SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium

About

Kelly Tarlton's is built inside decommissioned sewage storage tanks under Tamaki Drive, which is a better origin story than most attractions manage. The curved walk-through tunnels were among the first of their kind anywhere, and you get sharks and rays passing over your head rather than beside you. The Antarctic section holds king and gentoo penguins in a chilled enclosure, and it's the part small children tend to stall in front of. Feeding times are scheduled and posted, and timing your visit around one or two makes a real difference. It's entirely indoors and compact enough to do in ninety minutes, which makes it a reliable wet-weather option. Tamaki Drive and Mission Bay are a short walk or drive along the waterfront afterwards if the weather turns.