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.

Local Science: Randolph College SciFest

J and I (K) are both educators, and we hear a lot about STEM education and its cousins, STEAM and STEM-H.  It's true that scientific thinking is important now and will be important in the future, regardless of one's chosen adult roles.  We work hard to try to help E, age 8, and G, age 4, learn various disciplines for thinking, and right now, a lot of that is about exposure to ideas and people who are passionate about them.  The Randolph College SciFest, an annual event including Science Day for kids, has become a favorite way to encourage E.  By next year, it might be a good fit for G, too.

When E realized we were headed to Science Day, he remembered his first trip last year and building cool boats to carry pennies fondly.  He was eager to get in place and explore this year's topics, which, from observation of the gym, included connections to archaeology, math, and earth and space science quite clearly.  Science Day features a rotation of such activities lasting about 4 hours and allowing kids to mingle with new friends (or the friends they brought with them).  It's like a combination of the best of the interactivity of science classrooms/labs and science museums.  It's not as intense or themed as a science camp, but the quality of activities is similar.

Honestly, I (K) had not been to the Randolph College campus before, so SciFest has become a great excuse to go.  One of my very bright faculty members is a Randolph grad, and the campus consistently presents as encouraging academics and true community.  (While I certainly recognize the importance of college athletics and social life, I prefer campuses that don't overemphasize these elements of the college experience.)  The students at Science Day are diverse, energetic, and thoughtful--way to represent, Randolph!  They also keep a good handle on the kids while preserving a fun atmosphere.

If you go to Science Day, know that a parent/guardian must stay present on campus.  You can visit the well-regarded Maier Museum's art collection and engage in similar activities, like a campus tour, or you can be like me and sit in the stands and do some homework, although I know I must take in the Maier Museum soon.  The generosity of area businesses provides the kids materials, T-shirts, and snacks.  If you are interested in going next year, start following I Love Randolph Science on Facebook and watch for registration dates--this amazing FREE event often fills up.  On event day, dress comfortably for inside and outside activities and arrive about an hour before start for the best parking choices.  More interested in the Roanoke area?  Try the Virginia Tech Science Festival and/or Senses and Scienceability at Jefferson College. We also like to think of college campuses as wonderful places to go for a walk/access interesting events, and we've visited Washington and Lee, VMI, Roanoke College, and Hollins College particularly.

Simply Amazing That Our Kids Hadn't Been Here: Lynchburg's Amazement Square

We live in Roanoke--and we'd never taken our kids to Lynchburg's children's museum, best known as Amazement Square?  Hard to believe, but true, so we were very thankful when dear friends invited us out with their family for a day at this truly-geared-for-kids museum. 

Amazement Square is an impressively interactive place--and among children's museums, its indoor climbing tower is known as the tallest in the nation and has many fun features, including a room-to-room zipline.  The museum is also well-known for its plexiglass painting room, but Elijah's favorite exhibit was the canal water table.  Gwen enjoyed the Big Red Barn toddler area--and honestly, her mom did, too, playing in the "underground" tunnel.  Several exhibit spaces allow for lots of "getting energy out" with gross motor activities, including a fun bug exhibit built for crawling in and on.  It's also one of those places when you can feel good about your kids exploring pretty freely--there's only one real entrance/exit, and it is monitored; just be advised that there are stairs if you have kiddos that aren't particularly sure-footed or are still crawling.

We recommend you visit, especially if you have kids between about 4 and 8, but kids of other ages will have a blast, too.  If you go, The Depot Grille is nearby (walkable) and good for a casual lunch.  It impresses Elijah as a restored train station.  On the date of our visit, we seemed to have "good timing"--eating lunch at the Depot noonish and then going to the museum just as lots of other families seemed to be doing the opposite.  For our take on another children's museum, this one in Greensboro, NC, click here. 

Cemetery-As-A-Park: Lynchburg's Old City Cemetery

It was time to take a brief trip out of town, and we went searching for something unique to do that wouldn't take tons of time or energy in honor of Justin's birthday.  Kim hit the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors' Center, and upon picking up a pamplet featuring Lynchburg's Old City Cemetery, the where-to-go decision was easy.  We've been to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, and we've read all about how the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, area developed as a park/burial ground.  Our little trip to Lynchburg provided similar fascination--and a quick getaway from the Roanoke area as we awaited baby Gwen.

In short, the cemetery is a delightful place for an interesting garden walk.  There are civil war period graves, there's an ash garden for pets, and there's a pretty little garden pond. The cemetery also features several "museums," perhaps better termed displays and exhibits, that are worth a stop to hear the associated audio.  We especially enjoyed the Pest House Medical Museum, an interesting glimpse into hygeine and health in early Lynchburg, and the Hearse House and Caretakers' Museum, a memorial of sorts to those who've maintained the impressive cemetery grounds.  Expect to see some minor archeological digging and to be welcomed by friendly staff in the Cemetery Center (do plan to go when the center is open, typically 10-3 Monday-Saturday).  Think about the number of staff and volunteers dedicated to the site--it's impressive!  One challenge: parking, especially on the prom weekend we visited--many teens were on site to be photographed with their dates.    Consider planning your visit when you can most enjoy a nice walk, probably in the Virginia spring or fall. 

When in the Lynchburg area, we always have to direct families with kids to Little Dickens, a fabulous book-and-brainy-toys store that also features a small cafe and a wide selection of used books for various audiences.  One can find local interest books here as well.  Too bad their website does not seem to be accessible as we blog--but do GPS their address, 2236 Lakeside Drive. 

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