Aquarena Springs
July 12, 2011
A couple weeks ago on Groupon (at Groupon? or is it a synonym for coupon, like I have a groupon? I have no idea how to use the word in context) I saw tickets for the glass bottom boats at the Aquarena. It seemed kind of cool, like something the kids would enjoy.
When we first arrived I was worried that it was a little small and sort of run down looking. But we were all pleasantly surprised. The kids LOVED the glass bottom boat ride. It last about a half hour and the tour driver did a great job engaging the kids, telling the history of the lake, and pointing out various things under the water. (Don’t you love how technical I am? Things! In the water!)
Look ghostly children floating in the water….
Just as exciting, the water cooler with the little pointy paper cups! That is the thing about traveling with children, you just never know what will excite them the most. The most mundane ordinary things suddenly are new.
Then we went on a walk around the Wetlands Boardwalk. Where we saw more things in the water, like plants and fish and turtles. And birds. It was much more fun than it probably sounds. My only advice, in the summer make sure you go early in the day because it gets hot out there.
Aquarena Springs was an amusement park until 1996 when Texas State University purchsed it. There are still remnents of its heyday 1960’s -1970’s amusement park days. All of the old things are slated for demolition.
This used to be the Alpine Swiss Sky Ride. There is something appealing to me about the Jetson’s like feel of the structures. It makes me a little sad that it will all soon be gone.
There is also a glass submarine which served as an underwater theater where people would go and watch underwater shows, most notably Ralph the swimming pig and mermaids having tea parties. The submarine is still there, but sunken and inaccessible. It too will be removed.
Then we went into the small aquarium which is home to various endangered species.
It is very small, but thoroughly entertained the kids for 30-40 minutes. Everything is free of charge except for the glass bottom boat ride, so we weren’t expecting much. But once again I was surprised by how entertained the kids were. Sometimes I worry that they are so over stimulated that nothing which isn’t loud, bright and flashy will hold their attention.
My son called to me, “Mom, mom, look at the dinosaur in here!” I go in the room to find… shadow puppets. I had no idea that this would excite them as much as it did.
Not that this was part of the aquarium tour, it was not. Just a classroom area with the door open and the projector left on. And children with big imaginations who still have the ability to have fun where ever they are.
That has been the best part about this summer. Doing the unexpected. Deciding that we will have fun wherever we go.
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