We visited the San Antonio Aquarium on a cold day when we were looking for an indoor activity during the evening and this was all we could find. Overall it was a cute experience for the kids. They enjoyed it, especially seeing the stingrays and the small sharks up close. There was a nice variety of fish and sea life to look at, and enough unique exhibits to keep things interesting as you walk through. One thing to note is that it can get quite pricey once you start buying food for all the animal feeding stations, which are purchased in very small portions at each station using pre purchased tokens. That adds up quickly. They also have a small arcade area and spots where you can grab quick food and snacks, but nothing impressive. The aquarium itself is on the smaller side for the price you pay for the visit, and you get through the whole thing fairly quickly. I didn't find the aquarium really engaging and exciting and the value wasn't worth it. For that reason, it is probably not a place I would return to on my own, but I would go back if my kids asked to. For that reason, I would give this place 3 stars because it felt like we got through everything so quickly, and the price of the tickets didn't feel worth the value. read more

I am only giving a 1 star to leave a review. This place is absolutely terrible! First off the term aquarium should be used lightly. More than half of what they have has nothing to do with an aquarium. I mean I love some baby goats but come on! The conditions they have these animals in is unacceptable and I do not know how they have not been closed down. I was sick to my stomach before I got half way through. A complete waste of $25. I was thirsty and didn't even want to buy anything there to give them any more support. I don't know how people can work there seeing this. I was at the sting ray pool and I swear if he could talk he'd ask to be saved. A worker walked by and thought it was cool to tell us he had 5 of his own at home. WHAT?! I finished walking through quickly to just get to the exit. The only thing I can think of is that this is a front for illegal activity. After leaving and doing a quick google search, they have had several lawsuits that they have not taken accountability for. These owners are disgraceful. DO NOT SPEND YOUR MONEY HERE! Is it worth the drive?...HELL NO! read more

For an aquarium outside of a major city, this place was pretty cool! It's not going to be like your big-city aquariums (don't expect the Shedd in Chicago), but honestly, it's unique in the best way--and there's really nothing quite like it. We had an awesome time, especially with the kiddos. The token system (extra cost) lets you feed and interact with a bunch of the animals, which made the whole experience super hands-on and engaging. The stingray tank was definitely a favorite, but the mini sharks, octopus, koi pond, parakeet bird cage, and even the alligators all made for some really fun moments. You can tell the animals are well cared for--they all looked healthy, and the place was clean and well kept. The staff was friendly, informative, and clearly passionate about the animals and the work they do. If you're in the San Antonio area, this is absolutely worth a visit. Great for kids, but honestly fun for adults too! read more

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Came here for the first time with my family. Honestly, I thought this place was going to be really small and be like a 10mins walk like the aquarium in Austin, but it actually wasn't. The admission is definitely pricey, but they have an annual pass so if you're from around here, it's probably best to get one. Plus you get a free pass if you're military, teacher, or first responder. They have a good amount of aquatic creatures and animals. It was enough for my grown kids to enjoy and if they're happy, I'm happy. The staff are friendly. The parking is huge. They also have a bounce house and arcade here, but it's an additional fee. There's also a ball pit, but it was closed. Lots of area where you can purchase tokens and feed the animals and sea creatures. Although I do feel a but sorry for some of the sea creatures they got here. They either don't belong in a tank such as a sea turtle or their tank is waaaay too small. read more

