If you’re looking for fun play date ideas for your toddlers, check out our Seattle Aquarium Play Date experience!
This post about Seattle Aquarium Toddler Play Date was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
Inspired by our recent trip to the Maui Ocean Center, we thought we’d arrange a play date at the Seattle Aquarium on the beautiful Seattle Waterfront.
Currently, the Sea Wall is being built, so we left our house extra early to ensure we’d have no problems with traffic and parking.
We got there at 9:45 a.m., and there was plenty of street parking (yay!). The road construction, with its big machines, was actually an attraction for toddlers in itself!
Exploring the Exhibits: A Journey Through Marine Life
We met up with our good friend and her son to explore the Seattle Aquarium together. As soon as we passed the admission desk, the first exhibit was the Window on Washington Waters, which features a large fish tank where they were offering a diving presentation.
Owen is still scared of divers, so we had to quickly move past that area, but it looked great for kids who aren’t scared! There are benches and plenty of room for strollers in that exhibit area.
The next area, Life of a Drifter, featured a giant Pacific octopus (which was amazing to see and there were lots of little kids excitedly pointing at it! Owen didn’t want to get too close, but he enjoyed sitting on my lap to observe it.
There is also a glass Ring of Life tank of jellyfish (which people were practically lined up to take photos inside.)
However, the bathrooms’ location immediately after the hands-on area is perfect. There’s a drinking fountain, and inside the bathroom, there’s a step stool by the sink. There’s also a baby changing station. Just outside the bathroom area is a resting spot with felt boards.
Owen had such a good time watching Finding Dory in the movie theater a few weeks ago, and he told me he wanted to “Find Dory! Find Nemo!” as we looked at the exhibits. Thankfully, we were able to find lots of “Dorys” and “Nemos” while exploring.
One thing my friend and I noticed is that it’s kind of difficult for toddlers to see most of the exhibits unless they are being picked up. It would be nice if there were steps so they could stand and look at the tanks.
Being 6 months pregnant, I was only able to hold my toddler a few times to see fish. The same goes for your child in a stroller. There are a few exhibit areas that are dead ends, so maneuvering a stroller is tricky. I’d recommend wearing babies and small toddlers so they can experience a bit more.
Underwater Wonders: Seals, Sea Otters, and the Underwater Dome
The boys’ highlight was definitely seeing the Seals! We got to watch them swim underwater while we were inside (this was a great height for small kids), and then we headed up the ramp to see them outside.
Note: you cannot eat outside at this exhibit.
A Seattle Aquarium volunteer took the boys to the front of the display, talked to them about the Seals, told them their names, and pointed them out when they swam by. They were in complete awe!
We ended our trip with a visit to the sea otter exhibit, which was another highlight! It was trickier because I had to hold Owen up and kind of squeeze through visitors in front of us so he could see them.
Again, it would be nice if there was a step there not only so kids could see but also so that adults would leave a little room for smaller people to have a chance to enjoy the exhibit.
We really enjoyed our time at the Seattle Aquarium! It’s not too big or too small, and it provides at least two hours of exploring time.
On a sunny day, you could easily hang out upstairs watching seals in the exhibit and looking at the ferries in the Sound. They also offer story times, Toddler Tuesdays, and other events and activities throughout the year.
Plan Your Visit to Seattle Aquarium
The Seattle Aquarium is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (with extended summer hours until 6 p.m.) and is located at 1483 Alaskan Way, Pier 59, Seattle, WA 98101-2015.
The Elliott Bay Seawall Construction is going on, but the Aquarium is open as usual. The driving routes to get there remain the same. There’s plenty of parking at Republic Parking’s Hillclimb Court and the Pike Place Market Garage.
The Seattle Aquarium is located on the iconic Seattle Waterfront and is a must-do for locals and tourists alike. In the summer, there are many walk-up counters serving fresh fish and chips, shellfish, and yummy treats like ice cream and caramel corn.
The Seattle Aquarium also has a cafe upstairs, or you can bring a sack lunch and eat it outside.
The New Ocean Pavilion Expansion and Conservation Efforts
The new ocean pavilion expansion will soon be open, offering even more engaging exhibits for families to enjoy. The ocean pavilion is part of the entire Seattle Aquarium campus, which aims to educate and inspire visitors about marine life and conservation efforts. The expansion includes habitats for northern fur seals and other creatures, emphasizing the importance of preserving their natural habitats.
Visitors can learn about the coral triangle, the Salish Sea, and other significant ecosystems that make up our one-world ocean. Programs and exhibits highlight the role of Indigenous peoples in inspiring conservation. The Seattle Times recently featured an article about the new ocean pavilion expansion and its potential impact on Washington State. Don’t forget to visit the gift shop for some unique souvenirs to remember your trip.
