New2NY: A Walrus of an Aquarium

Seals, penguins and jellyfish - how could you go wrong? I decided to start my new year right with a little marine love and trekked to Coney Island to visit the New York Aquarium.

Whenever I travel, I make it a point to visit that city's aquarium, if there is one. It's often the best way to gauge how well a city can incorporate nature into an urban environment. Having a degree in environmental science, I am always impressed when an aquarium can meld these two antitheses of worlds.

Upon arriving at Coney Island (yes, there is an extra special benefit of going to the aquarium that you get to walk around Coney Island afterward) after an hour and a half ride on the Q train (that's the downfall), I flashed my Bank of America card to get free admission. (After a careful look back I cannot find a previous blog on this so pardon the aside: If you are a Bank of America card holder you can gain free admission to many popular museums throughout the country on the first weekend of every month. Check out this link to find out which you'd like to get into for free).

Many people might not know this, but the NY Aquarium is open 365 days a year. Just make sure you visit on a fair-weather day because the exhibits are spread out through several buildings and you must wander outside to make your way from the sharks to the jellyfish. Plus, who wants to sit through the sea lion show in the rain?

Saturday was a perfectly crisp, clear day, perfect for viewing the marine creatures of the sea. After viewing the main tank near the entrance, we made our way through to the viewing windows of the seals, otters and the year and a half old baby walrus. If you ever want to feel skinny, go visit the walrus. That thing has more jiggling blubber than anything I've ever seen, but he was really fun to watch frolic through his tank. Next up was the shark building. Often in New York, we forget about the Earth's original predators as we most often fall victim to anthropomorphic enemies like traffic accidents, construction hazards and general city pollution. Watching the sharks in their tank and silently shuttering at the sight of their razor, predator teeth brought me humbly back to "human" land, if only for the afternoon.

I gazed at the delicate, almost ghost-like jellyfish, read about fish that change from male to female and back again (very fitting for this city), and of course sat through the sea-lion show. Even though Osborne the sea-lion was the only creature to make an appearance, the show did not lack in hilarity or amazing-ness. I was one of those children who always pictured myself as a dolphin trainer at Sea World when I grew up. That never materialized, but I can never turn down a couple of good marine mammal tricks.

All and all, I would recommend you visit. Take an afternoon away from the city and take a trip to the sea. Oh, and if you want a sea-lion kiss at the show, sit in the front row.