Kelly Tarlton's

[ski3bee]

We will have two days in Auckland and was wondering if Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter is worth visiting. :confused: It is featured in our discover New Zealand brochure. Any sight seeing advice would be appreciated, we are scheduled for a city tour on our first morning in Auckland and from there we are on our own.

Thank you.

S

[mipps]

I have always enjoyed going there. Its been a few years and I see they have added more exhibits.

http://www.kellytarltons.co.nz/

 

Victoria Park Market. I would chuck this place in the schedule

http://www.victoria-park-market.co.nz/

 

catch the ferry to either Waiheke or Rangitoto Islands

http://www.waiheke.co.nz/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangitoto_Island

Fullers for the ferry

http://fullers.co.nz/

 

I hope that gives you a couple of ideas

 

:)

[Mary Ellen]

It's been aboput 10 years since we went to Kelly Tarlton's. It was OK, I'd do other things in Aukland. If you've been to any good sized aquarium it will be about the same. I don't remember an 'Antarctic Encounter' there, so that may be new.

 

We did greatly enjoy the Antarctic Visitor's Center near the Christchurch airport. If you have time in Christchurch it is worthwhile, if interested in Antarctica.

[Spikesgirl]

We visited the aquarium during out trip in '04 and enjoyed it. The penguins were cute. but I'm a sucker for anything in a black-and-white suit! Seriously, if you've nothing else to do, this was a fun way to spend a couple of hours, but I would sort of put it lower on your list. There's an awful lot to do in Aukland!

 

Charlie

[free101girl]

We weren't too impressed. It's a bit cheesy.

 

The Sydney Aquarium is 1000% better.

[Yungs]

Kelly Tarltons is expensive ($28 full price) for what it offers. Had it been about $15 then I would be a lot happier with my experience. We tried to catch the free shuttle that they had advertised which leaves every hour from Skytower. Well, shuttle arrives, 11 seats, 23 people. Guess who got left behind, all the people with little kids. Yes ok maybe that's out of their control but perhaps management should get a bigger bus as this appears to be a recurring problem. Finally get there on the next bus, waited 20 minutes to even get inside as there is only one ticket booth. Very dark corridor with nothing to look at. Some people had prepaid tickets and there were no staff members to get these people to come to the front of the queue and get in a little faster. In comparison, there were three, sometimes four people manning the penguin ride which seemed a little excessive. Surely one of these people might have been spared to go help with the ridiculous queues outside?

The entire place is tiny compared to the only other underwater world I have been to, the one in Mooloolaba in Queensland, Aust. It was a shock to the system to discover that we might conceivably spend less time inside than we had spent getting there, and queuing up for tickets. The place appears to be set up to separate you from your money. Give it a miss. Go to the Auckland museum instead, which we enjoyed.