The Dallas World Aquarium

The Dallas World Aquarium was a really enjoyable experience, but I think the name sets a different expectation than what you'll actually find. If you're expecting a traditional aquarium with mostly marine life, you may be surprised. The facility felt much more like a zoo with an aquarium incorporated into it. There were bats, birds, monkeys, reptiles, and many other animals throughout the exhibits, in addition to the aquatic life. That being said, the animal variety was impressive. One minute you're watching sharks swim overhead, and the next you're walking through a rainforest habitat with free-flying birds and bats. The exhibits are immersive, and there is always something interesting around the next corner. Seeing the manatee, sharks, exotic birds, bats, and massive crab displays were definite highlights of the visit. The facility does an excellent job creating natural-looking habitats, and many of the viewing areas allow you to get surprisingly close to the animals. It feels less like walking through rows of tanks and more like exploring different ecosystems. My only reason for giving four stars instead of five is that it didn't feel like an aquarium first and foremost. It's more accurately an aquarium, rainforest, and zoo experience combined into one attraction. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's worth knowing before you visit. Overall, I would absolutely recommend it. The exhibits are unique, the animals are well worth seeing, and there's enough variety to keep both kids and adults entertained for several hours. Just go in expecting much more than an aquarium, and you'll likely have a great time.

Love this aquarium! It is interesting though the amount of birds there. But overall really great experience! Both times we checked it out it was not too busy, spent hours checking it out, even ate at their restaurant once. Food was good. Place is great! Definitely recommend if your in the area. Love their "around the world" section with fish/plants from different places. Mother-in-law loves Fiji.

The Aquarium is one of the best I have ever seen. It was clean and the animals are amazing. We went in the morning and it was so peaceful just getting to walk around and see everything without the crowds. Thry have lots of parking and you can pre-purchase if you buy your tickets online.

Pretty cool aquarium/ zoo. I've had the privilege of visiting many aquariums in my day and this is a good one. Some of the walk ways are extremely narrow making it uncomfortable to get through but it's not awful. Clean place with some urine type smell throughout but I assume that's the nature of some of the exhibits? Not something I've experienced at other aquariums. I would absolutely recommend coming to visit. The price is reasonable and they offer military discount for the party you're purchasing for so don't forget to ask, every dollar counts. Enjoy, I have!

Went on a Sunday and it was packed nothing too surprising but the lack of space throughout the "aquarium" is super small for anyone to pass by. Definitely not stroller friendly at all unless you wanna be packed like a sardine just trying to explore. Place smelled terrible due to the heat and the animals due to the fact of it being indoors. You cant even really call this place an aquarium because it features 75% of land mammals. Save your money and take your kids to walk around downtown dallas to do something more fun.

Such a fun and beautiful place to visit! I loved that it’s more than just an aquarium—you also get to see birds, monkeys, reptiles, and other animals throughout the experience. The layout makes you feel like you’re walking through a rainforest, which makes it really unique. The exhibits are well maintained, and there’s always something interesting to look at. It’s a great place for both kids and adults, and you can easily spend several hours exploring. The only downside is that it can get pretty crowded, especially on weekends, but overall it’s definitely worth visiting if you’re in Dallas.

Visiting the The Dallas World Aquarium was a fantastic experience and very different from a typical aquarium. It feels more like a tropical rainforest than just an aquarium, with exotic birds, sloths, monkeys, and lush greenery all around you. Of course, there are plenty of beautiful fish and marine life as well. Everything is thoughtfully designed, and you can easily spend two hours exploring without feeling rushed. It’s engaging, immersive, and enjoyable for both kids and adults. Definitely worth visiting when in Dallas.

We visited The Dallas World Aquarium on a weekday before noon, and it was such a fun experience for my child and me! Entry was quick with no wait time, and parking was easy directly across the street ($17.50 for the full day). Jose at the front was incredibly helpful and gave us great tips on how to explore, especially since there was a large, unexpected field trip happening when we arrived. His advice definitely helped us navigate the crowds. There’s so much to see here, we loved walking through the rainforest-style layout and spotting animals like the three-toed sloth, toucans, flamingos, and even the manatees. The shark tunnel and vibrant fish exhibits were also highlights. Almost all of the exhibits were engaging and well maintained, though a few enclosures felt a bit small for some of the animals. I did notice a couple pacing back and forth, which made me pause. The facility overall was clean, with abundant restrooms and convenient food spots inside. There was a slight odor in certain areas, maybe a mix of chlorine and something else, but it wasn’t overwhelming. Overall, we truly enjoyed ourselves and would definitely return. I recommend visiting earlier in the day to avoid bigger crowds and have the best experience!