My boyfriend and I are avid aquarium goers. We travel a lot and always google "aquariums" before we leave for our destinations. So of course when we were planning our trip to Dallas,Tx we found the Dallas World Aquarium. We have been to many aquariums; tiny aquariums, state aquariums, National aquariums, coastal aquariums, University aquariums, if a city has an aquarium, we go. Having said that, I have NEVER been so amazed, impressed, excited, and in such awe, as I was when I entered the Dallas World Aquarium. There is truly nothing else quite like it.

We took the Dart train to downtown Dallas and walked two blocks to the aquarium. As we walked up I noted the beautiful plants that surrounded the building. The entrance is an S shaped walk way that took us from the garden of downtown sky scrappers into lush green jungle atmosphere with mist surrounding us and the sound of tropical birds filling our ears. At the end of the walk way is the ticket counter and the entrance. We bought our tickets and entered into a world that I could not believe was in the middle of downtown Dallas.

The penguins were the first to greet us as we walked in. We watched them as they waddled around on the rocks above and as they jumped into the water and swam around. The solid glass goes from the ceiling to the ground so you can observe both above and under water. While I could have watched the silly antics of these guys for hours, the sound of running water was drawing my attention to what was up the stairs. As we got to the top of the stairs I had to stop so that my brain could catch up with what I was seeing.... a massive 40 foot waterfall, birds gliding right over my head, spider monkeys jumping from tree to tree, a river below us filled with massive fish, cranes fishing in the river, lizards basking on branches, a rainforest canopy of lush green sprinkled with red, purple, blue and yellow flowers. Yes, I had to pause for a moment. I was standing in the middle of a rainforest, a complete working ecosystem, in the middle of a massive concrete jungle.

This is no ordinary aquarium/zoo. You don't walk around looking at caged animals that have been brought into our world, on the contrary, you are walking into their world while they are looking at you. The birds fly free, foraging for food, finding mates, nesting, and raising their young. The smaller primates also roam free, running up the trees, drinking from the river below, watching you as you watch them. The river is full of life, including many different species of fish, turtles, and amphibians. On the surface of the river are ducks and cranes going about there day, fishing and bathing. Everywhere you look there is something, a species of plant that you've never seen, a lizard you almost missed because he blends right into the leaf, a sloth just hanging out in the middle of a tree just a few inches away from you. All of this is just the first level of the aquarium.

As we made our way down we came across the Giant otters, which again, you could observe them above or below the surface of the water. These guys love to put on a show for anyone who will watch. Further down are the aquariums from all over the world, which are mini replicas of the sea life in the oceans of Japan, Cook Islands, Fiji, Australia, and many other countries. If you have ever wanted to see a shark up close then just walk through the 40 foot glass tunnel and look around and above you. Sharks, sting rays, sawfish, and other smaller fish swim all around you and right over your head. I sat on the bench in the tunnel watching these amazing creatures glide through the water, amazed at the design and set up of this awesome aquarium.

There is sooo much more to this place then I type. All I can say is... Amazing, well done, this is the perfect example of what an aquarium/zoo should be like. Instead of forcing these amazing creatures to live caged, in a habit that is not their own, the Dallas World Aquarium has brought their habitat to them. If you are ever in the Dallas area, wether it be for business or pleasure, this is not a place to miss.