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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nA mom to mom blog would not be complete without mentioning helpful free time management tips. So how about the John G. Shedd Aquarium, housing more than a million residents inside its gorgeous walls offset by the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan? After a quick walk from the easily accessible parking which is shared by the Field Museum and Adler Planetarium, The Shedd hosts an all-day adventure full of \u201cWows!\u201d for the young and old alike. <\/span>Quality time given in spades!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if your time planning entails spending an entire day at the Shedd, it\u2019s still possible to miss a thing or two. Its expansive breadth and depth of exhibits offer various learning and interactive experiences, while providing a geography lesson highlighting the native lands of each species. Carefully and cautiously imagined exhibits allow for a peek into the daring and seemingly endless ocean. For hours, we roamed through the exhibits, my two children stopping to take in the facts presented before them. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, seeing seven species of sharks, up close and personal in the Shedd\u2019s expansive floor-to-ceiling tanks was a highlight of our day – so much so that we visited that particular exhibit three times! We loved the Oceanarium where we watched the Beluga Whales at feeding time, and where the dolphins performed tricks with highly skilled staff. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n We even took in a 4-D experience film about sharks, which ran about 15 minutes and was an add-on to our admission for a nominal fee. Also showing was a cartoon that would be more appropriate for the under seven crowd. Bubbles flowed from the ceiling and the 4D glasses provided a unique and fun learning experience, and a welcome rest for our feet!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n With this in mind I recommend bringing in a water bottle and some snacks from home to enjoy while on your visit, but when you get really hungry, the Bubble Net Food Court offers some amazing fare at reasonable prices – and the views of the city skyline and horizon where Lake Michigan meets the sky are breathtaking.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the most exciting part of our visit were the encounters that were included in our daily admission. The Stingray Touch exhibit allows visitors to glide their palms against the backs of stingrays in shallow water. These tame animals feel like mushrooms, my children noted. In the Great Lakes exhibits, my children enjoyed touching the leathery backs of Sturgeons and in the Polar Play Zone, kids can touch Sea Stars and barnacles, which were unique and prickly.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Given that the Shedd has done an amazing job of out-of-the-tank thinking, let your kids lead the way. Maybe they will guide you down a path to an extraordinary experience such as a Penguin Encounter, Beluga Encounter, or Sea Otter Encounter. Granted that it may entail an extra fee, these exhibit enhancements bring guests up close and personal with these unique and awe-inspiring species and worth every cent. These admission enhancements would be a wonderful gift for a birthday or special occasion. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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