Gozer_1

I was just wondering if anyone has a Public Aquarium near them. I know you do COBettaCouple. The Denver Aquarium is pretty nice and fairly large for being VERY far from the sea. They have a nice shark tank and the over all setup is pretty neat. They have an Amazon river section and a Platte river section. Both lead you to the sea where they have Sharks, Jellys, and all that stuff. If I remember right they have a GIANT Grouper. He was floor level and just staring at me. I think it said he weighed 300 LBS.

If you don't have one near by, have you ever been to one? I have been to The Denver Aquarium, The National Aquarium in D.C., and the National Zoo also in D.C. The Zoo Aquarium is AWESOME. The Denver Aquarium is pretty neat. I was dissapointed with the National Aquarium. It's the only "museum" type place I had to pay to get in and it is quite small. Had a heck of a time finding it. It's in the basement of the National Commerce building. Walked past it 3 times before I realized it was down there. After visiting the National Gallery of Art and various other FREE museums, it was a bummer to pay for the Aquarium. I guess they have bills to pay right. The Zoo was FREE and they have MUCH larger bills to pay. I guess Smithsonian just gets more donations.

jsalemi

Since I live across the river from DC, I guess you could say the National Aquarium and the National Zoo are MY local aquariums. I've been to the Zoo, but never to the National Aquarium, actually.

Baltimore is supposed to have a nice one. We keep talking about taking a weekend trip up there -- maybe we will one of these days.

Haven't been to the Denver one, but the one is Seattle has to be one of my favorites. It's a mix of indoor and outdoor, as it's right on the bay. Great otter exhibit, and of course salmon. The aquarium in New Orleans is also a favorite, but we haven't been down there since Katrina, so I don't know what shape it's in these days.

Tom

I don't think I have a public aquarium, but have plenty of people who sell fish.
Tom

Gozer_1

I used to live near Baltimore but never got to go either.

I love Amazonia at the Zoo. I was there in Febuary so was glad to be somewhere much warmer. lol As for the National Aquarium, if you decide to go, it's across from the Ronald Regan Building. Has a tiny little sign on the door. lol Good luck finding it. I've been to DC countless times and didn't even know it existed till this last vacation. Better to just hop on a Metro ride to the Zoo though.

armadillo

We've got a Sea Life Centre about 10km down the road. It's quite a big one, I like it.

COBettaCouple

you mean the aquarium downtown? if so, i think it's is in it's 3rd (at least) incarnation and ownership since it first opened. I happened to visit Denver for the first time in summer 2000 and went to it then.

Gozer_1

Oh, right, it's called The Downtown Aquarium. Yeah, it's had a troubled past. I was there in December and it was really nice. Especially considering it's location. Hard to get farther from the sea. You have mountains to deal with in between. lol They have a nice bar\restaurant. Huge tanks all around the bar area. I didn't know it was there untill a friend and I were unable to get into an Avs game, so ended up at the Aquarim next door. lol Not exactly hockey. Was only 10 bucks I think. So, at least I saved some cash. lol I'm sure my fish appreciated it.

Dino

I have been to The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, The Baltimore Aquarium, The New England Aquarium ( Boston), Ripliey's Aquarium of the Smokies, Ripliey's Aquarium at Myrtle Beach,North Carolina,The Shed Aquarium in Chicago and Sea World in San Antonio,Texas.

Gozer_1

Oh yeah, I've been to Sea World San Diego too duh. I forgot, that was when I was a kid.

MagpieTear

PPG Aquarium at the Pittsburgh Zoo. Several of the PA Fish and Game hatcheries have nice sized public aquariums of local fish you can tour for free. Nothing like getting up close to a 40" Muskellunge or a 30" Channel Cat.

Last time I was at the PPG, I saw plecos that were bigger than my beagle in with the Amazon Dolphins

sgould

Closest for me would be Shedd in Chicago, which would be roughly 2 hours from me in Milwaukee. It's been a number of years since I've been there though, and I understand the cost to get in has gotten quite extravegant.

Allie

Nope not here.

Jim

OK, we have one in Tampa, and of course Seaworld in Orlando (about 2 hours from here). And there's a small one in Tarpon Springs, just south of here. But in my opinion one that's much cooler (although technically not an aquarium) is Wicki-Watchi Springs, about an hour north of here. This is a big protected area where they keep rescued manatees. It's beautiful, almost primordial jungle, with this huge, crystal clear spring feeding out into a big lagoon and eventually the gulf. The manatees have been coming here naturally long before you or I or any of our ancestors were around, so it's the perfect place to put a sanctuary.
Anyway, I'm babbling. What I wanted to tell you all about is that not only do manatees come up here from the gulf, so do a lot of salt water fish not normally seen in water this fresh. And I mean a LOT!! No-one can really explain it.
But I have seen it: they have a big sort of underground viewing area, where you go down these stairs and look out a huge glass window into the lagoon. And sure enough, there are literally thousands of fish, individual or schools (real schools). More than you could count or hope to identify, except most were definitly saltwater fish. It is absolutly amazing, I must have stood there an hour.
If anyone plans on coming to florida near Tampa-St. Pete or Orlando anytime soon, let me know and I'll get you directions.

COBettaCouple

yea, it's a nice place but i wish it were out of downtown. It just about takes an Avs game to get me down there.

COBettaCouple

yea, we have some great places in Florida for people to see fish! growing up there, you sometimes forget how many are all around. Silver Springs glass-bottom boats are a nice little side trip too.

armadillo

Wow, Seaworld! I'd love to visit that! I did visit the St Augustine reptile farm, but I guess that doesn't count!

armadillo

How AWESOME would that be. You guys were really lucky! Remind me why you moved to CO, LOL?

agsansoo

We have the Long Beach Aquarium, across the harbor from the Queen Mary. Also I've been told you can get free saltwater there, for those of us the have reef aquariums . There's also SeaWorld San Diego ! The shark display is my favorite.