We went to the Aquarium in June for my mom's birthday. We had a blast with the dolphins! The show was incredible. We loved all of the exhibits - especially the rainforest area. It was gorgeous! read more

IT WAS AWESOME!! $94 for two people with paid parking but it was worth every penny also has a theater inside and a bunch of restaurants and shops read more

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If there's an aquarium in a city we're visiting, we will go. The Texas State aquarium is very impressive with well done exhibits. We wore masks the whole time. There are 2 major areas - Gulf of Mexico and the Carribian. The Gulf has some great fish, but the Carribian portion really shines. We went upstairs once we were told that the dolphin show was starting. The seats were full when we got there, but we could still stand behind to enjoy. It's very rare that you see 6 dolphins performing with different trainers at once, but the trainers pulled it off. We were mesmerized as the dolphins waved to us with their tails, played catch and jumped in the air. Definately don't miss the show when you are there. I loved that the Carribian portion had an aviary with lots of large birds and an area where you could see the tanks from above. We then went downstairs and there was an amazing shark exhibit you can walk around on both sides. Definately worth the money to visit this local attraction, especially if you have young kids. read more

Texas State Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Corpus Christi, Texas

I visited this aquarium last week while in CC on vacation and was pleased with everything I saw. This is an above average facility that you would expect in cities larger than CC. Adult tickets purchased on line last week were $29 when I bought mine but as of this writing I noticed that the same ticket is now over $32. Not sure why. They also have a paid parking lot for $5 or there is cheaper metered street parking if available. There were many exhibits to view with plenty of glass walled underground tanks to view the aquatic life along with a large bird atrium sanctuary. A few of the features are located outside with the USS Lexington providing for an attractive backdrop but most things to see are in air conditioned comfort inside. Unfortunately, Covid closed some special things to see like the outdoor dolphin show for example. But other attractions like the feeding of the sting rays, like I participated in, were still open. This event is free to watch or you can donate $5 for 3 small fish that allows you to hand feed the rays in their outdoor pool. As an add on, there is a large outdoor splash pad area for kids to have fun getting wet. They do have an on-premise outdoor casual restaurant but it was closed due to Covid. I recommend coming here while visiting in the area and would budget 3 hours to see everything. Possibly even more time if you bring the kiddos. read more

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Fun way to spend the afternoon in corpus! This aquarium is really nice. I've been to aquariums all over the world and I have to say, this one is one of the best. The animals aren't shoved in tight spaces or over crowded. It could seem like they don't have a lot, but they do, they just provide decent space. I do think that the price was a little hefty, especially since it's smaller in comparison to a bunch of other aquariums. I'm sad I didn't stay for the dolphin show but it was just too cold outside, so be prepared for that in the winter time. I personally thought they were taking covid precautions well, but I also went during a winter storm time so I'm sure not many people are going out this weekend. The gift shop though, lord those prices. That's all I'm going to say about that though. read more

Texas State Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Corpus Christi, Texas

When I'm Corpus Christi do what the locals do... visit the aquarium. Things have much improved since our last visit. The displays were full and great to observe. Watching kiddos have faces of awe is always a good time. My favorite is always the otters, and they were out and adorable. The kids had a great time at all the indoor and outdoor exhibits. Taking a break on the porch swings after taking in all the animals was wonderful, a breeze off the gulf and talking about sea turtles is tops. The splash pad is a great way to end the visit. So if you're coming bring a change of clothes. And it opens around 11am. Also if you are a member of the SA ZOO there is reciprocity, who doesn't love saving money? We basically BOGO'd the adult admissions, and if your kiddo is under 3 they are free. Great adventure for any age but definitely a great family day trip adventure stop. read more

Texas State Aquarium - Shark tank exhibit, and a lecture was being held in the background - Aquariums Near Me - Corpus Christi, Texas

This is a great aquarium. I went here on a date with my boyfriend and I do have to say it is a great aquarium for adults and kids. I liked how I got to pet the jellyfish and other various creatures. This aquarium is beautiful. My only complaint is it's expensive which is not surprising. It was $40 per adult. Military discount was $2 off each ticket. They really could offer a bit of a better discount for military members. I also don't like having to pay $5 to park on top of expensive tickets. I got nachos for $6.99 + 75 cent upgrade for pico. It was not great food but I wasn't expecting much from an aquarium. read more

Texas State Aquarium - Nachos (added pico for an additional charge) - Aquariums Near Me - Corpus Christi, Texas

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We had a great time at the aquarium today as the final adventure of our vacation before heading home. We stopped in at 3:45pm, which only gave us about 2 hours to explore and it was the perfect amount of time to enjoy all of the aquariums exhibits. Although we were too late for any of the shows, we still got to pet the sharks, sting rays, and jelly fish. Most worth mentioning was one of the aquarium staff, David, who gave us our own personal Q&A session about the resident Giant Octopus, Isla. David was so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about Isla and the rest of the exhibits. He definitely made our visit worthwhile. read more

