Blue Reef Aquarium, Hastings Review
Blue Reef Aquarium
Hastings
Reviewed by Amanda Hayes
We couldn’t have picked a better day for our trip to Hastings as there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, to make the most of it we packed small picnic lunch and drove from one side of Sussex to the other until we reached Hastings. Blue Reef Aquarium is located right on the end of the seafront just a minutes’ walk from the pebbly beach. There is plenty of parking right outside and at £3.00 for 24 hours you can make a day of it.
After a run about on the beach we went straight to the aquarium and were greeted quickly and warmly by the manager. We were given a pirate stamp on our hands and were given the explanation that the entry fee covers a one day pass not a one visit pass so that you can go in and out as many times as you like in that one day. I thought that was a great idea made even better by the fact that there are talks and demonstrations with the fish and reptiles every hour. Instead then of hanging around waiting for something in particular you could pop out and come back in at the required time.
My son was given a small plastic step to take so that he could see inside the tanks, he absolutely loved this carrying it everywhere himself and it really did make a difference to his enjoyment of the aquarium. The Blue Reef does not cover a massive area but does have a huge variety of different fish, loads that I hadn’t seen before. Even though it was fairly busy but there was still plenty of space to see the tanks unlike some of the larger aquariums we have visited and you never felt like you were rushed to move on. Half way round there is a jungle room which contains lizards, frogs and snakes. We were lucky to arrive just when the python was coming out of the tank for a demonstration, my son went straight up to stroke it and then I got offered the chance to hold it. It was such a weird feeling, so warm and soft, but when it started to slither up my arm I swiftly gave it back to the keeper!
Further round there are stingray tanks and an underwater tunnel where all kinds of fish including sharks swum above your head, you could take photos throughout so we ended up with some good memories to take home.
We went round the aquarium once and because we were waiting for feeding time, went and had our picnic on the beach. We then walked along to the Lifeboat house, viewed the lifeboat, saw the mini railway and watched the cog railway go up and down the cliff before returning to the aquarium for a final visit. The highlight of this was the huge octopus who had woken up and was swimming around his tank.
Blue Reef was a good way to while away a couple of hours and my son loved it, at around £8.00 I thought it provided good value for money for a one day pass. You could also purchase yearly passes for £26.00 that also allowed you entry into other aquariums such as Portsmouth. A further option is a multi-ticket which also grants you entry into Hastings Castle and Smugglers Cove, great if it’s a bad day weather wise. The aquarium is a little dated in places, such as the toilets, but the shop and café were clean and well stocked. The café holds children’s parties which include a meal and aquarium visit and there was one going on when we arrived, the children all looked like they were enjoying themselves and it was a little different from the ordinary party options.
There is loads to do and see around this area, the Hastings Herring Fair was on when we were there and we popped our heads in to see the fish and also the live bands playing in the adjacent marquee.
Blue Reef Aquarium is well worth a visit especially when tied in with a few of the other attractions in the area, many free or low cost, to make a great family day out.
Rating: 4.5/5
Tickets cost from £6.70 to £28.90 (door price), book online 2 hours in advance for reduced prices.
For more information or to book tickets visit www.bluereefaquarium.co.uk/hastings.
Blue Reef Aquarium, Rock-A-Nore Road, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 3DW | 01424 718776
