Monterey Bay Aquarium

Jelly fish
A leafy sea dragon

We couldn't drive up the coast to San Francisco without stopping in Monterey to visit the Aquarium. This Aquarium has been consistently ranked the best in the country (at least until the Georgia Aquarium recently opened). The one area the Georgia Aquarium cannot compete is location, location, location.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is on Monterey Bay. There are many decks from the aquarium to step out and view the marine life on the bay. Outside the aquarium you can see marine life in its natural habitat. Inside the aquarium, the is a focus on marine life in the bay and on the Pacific coast. Instead of large coral reefs, you see large kelp forests.

Our first trip to Monterey was over 15 years ago. Back then, the area near the aquarium was run down with very few hotels and restaurants. Now it is really built up with lots of hotels, restaurants, and shops.