Texas State Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Corpus Christi, Texas

This was a beautiful aquarium! Went to see the dolphin show, it was only 15 minutes but it was educating and entertaining. Friendly staff and many huge underwater displays. A little higher in price than most aquariums but it was worth it! read more

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Nice but to small , but a great place for children and schools otherwise its a one time visit

Overall, the experience of the aquarium was fun! They offer military discount, and parking was a breeze. They have some great exhibits to view. This is definitely a kid friendly place. When it is packed it is a pain to experience the fun here. So try not to go during a peak day. All the staff during my encounters with them was delightful and customer friendly. The place has two floors, but most of their water tank exhibits were on the first floor. They have a souvenir shop, a place where you can eat, a Starbucks, and a movie theater. Definitely a great place to learn about our oceans and to bring a family on a vacation. read more

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Busy the day we attended, nice exhibits. $49/per adult to get in, no senior discount. We look as a donation to keep place going. Great to spent3-4 hours. read more

Bought tickets and parking online was super easy! Amazing experience will definitely be back! read more

Texas State Aquarium - Shark Tank - Aquariums Near Me - Corpus Christi, Texas

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It is a previously to volunteer because just seeing children's and families and children's and adults with special needs they have amenities for all guest just see for yourself and when when leaving the aquarium stop buy the rescue center and is for anyone and it's all to see when you leave you're too leave happy and family and I forgot they have a playground and a splash zone so make sure you bring you're bathing suits and lunch if not they have a food court so come and enjoy and am a volunteer who love to help others and thanks for reading this Jorge see you soon bye read more

I would love a refund!! This place had a bunch on enclosures closed and charged us $45 a person plus $5 for parking to not see what they are promoting! This is the worst aquarium I've come to in the United States. This place is not worth the screwing they give you before you even walk in the door! On top of that being a military veteran they only give you a $2 discount, thank you for nothing Texas state aquarium. But if your on food stamps you can get in for $3 so there yall go!!!Highly do not recommend. read more

I make it possible to visit aquariums everywhere I visit and this was one of the best I have seen. The aquarium is huge and even has a splash park for kids, how cool is that? The aquarium is also separated by regions such as gulf coast, Caribbean etc. the Caribbean was my favorite region. The section felt so open as we were so close to many of the animals and they felt so free as well. I saw a flamingo fly and it was awesomeness. There is a lot of walking , but honestly it didn't bother me. I got to see dolphins up close and personal and it had a huge touch tank. read more

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10/10!! we spent about 2 1/2 hours here. it was so big that we got lost lol. all of the animals were in their enclosure which was nice. we got to see so many things like fish, turtles, stingrays, dolphins, sharks, etc. read more

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Probably a better draw for families with kids than retirees. While I found the tanks of critters interesting and a bit educational, the two things that I liked best were the ocelot and the huge mosaic column (next to an escalator) depicting marine life at deep, middle, and surface zones of the Gulf. Overall I think of this as a small aquarium with rather limited selections of displays that seriously overcharges ($40/person) for the experience. As I say, maybe the excitement of kids would make it feel like a worthwhile expense. But to me it's just too little return on too much upfront investment. read more

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Was just ok this time! They really pack the people in here now! They have Covid social distance signs up everywhere but they let so many people in we were all basically shoulder to shoulder! Loved how they have so many "Plastic is destroying our world " displays then you got to the gift shop and food mart and basically everything is plastic! First thing my daughter said "Why do they sell so much plastic this close to the ocean?? Aren't they just making it worse..? glad to see my11 year old has figured it out! Maybe one day the aquarium will too! read more

Texas State Aquarium - Aquariums Near Me - Corpus Christi, Texas

Came her for the kids. I hadn't been here in ages, looks like much hasn't changed. I paid almost $200 for my family, while we all enjoyed the 15 minute dolphin show, there really wasn't much else to do or see. Lots of the old stuff, no raptor show which really bummed me. We ate at the deli, some snacks downstairs, the amateur's behind us thought it`d be a great idea to feed the annoying birds, clearly ignoring the "Do not feed the birds" sign. That ruined that! Anywho, take your kids, I`m sure they'll enjoy it but get all the discounts you can before heading over. Parking was $5, prepaid. read more

