Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium was the first place we visited when we arrived in New Zealand over 12 years ago. Despite being tired from the long flight we were looking forward to seeing penguins and riding the moving sidewalk through the world’s first acrylic tunnels allowing stingrays, sharks, and other southern ocean marine life to freely swim all around us. It lived up to our expectations back then, and to my surprise, surpassed them last week.
Even before entering, we are transported to a different world as we walk down the ramp from street level to reception. As a visitor, the lighting seems perfect; as a photographer, I found it a bit dark. Here are some of my highlights:
Replica of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s Antarctic Hut
Captain Scott lead the Discovery Expedition to Antarctica in 1901–04. Several years later he led a second expedition that reached the geographic south pole on 17 January 1912, 34 days after Norwegian Roald Amundsen became the first to accomplish this. Sadly, Scott and his team were lost in a whiteout blizzard in 1912 on their return.
The pathway through Kelly Tarlton’s allows us to experience the disorientation of a whiteout as we pass through a slowly spinning white tube. Stopping for a few moments and turning to the side enhances the effect.
Antarctic King and Gentoo Penguins
Polar Plunge Trial
A Peek Under the Ocean
Leaving Antarctica, we return to the Southern Ocean of New Zealand . . . literally:
Stingray Bay
Shark Tunnels
Finally, the area I remember most clearly from all of our visits so many years ago.
Fish Gallery
There is still more:
Gift Shop
Practical Information on Visiting Kelly Tarltons:
- Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium is located at 23 Tamaki Drive, along the Auckland waterfront about 6 kilometres east of the Auckland CBD. It is an underground facility, therefore doesn’t look like much from the outside.
- The buildings at either ends of the car park are the entrance and exit, so there are no bad spots, however, the lot is often full and street parking is required.
- A free shuttle bus runs daily with pick up in the CBD on the half hour from 172 Quay Street (opposite the downtown ferry terminal). The last shuttle pick up is at 3.30, however, the last shuttle to return to the city leaves from Kelly Tarlton’s at 3.20, so plan accordingly. You’ll recognize the bus as it looks like a giant shark with wheels.
- For more information, see Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium official website.
→ Check prices and get tickets in advance
Conclusion
Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium is good fun for young and old. Most of the more adventurous activities include entrance, so a bit of planning can save quite a bit of money.
** Kelly Tarltons is just one of many fun things to do in Auckland.
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Penguins, shark tunnels, marine life, Antarctica; which is your favourite bit of Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium?
Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary entry to aid in the writing of this page. However, the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Catlins Rainforest – New Zealand’s Often Missed South Coast
Gunilla
Wonderful! We have a small SeaLife in Helsinki. My favorite part is the tunnel beneath the shark tank. Not sure I would go diving with them though.
Rhonda Albom
I am with you, outside the sharks enjoying them from the tunnel.
Lisa Buie-Collard
What a fun adventure! Tweeted it…
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Lisa.
Lexa Cain
This is wonderful! The colors re so amazing. I’d love to do this! (Though I’ll leave the polar freeze to other hands and won’t be swimming with sharks any time soon! lol) Thanks for all the awesome pics! 🙂
Rhonda Albom
The polar freeze isn’t that bad, simply remove your hand if it’s too cold. The sharks, wouldn’t be as easy to get away.
Shere
Wow, already 12 years in NZ!! Despite the lack of light (I had the same feeling in london’s sea life), the pictures are great!
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Shere. Yes, 12 years. I can’t believe it either.
Lyn (aka) The Travelling Lindfields
We went to Kelly Tarlton’s in January this year and like you really enjoyed ourselves. My favourites were definitely the penguins, in fact seeing them was the main reason we went. David, a history buff, loved the Scott memorabilia. I remember the story behind the creation of Kelly Tarlton’s was quite interesting too.
Rhonda Albom
I debated whether to include the history here, maybe I should have.
Janie Junebug
That seems a great place to visit. I love a good aquarium. I know I can’t remember all that I’ve visited. I remember Seattle, Vancouver, Baltimore, Victoria, and maybe Boston. I have a certain fondness for penguins and the way they walk, wearing tuxedos.
Love,
Janie
Rhonda Albom
In the US, Monterey Bay was always my favorite, in New Zealand it’s Kelly Tarltons.
Aquariann
Awesome aquarium! The tunnels are usually my favorite part, too.
Rhonda Albom
Both my girls have had the chance to sleep in them overnight. Cool opportunity.
Eli
Aquariums are fun, and this one looks really great too!
Rhonda Albom
You are right on both counts.
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Raychael, actually it only takes a few hours to do it all.
Charlotte
This looks amazing! Much better than our sea life centres! x
Rhonda Albom
LOL – and to people from the Southern Hemisphere, yours probably seem pretty cool.
