Hi Neighbors!
Along with staying several nights in Chicago, and visiting several wonderful places for our anniversary, my husband and I were able to visit the Shedd Aquarium. This amazing facility is right down by the lake and you can see the Chicago skyline. Beautiful view.
Now, I will say, we chose one of the hottest weeks in quite some time to take a trip. It was so nice to step inside the cool, comfortable aquarium. I think we must have chosen a very busy day to attend though as the lines were long and there were large groups all over the place. We might have done better getting there first thing in the morning. They have several gift shops and some dining areas for eating.
Anyway, the Shedd aquarium has many levels you can visit and they even have an area where you can pet stingrays. This does cost a little more though. My husband and I slowly wandered throughout the building taking in fish from all over the world. We took many pictures, no flash allowed, which really wouldn't work anyway, because it would just reflect back off the glass.
I have to tell you we really enjoyed the jellyfish display and information. I have seen them dead on the beach before, but it was fun watching them in the water propelling themselves around. We took plenty of pictures and video. Of course I am going to share some!
One of my favorites are the otters. I have always enjoyed watching them swim and glide around in the water. We were able to watch one of them for quite some time as he dove and swam around.
I did get a real laugh when watching the Beluga whale. For one thing it is gorgeous, but while standing there, I heard a parent tell their child, "Look at the dolphin!" Yes, I did laugh, but only to myself. No sooner was I done at the Beluga, but I went over to watch the dolphins. There were several of them swimming back and forth, diving and then surfacing. Here is where I heard the second funny comment of the day. A gentleman walking by started loudly exclaiming to his son, "Come see the sharks!". Yes, I guess the fins appearing every so often might get someone to thinking about sharks.
After visiting the otters we ventured down to see the penguins. They are so cute! Some of them were standing around on dry ground and a few were in the water. Someone said they would like to hug one of them. You can also watch the dolphins under the water here!
Take a minute and look at the pictures below. There are some tiny sea horses attached to the plants. Some of them are easier to see than others.
The very last place we stopped was the petting tank for the stingrays. This was the first time my husband had ever felt one. They have you clean your hands first and explain ahead of time that the stingers have been removed. They feel very smooth and squishy feeling. They actually look for people to approach.
We were unable to take in the dolphin show. I am sure it was great! The Shedd Aquarium is definitely a must visit when you are in Chicago. They also have a pass you can purchase that allows you to visit several of the area attractions on your trip!
So neighbors, if any of you are planning a trip to Chicago consider visiting the Shedd Aquarium while there. See you soon At the Fence!
Disclosure:I received no monetary compensation for this post. I did receive tickets for review purposes. All quotes in red are taken from the sponsor's website. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Comments
For many Summers in his youth, he volunteered as an "apprentice" and later as a docen at The Shedd and he still considers it a second home - and can't get it enough of taking in all the wonders they have to offer.
To keep him happy at home, both of our bathrooms are decorated with photo posters and artifacts from the Shedd! Thanks.
Jesselyn A/Jesstinger
jessterlyn(at)aol(dot)com