Dallas is kind of like EX’s cool cousin. We ventured to the World Aquarium and it did not disappoint. We went on a Sunday and the parking was plentiful. We paid $8 for a spot right across the street. Admission was $21 for adults and $15 for kids. When you see how many animals the aquarium houses, feeds and keeps clean and healthy the admission price is justified. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of animals. It is much more than an aquarium. It was pretty warm and humid inside so you don’t need anything more than a t-shirt and jeans or shorts. It was fairly crowded but if you take your time you can get up close to all the animals.
The highlights for us were the sloths. Check the schedule for feeding times. In true sloth fashion they eat very s-l-o-w-l-y. The penguins on the other hand, were super active and fun to watch as they jumped and swam in the water. Aria loved the giant Japanese spider crabs, shark tunnel with the freshwater sawfish, leafy sea dragons and the octopus. Of course all the Nemos (clown fish) and Dory’s (blue hippo tangs) are very recognizable. We watched staff feed turtles and stingrays sweet potatoes and crickets. The pygmy marmoset is the smallest primate and simply the cutest thing you have ever seen.
There are several aviaries with multiple exotic bird species. Check out the Andean cock of the rock. Yes, seriously. The flamboyance of flamingos is striking and the burrowing owls hang out with the bunnies (desert cottontails).
The manatee was very curious about us and stopped to let us get a good look. Most exhibits have touch screen monitors that offer information about each animal. Staff was friendly. We went by one of the gift shops and brought home a few trinkets that were not terribly overpriced. They had another gift shop that was mostly books related to the animals I thought was worth checking out.
There are a few cafes to grab a bite to eat but we visited Trinity Groves instead.
We recommend The Dallas World Aquarium. There is a lot to see and you can go at your own pace. It took us about 2 hours to work our way through.
