Mote Aquarium

Really cool aquarium, not huge, but big enough for the kids to enjoy. A lot of close ups of sharks, stingrays, etc! This was included on our zoo pass that Craig got this winter, so it was quite a deal to get in free....leave it to Craig!

Ready to see some fish!

Austin loved the sharks. We were just in time to see them fed. We went up to the top and were told kids couldn't go on the railing. It made me nervous to hold him over top of it as the volunteer told me the sharks were hungry....so we watched from below. Just as cool!

The stingrays had their stingers removed so you could pet them. Craig and I did, Austin tried, but chickened out when they would get close!

In this tank you could touch anything as long as you put in right back in. All of the workers here were 70+....just like everywhere else down here! They seem to really love to tell
you about stuff and they seem to love kids! Austin held a chocolate chip sea cucumber and some sort of spikey ball thing that I thought he was going to "pitch" across the room. His big sister Katelynn just "observed"! :)

My little sea urchins!

We headed over to the next building which housed only sick animals. This was a genetically deformed turtle named Edgar. She (yes she!) wanted to play with Katelynn.

Really big sea turtles!

These were just the hugest Manatees ever! Austin was really checking him out!

The Salty Dog

Have any of you seen this place on the Travel Channel? Craig did and that's why we were here for lunch after the aquarium. It was a cute little place right on the water with hotdogs and burgers. Num!

We love to eat outside!

The famous Salty Dog (fried, battered hotdog. It was good, but the regular hotdogs were not great.)

After lunch we drove up Longboat Key to check it out. Water front properties on both sides of the road. It was a beautiful day. Then naps and swimming at the pool. We ordered pizza and garlic knots from a little pizza place nearby and watched the Twins first game at Target Field! YAY!!