This week the Utah Valley Moms blog is featuring things to do over Spring Break in Utah with kids. Today’s feature is the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.
The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is located in Draper, Utah. It offers a variety of exhibits, presentations, feedings and chances to be up close and personal with the animals, and various events.
We had the opportunity to visit the aquarium recently and found it a great place to spend the day with the kids. As you enter, if you are buying general admission tickets, enter through the doors to the left and if you have a yearly membership or want to purchase one, enter through the doors to the right. Once you are inside, it is like a whole new world.
There are 5 exhibits: Discover Utah, Journey to South America, Antarctic Adventure, Ocean Explorer, and Expedition: Asia. As you enter, you can choose which exhibit you’d like to explore first.
We started off in the Discover Utah section. There, you will find many fish and creatures you may regularly see while living in Utah. The best part of this exhibit is being able to look into the little streams that they have created to look for fish. My kids enjoy spending time searching for living things and seeing how many fish they can find.
Our favorite section, however, is the Ocean Explorer exhibit. In this exhibit, you will see sharks, turtles, and be able to walk through a 40-foot tunnel while all sorts of fish swim over you and around you.
The Expedition: Asia exhibit is a fun one where we saw Clouded Leopards, giant fish, and Asia otters. It is a newer section and a fun one to explore with huge windows to see into the animals’ living spaces and watch them play. My little ones could have spent hours going from window to window, enjoying all there was to see in each one.
The Journey to South America features a tropical feel with birds and even a 17-foot waterfall. The kids love once you reach to the top and they cross the bridge made of ropes. It’s a little too scary for some children but most enjoy it nonetheless. In this exhibit, be prepared for a humid climate.
The last exhibit is the Antarctic Adventure. It is a fun place to explore and learn, as well as enjoy the jellyfish exhibit and watch the only penguins in Utah. The penguin section is fun for the kids. They can watch the penguins waddle around and watch as they dive into the water and swim around.
To add to the exhibits, you can catch a 3D or 4D movie for free. The theater is located on the 2nd level. The short films usually are about animals. Check the desk by the theater for times for that day.
If you are looking for an up close and personal experience, you can register for a Penguin Encounter or Feed a Stingray experience for an extra cost. There are also Animal Feeds and Animal Encounters that are free throughout each day. Check in with the Information Desk just after the front entrance for times and locations for each of those. We have watched Penguin Feedings and it’s fun to watch them receive their food and get checked.
With all the Aquarium has to offer, more than likely you and your family and friends will feel a little hungry. The Aquarium has a full-service cafe. There, you can buy smoothies, pretzels, muffins, or entrees like sandwiches, soups, and kids meals. With a membership, you get a small discount off of your purchases. Make sure you grab some of the little chairs and table waiting by the high chairs for the kids. They love sitting at a table just their size.
The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm and open until 8 pm on Monday Nights.
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium Discount
Every Monday is Family Night and tickets purchased after 4 pm are $5 off. Get more information on ticket prices and membership pricing at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.