Clairejustine oxox (Clairejustineoxox)
Oh wow, you got some beautiful shots here, looks a great place to visit 🙂
Rhonda Albom
It is a place worth visiting.
Marie-AZ
What an incredible experience! Gorgeous photos! I know I will never get to New Zealand so its so nice to get to see things that are worth seeing through your blog!
Rhonda Albom
Happy to share my world with you.
Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk)
Wow amazing! What amazing creatures. We have an aquarium here too but none as awesome as this one.
Rhonda Albom
Much of the sea life in the southern oceans is different from that of the north. Even saying that, Kelly Tartlton’s has a large number of unusual creatures.
Comedy Plus
What a cool place to visit. I want to go. I love the penguins the very best.
Have a fabulous day Rhonda. 🙂
Rhonda Albom
You need to live in the Southern Hemisphere to see more penguins, or at least come for a visit.
Patrick Weseman
Wow, what great photos. What a wonderful place to spend a day.
http://csuhpat1.blogspot.com/2015/10/summer-thursdays-in-san-rafael.html
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Patrick.
Yolanda Renee
Amazing, simply amazing! I’ve never seen anything like that, but would love too. Seeing that water against the glass very scary. Claustrophobia may not bode well in those tunnels. 🙂
Rhonda Albom
Actually, they are really light and open. I get claustrophobic in airplanes sometimes (not to flash for a travel blogger), but not a drop here.
Tanya
That cafe that’s party under water…is it weird that I want to live there?! I can’t imagine anything more peaceful and beautiful 🙂
Rhonda Albom
I think living in the cafe would get old after a while, but they do have sleepovers in the tunnels, and yes, they turn off the moving walkways.
Karren Haller
What a great tour!
Rhonda Albom
And it is self guided, so you can spend as much time as you want watching your favorites.
Teresa from NanaHood
Amazing and super cool! Wish I could take my grands there! Have a great week, Rhonda!
Rhonda Albom
Your grandkids will love it. There is a big playzone, with quite a subtle educational focus.
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Amazing photos. Those aquarium tunnels are really cool. Next best thing to being underwater.
I will pass on the plunge though.
Rhonda Albom
The tunnels are fascinating. They are in a loop, with entrance/exit on either end. I have been known to go around a few times, each time spotting something new and interesting.
stephanie@stephsjoy
Love your photo especially that one of the seahorse. We visited the Acquarium 10 years ago, and remember how cool it was to see the penguins.
Rhonda Albom
They no longer have that vehicle that drives through the penguin exhibit. Now everyone walks through it.
Kate
Nice photos. We used to visit the aquarium in Galveston, TX a lot when we lived there. It was one of Drama Teen’s favorite places when she was little.
Rhonda Albom
Kelly Tarlton’s was a favorite of my girls when they were little also.
image-in-ing
This looks like an amazing aquarium! Wow!
Rhonda Albom
Yes, it is an amazing place, both the aquarium and the Antarctica exhibit.
stevebethere
Well I thoroughly enjoyed this Rhonda fab shots & close-ups love the shark tunnel 🙂
Have a jawstastic day 🙂
Barbara Radisavljevic
That looks like a real adventure in photography. It would also be fun to see the penguins up close like that.
Rhonda Albom
It was much more challenging than it appears. Everything is behind thick plexiglass, loaded with fingerprints and smudges. You don’t notice it when you look at the display, only when you go to take photos. And it’s dark, with lots of artificial lights as it’s underground.
Hilary
Hi Rhonda – what a wonderful experience … how very interesting and it looks so well done. Love all the photos and the ocean waves, and then the icy water – not for me … is Sarah’s hand still with her?! Incredible place … I’d love to visit – one day … cheers Hilary
Rhonda Albom
It is really well done, laid out well and easy to move along without missing anything.
Traveling Rockhopper
this tunnel looks interesting!
Rhonda Albom
It’s really cool. As you walk through the fish, rays and sharks swim all around and pass overhead.
Margaret Birding For Pleasure
Loved seeing all the creatures you found and photographed in the water.
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Margaret. This is only a small sampling of what I found there.
Joyful
Beautiful tour underwater! Joining you from Our World Tuesday.
Photo cache
We love aquariums that we have an annual membership to Monterey Aquarium.
Rhonda Albom
I also love the Monterey Aquarium. I haven’t been there in years.
Robyn Engel
I’ve been to aquariums and water parks, but I’ve never seen anything like this. The footbridge alone looks surreal. Your pictures turned out great. Thanks for the tour.
Rhonda Albom
Kelly Tarlton’s is pretty cool. We had annual passes for the first several years after we moved here to New Zealand.