Dallas World Aquarium

There are five main exhibit spaces at the Dallas World Aquarium: Mundo Maya, Orinoco, Aquarium, South Africa, and Borneo. Visitors will see crocodiles, black-footed and blue penguins, stingrays, ocelots, moon jellyfish, and toucans, among many other animals. The 20,000-gallon walk-through tank features a diverse kelp forest and coral reef ecosystem.

Animal feedings and talks, such as “Sloths are for Kids” and “Ocelot Conservation Talk,” are scheduled on the half-hour. Crocodiles are fed every Saturday. Although there are no official guided Dallas World Aquarium tours, visitors are provided with a comprehensive field guide.

• The Dallas World Aquarium is an ideal attraction for families.

• Even though this is a small-scale aquarium, plan to spend at least two hours going through the exhibits.

• Three on-site restaurants serve a variety of snacks and meals.

• Purchase Dallas World Aquarium tickets in advance to save time waiting in line, which can be long during peak times.

The aquarium is located at 1801 N. Griffin Street, in the West End Historic District of downtown Dallas, Texas. From the Dallas Zoo, it’s about a six-minute drive: Take I-35E north to the Griffin Street exit. Paid parking is available in surrounding lots. You can also take the DART Rail to the West End Station stop.

The Dallas World Aquarium is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Saturday afternoons can be busy, but if you are there at 11:30am, you can see the crocodile feeding. Try to plan your visit earlier in the day to avoid crowds, and go on a weekday if you can.

The Dallas World Aquarium is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and partners with conservation groups from around the world, including several groups in Central and South America. The aquarium houses 10 endangered species and 41 that are on a species survival plan.

You’ll need at least 1.5 hours to explore the Dallas World Aquarium, but it’s worth putting aside two hours to see all the attraction offers. Five main exhibit spaces feature creatures ranging from jellyfish and crocodiles to blue penguins, plus three on-site restaurants and cafes.

Yes, the Dallas World Aquarium is all indoors, so it’s an ideal activity for one of Dallas’ relatively rare rainy days. While most exhibits are inside, the penguins have an outdoor enclosure section. There is air-conditioning throughout the aquarium and plenty of natural light floods in from the glass rooftop.

No, parking at Dallas World Aquarium isn’t free. However, there are two parking lots beside the aquarium, which makes parking and getting inside a breeze. Parking prices range from $8 to $15 for the day. If the lot is full, plenty of metered parking exists.

Yes, the Dallas World Aquarium has two types of penguins—the blue and black-footed penguin (also hilariously known as a Jackass penguin). Penguins are active and social animals, so you’ll likely see them swimming, slipping, and sliding into the water.

The Dallas World Aquarium doesn’t have dolphins, but it has a range of other animals in enclosures, hailing from South Africa, Borneo, and Mundo Maya. Its most popular aquatic residents include crocodiles, jellyfish, and stingrays, some of which you can see in the colossal walk-through tank.

While the Dallas World Aquarium doesn’t have any sea turtles in its aquarium section, it does have several other species of turtle in the enclosures themed around Borneo and Mundo Maya. These include the red-eared slider turtle, the Mexican giant musk turtle, and the yellow-spotted Amazon turtle.