SLC Living Planet Aquarium

The day before we left to come home we visited the Salt Lake City Living Planet Aquarium. It's in a non descriptive building that looks like a warehouse with a banner hung across the front. When I pulled up my expectations were pretty low. The interior however, was great!

There was a Utah section where the kids go to see local fish and learn more about what lives in the Great Salt Lake. They also had a 'dark room' with an large octopus glued to the glass wall and jellyfish that glowed in the dark. The octopus was rather large. I've never seen one that close.

I got to pet a stingray. I thought they lived primarily in the water but this one kept poking its head out and spraying us. It really freaked me out the first time it did and my hand was only inches from touching it.

The kids favorite by far however was the Gentoo penguins. They are originally from the Falkland Islands, south of Argentina. I remember as a kid petting one that had swam to the beach across from my house when I lived in Patagonia. I'll have to dig up the picture.

They were the most active penguins I've ever seen. As the kids said "they dove like dolphins and played tag with each other."

So, if you're ever in the Salt Lake City area and wondering what there is to do... check out their aquarium.