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We had a nice family visit to this Aquarium with our 12 yr-old. After several very hot, sandy days on the beach we were looking for something to do indoors in Corpus. The Aquarium was a good fit. The variety of animals and fish is impressive and it's not too crowded on weekdays. Parking is a reasonable $5 and you can purchase it online prior to your visit. Tickets can also be purchased online with a discount and no reservation date, so check in at the aquarium is touchless. Some things we really liked about this Aquarium were the theatre, the octopus, the nursery where you can see baby sharks and jellyfish, as well as a coral nursery. The food at the lunch counter was impressive for a tourist attraction. We had low expectations of tasteless fried foods that cost a fortune but we're pleasantly surprised by reasonably priced fresh salads, seafood, pasta, and tacos. The wait for the food was a little long and I'd recommend going to lunch either early or late because the rush at the noon hour is extensive. I need assistance with stairs and we found the whole complex to be very accomodations-friendly, which also worked well for parents with children in strollers. There were also benches and seating spaced throughout so we could take breaks when needed. We wished the parking had been covered and that there was more shade offered at the outdoor exhibits. Another plus we found is that if you wish to purchase a membership, they will apply your ticket price toward your membership price if it has been five days or less since your visit. read more

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Great place, was there from 10-1 got to watch all 3 feeding shows, eat, and see everything at the aquarium. I will recommend that after you are done, stay in the parking area and walk over to the two beach stores across the street and relax in the beach area too(bring extra clothes to get in the water. Parking all around will be $5/day so better to stay parking there. read more

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The Texas State Aquarium is right along the water in Corpus Christi with a short walk to the beach restaurants. There are a lot of exhibits to see, including dolphins, turtles, and river otters. There were several interactive pools to gently touch animals such as hermit crabs, sting rays, and small sharks. On my visit, the Hawn Wild Flight theater was unavailable, probably due to COVID, so I didn't get to see those animals. read more

Very clean aquarium, very nice employees. Beautiful tanks. Will definitely go again. We got a caricature by Wren on second floor and she did a great job with it. The food in the restaurant The Canopy, it was delicious. read more

A must visit for seniors or families. Our group of 4 seniors loved it! Very relaxing & enjoyable! Fee seems high but so worth it!!!

The bathroom was very clean and the stalls are a very pretty coral green color same with the counter tops. The sink has an automatic soap dispenser and automatic sink read more

Truly a great place ! Took my daughter to the city to experience the ocean for the first time and looked up Fourth of July Weekend Events & the Celebration here popped up! We LOVED the firework show & music / positive energy from the employees! A great view, wonderful exhibits, and the Whataburger 4D theatre topped the cake!! Oh yeah! They have a water park of their own!!! We spent all day and all night and had a BLAST! read more

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We had the best time at the Texas State Aquarium! We pre-bought tickets and our parking so we were able to skip the line and they scanned our QR code. Kept the parking token in a safe space and away we went. Everyone was very helpful and showed us how to get around the campus. Grabbed snacks at the back porch and enjoyed the view of the water and the USS Lexington. Will definitely go back. read more

Lots of activities and animals here. 3 stories tall with outdoor exhibits and a playground splash pad. We came for the dolphin show but it was cancelled due to covid we did get to see them practice which was nice the pool they are in is smaller then I expected. Make sure you get your token at the entrance to get out of the parking lot before you leave or you'll be locked in. Nice way to spend part of your day. read more

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It has been a few years since we have visited here and learned the aquarium has been expanded. The parking was free and noticed the new aquarium extension which looked the whole place is double in size. With tickets purchased online I walked straight to enter the facility noticing a new water play area for kids. It had water features and a covered area for parents to sit. I walked inside into the main atrium. An escalator was to the right to enter the new Caribbean Journey section but decided to go straight through and outside. From the back you have an excellent view of the Corpus Christ Bay, downtown Corpus Christi, and the U.S.S. Lexington. Down on the lower ground floor will find entrance to the H-E-B Splash Park, Pepsi Shoreline Grill, and animals like sea turtles and stingrays. The staff and volunteers perform an excellent job helping and educating guests. The main attraction is the Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, Dolphin Bay, where usually people start claiming seating 30 minutes before the show. On this day there were three performances. You will find all different types of animals native to the Gulf of Mexico, and can touch animals like stingrays, crabs, and jellyfish. It is an educational gem for the State of Texas. You can pretty much see everything in five hours. The Pepsi Shoreline Grill was surprisingly good which offers snack food like burgers and fried chicken strips. The new Caribbean Journey section starts by making your way to the second level where see animals native in the islands. It was very impressive where there was a huge open atrium. Before heading down go upstairs where you will have a birds eye view of the whole place inside and views of outside. Back on the first floor you will find the H-E-B Caribbean Sea exhibit featuring the longest (68 foot-long) acrylic window in North America. You can actually walk around this huge shark tank where one side is a half tube with sharks swimming above your head. On this level will also find a touring exhibit and the Whataburger 4-Dimension Theater, included with purchase, showing different movies during the day. I saw one called 'Shark: a 4D Experience' and you wear 3D glasses and get sprayed with water. You exit through the gift shop, which was very nice, and back into the lobby. Overall it was an amazing experience and you can enhance it even more by adding exclusive encounters like feed fish or wildlife. I definitely recommend making this place you one of your bucket places to visit. read more

