monterey & the aquarium

we ended our carmel getaway in the 

neighboring town of monterey . . . it's such

a fun place with the wharf, shops, beaches,

& of course the famous monterey bay 

aquarium! it's a fun town that contrasts with

quiet carmel, so it's fun that they're close by.

we had sunny, beautiful weather so we strolled cannery row

 for a while, popping into shops and stopping for treats.

we headed down to the wharf for lunch and walked along 

the docks reading boat names .. my favorite harbor activity :)

when in monterey . . . you get the classic 

clam chowder in a bread bowl. hits the spot!

we strolled the wharf and then headed to ::

one of the most famous aquariums on earth!

why is this such a great aquarium, you ask?

it is set in an amazing location with some of the best

marine life naturally there. the exhibits are done in a 

very natural way, where you feel like you are in the ocean!

it is huge, with so much to see and so many experts and

presentations with things to learn. it's very well done.

the jellyfish exhibit >>> AMAZING. i had to pry myself

away from the windows finally! they display them so well.

talk about a school of fish! ^^

this exhibit shows the beauty of the ocean ..

the natural colors, fish, plants, and water with 

sunlight streaming through was jaw-dropping. 

chase led me all around this place so excited to learn

everything. i love that about him, he is interested in so

many things and makes visits like this fun.

the penguins!! one of the cutest animals to watch!

we also LOVED seeing the sea otters get fed. cutest thing.

this is taken out the window of the aquarium --

it is a pretty incredible location, i'd say! 

the octopus was moving all over the place . . .

what a strange, amazing, cool animal.

see more from carmel: 

the 17-mile drive, refuge spa, town of 

carmel, and our lovely hotel by the beach.

as you can see by dusty's face, we clearly had

a good time in monterey :) we love this area!

xo