One of our favourite aquariums to visit as a family is The Deep in Hull. We don't get over to Hull as often as we would like to, but when we do, we love to visit. From lagoons to Amazon rainforest, to penguins and sharks, The Deep is a delight for all ages.
There are so many different displays and a great hands-on approach to learning. I remember how dull school visits could be when I was younger. The Deep is nothing like this, with every display giving an opportunity through either reading, interaction or simply watching and appreciating.
The Cool Seas is an amazing exhibition which enables you to discover the mysteries of the deep seas. It's a really fun, hands-on exhibition and includes my favourites, the jellyfish! They are so incredible to watch, and the way they move is absolutely fascinating. There are loads of different elements to this part of the aquarium, and plenty of places for the children to learn about the ocean and also the impact plastic is having on our seas.
When you enter the Kingdom of Ice, the walls are actually made of ice, so you can actually touch it and feel how cold the polar oceans are. The Gentoo penguins live in here and they are absolutely enchanting to watch. Either when they are just hanging around together, or darting through the water looking like the most incredible underwater synchronised swimming display. I could spend a very long time just watching them. In fact, it was my children who dragged me
This was the first time that we have visited since the introduction of the Loggerhead sea turtles to the Endless Ocean. The turtles are so graceful, and their display home has 2.5 million litres of water and 87 tonnes of salt along with some of the most incredible animals in the sea. The Deep centres around this display, and there are so many different ways to view it.
At the very end of your adventure, there is an incredible glass lift which takes you up to the exit, which has the most incredible views. What we tend to do is get the lift, then walk down the stairs and then walk back up again! We definitely make the most of the end of the trip! I could spend hours sitting looking at the display on the upper level, especially on a quiet day when you do not feel rushed. It's simply mesmerising watching the incredible variety of marine life! For more information about The Deep, check out their website.
I booked an AirBnB in the Fruit Market area of Hull, which was around a five minute walk to The Deep. It was a really nice area to explore, and my children became my photographers for half an hour as the backdrops there were so perfect for Instagram! The street art is good too, and there are a couple of Banksys in Hull that are worth checking out.
Hull was a wonderful surprise of a city and I am really glad that we decided to stay over to make a trip out of it. We'll definitely be staying over again and would love to explore the city a little more. There is a video below of The Deep, if you fancy watching a little more.
Disclosure: We were provided with tickets for the purpose of this review. All opinion is my own.