Visiting SEALIFE Aquarium in Great Yarmouth

My daughter can spend hour researching and collecting information about different animals, and has a notebook full of fascinating animal facts. Therefore, it is not surprising that she likes visiting Banham Zoo and Church Farm whenever she has the chance. So the SEALIFE Great Yarmouth Aquarium is a great place to plan a family day out for her because she particularly enjoys learning about underwater life.


We have partnered up with Visit Great Yarmouth as a Great Yarmouth Ambassador to visit SEALIFE Great Yarmouth this weekend. It was an incredible day. It is so important for families to go and explore as much as they possibly can, and the seaside is the perfect place to explore the adventure. Visit Great Yarmouth want to encourage families to organise amazing days out in and surrounding areas of Great Yarmouth. There is so much to do, that will suit the whole family.

SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth Aquarium is situated on the sea front and is home to stingrays, penguins, seahorses, turtles and an abundance of clownfish. Journey through and discover the magical underwater world. You can walk through their iconic sea tunnel, explore the rock pool, and learn about all the creatures that live in our oceans.

Mimi Rose and Me Sealife Sign and Wheel Great Yarmouth

After a few photos, we then walked in and was greeted by a very friendly receptionist who was only too happy to tell us about the exciting adventures inside. We were then handed some leaflets to tell us about all the activities that were on that day, we also got our daughter a SEALIFE Junior Range Mission Pack that came with a clown fish coloured lanyard. SEALIFE Great Yarmouth are working on pre-booked tickets only, but it is possible to re-validate your tickets should you become unable to attend. It also worth baring in mind that SEALIFE are currently a cashless attraction.


The Activities and SEALIFE Junior Ranger Mission Pack.

The activities that were included as a standard were the Peppa Pig Aquarium Adventure Activity Trail where families needed to visit all the challenge points and answer questions. The SEALIFE Creature Identification Guide that was full of fun and interesting facts about seas creatures, and a Seal Watching Poster that was included in the guide. There was also a SEALIFE Expert Award that had ten questions for budding sea explorers to answer on the back, explorers need to scratch off the relevant circle to reveal a golden fish. Once explorers were finished they can hand in their activity card into the gift shop and receive a prize.

We decided to  a purchase SEALIFE Junior Ranger Mission Pack for our little sea explorer. This included Ranger Accessories that had a cardboard Sonar Watch and Badge that clipped onto the lanyard. A 'Stop, Explore, Discover' Activity Book and Pencil. As well as a Magnifying Glass, Ranger Cards and an Ocean Depth and Shark Height Chart. All these activities kept us busy during our visit. 


We then headed into the aquarium where we were greeted by a very friendly photographer who asked us to take a seat for some crazy snaps of our underwater adventure. We would be able to purchased our photos at the end of the tour and be able to choose from the different shots. 

SEALIFE wasn’t busy although you could see families ahead of you and could hear more behind. The only time we came into contact with anyone was if we stood for too long, but even then it wasn’t crowded. We then headed off into the first zone...

Mimi Rose and Me Sea Life Great Yarmouth

We entered The Shipwreck where tanks were filled with huge Eurpoean Bass, Gilthead Bream and Eeels. It is worth noting that this part of the tour is an extremely dark area. Even more so, as we come to the Jelly Invaders exhibit where tanks were filled by enchanting jellyfish where visitors could be mesmerised with the multi coloured lights to see their beauty. It was a really unique experience.

Mimi Rose and Me Jelly Invaders Great Yarmouth

Mimi Rose and Me Jelly Invaders Great Yarmouth

In the next room there was a large tank to one side, a huge submarine and just ahead was the Penguin Enclosure which was something that we were all looking forward to. We entered SEALIFE quite early that morning so it wasn't feeding time, but that doesn't mean we could catch a glimpse of these cute little Humboldt Penguins on the viewing platform. We all enjoyed watching the penguins getting in and out of the water and catching a close up of them downstairs. There were lots of opportunities for photographs in the viewing window.



 
Going back on yourself in Under The Raydar gives you an opportunity to get face to face with rays in the submarine type of display. We could also interact with the multi-sensory touch points to learn more about other sea creatures from the UK coast line and find out how to get involved in the amazing conservation projects SEA LIFE supports! We all loved going through the submarine as we could watch some of the sea life though the portholes, it was quite fascinating. Just going back out of the submarine there are some other tanks that are filled with Seahorses, Sea Dragons and Pipe Fish.



On the opposite side of the submarine there was a huge display Save our Seals that provided visitors with an insight to life as a marine animal and the harm human ignorance has caused for them. My daughter was shocked at all the facts and taken on board the 5 golden rules. My daughter has always been passionate about conservation and saving the planet that whenever we go to the beach she collects discarded rubbish off the beach to help - if only more people had a kind heart like an eight year old.


