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This past Sunday, my family escaped the dreariness of a rainy day and drove to New Orleans for a visit. Our destination was the Aquarium of the Americas where we anticipated seeing some fish and the famous white alligator, but along the way we saw so much more. The city was buzzing with anticipation of the Saints game, and there were signs of new business and growth everywhere. The city and my family seemed peaceful as the rain stopped and we arrived at the aquarium.

The size and variety of the exhibits made the aquarium worth the trip. Some of our favorite exhibits were the sea otters, the mist-filled rain forest, the Gulf of Mexico display and the hands-on activities. Before you go or upon entry, take a look at the feeding schedule for the day. It was very interesting to see the otters indulge on crabs and most exciting to see the stingrays and sharks devour fish (a little bloody and gutsy, but exciting). Children have the opportunity to touch a baby shark and certain other sea creatures and the colorful information posters by each exhibit give children and grown-ups alike the information they need to understand the different species and their habitats. We learned about such rare things as sea dragons and white alligators, and my children loved watching the scuba divers clean inside the tanks.

If you have extra time, the attached IMAX Theatre is currently showing some very interesting films on the hurricane’s impact on the bayous and a 3-D shark feature. There is a small food court area inside the aquarium, but the Riverwalk Marketplace and many other restaurants are close by. If your family has not been to the aquarium in a while, I encourage you to plan a day and visit again.