Monterey Bay Aquarium Behind The Scenes Tour Review
If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind experience at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, then you won't want to miss their Behind The Scenes Tour. This tour takes you on a journey through the exhibits, but with a behind-the-scenes perspective that few visitors ever get to see. I had the pleasure of taking this tour and I must say, it exceeded my expectations.
Booking Your Tour
The first thing you need to do is book your tour. You can do this by visiting the aquarium's website or by calling their customer service number. The tour is offered every day, but spaces are limited so it's important to book in advance. The cost of the tour is $20 in addition to your regular admission ticket.
Meeting Your Guide
On the day of your tour, you'll meet your guide at a designated location inside the aquarium. Our guide, Emily, was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about marine life. She gave us an overview of what the tour would entail and answered any questions we had.
What You'll See
The tour lasts approximately 1.5 hours and takes you through several areas of the aquarium that are not accessible to regular visitors. We started off by visiting the food preparation area where we got to see how the aquarium staff prepare the diets for the marine animals. It was fascinating to see the attention to detail that goes into each meal.
Next, we visited the jellyfish exhibit where we got to see the jellyfish up close and learn more about their life cycle. We also got to see the quarantine area where new marine animals are brought in and acclimated to their new surroundings.
One of the highlights of the tour was visiting the "top deck" of the aquarium. This is the area where the aquarium staff care for the larger marine animals such as sea otters, penguins, and sharks. We even got to see the staff feeding the sea otters and it was an unforgettable experience.
Conclusion
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Behind The Scenes Tour is definitely worth the price of admission. It's an educational and engaging experience that gives visitors a new appreciation for marine life and the hard work that goes into caring for these animals. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium.