Houston Aquarium in Houston, Texas

The Houston Aquarium is located in downtown Houston, Texas, and is a combination of redevelopment of two historic landmarks, Fire Station No. 1 and the Central Waterworks Building. The facility is set on 6-acres and is an entertainment and dining complex with a 500,000-gallon aquarium. The aquarium is home to more than 200 species of fish and aquatic life from all over the world.

Guests, who come to experience dining, are seated around a 200,000-gallon tank which features sting rays, sharks and a wide variety of fish. The sea dycor and expansive menu offer diners an experience unlike any other.

The aquarium adventure begins with the Louisiana Swamp exhibit. Here guests can tour the marshes and bayous of the Louisiana Swamp and encounter Dwarf gators, catfish, crawfish, snapping turtles and spotted gar. After completing the Louisiana Swamp exhibit, guests will enter the Shipwreck exhibit. Modeled after a 17th century Spanish galleon, guests can take in the wonders of the ocean with a diverse display of marine life.

The Rainforest is an exhibit devoted to showcasing the lush environments of the world's rainforests. Animals contained in the display are Red-bellied piranhas, venomous freshwater sting rays and above the water, in the foliage are tree boas, dart frogs and a wide collection of birds.

The Sunken Temple exhibit reveals the ancient legend of "El Dorado''. Within the simulated ruins of Mayan civilization are lionfish, tarantulas, scorpions and a 20-foot long Tiger Reticulated python. Next to the Sunken Temple, lies the Gulf of Mexico display which features nurse sharks, snappers, redfish and several other types of species found in the gulf.

Discovery Rig allows visitors to get up-close and personal with animals. The hands-on animal encounter area showcases sting rays, horseshoe crabs and a shark nursery complete with shark eggs and infant bamboo sharks on display.

The White Tigers of the Maharaja's Temple is modeled after the jungles of Rewa, India, which was the first place white tigers were documented. The exhibit invites guests to view an incredible white tiger lounge and features a play area for children. The mission of the exhibit is to encourage visitors to become aware of conservation efforts to preserve white tigers in the wild.

The final portion of the visit concludes with a ride on the CP Huntington train. Guests will be taken on a trip through the Shark Voyage exhibit and view blacktip, whitetip, sandtiger and zebra sharks contained in a 200,000-gallon tank.

The Houston Aquarium features games and rides designed to be enjoyed by people of all ages. Such rides include the Diving Bell Ferris Wheel, the Aquatic Carousel, Lighthouse Dive and many others. The aquarium has both carnival-style and arcade games as well.

The Houston Aquarium is opened Sunday through Thursday from 10 am until 10 pm and Friday and Saturday from 10 am until 11 pm. A visit to the Houston Aquarium is fun and enjoyable for people of all ages, and is the perfect way to spend time exploring the exotic and mysterious world of underwater creatures.