How-to Enjoy Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium in 5 Easy Steps!

Disclosure: We were given  tickets to visit the Shed Aquarium, but the opinions are 100% my own.

How-to Enjoy Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium in 5 Easy Steps!

We recently had the chance to head out to Chicago to see some of its top family attractions. I knew we would have a fun and busy day ahead of us, but that was certainly an understatement. We’ve gathered all the cool Chicago intel to share it with you, and hope you put it to good use!

Chicago is definitely one of  my favorite cities to visit in the country, and how can it not be when it’s less than three hours from home, which means we don’t have to buy plane tickets, bus tickets, or not even spend a whole lot of gas for the car.

This time I knew we had to visit Shedd Aquarium! The kids had never been before and I knew this would be a big deal for them. The Shedd Aquarium is located on the shore of Lake Michigan on museum campus (which means it’s right next to the Field and Planetarium, and right on the water). The location is actually pretty awesome.

I would recommend getting there early because this is a happening place. The line can get quite long and we all know kids don’t always have the patience for stuff like that. Planning usually starts the night before, I make sure kids go to bed at a decent time and I motivate them to be on their best behavior by showing them pics of whats ahead of them the next day… works like a charm! Once inside there are ton of things to do, but one of my favorite places to sit and gawk is by this beautiful Caribbean Reef. The tank seems endless and there are so many gorgeous creatures to look at.

Whether you’re into truck-length anacondas, fish that could possibly swallow you whole, and getting up close and personal with stingrays, Shedd Aquarium is the place to go, but only if you plan ahead with the following “How-to” guide.

How-to have an amazing day at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago in 5 steps:

1. Check out Amazon Rising! – Here you will see piranhas, tarantulas, stingrays, monkeys and an anaconda. In churning river channels, still lakes and even flooded treetops look for tetras, turtles and fruit-eating fish called Tambaqui.

2. Stare at the Caribbean Reef! – Take a 360-degree tour of an underwater reef community. Who wouldn’t want to do that? Get eye-to-eye with hogfish and even a small shark or two. The views are unbelievable!

3. Let your kids do their own thing in the Polar Play Zone! – In Polar Play Zone, you can slip into a penguin suit and try being a bird in the Icy South play area. From there, head to the Icy North to explore Arctic waters in a kid-sized submarine. Eek! How cool is that?

4. At Home on the Great Lakes! – That says it all! Let’s all get inspired to make a difference in the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem we all share. Encounter some of the Great Lakes’ signature animals, touch a swimming sturgeon and come face to face with some of our region’s most challenging invaders. Awesome!

5. Make lasting memories with your family! – For me, the most important thing when visiting such an amazing place like Chicago and the Shedd Aquarium is making unforgettable memories with my family. I hope Shedd becomes a yearly tradition for us and I can’t wait to see what future visits may bring.