Destinations

DESTINATIONS

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Monterey, California

SO, YOU MISSED THIS year’s Grand Prix at Laguna Seca? If so, and if you have any interest at all in motorcycle roadracing, you should consider building next year's vacation around 1989's mid-April GP. The exact date and ticket information will soon be available by calling (408) 373-1811.

But racing is far from being Monterey’s only attraction. There are many other must-sees in the area, not the least of which is the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Considered by many experts the

finest exhibition of its type in the world, the Aquarium displays an amazing variety of fish and other marine life that inhabit the local bay. And unlike most other public aquariums, this one is also a working marine research

institute. So, the quality of the displays, and their realism, are unmatched anyplace. As you walk through the scores of separate displays, you can watch an octopus the size of a small child crawling over rocks, or see 7-foot

sharks gliding gracefully through the huge main display tank, co-existing among more different species of other fish than you ever imagined existed. There’s even a petting pool where you can find out how a manta ray feels.

As one visitor at the aquarium said, “I don’t even like fish, but this is wonderful.” The only drawbacks are the large crowds, so plan on visiting mid-week, perhaps near the 10 a.m. opening time (it closes at 6 p.m.). Admission is $7 for adults,

$3 for children. The address is 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940; (408) 375-3333.

Steve Anderson