When you explore SeaQuest interactive Aquarium in Trumbull Connecticut, you’re in for one very awesome, unexpected experience! They also have locations throughout the United States. A special thank you to SeaQuest for hosting us. All opinions in the article are our own.
Arrival at Aquarium-
The Trumbull location is inside the Westfield Trumbull, a mall. There are plenty of signs directing you where to park if you want to just go right in and the aquarium is to your left. However, you can park pretty much anywhere around the mall and still access SeaQuest on the lower level. You can’t miss it as the outside wall is decorated like the sea and inside are two very colorful, large wall murals. One even encourages you to “touch” the animals. It builds up excitement for what is to come. A very interactive experience!
Once inside, go to the front and check-in. Get your passports (admission), purchase your tokens to feed the animals. See if you can sign-up for an encounter as there are a few animals that you must pay additional to handle and you need to sign a waiver. The best option is to sign-up online to make sure you get everything you want and receive the best deal.
Please Touch the Creatures-
Even without additional encounters, you can still have an awesome time. However, I would recommend one encounter whether it’s with the sloth or snorkeling in the fish tank or something else. Check their website or contact them to see what they have to offer.
Nonetheless, they encourage touching animals and or interacting with them. Just remember the two-finger rule when petting the animals. It’s for the safety of animals and humans.
This is so cool that they allow such an interaction because a lot of places you just look at the animals through their enclosure. You just stare into fish tanks. Not here, and feeding the fish and other animals is a blast. Many tanks are completely open so you can touch and or feed the animals. Other creatures have pens you can just walk into or reach over and pet.
Going into the bird enclosure, shuffle your feet as you walk to the bench as there are over one hundred small birds in the enclosure. They feed right out of your hand. They will land all over you including your shoes. It gives new meaning to “hands-on.”
I honestly felt like the Pigeon Lady from Home Alone Lost in New York.
More than an Aquarium-
So as you can see, SeaQuest is far more than an aquarium. It’s also a decent size with a lot to see from the aquatic life to the life that lives on land to the non-animal experiences. You don’t think it’s as big as it is from the outside.
They divide each area into different themes such as Ancient Egypt and the Great Wall of China. So in these areas, you can find thematic animals.
What’s neat too is the hurricane simulator, and a parrot sitting on their perch.
A snack bar open at select times, a room for parties that even has windows in it that look directly into a couple of the exhibits and a very full gift shop complete with another parrot. I know you want to know what we bought in the gift shop, a mermaid that looks like Abby Girl. I seriously think she should have gone with the hat.
They also don’t miss a beat with the smallest touches to make the place really immerse all your senses into the experience. Even the bathroom signs stay in theme. That’s pretty cool. But, it’s not sensory overload. They find a nice balance and everything goes together and has a place.
What types of animals will you see?
Well, besides the many species of aquatic life such as fish species, sharks, eels, stingrays, etc … They have otters, a tortoise, rabbits, pigs, birds, reptiles, chickens, amphibians, a sloth, a Honey Bear and so much more. I love how they have names like Roger and Jessica and you guessed it, they are bunnies. Lots and lots of species to see!
They even sometimes have a surprise and have babies! Congratulations to the latest couple for the arrival of baby geckos.
Say Cheese!
Photo opportunities with your family are everywhere whether you stand behind a replica of a sharks mouth or lounge in a sea-colored bench or take a selfie with one of the animals. I took a snake selfie-and FYI most people think snakes are slimy, they are not. Abby girl held one with no issues and she’s just turning four November 9th. They even have a photo booth!
The staff is there to help-
Remember, there is always friendly staff around to help you and answer any questions you might have. The staff at SeaQuest is super knowledgeable. They are constantly keeping the place clean and taking animals for walks. You might just walk past a tortoise or a Honey Bear as you travel around from encounter to encounter. Remember, you should wash your hands after each encounter too.
Education-
SeaQuest goes beyond just looking and immersing with the animals. As stated before, the staff is full of knowledge about all the creatures on exhibit. Also, there are plaques everywhere describing what you are looking at. It’s a multi-generational experience for everyone from the youngest to the oldest. As a homeschooling mom, I loved how much my daughter took away from her experience at SeaQuest. The best part was how focused she was and truly engaging in everything. Obviously, it can be different for other people and this was our personal experience. However, overall, everyone should have a positive takeaway after leaving SeaQuest Trumbull. My only tip is to be open to new experiences.
Giving Back-
Another great part about SeaQuest is they give back through SeaQuest Cares. They are actively involved in the community. They help animals in need and just do so much. This is taken from their website, and I couldn’t describe it better. They also have plaques on the wall at the end of the experience
“SeaQuest Cares partners with organizations and local nonprofits that uphold our commitment to support children’s programs, including those that provide better homes for children through foster parent programs, benefit children who are ill or who have disabilities, as well as offering discounted field trips for Title 1 schools. SeaQuest is grateful to be actively involved in both preserving and saving the lives of many animals that would otherwise not survive in the wild, rehabilitating injured animals, and even acting as an exotic pet rescue for animals such as parakeets and iguanas that need rehoming.”
Final Thoughts-
We had no clue what we were walking into when we arrived at SeaQuest. However, we are already planning our next trip. I think I want to make it a quest (no pun intended) to try some of the other Seaquest’s around me to see how they are different or the same. Have you been to a different SeaQuest and had an awesome time too? We would love to hear your comments.
Where are we adventuring next? Well, you will have to follow us to stay tuned. Also, look at this great video we made on YouTube of our latest experience at SeaQuest Trumbull with a ton more photos we just couldn’t fit into the article.
