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The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is a large aquarium in Draper. With the new Skaggs Learning Center addition it claims to now be the 4th largest in the country. It features 7 habitats with species from around the world.
We love the aquarium, particularly the penguins, so we get memberships and go several times a year. It is a great option to do on gross weather days.
This is going to be a two-day hybrid post with 2 visits quite close together. Original March visit with family in black, and additional photos from a few weeks later in red.
Quick Details:
Length: However much you wander. I usually clock about ~1.5 ish miles.
Trail Type: Meander
Difficulty: DR2. Modern buildings with ADA access.
Elevation Gain: 1 story, a few times.
Restroom: Several
Dogs? No.
Other Info: Fee area. Starting at $17.95
To Get Here:
Take I15 to exit 291 for 12300 s. Go west to the first light and turn right on Lone Peak Parkway and it will be on the right very shortly.
12033 S Lone Peak Pkwy, Draper, UT 84020, USA
We were meeting with some friends and family that were taking the train from Ogden. So we met them at the South Jordan Frontrunner Station and continued from there via bus on the F514.
I love these old clocks! This train station is fairly new though (post 2011), so either it was moved here or it is a reproduction?
The front.
Using google lens, I found that these are called Street Clocks or Post Clocks. Usually located in downtown areas or near parks. They were frequently installed in the early 20th century. And yes, many of these vintage clocks have been restored and preserved by local historical societies and rotary clubs. I think this is about the 4th or 5th one we have found so far. I might do a neat clock post sometime.
The Frontrunner station again.
Neat art.
Again.
The Front runner station again.
This particular one not only chimes, but plays a melody on the hour. If any of the others I have seen do that, I have yet to catch it on the hour to notice.
Closer.
The front. It says City of South Jordan on it. I really do like these clocks! But also, I really had nothing better to do while we waited for our bus.
Eventually we made it to the aquarium. Don’t get me started on my feelings about how inefficient I think UTA is. But, I will say, exploring the world via public transit is a whole different experience that I haven’t done really since my 20’s.
It is extra frustrating doing it with someone in a wheelchair. It blows me away how little the average person does not considers Americans with disabilities and little things like maintaining ramps and parking areas that allow them to get around on their own.
The Claw.
We started in the new Expedition Asia.
It is now located in the new Skaggs Learning center.
Tree kangaroo.
So cute.
The next time.
Oh. They put a small rope bridge in here too. I didn’t get a picture today, but there is a longer one in the South America habitat.
Another turtle.
One of the Asian short claw otters is out.
And is apparently itchy.
Quite itchy.
He stopped scratching and grooming for a second.
So cute!
Whoa! The binturongs are being active right now.
I forget what this is, but he is very well camouflaged
Tree snake.
Spotted beetles.
Asian Clouded leopard. He or she is wayyy up there!
Komodo Dragon.
The other side.
Closer. Man, look at those claws!
Heading in to the main building.
Starting with Antarctica Adventure.
Jellies
Closer.
Moon jellies.
Penguins!
Floating. It is super neat to see them from this vantage.
I love the lower viewing area where you can watch them swimming.
I love watching them swim.
Birds of the sea.
One of the newer macaroni penguins.
Swimming.
Enormous shrimp in the Deep Sea Lab.
The upper viewing area for the penguins. We arrived at feeding time.
Floating.
This is one of the babies that was born here at the aquarium last year. He/she has a different color band. The Gentoo penguins have green bands for girls (right), and purple bands for boys, This one is turquois.
This little lady came up close for a picture.
Another one of the first years. With a peach band.
Another pretty lady.
Swimming.
Another curious little lady. Hello friend!
So pretty.
Feeding the penguins.
Another first year with a pink band.
Adult male (left) and female.
First year with a peach band again.
Handsome.
First year (pink), adult male, ? possibly another first year, and first year (turquoise).
Floating.
More floating.
The final 1st year with a lime green band! That makes all 4 that were born here last year. 2 individuals and a set of twins.
From what I recall, in the wild they would abandon 1 of the eggs. And previously, the aquarium would take that abandoned egg and give it to another couple. This time though, if I understand what the host said, they allowed the parents to raise both? .. I might need to dig into that some more.
1st years, green and peach.
If they have been named yet, I didn’t see it.
Swimming.
Another macaroni at the upper viewing area.
It is mating season, so most of them have paired up, and are occupying the little alcoves.
Another macaroni.
It took me a second to realize this sign is all of the penguins that were born here at the LLP aquarium. Including the four, FOUR, born last year. So, it looks like they have been named now.
And this one shows the ones that were transplanted here, including the four new macaroni’s at the bottom, which all have pasta names.
The other side with more occupied alcoves.
A little penguin squabble.
Two of the penguins born here last year. I only know because they have smaller, different colored armbands.
Swimming.
I caught the splash after one jumped in.
Swimming.
I actually caught one jumping out of the water! Yay!
Diving back in.
More penguins.
This one debated about jumping in for a minute.
Eventually she took the plunge.
The fourth 1st year is on the other side.
The old Expedition Asia Habitat. They appear to be doing something with it, but haven’t announced what yet.
Onto Journey to South America.
Poison dart frogs.
Yellow headed skink... I think.
Turtle.
