A trip to the Denver Downtown Aquarium

There is a tiger at the aquarium in Denver. That’s not as alarming as it first sounds – the animal isn’t in water and is in no danger of drowning. Joking aside though, it’s a magnificent beast and the glass enclosure means that visitors can get closer to it than opportunity affords at most zoos.T

Of course, most people don’t go to aquariums to see tigers. Fear not, for there are plenty of fish here too. Like, seriously, loads of fish. Freshwater fish and saltwater fish, tiny cute fish and big ugly fish, starfish and jellyfish – they’re all there.

The otters are a lot of fun. These guys seem desperate to play with every child that wanders past, pulling every trick in the book to get said child’s attention, from back flips to, well, reverse back flips. There’s also something cool about seeing an animal as ugly as a piranha close up.

Let’s be truly honest here though – the shark tunnel is by far the highlight of the place. As swordfish swim under us and all sorts of sharks, some with visibly big teeth swim around and above us, we quickly realize that it will be a cold day in hell before we chose to scuba with these awesome fish. That’s why tunnels like these are made – so we don’t have to get in the water with them. Maybe these sharks don’t bite, but we’re not going to find out.

Weirdest exhibit is the tank with the mermaids swimming around, teaching people not to leave litter in the oceans. But still, thanks for the advice, fishy ladies.

All in all, a trip to the Downtown Aquarium is a worthwhile one. Walk slowly and take it all in, and then enjoy something tasty at the restaurant downstairs. Find out more on their website.