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An incredibly upsetting experience. Don't waste your time or money coming here! I do not have a single positive thing to say: This place is anything but a traditional aquarium. I came here with my family expecting to see exotic fish and other sea creatures swim around in tanks. There were only a handful of tiny fish tanks, all of which were extremely overcrowded with basic fish species. I felt so bad for these fish, the tanks were all over capacity and super small. What kind of aquarium has kangaroos, alpacas, rabbits, and lemurs? This so-called aquarium had a bunch of other animals where you can pay extra to have "encounters" with them. On top of your admission price, you must purchase tokens to interact with the animals. I guess the less-basic the animal, the more tokens you need to interact. These tokens were incredibly pricy, by the way. The first "encounter" I had left such a bad taste in my mouth I nearly left within 5 minutes of being inside the place. Plastered around the lobby you will see pictures of happy people snuggled up with lemurs, holding them on their laps. Every description on the aquarium's website makes it seem like the animal interaction would be this way. If you are lucky enough to find an employee willing to open the enclosure for you, you get about 30 seconds with the lemur and have an interaction that is nowhere near how it is advertised. They sit the lemurs down on a stump and let you "stroke" their backs with strictly two fingers. If you turn your head too far to the left or right, the grumpy employees will shout at even a grown adult to make them face forward. After the employees took about 5 pictures (3 of which were just .5x zoom photos of the lemur's face), we were quickly escorted out disappointed that we did not have the experience as displayed in the lobby right next to the enclosure. Good luck having any other encounter. Even on incredibly busy weekends, there are no staff members tending to the animal enclosures. If you want to have an encounter, there is nobody there to monitor or let you in. Because of this, I had a bunch of left over tokens that I didn't get to use for encounters and instead bought food for the wandering animals in the back area and drinks at the cafe. These animals were subjected to horrible conditions. There are kangaroos outside held in an enclosure that is smaller than my kitchen. They have zero room to walk or hop around. No grass or natural bedding. Just kangaroos in a 10ftx10ft concrete hell. The alpacas are in a similar situation, a small enclosure with rubber flooring. The tortoises are trapped in about a 4ftx4ft concrete area and are grossly overfed. Birds are in glass tanks with no entertainment. The outside area is a disaster. The so-called "kangaroo pellets" were being fed to the alpacas. The "alpaca pellets" were being dumped into the koi pond. Kids were chasing around the peacocks that had a nearby unprotected nest full of newly hatched babies. There is nobody monitoring the feeding or trying to protect these delicate animals. It seems like this aquarium is more concerned with profit than the welfare of the animals. Instead of making the enclosures larger, the aquarium added a large arcade (which was mainly empty space with very few games that were overpriced, including a photo booth charging $10 that didn't even work), a pay-for-photo opportunity with a lady dressed as a mermaid, an inflatable bouncy house room, and a stage with a live singer. The cafe took over 20 minutes to overcharge us for a basket of frozen fries. All of this was poorly maintained, dirty, and felt dingier than a Chuck E. Cheese. This place is an absolute sensory nightmare. The line to enter was so long and crowded it led out the door. It doesn't get better once you get in. It is super crowded, dark, and filled with kids screaming their heads off. There is no order or staff members around here so guests and kids are able to further mistreat the animals without repercussions. The teenage workers were too busy hanging out in the cafe instead of tending to the enclosures or animals. I'm begging you, please do not support this business! read more

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If you've been to any aquarium along the coasts, like Florida, North Carolina, California.... Lower your expectations going into San Antonio Aquarium. If you have a stroller on the larger side skip bringing it. There's zero flow of traffic throughout. Legitimate aquariums in other states don't even cost this much unless you're going to a major one like Monterey Bay and even then at least it's legit. Why is there a bounce house and video games. read more

I came here with my family and I absolutely loved it so much that I am gonna probably get a membership. They have so many animals and the staff are very friendly and kind you, can tell they love what they do. I think the price is worth all of the experiences plus it goes towards taking care of the animals. I highly recommend this as a date night, family night, or solo quality time. I also want to give a big shout out to Alyssa and Samantha because they made my experience with my family much sweeter. read more

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Upon initial entry was the overpowering odor of urine and fish. Very off-putting. Then it was $76 for 3 of us, no extra feeding or anything. Over-crowded tanks/aquariums. I even felt sorry for the jellyfish that had such a small tank. The armadillo was mindlessly walking back and forth as if in a trance. It was ok outside where the parrots, ducks, peacocks, were roaming freely. But that's about it. I would not recommend to anyone. Not for the price they charge. read more

Overall, I recommend. The general admission pricing is high. I didn't buy any of the extra food because it was already so expensive to get in. And didn't buy anything from the gift shop or play any arcade. To get the best value, find out when the animal educational talks are being given - those were interesting and informative. There are lots of available staff to talk with about the animals. The interactive sting rays are really neat. Overall, adults and children can learn and interact with the animals. read more

This is fairly high priced for what you are getting. Two children, one adult and one senior was $111.00. If you want to feed the fish and animals, expect to pay - ie tokens are $27 for 10 tokens. 3 tokens to feed the alligators. . Kept fairly decently and some interesting animals - lemurs, Patagonia Mara, pakie(?) , but very light on larger fish etc. lots of stingrays if they're your thing. Outdoor petting area was closed on our trip. They try to encourage more spending at every opportunity- once you go thru the first exhibit area you are channeled into a game arcade area which, of course, requires more tokens. Then another exhibit area which will lead you to the souvenir store which is where they want you to exit. imo, way too little for what you pay. All the staff people were very friendly which helped. read more

