The Long Island Sound has shaped, in many ways, our lives here on Long Island. It offers dozens of amazing beaches that we enjoy in the summer and it also is the home to two ferries that help us travel to New England so much easier. Underneath the water hosts a wide variety of aquatic life that we often don’t get to see. At The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, their mission is focused on exploring and protecting the Long Island Sound and all of its inhabitants.
On Thanksgiving weekend, my family and I were lucky enough to visit the Maritime Aquarium. This place is easily accessible if you are traveling to New England or if you hop on a ferry for a day trip. It’s located in Norwalk which is under 50 miles from New York City, located on the CT coast.
My children absolutely love animals of all kinds. My son, Jack (3.5) absolutely adores sharks and which is his thing right now. My daughter, Hannah (2.5) loves seals. This aquarium offered a peek at seals like no other aquarium I have been to. They have an indoor/outdoor pool that you can view on all sides. It also has a few steps down by the tank so you can see the seals underwater. The seals are really friendly and often swam right up to where the children were sitting, eagerly awaiting their arrival. My daughter stayed there about 45 minutes throughout our day there, which is amazing for a 2.5-year-old. She got to see a seal demonstration of some tricks that they can do and her squeals of joy said it all. It was an amazing experience we both won’t easily forget. I personally love seals too and enjoyed this exhibit tremendously.
My son Jack, like I previously stated, loves sharks and this aquarium did not disappoint. There is a large shark pool with generous seating. The best part was there was a very knowledgeable staff member there to show us shark teeth and to answer our questions. This is true for the entire aquarium. We found a lot of helpful staff members who were more than eager to share their knowledge with us. I have not seen this level personal interaction between the staff and the public at any other aquarium either and it added a wonderful personal touch to our experience.
Another unique attraction to this aquarium is their IMAX theater. At a staggering 6 stories in height, an IMAX Theater is a very immersive experience. My children hadn’t been to one before and it was amazing. We saw the movie “Backyard Wilderness” which is about putting down our iPhones and enjoying the nature and wildlife around us. We got to see some amazing footage of these beautiful creatures that I have never seen before. They have two other movies currently showing as well. You are able to purchase just tickets to the IMAX separately, but they are included in every aquarium ticket which adds great value.
The day that we visited was very cold and windy. I was grateful that most of the aquarium was inside and that we did not have to venture back outside. There is also a toddler play area upstairs with various soft structures for the kids to play with and build with. They also offer food and refreshments at their cafe upstairs which means that you can come and stay for the whole day.
The Maritime Aquarium also lets you experience animals beyond that of the Long Island Sound. We especially enjoyed seeing the meerkat exhibit, which allows children to have an inside look by having a tunnel with a viewing sphere right inside the exhibit with the meerkats!
Whether it’s your destination for the day, a weekend getaway, or stop along a road trip, The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is a great place to bring the family that isn’t too far away from home. To learn more about other exhibits, cruises, IMAX movies and more, please visit their website.
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