The gently swaying serenity of a kelp forest is one of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s most popular exhibits. 
Monterey’s Cannery Row is the quintessential seaside place to eat, explore and play. 
oung and old are mesmerized by the jellyfish exhibit. 
Waves of rich blue-green water crash against Monterey’s rugged coastline. 
A rocky shoreline is a defining characteristic of the Monterey area.
As most Central Coast residents know, the renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium is a memorable experience for all ages.
This magnificent facility sits right on the bay, pumping into the aquarium some 2,000 gallons of seawater each minute. The process sustains sea life so you can see and even touch it. Without this fantastic aquarium, you would need scuba gear to have such a magical adventure.
No sooner have you entered the aquarium than you come face to face with the magnitude of what you are about to encounter inside: a life-size replica of a giant orca dangling from the high, vaulted ceilings.
A difficult decision is which way to go as there is much to see. Do you want to watch jellyfish gracefully and rhythmically undulate through their tanks? Or what about a penguin feeding? Check the time and schedule so you don’t miss out.
This year’s ever-changing exhibit is ¡Viva Baja! Life on the Edge, which showcases Baja California and its incredible land and sea animals. Surreal colors of tropical fish like the Bluespotted jawfish, desert tortoises, snakes and seahorses are a sampling of what you’ll see.
It’s always a good call to stop first at the sea otter tank. The insanely adorable mammals cavort and swim in full display, with only the glass separating you from their world.
Should you head to the left side of the aquarium, you’ll see a cylindrical tank of ever-whirling sardines. The iconic fish may have given Cannery Row its history, but that’s a story for another time and place.
Just beyond, you’ll suddenly feel as if you’ve descended to the bottom of the sea. Low lighting and soothing music add to the splendor of gazing up at 60-foot kelp beds and scores of fish and marine life that inhabit them.
Moving along to the “open sea” tank, you’ll find the amusing mola mola, or sunfish, floating lazily along.
Some years, the aquarium has been lucky enough to host a baby great white shark, another important resident of the bay.
Exhibits are ever-changing and often include many different native species, like jellyfish, stingrays and sea otters. Touch tanks allow the most incredible experience. Imagine feeling the rough surface of a starfish or the soft skin of a sea cucumber. It will enliven all of your senses.
I love to watch the expressions on children’s faces when they smell and touch these sea creatures. They light up!
Throughout the day, you can watch scheduled feeding times for each exhibit, and I particularly enjoy seeing the scuba divers feeding the kelp forest tank.
When it’s your turn to eat, make sure to stop by The Restaurant, the aquarium’s famed café spearheading the Seafood Watch sustainability effort — in addition to being delicious.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is unparalleled in its importance to this coastline. Visitors gain enriching knowledge about the wonders and mysteries of the nearby bay. You’ll be delighted and intrigued by the stunning exhibits, the sights and oddities of the sea, as well as being mesmerized by the floor-to-ceiling tanks that showcase prodigious kelp forests.
The Aquarium is located at 886 Cannery Row, at the end of historic Cannery Row.
Plan on two to three hours to see all of the exhibits. It can easily be an all-day opportunity, however, if you fully engage in all of the educational information.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a fun place where you can fill up on clam chowder and saltwater taffy. Adult day passes are currently $49.95, students and seniors are $39.95, children 3-12 are $29.95, and children under 3 get in for free!
Monterey is also famous for great seafood restaurants and numerous golf courses. This fantastic area boasts more than 20 such courses, including the world-renowned Pebble Beach and Cypress Point.
Of course, now that Highway 1 has reopened, traveling along the spectacular Big Sur route is that much more memorable. The famous roadway was closed for more than a year for major landslide repairs at Mud Creek, about 70 miles north of San Luis Obispo.
Monterey Bay and environs do not disappoint. It is breathtakingly beautiful and the weather is mild year-round. The deep blue water crashing against the dark jagged rocky shoreline make it one of the most spectacular — and iconic — stretches of coastline in the world.
— Donna Polizzi is a regional travel expert and founder of Keys 2 the Coast, a free Central Coast travel resource providing honest recommendations on the best places that locals want to go. She can be contacted at news@noozhawk.com. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are her own.