Weymouth SEALIFE Adventure Park and Aquarium

After missing out on so much last summer I was determined to try and get out as much as we could (safely of course) this summer. The kids were so excited about the possibility of play dates, days out and even a camping holiday and we all wanted to make the most of our summer holiday. We decided to book a week away camping in Weymouth over the summer and as soon as we booked our camping trip and we knew it would be in Weymouth I knew I had to plan a trip to the SEALIFE centre! 

I have heard so many fantastic things about this SEALIFE centre in particular and the kids (and myself) are fascinated by the ocean and everything in it, so I knew it would be a trip we could all enjoy. 

Getting into Weymouth SEALIFE centre was really easy, there is ample parking and the entrance is right near the car park too. You purchase tickets before you visit within a certain time slot and so when we arrived there were no queues and within 5 minutes we were through the ticket reception area and straight into the park. You are given a map to help you find your way around but there are also handy footprints on the floor which you are advised to follow to help you see everything there is to see. 

The park itself is set into several different sections including the rockpools, wetlands, Caribbean cove and many more, which each place showcasing an exciting array of creatures. The exhibits are both indoors and outdoors and vary in size. One thing we did notice (and were really impressed with) was that despite it being the middle of the summer holidays it never really felt super busy. We easily made out way around and never had to queue to get into any of the sections, we were also able to get super clear views of all the animals and tanks etc. It was clear the staggered time slots, one way systems and lovely staff had paid off in ensuring everyone has a safe, enjoyable visit. 

One of James' favourite sections was probably the rockpools as they loved getting the chance to get hands on and actually touch some of the animals living in the rockpools. This included star fish and even spiky sea urchins too, all under the watchful eye of the lovely SEALIFE staff of course. 

Both kids also loved the large tanks that contained a variety of animals including sharks, rays and even sea turtles! The underwater tunnel was lots of fun but there were also huge floor to ceiling tanks that the kids could have stayed at for hours just watching all the different sea animals and fish swimming around. I think we all spotted something new every time we looked, every tank was just so fascinating.

 

Another great thing we noticed whilst wandering around Weymouth SEALIFE centre is how well thought out everything is. The tanks for instance, they have viewing windows at all different levels, some close to the ground for smaller visitors and some higher up for those who don't want to hurt their backs constantly leaning over. And of course there were plenty of huge tanks too that really encapsulated the vastness of an ocean and it was great being able to really see the fish and animals swimming around in a large space. 

The animals and sea creatures we got to see were pretty amazing and we learnt lots of new fun and interesting facts too. But there is also so much more to do at this park too including an amazing splash one that was the perfect way to cool down on a hot day out. The kids absolutely loved it and there is a handy food and drink stall serving cold drinks, ice-cream and even waffles near the splash zone for refreshments too. The kids will get wet though so if you are planning on using the splash zone, bring either a costume or change of clothes and a towel to dry off. 

There is also a large park area as well as some great interactive features throughout the park that the kids had great fun trying out. As well as an educational section of the park with some fun interactive features such as a coin drop and buzzer wire that the kids loved having a play on. This section has a few animals but focuses more on educating people about pollution, plastic pollution and other issues that our oceans and sea animals currently face, it is definitely worth spending some time in this section. 

All of these things, teamed with the huge array of animals too see really made for a fantastic day out that everyone really enjoyed. I was apprehensive initially whether our visit really would last a whole day, but it did, especially when we paired it with a round of crazy golf next door (the tickets can be purchased when you buy your SEALIFE tickets. Plus if you purchase together you get a slightly reduced rate, it is worth noting though that if you book using Clubcard points, golf needs to be paid for separately.

Over all we had such a fun day out, one we will all remember for quite some time. We are so sad that we live so far away but if we ever visit Weymouth again it will be top of our list to revisit for sure. If you are planning a trip to, or near Weymouth and are looking for a fun and interesting family day out, I would highly recommend a visit to Weymouth SEALIFE Adventure park and aquarium. 

Have you ever visited the Weymouth SEALIFE centre or any of the other SEALIFE centres before? 

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