Westchester County families forced to scrub a long-distance vacation this summer can book a day full of safe, fun encounters with sharks, seals, sea turtles and more – and even a boat ride out onto Long Island Sound – just an hour or less away at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.
One of Connecticut’s top family attractions, The Maritime Aquarium is conveniently located just minutes off I-95 in Fairfield County.“In this time when people especially are feeling separated and detached, a visit to The Maritime Aquarium and in our historic waterfront neighborhood can be a safe destination for New Yorkers to get out and celebrate marine animals and reconnect with the marine environment right here in our backyard. More importantly, we’ve increased our coronavirus precautions without sacrificing the fun,” saidMarketing Director Tina Tison.
Unlike most public aquariums, The Maritime Aquarium’s focus is primarily on one body of water; the Long Island Sound. Aquarium guests learn how the Sound pulses with marine life, as they get close to 9-foot sharks, playful harbor seals, pulsing jellyfish, massive sea turtles and more. In all, more than 6,000 creatures are on exhibit.
Young guests especially enjoy bellying up to three supervised touch tanks: a Shark & Ray Touch Pool featuring several docile species; the Jiggle A Jelly exhibit, offering a sting-free way to safely touch live moon jellies; and an Intertidal Touch Tank full of sea stars, whelks, horseshoe crabs and other shoreline creatures. Special this summer is an exhibit called “Living Lights” that features animals that glow in the dark. Species displayed include crystal jellyfish, pinecone fish, flashlight fish, a scorpion and more.
Dr. Dave Hudson, the Aquarium’s research scientist, said“How we recycle, fertilize our lawns, wash our cars and clean up after our dogs are just some of the ways we individually and collectively impact the Sound and the animals that live in it.”
In response to the coronavirus, the Aquarium is selling tickets only online in advance for timed-ticket entries, to allow for social distancing through reduced capacity. Additionally, masks are required for all guests over age 2, and there’s a one-way flow through the galleries. The Aquarium also offers public cruises aboard RV Spirit of the Sound, a 64-foot two-level catamaran that was the country’s first research vessel to run on quiet hybrid-electric power.
Learn more – and purchase tickets for Aquarium admission or for a cruise on its research vessel – at www.maritimeaquarium.org.