Next we went through a Tropical Rainforest that had greenery above and along the tank giving visitors a real rainforest experience. It was in here where we saw the two African Dwarf crocodiles, Ntombi and Masozi. As you go along you will come face to face with the Red Eared and Yellow Bellied Terrapins! I have to say this was one of my favourites parts of our visit. The Terrapins felt really cheeky and kept pressing their nose against the tank towards my daughter.



A Jaw Dropping Tropical Ocean Display.

As we continued we came to a jaw dropping Tropical Ocean Display! Just, WOW! In this 250,000-litre extraordinary tropical display you'll see different species as they roam around the Lost City of Atlantis themed display! You can get up close with Noah the green sea turtle, experience the ‘Shark Nursery’ which is part of our ongoing breeding program and different species of fish. There is also a seated viewing area which is perfect for those that need to take a break and soak in the stunning display. Then you can carry on into the Ocean Tunnel to get some unique views of the magic that lives underwater.


Pirate Reef was just ahead with tanks filled with beautiful clown fish, sea anemones, and coral. But of course, like most children, my daughter loved watching the clown fish and even headed into Nemo Cave for a quick picture. My daughter also enjoyed the Pirate theme and tried to point out the decorations, treasure chests, and spotted gold in one of the tanks. A big thumbs up for the theme.



Just before you head into the gift shop you are given the chance to have a hands-on experience with the brand new display Rock Pool Explorers. Visitors can discover the incredible creatures like star fish and anemones that have adapted to live in shallow pools across our coasts. With the hand washing facilities, everyone has an opportunity to touch different star fish which was incredible.


Our day at SEALIFE was nothing short of amazing! It has been a least five years since our last visit and there has been a lot of change. There were many fascinating creatures to discover. We always enjoy watching the penguins and seeing the rays in the huge submarine. However, the Tropical Rainforest, Pirate Reef and Rock Pool Explorers are fantastic additions to SEALIFE. My daughter liked exploring inside the Pirate Reef zone and discovered all the tropical fish, she liked spotting the pirate decorations and looking for gold inside the tanks. I enjoyed watching the terrapins swim in their tank, a couple of them kept bumping one another which made us laugh. However, there is not denying that the Lost City of Atlantis Tropical Ocean Display and Tunnel was extraordinary. This tank is just full of life and no view is the same as another. If you like learning about life underwater, then SEALIFE in Great Yarmouth is a great place to explore with your family.


A Few Things to Bare in Mind

Any hidden costs? Once inside the attraction you do have an option to purchase a photograph of your SEALIFE adventure with a whole range of different packages. We opted for a fridge magnet instead of a photograph this time. There is also a VR ride that is available inside the gift shop for £5 as well as the souvenir penny machine inside the attraction, which we purchased.

At SEALIFE there are a variety ways you can purchase your tickets online, but pre-booking is essential. They are part of the Merlin Group which means you can use your Merlin passes (or a SEALIFE annual pass) to access any of their attractions across the UK. You can purchase tickets that can be standard, anytime or deluxe that come with a variety of add-ons that are included in the price. There are also 2 for 1 offers where you can combine two attractions such as SEALIFE and Big Wheel together making huge savings.

Unfortunately there is no parking available on site at SEALIFE. However, parking in Great Yarmouth is readily available along with seafront with both long stays and short stay car parks. We parked all day at St. Nicholas Car Park at the south end of Great Yarmouth seafront, just opposite Pleasure Beach Gardens.

**We have been kindly gifted our tickets from Visit Great Yarmouth as part of the ambassador program but as always my words and opinions are my own. Images are subject to copyright, please seek permission before using.**

13 comments

  1. oh wow! The place is super super cool!!! I love going to aquariums with my kids, it is so much fun...

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  2. We love the one we have here! They do such a great job at making their aquariums enjoyable for families & adults of all ages.

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  3. That looks like such a great place for the family. It's really an adventure in every shot you shared. I'd love to go there with my kids.

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  4. This aquarium looks awesome!! Wish it was nearby!

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  5. We love Sea Life centres, my daughter has a huge love of sea life. Not visited the one in Great Yarmouth, maybe an excuse for a little trip there

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  6. Aquariums are such awesome places arent they! I love when there is interactive stuff for the kids to do.

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  7. I just love visiting sea life centers. The tunnel looks so cool and I love the penguins

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  8. I loved the aquarium growing up. It was one of my favorite places to go and I always looked forward to a trip there with friends when I was little. Those are lasting memories...looks like you had a wonderful time!

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  9. We love Sealife and have visited a few of their branches in Manchester and Birmingham. Hoping to visit this at Great Yarmouth next

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  10. We love Sealife and have visited a few of their branches in Manchester and Birmingham. Hoping to visit this at Great Yarmouth next

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  11. What a nice place to visit. It looks like a lovely place to take young kids. Educational and fun too.

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  12. This place looks really good to visit with kids. I am sure you guys had a great time there.

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  13. I love the aquarium and I have always wanted to visit Sealife. It looks like it was such a fun trip for you guys!

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