Dallas World Aquarium

One of my family’s favorite day trips is to the Dallas World Aquarium. It is interesting to kids of all ages and is even surprisingly stroller friendly on a non-crowded day. A one-way trail winds you through different levels of plant and animal life. You start at the top with birds and tree tops ending with stream and ocean bottoms. There are many things to watch throughout your journey. It is beautiful in every direction which is important to me, a mom who can’t pass up a photo opportunity. The aquarium grounds can be strolled through quickly in less than an hour. We usually spend 1 1/2 to 2 hours when we visit. There is a cute cafe in the middle for snacks or lunch. Kim and her family also visited the Dallas World Aquarium and here is some of the pictures and stories from her visit… If you’re looking for things to do with your kids in Dallas but want an unusual and exciting adventure then a visit to the Dallas World Aquarium is in order.

The Dallas World Aquarium is located at 1801 N. Griffin Street in Dallas, Texas. Admission to the Aquarium is $20.95+ tax for adults and $12.95 + tax for children. Children 2 and under are free. Annual membership packages are available as well. The Dallas World Aquarium is open every day of the year except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Their hours are from 10:00 am “ 5:00 pm except in the summer when they open at 9:00 am. For more information, you can reach them at 214-720-2224 or check out their website at http://www.dwazoo.com.

As you enter the building, you find yourself deep in the rainforest in the Orinoco-Secrets of the River exhibit. Surrounded by towering vegetation, tropical flowers, and a 40-foot waterfall, children watch in amazement as birds fly freely all around them sometimes landing just inches away from them while howler monkeys jump around in the trees above. Down below, the waterfall spills into a huge indoor river which is home to manatees, otters, giant turtles, catfish and many other beautiful fish. As you move into the actual aquarium section, you find a 22,000-gallon Continental Shelf tunnel displaying a beautiful collection of life among the reefs. Children and adults alike love the forty-foot long aquarium tunnel where sharks and rays swim all around, even overhead. There are also many individual aquarium displays containing species from around the world such as seadragons, angelfish, and clownfish, clams, jellyfish, snakes, and octopus, just to name a few.Be sure to let your kids see the unique flashlight fish whose organs glow an eerie light in order to attract prey. There are daily events for the public every 30 minutes ranging from feeding the otters, penguins, and sharks to talks about manatee conservation and even performances by the Mayan Performance Troupe.+