AQUARIUMS

[osprey]

Where in the area is the best aquarium for taking a couple of kids to? I'm getting the job of babysitter for a day and that's what i'd like to do for them.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Well, there's the Philly aquarium (Camden, NJ), and there's the Baltimore aquarium. Baltimore is closer for you - about 3 hours, and is the better choice.

Spending six hours in a car with kids may qualify you for sainthood. :lol:

If it were me in your shoes, I'd just take 'em to Cabela's - they have a few aquariums with fish you'll actually be able to identify, and.........they have a fly shop! The restaurant there has kid friendly foods, too.

Good luck!

 

[jdaddy]

Balt >>>>Camden

There is a cool "activity" center in Balt as well.

Is there something closer in Pitt?

 

[SBecker]

How about taking them to feed the fish at a trout hatchery? My son loves it, just as i did when I was a kid.

 

[osprey]

LRSABecker............i completely forgot about that. We used to do it when we were kids too , my dad , while not saintly in appearance , must have been a saint , he used to take several of us not only to the hatchery to feed the trout but also fishing , looking back , and dealing now with the reality of being responsible for as many as 5 or 6 youngsters at once , i honestly don't know how he did it , and he did it frequently. I guess they will still let you do that. (feed the fish?) Does anyone know? The Reynoldsdale hatchery , which now has a visitors center with an aquarium , filled with fish from Pennsylvania waters , is what i'm inclined to try but i wish i knew for sure if they still let you feed them. Inner Harbor and the old Camden Yards was also an option , i have a bud who lives in Belair MD. he was gonna be our tour guide , but the 5-6 hour drive from J-town was a negative fer sure. Thank you all for your help , David , i'll probably visit the one in Pittsburgh too on a future outing , if this arouses interest , i'd like to make fish , water , aquariums , etc. my regular thing with these kids , eventually actually fishing , right now there are three , 2 five year olds , a boy and a girl , and 1 four year old boy , the five year olds start school this year. Thank you all for your help , i'm gonna need it.

 

[David]

Well, the offer stands Osprey...drop me a pm anytime. We get the membership every year.

 

[dryflyguy]

My grandaughter really enjoyed feeding those giant trout at Talleyrand park in Bellefonte.
There are also lots of large trout at the big spring pool in Roaring Spring,south of Holidaysburg. That would probably be closer for you.

The aquarium at Highland Park zoo in the burgh is well worth visiting

 

[Maurice]

Huntsdale FCS has a tank with just about every species of fish in PA and a few trout tanks and even a series of runs where they keep these ginormous trouts even the infamous blue trout.

It may be closer to you (off the carlisle exit of the turnpike).

 

[FarmerDave]

osprey wrote:
LRSABecker............i completely forgot about that. We used to do it when we were kids too , my dad , while not saintly in appearance , must have been a saint , he used to take several of us not only to the hatchery to feed the trout but also fishing...

huh?

I have taken a few fish from a hatchery in my young outlaw days, but ...

Well, Dad did take us fishing occasionally, but never at a hachery. :lol:

Just funnin. I knew what you meant.

 

[RyanR]

Isn't there a freshwater aquarium in Pittsburg now? I thought I read about that the other year when the BASSmasters were in town, supposed to show the species in the Three Rivers?

 

[MattBoyer]

dryflyguy wrote:
The aquarium at Highland Park zoo in the burgh is well worth visiting

What he said. It is smaller than Baltimore, but well worth the trip. Throw n the fact that it's inside a decent zoo and it's a clear winner.

Boyer

 

[dryflyguy]

Matt - the polar bear exhibit alone is worth the price of admission IMO.

Ryan - I can't recall exactly, but I'm pretty sure that they have a tank with fish from the area

 

[gfen]

I've taken the kids to the hatchery many times, they enjoy it immensely but I'm not sure if I'd think it was worth more than a 45 minute drive, except maybe to see once.

We also took them to Camden, which was pretty good albeit expensive. I thought there was a sister site for Camden out in the Ohio area, plus isn't there a SeaWorld over there somewhere?

Cabela's is pretty much a bust. Then again, they've seen it a few times, too. When they were very little, the first time, it was cool to them.

Baltimore is really nice, but I've never done it with the kids. Someday, but not this year..or the next. Don't leave the inner harbour area, it goes downhill very fast.

I've got a great story about walking to Poe House located in the middle of some Baltimore PJs, but this isn't the time for it. Suffice to say, the HUD cop who was polishing his rimz looked at my wife and I and said, "Don't worry, I'll watch you." I won't visit outside Inner Harbour again, ever.