks, and the most amazing jellyfish/ sea creatures you've ever seen).  Added bonus: Hippos seem to take a swim around 10 and if you haven't seen it, it's worth it. The porcupine feeding is also worth a stop (stand by the glass window - all the action happens right there.)

·  Make sure you hit Stingray Beach before the crowds but bring a change of clothes. It's not fun spending the rest of the day soaked and trust me, with the splashing stingrays and over-anxious kids, they’ll be wet.

·  Eat/ snack early or late - avoid the lines at the cafe and get some more touch-tank-time in between 11:30 - 1pm when everyone else takes a breather and eats. Our favorite place to grab a snack is with the sea tortoises or in Ocean Theater. Why not enjoy some goldfish among the fish?

·  When doing the other zones, if you can, park your stroller at the exit (or have your spouse/ partner run it to the other end). It is very hard to navigate strollers through crowds and keep eyes on little ones who are distracted by all the sea life around them.

No matter what though, the experience will be incredible - we find that Adventure Aquarium is one of the few attractions that adults and kids equally enjoy.  I mean, what's not to love about a saw-tooth shark swimming right over your head?

This week, in honor of Adventure Aquarium's KidZone opening, head over to our Facebook page where we will be kicking off a SEAsational Adventure Aquarium giveaway. Every day for the next 5 days will have a new question and a new chance to win a Family Four Pack to the beloved Adventure Aquarium!  You must be a facebook fan and a member to win. Good luck!