A parrot. We haven’t seen one of these here for a minute. Or, now that I am thinking about it, any other loose birds in here.
Sloth.
Sloth butt.
Oh look at his little claws grabbing the stick.
Toucan.
Cacao tree.
Blue-billed curassow.
Pretty little blue colored bird.
River giants.
Toucan beak.
Roaches.
The tarantula decided to be out in the open today.
The parrot again.
Very handsome bird.
Mata mata.
Turtle.
Piranha.
They rarely go into a Hollywood style feeding frenzy on healthy live prey.
Rarely implies it does still happen. o.O
Lovely waterfall.
Speaking of feeding frenzy, after here I was really, really feeling hangry and really needed to find something to eat. So I wandered over to the café real quick. I was hoping for a soft pretzel, but they were sold out at the moment, so I settled on some fries. So I sat aside and munched my fries while the family went to Ocean Explorer.
When I went to catch up I stopped by to see the octopus. He is hanging out in front of the glass today.
But, We did go in on the next visit.
Ocean Explorer.
Tide pool with sea stars and sea anemone.
Giant octopus.
2nd tide pool with rays.
More rays. I can’t recall seeing the little white one before.
Upside down jellies.
Sea urchin.
Onto the Sharks.
Hallway of sharks.
The shark tube.
Shark.
Another.
Above.
Turtle.
This is the least crowded we have seen the tube in a minute.
But then a family with a screaming kid showed up so it was time to leave. A screaming kind is bad enough. A screaming kid in a giant glass echo chamber… yikes!
Onto the upper viewing area.
Rays.
Turtles.
Sharks.
Onto Discover Utah.
Utah’s Desert Dwellers’ Defenses.
We always just called the middle one stink bugs, but apparently there are a lot of bugs called stink bugs. so it is nice to finally have the actual name for it: Darkling beetle.
Gopher snake. We see these fairly often. Thankfully more often than rattlesnakes.
Frogs.
The North American river otters.
Swimming.
Oh, he has a fish.
So cute!
Huh, I guess I didn’t get a picture of the other one, but it would seem they are letting them both out at the same time now. Or, possibly 1 in the indoor exhibit, and one in the outdoor.
Tiger salamanders. We see these guys fairly often, in high alpine lakes like Cecret Lake.
We decided to go back through Expedition Asia.
Cabbage bark tree.
The tree kangaroo is hiding.
Tropical almond. I was on the hunt for the banyan tree.
Sacred fig.
Turtle.
Binturong.
Super cute.
Oh! They are both out.
The other one.
Both of them again.
Oh this one is climbing.
Into the canopy.
Nimble little guy.
Aww, he just wanted this little cot.
The other one.
Frogs standing on each other.
Camouflaged lizard.
Cloud leopard.
Komodo dragon.
Komodo Dragon statue.
I found the banyan tree! I asked 2 employees, neither knew they had such a tree. But one of them suggested perhaps towards the front. And she was right.
The Banyan Fig.
Top of the banyan tree.
You can see the EECO Stage through the windows.
The binturong again.
We had planned on having lunch at the café, but we failed in our planning and did not realize they close an hour earlier than the aquarium and we just missed it. Crap.
Seeing as how we were using public transportation today that put a little huge wrench into our plans. Sadly, there is not much around the aquarium. But, we managed to find something by the mall that our bus got us to and back. Phew! Crisis avoided.
The Claw again.
The EECO Stage, AKA The Claw.
Heading underneath.
The actual stage area.
Looking up.
The center of the stage has a little love tile, it connects to other tiles that have other sayings on them.
Directly under the main center thingy.
Again.
One of the legs.
The main building.
The new addition which has the Sam and Eileen Skaggs Learning Center (which has the new Expedition Asia) and the Mountain America Event Center.
Looking back at The Claw.
Again.
Fun moray eel drinking fountain.
The front. It is similar to the lion drinking fountains at Hogle Zoo.
It is a little disturbing getting a drink with those teeth next to your face!
The Claw.
Again.
One of the legs. Judging by some of the patterns I am seeing, I am guessing the aquarium added these decorative flourishes on the bottom.
West side.
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Panoramic.
About the center.
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Another panoramic. I like this one best.
The main building again.
The new addition.
Alright, we were kind of pushing it to closing, and we don’t like doing that, so we scurried our butts out. We did not have to be shooed out, and actually made it back to the car with a few minutes to spare, so I think we were good. But it was a little close.
The entrance.
Grackle.
I love these old clocks.
Frontrunner train.
Little bit of a sunset (PSP).
Better (PSP).
Low clouds (PSP).
We can barely make out the canyons (PSP).
Well, both days were super fun! It was a fun trip with the family, even dealing with UTA haha. And of course returning again. As I said, we love the aquarium so we visit frequently. I hope this 2 separate trip post wasn't too confusing. I just felt like they were too close to each other to post individually. Plus we saw different things, and had different luck on both trips. Anyway, as always, I do enjoy it here. 9 out of 10 squirrels.
As for difficulty, they are modern paved buildings. The original building can be done entirely in a loop in a wheelchair. The new building can also be done in a wheelchair, but you will have to backtrack on the top floor. DR2.
Dogs are not allowed. So be sure to leave Fido home.
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