Family Traveler

116France’sNationalSeaCentreinBoulogne-sur-Mer(halfanhour’sdrivefromCalais)isoneofthelargestaquariumsinEurope.Itfocusesonhumans’relationshipwiththesea–includingexhibitionsabouttheMediterraneanandtheworld’soceans,andalookatanoceanographicresearchvessel–andchildrencanwatchthefeedingofthecolourfulreeffish(includingangelfish,surgeonfish,coralfish,cowfish,andbatfish)aswellasscubadiverscarryingouttank-basedtasks.ThecentrehelpedfoundtheWorldOceanNetwork,aninternationalassociationofmuseums,aquariums,researchcentres,educationalcharitiesandNGOssetuptoincreasepublicawarenessoftheimportanceoftheocean,andtheimpacteverydayactivitieshaveonthemarineenvironment.Over-12s£15;children(3-12)£10.nausicaa.co.ukWHERE TOSTAY:Thelodgeatthenearby18th-centuryhouseVillaSainteClaire(onedoubleandtwosinglebeds)costsfrom£315foraweek.villa-sainte-claire.fr``````BasedinTelegraphCove–aboardwalkedresortonNorthernVancouverIsland(oneofNorthAmerica’spopularwhale-watchingsites)–thismuseumisoneofthebestplacestoseeskeletonsofmarinewildlife,includingorcas,otters,dolphins,andahugesuspendedskeletonofafinwhale–thesecond-largestlivingmammal.Staffprovideafascinatinginsightintothelocal``````NausicaáFRANCETheWhaleInterpretiveCentreBRITISHCOLUMBIA687Choosebetweenmorethanadozenexhibitions,rangingfromrockshorestokelpforeststotheopensea.Thereareanimalfactcardsforchildrentocreatetheirfieldguidestotheanimalstheyseeduringtheirvisit,aswellashomemade‘aquascopes’thatallowlittle(andnotsolittle)onestoinvestigatetidal-poollife.Adults£27.50;childrenoverthree£17.montereybayaquarium.orgWHERE TOSTAY:AdjacenttotheaquariumisIntercontinentalTheClementMonterey.ItsAquariumPackageincludesaccommodationandtwotwo-dayexpress-entryticketstotheaquarium,from£170pernight.ictheclementmonterey.comn8 OFTHEBESTSEALIFECENTRESmarinelife,andthere’salsoaninvertebrateaquariumandakids’activitysection.Agreatplacetospendafewhourspre-orpost-whale-watchingtrips.TheCentreisrunbythenon-profitJohnstoneStraitKillerWhaleInterpretiveCentreSocietyandaimstoraisepublicunderstandingofthethreatstomarinelife.Entranceisbysuggesteddonation:Adults£2.50;children£1.50killerwhalecentre.orgWHERE TOSTAY:Justacrosstheboardwalk,TelegraphCoveResortshascabinstorent,suchastheOkuraHouse,whichsleepssix(oneking-sizeandtwosinglesintheothertworooms),from£95pernight.telegraphcoveresort.comMontereyBayAquariumCALIFORNIA``````NICETOEATYOU?Asharktakesacloserlookathishumantankmate``````PHO``````TO``````GRAPHS:``````ALAM``````Y,ROSENFELD/NA``````USICAA