A Little Adventure, Close By: SeaQuest Lynchburg

There's a new attraction at Lynchburg's River Ridge Mall in Virginia, a shopping destination many locals will once remember through images like these (follow link to Live Malls blog).  In an effort to attract new crowds, the mall's latest tenant is the edutainment venue SeaQuest. SeaQuest is part petting zoo, part aquarium -- and definite attraction.  On the day of our weekend visit, we experienced crowds in the SeaQuest space itself and a bustling mall corridor in the area near SeaQuest, if not foot traffic in nearby stores we quickly visited.  The SeaQuest site itself looks smaller than expected from the exterior of the mall but larger than expected once inside.

SeaQuest features a variety of animals, mainly small amphibians, reptiles, and marine life.  Yes, the animals below are wallabies -- there are some exceptions to my list of animal types.  Visitors progress through themed areas that give a sense of ecological diversity in a constructed environment.

G, age 6, was proud that she touched a silky chicken, and the stingray touch tank, including a "crawl in" space, was a clear favorite.  Popular exhibits with guests at large include sloths and tropical birds.

In short, the kids enjoyed the surprise mom date at SeaQuest and did not seem rattled by the crowds -- but did want to go rather than swing back through with tokens for food and add-on experiences.  They do want to return -- and E wants to snorkel with the stingrays for his birthday this year if we can swing it.

Things to Know

• Tokens are available for purchase that can be spent on food for animals and/or added experiences.  Not completely knowing how the system worked, I decided to take the kids through, scope out what we wanted to do with tokens, and then return to buy the desired amount.  We had fun petting many animals without need for tokens.  The kids found dropped food on exhibits (there was actually a lot) for the animals and were delighted to put their hands in touch tanks even without food.
• Are you a teacher in Virginia?  If you take teacher ID (must say teacher) to this location or are listed in the Virginia Department of Education license query as holding a teaching license, you and your family enter for free!  Foster families have a similar deal.
• There are some concerns reported online about SeaQuest's treatment of animals from various sources.  I reviewed a smattering of this information and still decided to make a visit, wanting to become more knowledgeable about the attraction.  The apparent physical crowding and constant stimulation of some animals gave me some pause, but I also noted that the attendants seemed to genuinely enjoy their work and show concern for the animals.  I am hopeful this location will avoid some of the possible challenges of others in the chain.  The public also needs to be engaged in showing appropriate care; an overheard employee story, for example, revealed that a guest had tried to add found amphibians from the community to one of the tanks.
• Try to plan your visit for a weekday to skip the crowds.
• There is a gift shop with themed merchandise -- but we did not find logo items.
• Planning a birthday party?  They do have a party space -- but you could also add a SeaQuest visit on to a visit to a nearby fast food restaurant meal or candy store shopping experience.
• This is not really a zoo.  It is an animal attraction, and the animals will be close to you.  If you are interested in a zoo, we definitely recommend the North Carolina Zoo.  This site is also not your traditional aquarium.  If you'd like a kid-friendly zoo/aquarium experience, try Greensboro Science Center.  The Clearwater Aquarium is also a great, father afield experience.  Want to find out if your kids like touch tanks in an environment that also provides other experiences?  The Science Museum of Western Virginia may scratch that itch.

For Further Exploration

• If you are out and about in Lynchburg with kids, you also want to know about the children's museum Amazement Square -- an excellent option for your visit.  If you visit like the Haltermans, it would be hard to do both Amazement Square and SeaQuest in one day.