In the coral reef play area, the children don bright costumes, dressing up as whales, crabs and clown fish. They can pull stuffed moray eels out of the wall to see how long they grow to be, and match fish with the foods they eat. Although most modern aquariums have hands-on exhibits, the tanks in Splash Zone are better, specially designed for young children. An aquarium staffer told Christopher to hold his hand underwater, and she gently put a hermit crab in it. He watched it crawl across his hand, carrying its shell.
Penguins are an impressive final act.
We spent almost two hours in Splash Zone before moving on to the rest of the aquarium and its exhibits of jellyfish, otters and deep-sea creatures. Pacific Grove and Carmel have plenty of elegant restaurants. The next morning we headed to Lovers Point, a few minutes away. The waves can be treacherous, but this day they were calm, perfect for beachcombing. When Christopher walked up to the shore, he looked disappointed because he thought it was a pile of lifeless rocks.