Today was all about slowing down and spending a few hours underwater, without ever getting wet.
We spent the day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and it turned out to be one of those places where you can keep walking into the next exhibit thinking it can’t get any better, only to find something that pulls you in all over again.
The jellyfish were the first highlight of the aquarium. They looked almost unreal as they drifted through the water, glowing under the carefully designed lights and moving with this quiet, effortless rhythm. Some were tiny and delicate, while others seemed to float like living works of art. Keanah was completely drawn to them, and we found ourselves standing there longer than expected, watching them pulse and drift around the tanks. It was one of those moments where you could just stand still and watch nature do its thing.
From the jellyfish that seemed to glow and float like tiny pieces of art, we moved on to the puffin feeding, which was such a fun experience to watch. The puffins were full of personality, darting around as they waited for their food and keeping everyone entertained. We then made our way to the touch pools, where we could get up close with some of the marine life and feel the textures of creatures we’d only seen behind glass before. It was the kind of afternoon where every corner of the aquarium had something new waiting for us.
We then went for the sea otter feeding, which was probably one of the highlights of the day. Watching them float around, play with their food, and somehow look completely relaxed while a crowd gathered around them was such a fun experience. Keanah was fascinated, and honestly, so were we.
Then came the Open Sea feeding. The huge tank gives you this incredible sense of being right in the middle of the ocean. Watching the fish move through the water during feeding time made the whole thing feel alive. There were moments when everyone around us just stopped talking and watched.
The bioluminescence exhibit in the auditorium was a completely different experience. The lights, the darkness and those strange glowing creatures made it feel almost like stepping into another world. It was one of those exhibits where you find yourself staring for much longer than you planned.
The Kelp Forest feeding was another favorite. Seeing the fish and other marine life moving through the towering kelp while food was being introduced gave us a glimpse of how much activity exists beneath the surface. The scale of the tank was incredible.
What I loved most about the aquarium was how easily it made us forget about everything outside. For a few hours, we were just watching otters, jellyfish, fish and kelp forests, completely absorbed in this underwater world.
After spending the last few days driving along the coast and seeing the Pacific from above, today we got to see what was happening beneath it.
And Monterey somehow found another way to surprise us.
Kenrick Vaz 