8/10 
Mommy Approved Smiling Faces
1 Central Wharf
Boston, MA 02110
617-973-5200
My kids love aquariums so of course we have to visit the infamous Boston New England Aquarium. It did not disappoint them!
First off, the location is easy to get to and close by to many other attractions families would be interested in. For us, we took the commuter rail train in from Rhode Island to South Station and walked over from there enjoying the sights as we walked. If the weather is good, I suggest you do the same as it is great for sightseeing purposes. If not then you can visit via car or take the local public transit rail, the “T” or the bus as well. There are numerous options that are easy so don’t let this overwhelm you if you aren’t familiar with Boston. People are nice and it’s fairly easy to get around.
Once we arrived, the seals were outside greeting on-lookers. All the kids were thoroughly entertained by their upside down swimming and twirling. Since we visited during school vacation, it was very busy inside.
The aquarium itself is not too large but, big enough to spend a few hours with the kids observing the sea creatures, learning new things and seeing local animals as well as exotic ones.
We would say the animals we enjoyed the most are the handful of sea turtles, octopus, sea lions, the tropical fish, electric eel and the penguins. We were shocked to see how large one of the sea turtles is-it is massive! Who knew they could grow that large?
If you want more activities after the aquarium, Simons Theatre in the adjacent building offers various films related to nature. Adult entrance is $10 and kids are $7. We did not go to this 3-d attraction but it seems both fun and educational so I would like to try it. You can add this experience onto your aquarium ticket or go to the theater without going to the aquarium. If you go, please let me know how it is in the comments section below.
Thinking to maximize your time and book an overnight with the kids while in Boston? Check out these places to stay that have indoor pools.
The Skinny:
- Weather : This location is mainly indoors so the weather doesn’t matter too much. But, if you intend to come via train it may be best on a day when the weather is comfortable for you to walk outside.
- Parking : The aquarium doesn’t have any of it’s own parking there are plenty of garages close by. Check here for the best places to park.
- Admissions : Adults are $34, children > 3 years old are $25, children <3 years old are FREE, 60+ years old are $32.
- Location : An indoor aquarium with penguins, seals, stingrays, baby sharks, sea turtles an octopus and much more. They have a gift shop and dining options.
- Hours : The hours vary depending upon the day and mainly consist of 9-6 with closures on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Duration : We stayed here about two hours and did everything we wanted to do.
- Tips and Recommendations : Book tickets in advance on-line. Use AAA discount , library passes and any other reduced fare options you can as a visit here for the entire family is costly. If you think you will visit more often, then check into membership options for a more economic experience t throughout the year.
Jewel : 👍🏼
Jamison : 👍🏼
If your kids love animals, check out Riverside Reptiles in Connecticut for a fantastic and educational day. If aquariums are for your kids, check out Mystic Aquarium also in Connecticut, or Biomes and the Audubon Society and Aquarium both in Rhode Island.
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