Monterey Bay Aquarium

Located just two hours south of San Francisco, Monterey makes for a perfect day trip from the Bay Area. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Monterey Bay four times in the last year, for a variety of reasons, including weddings and personal trips. This March, when I was down in Monterey for a couple days, I visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium for the first time in almost ten years. It’s a beautiful, thoughtfully presented aquarium known for its dedication to ocean conservation. Since I visited the aquarium two days in a row, I opted to become a member and would soon return for a third visit in April with my friends Tiffany, Dan, and Paul too. Below are some highlights from across multiple visits:

The kelp forest is one of the centerpieces of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In order to sustain these live California Giant Kelp, fresh water is pumped directly from the bay daily; a surge machine mimics natural tides; and the top of the exhibit is open to the sky for natural sunlight.

Giant Pacific Octopus. I see you, you see me.

I spy one little sardine going against the tide.

Are cuttlefish cute? We debated for a bit.

Paul, Tiffany, and Dan ponder the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s famous “Seafood Watch,” a list that categorizes seafood by what’s sustainable or not.

Hide n seek.

I’m proud to be a member of the Monterey Bay Aquarium with their mission to inspire conservation of the oceans. Check it out yourself on your next trip to Monterey!

Anna Wu is a wedding and portrait photographer based in San Francisco but often traveling and working around the world. She creates beautiful, soft, and timeless imagery while capturing the most fleeting of moments. View her work at annawu.com, follow her daily adventures on instagram, or contact her to book your own session today.