Reasons to Love the Odysea Aquarium

A couple months ago we got the chance to visit the newly opened Odysea Aquarium here in our very own Scottsdale, Arizona. It is the first large scale aquarium ever built in the valley as far I can remember at least. I have to admit I really enjoyed my time at this place. The sharks were magical and the enormity of the tanks made everything feel within reach. There is so much more than what I have mentioned here, like the stingray touch pool and the kids area. I'm pretty sure we missed the giant octopus exhibit and the dolphin exhibit wasn't quite finished at the time of our visit so we'll definitely go back soon! Here are few reason why we loved this place.

The Escalator to the Reef Jewels

To get to the reef jewels tunnel exhibit, you take an escalator down. The escalator itself takes guests into the tunnel and you can look up to see the sea life swimming right above and all around you. It's really beautiful and you'll want to take pics of this one.

The Rotating Carousel Tanks

My favorite exhibit was the carousel and it's a bit hard to explain. You enter double doors into a large auditorium like room where you find a seat. At the front of the room is a large tank that looks about the size of a large movie screen. It's huge! My favorite part however, is when the theatre room turns into a ride. The entire room rotates 360 degrees to reveal three more giant tanks. The entire ride is narrated and full of information on the different animals in the separate tanks. Be sure to visit this spot before you leave!

The Guest Scheduling

When we visited the aquarium it was a rainy Sunday evening so there was no line or waitlist. However on busy days the aquarium schedules an entrance time for each group of guests so that everyone can enjoy the exhibits at their own pace. This also helps minimize the crowds at the exhibits and allows guests to get unobstructed views. Definitely a plus in my book.

Have you had a chance to visit this place?
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