Shedd the Winter Doldrums

Intent on escaping the March doldrums, my friends,  Diane and KC, and I spent the day at the Shedd Aquarium.  We realized that it had been maybe 20 years since we had last visited this Chicago institution. Yes, before the beluga whales. The Shedd Aquarium has been around since the early 30's and is located on the lakefront just south of the Loop.

Definitely buy your tickets online ahead of time. We also paid for the Behind the Scenes tour. This was very interesting but not for younger kids, in my opinion. The volunteer guides were very knowledgeable and one gets a deeper appreciation for all the support activities involved in caring for the thousands of fish and mammals residing at the aquarium. Walking behind the tanks was very cool.

The aquatic show was amazing but I could figure out how to take photos on my smart phone without triggering the flash (which is not a good thing for animals and trainers alike) so I only have one shot of the beluga whale below.

We ate lunch at the cafe overlooking Lake Michigan. Food and service were good and the view was outstanding.

We all gave the experience a big thumbs up!  Here are some photos:

There were lots of different species of turtles to view.

The penguins were great.

Beluga whale at aquatic show.

I just thought these guys were screen saver worthy.

There was beauty at every turn.