Great place to visit! We got to pet small sharks, an alligator, sea urchins and stingrays as well as feed the stingrays. The staff were all very friendly and knowledgeable and the animals look very well cared for. The dolphin show is so awesome and something easily worth watching more than once. Looking forward to coming back! It's important to remember that the aquarium is a nonprofit educational facility so every visit helps keep the aquarium running and is essential to the conservation of the gulf coast! read more

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I was pleasantly surprised by this aquarium. It is much larger than expected and has a variety of exhibits. The outdoor dolphin show and exhibits is definitely a plus. I also loved that the aquarium is right by the water and the navy ship. read more

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We had a great time at the aquarium. They have a lot of fish exhibits, and the dolphin show is pretty good. My kids were really interested in the large tank with the sharks as well. I felt like it was a bit small for the price it costs to get in - we saw everything there was to see in under 2 hours. There were a couple of employees throughout the building that were encouraging people to upgrade to an annual membership but I can't imagine why you would; once you've been through once I think you're good. read more

Whether you're a native of South Texas or just visiting for the day, you can NOT miss going to the Texas State Aquarium! I've been coming here since the first day it opened. But, it had been a few years since, when they started building their massive "Caribbean Journey" expansion. WOW!! Is it EVER more beautiful and amazing! Sure, you can stroll through the "left side" of the entry and experience life along the coastal waters and slowly work your way down to a great mock-up of an off-shore oil rig several hundred feet down. Or, take in the jelly fish and octopus exhibits. The dolphin, sea otter and sea turtle exhibits are impressive as well. But, it's the new, multi-floor Caribbean Journey that will leave you breathless! On the ground floor is the must-see underwater TUNNEL! Go through and watch sharks swim over your head. See schools of fish dance around the wreckage of an old ship. There are massive stingrays, too. All of the work to make these underwater exhibits so real is incredible! One of the guides told us the coral is fake but, unless you're an ocean botanist, you'd never know. The aquarium is growing their own coral to use in the exhibits in the future. There are several more tanks, windows, step-in alcoves and even a 4D movie theater on this ground floor. Truly amazing. But, you still have the second floor - the jungle! Get off the escalator, or elevator, and find a wonderful tropical rainforest filled with birds, fish, turtles, frogs, even BATS! There's a special "cave" off to one side that's home to vampire and Mexican freetail bats! The flamingos are a sight themselves....but also incredibly noisy. If you want to take some extra time, you can watch the sloth, "Zena," move from one resting spot overhead to another. So many more places to take in and so much more to just go "wow!". The third floor is their spacious and bright dining area with cafes, a Starbucks kiosk and beautiful views of the Corpus Christi skyline and harbor area. There's so much more to see and experience at the aquarium, it's easy to get sensory overload. It truly is a family-friendly gem for Corpus Christi and South Texas. You don't want to miss it. read more

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This is one of the best aquariums I've ever been. Probably at the same level the Atlanta aquarium is at or better. The knowledge and friendly staff was a nice part of the experience. Moose Out read more

Way overpriced for what it is. 90 bucks for one adult and one senior and parking. April 2024 visit. How does the average family afford it? I've been to better ones, such as the one in Baltimore. read more

It's so neat to see how the Texas State Aquarium has evolved over the years. I grew up in Corpus and I remember when it was first built. It was so cool then and they have added on so much over the years! What a great way to spend the day with friends/family. There is plenty of parking (free and paid). Check the website for entrance fees. They have discounts for some. You can see are dolphins, all kinds of fish, flamingos, sharks, and they have two sloths! The location is great since it's also next to another attraction, The USS Lexington. read more

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I would like to commend this aquarium on helping children with sensory issues enjoy this experience with a special bag with all the things needed for overload and keeping hands busy. Well maintained, fun shows, lots of learning and a splash park to cool off at read more

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Fun & Interesting! Although the aquarium isn't huge, there is a lot to see, so definitely take your time and go exploring. One thing I liked best about this place was the several Hands-On experiences with the sting rays, sharks, and other aquatic life. Big Tips: 1) If you're a student or Military, Bring your ID!! The discount is pretty Significant $$!! 2) During the Dolphin Show, if you can't find a seat under the canopy. Go to the stair well. 3) Bring a beach towel & ice chest. The Corpus Christi bay is right there outside the aquarium! The beach area is kept really clean and you can rent shade covers too! read more

Nice place but way to expensive never see coupons or discounts . Went a long time ago , would love to check out again to see if anything changed You can buy online seaworld tickets for almost the same price as this place .I don't remember this place being that big. Sad family can't go enjoy simple things with family anymore to make memories cause everything Outrageous but from what I remember about this place I don't think it is worth it if you been to aquarium or seaworld you pretty much seen it all already read more