Over and underwater exploring with Lego and Weymouth Sealife Centre
We’ve been to a few sea life centres, but when we had a drizzly day while on holiday, I decided that Sealife Centre Weymouth would be the place to visit.
I had a voucher from nursery, so we both got in for half price which is always good news. I was pleased to see that Lego were doing a special summer event at the centre, so there was a Lego City Explorer play area where children could build models, and enjoy some challenges, plus have their photo taken ‘underwater’.
The Weymouth sea life centre has more walking from place to place than other centres we’ve been to. As well as the Lego challenge finding the ‘lost’ lego sculptures N also had stamps to get in his booklet in each of the ‘rooms’.
He loved making the stamps in his book himself.
We’re never usually around for the set talks, but just make our own way round. We did enjoy the rock pooling section. N wasn’t too sure of the gushing water, but loved looking under the water.
Unfortunately the weather wasn’t warm enough for him to go paddling or play in the water fountain area, but he did drag me onto the water ride. Like a mini flume ride, it was N’s first time of riding one, and was a good one for children having a first go. We did get drenched which N thought was brilliant.
There’s plenty of different animals to look at, from fish, rays and sharks, to turtles, seals and otters.
The otters were a rowdy rabble. Usually when I’ve ‘seen’ otters, they’ve been hiding away, but these were out and noisy, fighting each other and ‘shouting’ away.
I love watching the jellyfish – I’d not want to meet them on the beach, but they look beautiful with the lights behind them.
The seals weren’t showing themselves much
And the ocean tunnel was a bit busy to get to see what was swimming round. There was still plenty to see in the turtles area.
The sea horses, which N recognised straight away. I’m not sure how!
N spotted the play area with the rides. Most of them were free and included in the price, but he didn’t want to go on the proper rides. Instead he wanted a go on the usual £1 rides. I refused to pay, but where there’s a will there’s a way, and N lucked out finding the ride that had spare payment in to get a free ride.
The one failure was the restaurants. We headed for food at the café near the exit before leaving. I wanted something hot (at least a panini), but N wanted sandwiches. It turned out that the café was more like a restaurant, but only serving hot meals. We were sent back into the centre again to the café/kiosk where they served sandwiches and snacks. But the sandwiches looked like horrible prepacked which I wasn’t going to pay £4 for. There were no paninis, with the only hot food being hot dogs. I thought it was ridiculous splitting the eateries into hot and cold food. What if families wanted to eat across the two? Plus there wasn’t enough seating at the café/kiosk compared with the restaurant which had empty seats.
Instead, I took N to the café across the car park and we had a good lunch there, a lot cheaper than at Sea Life Centre.
We collected N’s reward for finishing the Dive Challenge. He wasn’t sure of the meaning or use of the discs, but it’s nice to have a reward that’s not food like at some places.
It was a nice sea life centre. It was unfortunate that the weather wasn’t the best, because there was a lovely Castaway crew area, with paddling pool and various fountains for running through. I think if you have an offer it’s great value. One of our camping friends went a few days after us on a day when it rained all day, and found out that if it rains for more than an hour of your trip, then you can get a refund of some of your entry costs.
What’s your favourite sea life centre and sea creature?
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