Family vacations can be rough, even when there are just three of you (my wife, our 5-year-old son Quinn and me). In addition to the stress of traveling and spending 24/7 with each other, vacations can also be expensive.
But they don’t have to be, as my family recently discovered when we decided to “vacation” close to home and headed up I-75 from Lexington to the Newport Aquarium.
My first suggestion is to get there early, during their summer hours they open at 9 a.m. That is when I would show up, if for no other reason to see the “Penguin Parade,” an up-close encounter with three of the aquarium’s penguins who, along with a human performer, get everyone pumped up before entering.
Plus, for those of us who don’t live in the area, arriving in Newport early allows you the opportunity to do a little sight-seeing. Newport on the Levy is quiet and quite beautiful. We started on the renowned Purple People Bridge and, other than a few joggers, we walked across the river by ourselves.
The glass tube-like walk through the exhibit areas were a favorite of ours. My wife even managed a “selfie” with one of the staff in scuba gear. Quinn managed to bounce from display to display, taking it all in at a break-neck pace; although he did hesitate when it came to touching some of the marine life, especially the small sharks.
They have also opened “Canyon Falls” exhibit this year, which features Asian small-clawed otters, exotic lizards and Thunder the 100-year-old snapping turtle, Newport Aquarium’s elder statesman. The otters weren’t morning people and though we did get to see one or two, they pretty much stayed away. Quinn did not believe that Thunder was real. According to his vast scientific knowledge, turtles don’t get that big or that old.
Quinn was finally cut loose at the “Frog Bog” a giant play area with games and a jungle gym. One of the games was a large step-on version of “Frogger,” which happens to be a Halcomb household favorite. The jungle gym was a thumbs-up from him as well.
After taking a lunch break in the cafeteria, which isn’t painfully expensive and has a pretty solid selection of food, we came to the big highlight for this year: the “Shark Bridge.” The Shark Bridge is a 75-foot-long rope bridge that hangs above the large shark tank. It gives folks a unique perspective of the tank, with an element of adventure. It is also a “Ninja Warrior” level challenge for someone clumsy and with flat feet like me, especially after that third trip across. Quinn found more fun in trudging across the rope bridge than what was happening in the shark tank below. We were able to take our time (another privilege of an early arrival) and enjoy.
You exit to the gift shop where trinkets galore – and the parting of your money – await. Quinn found a water-squirter that had some serious power and distance; it came in very handy in the pool later that night.
Newport Aquarium is one of the best trips a family can take, for the money and for the fun. It is in the midst of its extended summer hours (June 1-Aug. 31) and are open from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
I highly recommend you take advantage of those hours, especially if you want to have the best possible time for your money.
James Halcomb is a self-described “desk jockey” at UK Hospital in Lexington. He has spent much of his 40 years with his nose in a book, his eyes staring at a screen, ears covered by earphones or his mouth stuffed with food. As a result, he is an avid film nerd, TV geek, food snob and book buff. He is a member of the Appalachian Writers Association and contributing writer for The Good Men Project. He lucked into meeting the love of his life, Tammy, and married her. They have a 5-year-old-son, Quinn.