Aquariums in the Southwest? Believe it or not, the Southwest, known for cowboys and deserts has some great aquariums to visit. I actually got the idea for this article when visiting landlocked Atlanta, Georgia. While touring, I realized that a major attraction was the new aquarium. Aquariums are not seaside attractions any more!
Located in Corpus Christi on the middle of the Texas coast, the Texas State Aquarium attracts over 500,000 visitors each year. Designated as the “Official Aquarium of Texas,” the Texas State Aquarium provides both educational and entertaining experiences for those who walk through its doors.
Located within the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Hotel, is a shark reef. The setting is a faux sunken temple but the sharks are very real. Educational programs are offered as well as an attraction for visitors to Las Vegas. As they say, "Not your typical aquarium!"
For a state the size of Texas, which features hundreds of miles of coastline and dozens of lakes, rivers and reservoirs, it is only natural to play host to some of the nation's best aquariums. Currently, Texas houses a handful of world-class aquariums, plus dozens of smaller ones. Visiting one of these Top Texas Aquariums is a perfect way to complete your Texas vacation.
Visit the preview exhibits and you can travel from the river to the sea, as you experience a freshwater stream stocked with Utah’s fish species. Run your hands through a touch pool and discover the playful touch of friendly stingrays. Enjoy the new Lions, Tigers and Sharks, Oh My! exhibit. This aquarium is moving and growing.
More than an aquarium, this complex offers dining and a million gallons of water for some great underwater exhibits. The complex is owned by Landry's. You can dine beside a huge aquarium or stroll the exhibits. There are many special programs. The aquarium is appropriately located on Water Street in Denver.
The Albuquerque Aquarium takes visitors on a journey down the Rio Grande from Albuquerque to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico. Fresh water riverine, estuarine, surf zone, shallow waters, coral reefs, open ocean and deep ocean species are represented along the way.
The project is an extension of Litchfield Park's privately run Wildlife World Zoo, an accredited facility about half of the size of the Phoenix Zoo. Though when it comes to aquatic life, the new venue's 180,000 gallons of exhibits more than quadruple the latter's Stingray Bay and similar displays found at hunting retailers Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops.
