The Coolest Aquarium I've Ever Seen

Despite all the controversies and even my own reservations, I can't help but enjoy seeing animals from all over the world up close and in person. My boyfriend and I got to the Dallas Zoo shortly after opening and were able to leave before lunch. My boyfriend told me the Dallas World Aquarium had a nice restaurant. I was hesitant to eat there because zoos, aquariums, and theme parks have a bad habit of jacking up their prices to extreme amounts since they know they have you trapped for the next few hours. Ultimately, my boyfriend didn't mind footing the bill and since we couldn't decide where else to eat, we went straight to the aquarium. While paying for parking I could already tell this wasn't any ordinary aquarium. A cylindrical fish tank jutted out of the building for full public view. But this is hardly unusual. It is the six story building in the middle of a major metropolitan area that makes it unique. As we walked into the entryway and stood in line, my jaw dropped. There were massive enclosures containing hornbills. I have never seen any zoo or aquarium have large exotic birds on full display before visitors can even reach the payment booth (with the sole exception of free roaming peacocks). I continue to be blown off my feet as we keep moving forward. I saw a shoebill, black cockatoos, many more species of hornbills, Bali Mynas (which are nearly extinct), and at the end of the line we were greeted by a Matschie's tree kangaroo. When I asked the lady at the booth if I could use my zoo pass, she said no because they are privately owned. Meaning the Association of Zoos and Aquariums was not affiliated and therefor the only membership that counts is their own (which is a staggering $125 if you are interested). Admission is $26.95 per adult. Now let me explain to you why it's totally worth it. As you are paying there are blue penguins playing behind you. And everywhere you look, there is either a fish tank filled with colorful fish or an aviary with birds you probably have never see before. The inside of the building technically has 3 stories, with each story having a place to buy food and beverages. We chose to eat at the restaurant on the first story, since it served Mexican food and my boyfriend loves Mexican food. And the food was insanely cheap! I ordered a shrimp vegetable egg roll plate for $6.95, but the meal itself looked like it would have cost 5 times as much if we had ordered it anywhere else (sorry that I didn't take a photo to prove it, I'm not that kind of weirdo). It also tasted like it came from a $$$ rated restaurant. And I almost forgot to mention, they provide complimentary warm rolls with butter. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. While eating, we could enjoy the view of large tanks filled with tropical fish. I kept leaving the table to get a better look while we waited on our order. Just out of view of where we sat, there were flashlight fish from the Solomon Islands; dark colored fish with brightly glowing eyes. They are kept in a dark corner next to a tank of bioluminescent jellyfish for the safety of both species. Next to this corner is a leafy and weedy sea dragon. I couldn't get a good picture on account of the glass, but if you don't know what they look like, I highly recommend you look them up. They both look like sea horses with long trailing tails of seaweed, with the leafy looking like Katy Perry dressed him up herself. Once we were done eating, the fun really began. In one massive wall covering tank you are greeted by a manatee swimming among her fishy friends. The aquarium has successfully rehabilitated and released 23 wild manatees. Then there is a long tunnel that takes you through a shark tank. I really liked seeing the longnose sawshark. In their outside section, there are more penguins (not the blue but a South American species). They have their own little waterfall coming down from above. But it got really cool when we started heading upstairs. You are taken through artificial caverns where you can see owls and axotols. Then you head into what I can only describe as a multi-story aviary combined with terrariums and aquariums. The terrariums typically have different species of poison dart frogs, while each aquarium has exotic fish. In one large circular tank there is a manta ray, and we got to see it interact with its trainer. There are also several species of mammals in the section. The most notable is the pygmy sloth. They are not kept anywhere else in captivity. There is also a small deer species which has its own section in the aquarium. You can also expect to see Cock of the Rocks, many different toucan species, crocodiles, stingrays, waterfalls falling gracefully down several stories, and just about every human expression of amazement you could think of. Speaking of people, I was surprised by how well people treated the animals. Not once did I see a guest attempt to touch an animal, despite there being many opportunities to do so. I also didn't see any trash. While most zoos and aquariums struggle to keep their spaces clear of litter, the Dallas World Zoo is surprisingly empty of it.

A few final notes: I once got to visit a very remote research station near the heart of the Amazon rainforest. It was an unforgettable experience I look back on with fondness and longing. I have been trying to recapture the feeling of the Amazon rainforest ever since. This experience provided the closest resemblance of what it was like to be there.

In case you are wondering, the owner of the aquarium is Daryl Richardson.