The city of Denver has seemingly endless entertainment options for its residents and visitors. For those looking for educational and family-friendly attractions to explore, they have many options in the Mile High City. One exciting place to check out is the Downtown Aquarium, located at 700 Water Street in the Jefferson Park area. Whether you’re looking for a unique date activity, a meeting place with friends, or a fun day with your family, the aquarium is your spot. With more than a million gallons of underwater exhibits, this place is sure to entertain visitors of all ages. Keep reading for 5 reasons why the Denver Aquarium should be on your list to visit next:
1. Variety of exhibits
The draw of this aquarium is the vast array of creatures it contains. They have a well-organized selection of aquatic and geographic exhibits, including their “In the Desert”, “At the Wharf”, and “The Rainforest” exhibits. Their marine life includes octopuses, sharks, jellyfish and much more. This aquarium contains over 15,000 fish, mammals, and plants from over 500 species. Their interactive collections provide fascinating information on the world’s ecosystems and also offer educational insights that highlight their conservation efforts. Their Stingray Reef touch tank is a popular attraction for kids to enjoy, so make sure you take your little ones down to experience the rays. They even have an underwater glass tunnel which allows you to fully immerse yourself in the world of the aquatic creatures you see.
2. Beautiful tigers
One unexpected attraction of the Downtown Aquarium is their tiger exhibit. Within their Rainforest exhibit, they host two Sumatran Tigers named Besar and Marah. Visitors can gaze at these beautiful creatures as they walk and swim about in their rainforest habitat. The exhibit explains that seven percent of the world is covered in rainforests, which are home to an extensive variety of wildlife. The Downtown Aquarium’s mission to conserve and help endangered species is clear in their promoting awareness through exhibits like this one.
3. Restaurant and Dive Lounge
Have you ever wanted to enjoy a delicious dinner alongside an aquarium full of colorful marine life? At the Downtown Aquarium, you can do just that. In addition to the obvious marine life in the many exhibits throughout the aquarium, many people come to experience the unique dining experience. In this family-friendly restaurant, you can dine alongside sharks, stingrays, and schools of colorful fish. The giant 50,000-gallon centerpiece aquarium is filled with all kinds of wildlife for guests to admire. The food is delicious, and they offer a range of tempting menu selections. If that’s not enough, they also have a Dive Lounge where people can meet for happy hour, as well as the Nautilus Ballroom which is fully equipped for meetings and banquets.
4. Daily Mystic Mermaids shows
A real draw for “A Little Mermaid” fans are the real life mermaids who perform shows daily at the aquarium. Fans of Ariel will love the “Mystic Mermaids” interactive shows which include a sea of graceful mermaids who swim about their fish friends and teach their audience about conserving and caring for the environment. These shows take place in the large Under the Sea exhibit, and they’re choreographed to music. Visitors can catch a photo with a mermaid in Mermaid Cove, located across from the Stingray Reef. Make sure you plan ahead and find a show time on their website to catch one of these magical performances with your little ones.
5. Great family-friendly programs
The aquarium is one of the best family-friendly spots in Denver, and you’ll find many kid-focused activities like the touch tanks and educational programs. In addition to the exhibits, there are even more program offerings to educate and entertain children. They offer scuba and snorkel adventures to give you the opportunity to swim with the fish or dive with the sharks. In these exciting adventures, you’ll get the chance to swim next to moray eels, guitar fish, sea turtles and more. They also offer occasional overnight programs like the “Wild Dreams Overnight” experience, where visitors play games, work on a craft, learn about the marine life, and spend the night in the aquarium next to sharks and rays.
In landlocked Colorado, ocean life is certainly hard to come by. The Downtown Aquarium in Denver provides a much needed look at and interaction with coastal creatures for you and your family to enjoy. When you need an indoor activity to please everyone in your group, head to the aquarium and see why it’s such a popular attraction. Check out their website for more information.