Aquarium features underwater world

I t’s only a one-hour tour, and you won’t end up stranded on

Bottlenose dolphin are among mammals visitors to the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi will see. Gilligan’s Island when

you climb aboard the Texas State Aquarium Explorer.

The 100-foot luxury yacht takes visitors for a cruise around Corpus Christi Bay to see the city’s shoreline and local wildlife. An aquarium guide will point out historical sites and wildlife.

Tours on Saturdays and Sundays are at 11 a.m., 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m. Tour times on weekdays are subject to change.

Cost for adults is $14.95, for seniors and military the cost is $13.95 and children can cruise for $9.95.

But there’s more to the aquarium than a boat ride.

The aquarium features closeup views of various types of wildlife, including, of course, marine life.

One of the newest exhibits is Swamp Tales, which tells the conservation success story of the American alligator, as well as highlights species that are currently threatened and what visitors can do to help protect them.

Enjoy an up-close view of nature’s underwater creatures. Swamp Tales features Bo, a 10-foot American alligator, and six species of freshwater turtles.

Three of the aquarium’s most popular sea creatures are three Atlantic bottlenose dolphins that live in the Dolphin Bay exhibit, which covers more than 30,000 square feet and contains about 400,000 gallons of seawater.

The aquarium also offers visitors the opportunity for a unique experience by living the life of a dolphin trainer. This four-hour private experience is just for visitors and their personal instructors. The program is available four days a week – Friday through Monday – from 7:45 a.m. until noon.

The program costs $250. To register, call (361) 881-1307 or e-mail reserve@txstateaq. org.

Folks can also meet the aquarium’s three dolphins, Shadow, Kai and DJ, through the Deckside Dolphin Encounter. Visitors can learn dolphin behaviors and have the opportunity to hug, kiss, and shake hands with one of the dolphins. Reserve your Deckside Dolphin Encounter in advance with pre-payment by calling (361) 881-1307 or email reserve@txstateaq.org.

Another exhibit, called Living Shores, displays seahorses, shrimp and various kinds of crabs that live in the Laguna Madre and Padre Island areas.

The Amazon exhibit features the diversity of the species found in the Amazon. It explains how humans are connected to the wildlife of the rainforests and why this unique natural resource needs to be preserved.

Also at the aquarium, otters play in and out of the water and greet the guests as they walk past a glass wall that allows visitors to watch every move the animals make.

The aquarium, at 2710 N. Shoreline Drive, is accessible by U.S. Hwy. 181. From downtown Corpus Christi, take U.S. 181 north across the Harbor Bridge.

Admission is free for members and $15.95 for those 13 and older. Senior citizens 65 and older and members of the military pay $14.95, and children age 3 to 12 pay $10.95. Children 2 years old and younger are admitted free. Parking is $4.

The aquarium is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Labor Day through Feb. 28. Hours are extended to 6 p.m. from March 1 through Labor Day. It is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days.

The Aquarium’s phone numbers are (361) 881-1200 and (800) 477-GULF. The Web site is texasstateaquarium.org.