The National Aquarium in Baltimore

I think I am getting tired of this cold weather and am longing for warmer days because this is another post about something we did last summer.

Do you ever find that you rarely visit the attractions that are nearest your home?  I live in Maryland and yet rarely venture downtown to the Inner Harbor and its attractions. 
So last summer when my one of my bestest friends, Paula, asked me if I wanted to go to the Aquarium I said "surely!"

We parked nearby and walked to the Aquarium with a bunch of kids.....8 to be exact....there was a fair amount of complaining from the kids about walking but... we love to torture ....

We walked past the Visionary Arts Musem on Key Hwy (if you have never been here, it is really neat and worth the trip!)

This is the side of the museum......very pretty and interesting design.

This decorated manequin stands gaurd outside.....very.....visionary I guess

And if that doesn't get your attention, this giant gold hand hanging on the wall will....

Here is a view of the Inner Harbor area in Baltimore

And another.....you can see the Aquarium in this shot.....

Kids all posed for a pic...don't they look happy?

This is a picture of the U.S.S. Constellation.  I think I've actually toured this ship once, when I was on a field trip in grade school. 

Finally we reached the Aquarium (and the kids were happy that the long walk around the Inner Harbor was over.....what they didn't realize was that we had to walk back....bwahahaha!!!)

I thought this was neat....the sting ray were playing follow the leader! 

We saw many interesting fish, coral, seahorses, etc....

And we saw some sharks....real ones too, but since the shark area is so dark, the shark pictures didn't turn out so great.....

They have a great area for kids to run and play.......

and to explore some of the sea creatures.....like this horseshoe crab...

I have stepped on one of these babies while playing in the ocean at Ocean City, MD....not a great feeling....all of those legs moving against the bottom of your foot......I can feel my flight or fight instict kick in just thinking about it!

And we saw the jellyfish!!  I LOVE the jellyfish....they are beautiful and can't sting me from inside their cases!! Can you tell I prefer to view nature (especially sea life) instead of interact with it..... 

And then we began the long walk home....it was a beautiful day and we had a wonderful time at the Inner Harbor and the National Aquarium.   After a day like this, I always ask myself why I don't take the time to explore my city more frequently! 

Well thanks for looking....and C'mon warm weather!!

In the meantime, stay warm :)

Love,
Bronwyn