Last weekend we visited the National Marine Aquarium at Plymouth harbour. It was our third visit - you can return for free throughout the year after buying your first ticket. To do this you need to bring a passport photo for each person so check out the terms and conditions on their website before going (
http://www.national-aquarium.co.uk). You also get 10% off by booking online, plus much faster entry.
As you can see from the pictures it was a rainy day, and I would highly recommend it as an all weather activity. For each visit we've spent about half a day in the aquarium and then also had a walk around the harbour, by the famous Mayflower steps.
Inside the aquarium is set over several levels with some fantastic deep tanks where you can sit and watch sharks swim past. There are endless educational displays and it is a fascinating day out for all ages. I really have nothing to say on the marine life, so clearly I learned very little :-)
There are lots of activities aimed at small children, and helpful stools for them to climb on to get a better look. Although virtually every family in the place had a pushchair, there are a few parts which are less pushchair friendly as you have to take a lift up and down. The majority of the place is accessed via a sloping walkway making it much easier to get around.
There is a playcentre in the cafe which is immediately in front of you when you arrive. It's a great idea, but can be a bit stressful as it is overcrowded with not enough cafe space for all of the waiting parents. If you can possibly avoid eating at the aquarium I would. There isnt an obvious indoor picnic space and the cafe is too small and fairly expensive. There are loads of lovely cafes in the nearby harbour.
All in all a great experience. Like most family day trips, it could be expensive if you go once, but if you live in Devon and can repeat the visit then it is great value for money.
We have an annual ticket for the whole family which costs £45. Family day entry is £24.95 (under 3's free), so if you're going more than once then it is worth getting the membership. The membership also lets you in to Morwellham Quay near Tavistock. Bicton is open all year round.
There is a lovely train ride around the park which lasts approx 25 mins. It's a great way to see the gardens and is a must for small children. It costs £1.50 per person.
There is also a Victorian costume room where you could try on period outfits. For the little ones there is a playground right next to the entrance which our children loved, and which we had to eventually drag them away from. We enjoyed a tasty and reasonably priced meal at the Ship Inn restaurant on-site and felt welcome there as a family (ie I was breast-feeding the baby and my 2 older ones were noisy!). There are also picnic tables outside if you want to bring your own food.
Here in Devon we're having loads of sunshine which is BRILLIANT for looking after the children! But... it's still England so there are rainy days and also showers. Today we've had warm sunshine and then downpours. We've been out in the garden doing some digging whenever we can. Our plan is to plant some vegetables to teach the children (and us!) about the patience it takes to grow things.