Wednesday, November 1, 2017

The Adventure Begins: Our Day at the new Seaquest Aquarium Fort Worth

I love trying new and different things with my girls.

And with so many exciting things popping up all over DFW in the upcoming weeks and months- well, there is always something for us to do!



I've been seeing ads and Facebook posts about the new Seaquest Interactive Aquarium opening at Ridgmar Mall this fall and couldn't help but get excited- Fort Worth needs more of these places!
The opening deals were too fantastic to pass up, too. For $70 plus tax, I got my family of five a year-long membership. That's a steal (and only half of what it will cost going forward)! With the cost of tickets on their Website, it would normally cost us $64 to walk in the door. So the membership option was the way to go!

On Monday, October 30, Seaquest did an advance opening for members. Although the Aquarium wasn't fully up and running, my youngest and I were able to get a peek at the awesomeness to come- and we were not disappointed!



Ridgmar Mall has been on the decline for years... So Seaquest snapping up some prime real estate in the mall's center will hopefully inject some much-needed life back into the establishment. As of Monday, the wall's weren't yet decorated nor were signs super clear about Seaquest's location- but it is right near the kid's play area at Ridgmar, making it a great destination for kiddie fun!

I was surprised to find that SeaQuest is so much more than just an aquarium. It is an interactive jungle for kids and kids at heart!

There is a gift shop in the front of the aquarium complete with all the things your kids could possibly whine for, including stuffed mermaids and trinkets galore. But if you can convince them to look beyond the goodies and get inside, a world of wonder awaits!



Immediately upon entering, my youngest was seated in a canoe and greeted by a staff member who talked about what she would experience during her visit. It was great!



I was surprised to find so many staff members walking around with live creatures. After my daughter exited the canoe, she was immediately asked if she would like to hold a parrot! Never a shy one, she was seated and had a parrot perched on her shoulder. She loved it!



 A few minutes later she got to hold a lizard (never one for, well, creatures of this nature, I can't remember exactly which type of lizard she held!).



She was also able to hold small birds (or rather, she was able to let them fly up to her and around her at their leisure!) in an enclosed "bird cage," and pet a turtle and let fish nibble on her fingers! Unlike at other area aquariums, kids are actually encouraged to touch the creatures that live here! This excited my daughter to no end! Employees walked around coaching kids on how to use just pointer and middle fingers to gently pet the reptiles. The staff here is wonderful!




Not all the creatures were yet acclimated to their environments, so some of the cages and tanks were empty during our visit. But normally, we will be able to visit everything from snakes and lizards to sting rays and bamboo sharks! Birds, fish, stingrays and more will be waiting to greet visitors from their tanks and habitats.



Informational signs are available throughout the facility to let visitors know more about each creature he or she is looking at or engaging with. This will be so great for visiting school or scouting groups!




Visitors will also be able to purchase "tokens" to enhance their visit. I am told that these enhancements will includes things such as swimming with stingrays, which sounds equal parts cool and scary!



Nonmembers will be able to start visiting on November 10th, when Seaquest opens to the public.
This will be a such a great spot for kiddos to come in Fort Worth and learn about and interact with amphibians and reptiles in a safe and fun environment.



Looking to plan a trip? The mall's food court has kid favorites such as Chick Fil A and Sonic? Need to do some shopping for your kiddo's while you are there? The Children's Place, Old Navy and Justice are all near by! Ridgmar also has a Rave Cinemas attached to catch a flick before or after your visit. Or allow some extra time for kiddos five and under to bounce around the indoor play area before the drive home!


Here is their Facebook page for more info: https://www.facebook.com/seaquestfortworth/
If you have more questions- message them on FB. They are super quick to respond!

I can't wait to hear why you all think about Seaquest! Drop your comments below!

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