We had a lovely weekend getaway last week to kick off our summer.  We stayed at Foxwoods Resort Casino, which is just around the corner from tons of things to do in the small seaport town of Mystic. To get the trip off to a great start, we stopped at Mystic Aquarium, where we had been invited* to check out all the marine life.

Upon walking into the facility, we could see it was clean, open and well designed.  There were lots of employees around to answer any questions we may have, and we also saw many workers interacting with the animals.

Large tanks were found within the main building, and we spotted some favorite fish right away.  Every one has been talking about Finding Dory lately, and guess what?  I think we found her!

We thoroughly enjoyed our encounter with the sting rays.  A large open tank allowed for petting of the sting rays.  They were so social and friendly!  They kind of reminded us of little puppies, they would pop out of the water when you softly pet their backs to say hello!

A special area houses all sorts of jelly fish. This large South American Sea Nettle is beautifully stunning, but I’m afraid would be quite literally stunning if encountered in the ocean.  I’ll happily watch them from behind glass walls!

We loved seeing all the sharks swim throughout their aquariums, but were amused by these two who preferred  sleeping in that morning to getting some exercise (hey, we’ve all been there!)

Outside of the main exhibition hall, you can find turtles, frogs, penguins, and sea lions.  We loved the charismatic sea lions!  In addition to watching them in their environment, we were also treated to a special show where we were able to learn so much about them, watch them perform specific behaviors and gain a whole new respect for their intelligence. We really enjoyed this 20 minute show in their arena, it is very well done.

We’ve been lucky to visit many different aquariums throughout the United States.  But, Mystic Aquarium is one of my favorites.  It is the perfect size, well kept, the animals are well loved, and there are lots of things to do.  Perfect for a day trip or part of a weekend getaway, I highly recommend this aquarium to families everywhere!  It is great for every age group!   To learn more about Mystic Aquarium or to schedule your own visit, take a look at their website.

*we were invited to visit the aquarium to facilitate a review, all opinions are my own.