SEA LIFE Loch Lomond – Sharks, Rays and a Cruise on the Loch
A few hours.
The route
An aquarium and an hour on the water, a short walk apart at the bottom of Loch Lomond, make a good day out with children whatever the weather.
Sharks and rays at SEA LIFE Loch Lomond come first, then Sweeney's cruise sails a circle of the loch's south basin, out towards Inchmurrin, with Ben Lomond ahead.
Before you go
Book a morning timed entry to SEA LIFE Loch Lomond online before you go, so that lunch and the 1pm cruise follow (each day's hours and last entry are on its opening-hours page; cards only, under-twos free).
Book Sweeney's 1pm Experience Cruise from Balloch online to be sure of a place (from November to March it sails at 10.15am, 11.30am and 1pm; in winter tickets are also sold on board, and the office in Balloch sells them on the day).
SEA LIFE Loch Lomond
An attraction
SEA LIFE Loch Lomond is in Drumkinnon Tower, the round tower at Loch Lomond Shores, and the whole visit is under a roof. Park in the Shores' own car park, paid on arrival: £4 for all day, at the machines or by RingGo or PayByPhone. Book a morning timed entry online; its opening-hours page gives each day's hours and last entry, so check it for your date. Inside, the displays run from the creatures of Loch Lomond's own shores to a tropical ocean tunnel, where blacktip sharks and rays glide overhead. Look too for the otter, the rockpool and April, an Olive Ridley turtle who was rescued and brought here. Ask at the door for the day's feeding times. There is disabled access throughout the centre, with disabled toilets, baby changing and a buggy park. For lunch, the Loch View Coffee Shop on the third floor does soup, sandwiches, wraps and children's lunch boxes from 10am to 3.30pm, looking out over the loch.
12 min on foot
Loch Lomond
An attraction
From the aquarium it's about 12 minutes' walk along the river to Sweeney's Cruise Co., on the riverside in Balloch opposite the station, for the 1pm Experience Cruise. Sweeney's has run boats on Loch Lomond since the 1880s. The cruise is an hour-long circle of the loch's south basin, past the big houses and castles along the shore, with Ben Lomond ahead. It heads out towards Inchmurrin, the largest of the islands, where the ruins of Lennox Castle are said to have sheltered Robert the Bruce. There's a commentary, and a bar on board with tea and coffee. Children under five go free, and well-behaved dogs are welcome. Every boat has enclosed areas, so it sails in the rain. For a wheelchair, ring 01389 752376 before booking: the Astina is the boat to ask for, and electric wheelchairs can't go aboard. Then it's about 12 minutes' walk back to the car.
If it rains
All of the aquarium is under a roof, and every one of Sweeney's boats has enclosed areas, so the cruise sails in the rain too.
Make it a weekend
Days that start near Loch Lomond.
Maps from OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors; heights from Mapzen's terrain tiles.