San Antonio Aquarium - Stingray - Aquariums Near Me - Leon Valley, Texas

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I visited this aquarium with a pretty low expectation and I'm happy to say it exceeded them. The interactive exhibits are a lot of fun and showcase a wide variety of colorful fish. The bird exhibit, with its vibrant, colorful birds, was a highlight. There are also many engaging animals like lemurs, kangaroos, llamas, and my personal favorite, the penguins. Seeing the sea turtle up close was an awesome experience. One of the most exciting parts was the chance to pet stingrays and sharks. Watching the kids shriek with joy was a blast. The aquarium also features a bounce house area and a large arcade, providing plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained. On the downside, the aquarium had a funky smell, which is somewhat expected in an indoor setting but still noticeable. Additionally, some of the tanks were a bit dirty, which detracted from the overall experience. Despite these minor issues, it was a fantastic visit, and I would recommend it for a fun and educational day out. Also they do have good coupons online that you can find! read more

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Good time at San Antonio's Aquarium - it was entertaining. Maximum interaction, and its indoors. We spent three hours here. I would probably opt for an annual membership, as you will have access to additional areas at no cost. I didn't know you get access to aquariums in both San Antonio and Austin. The aquarium has a lot of land animals. but the most aquatic spaces were the petting (feeding) areas for the rays, the sharks, and carp. They have small gators, they have large boas. You can feed iguanas, tortoises, ducks, parrots and parakeets. Did I mention lemurs? They have lemurs, llamas, capybara, a sea turtle. You will see frogs, toads, boas, penguins. I think they also had an axolotl, too - I didn't see it though. It's not Sea World or the National Aquarium, but I did see folks creating new bigger enclosures, and staff consistently cleaning enclosures for the animals. There is a complaint for the smells (too stinky), enclosures (too small), overfed animals. It can be sad. When I thought about it, the touch pool scene in Finding Nemo came to mind. :( Most of the areas are not well manned to prevent folks from kicking or abusing the animals. However, if you're a parent and you let your kid do that... ugh. Stop your kid. I did not observe unruly kids doing more than observing the animals and attentive parenting to prevent needless animal rough-housing. If you have a membership, you will have access to the bouncy room. Why is this space here? Who knows, but it's there. Kids can have access to a big room of various bouncy inflatables. WARNING: These bouncies are NOT manned, so beware that your tiny kid may not be able to hold their own. But when we were there it wasn't full, and there were not a lot of adult kids (or many kids) using the bouncy room. Also, it's $8.99 all you can drink Icees. If you come back or go to the Austin location you can get refills for $.99. The staff were friendly. I didn't have any negative interaction with the folks here. The animal handlers were pretty respectful of the animals they were caring for and the customers. I'd be interested in the maintenance behind the facility. Kids had a good time, we ran into some long time friends who also had a good time. Seemed like a popular summer venue to escape the summer heat. TIP: Use the Yelp! Coupon for discount on tokens. It's already kind of pricey, and there's not need to skip on available deals you have access to. read more

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We booked a Girl Scout overnight for 26 girls months ago. A few days before our event they cancelled on us because they double booked. We had so many sad 10 year old girls. I would think twice before ever booking with this unprofessional business. read more

Yikes that was pretty bad. We came in on a Thursday so it was not busy. There was a rundown Krampus exhibit outside of the aquarium? It was quite confusing on what's going on out there. We walked in and you are quickly slapped with the smell of animal. The animals are in closed areas, but the ventilation here isn't great. There wasn't many people there and it was still a sensory overload for me. You will pay to feed any animals and it's super expensive with very little food. There are many animals in small spaces. They looked very sad, and they are all laying on concrete floors. These places are NOT set up to mimic their natural habitats. The animals seem full of anxiety and pacing the cold hard floor. The fish are in small tanks, many to one tank. Their tanks seem dirty with lots of stuff floating around. The baby sting rays acted as if they were trying to escape. The staff were standoffish and cold. We did have a great encounter with a guy fixing the outside of the tank though. He was nice and knowledgeable. There is a play place I guess. They had a bounce house that smells like urine. For a family of 4 we paid $120 save your money. read more

San Antonio Aquarium - The Krampus thing outside - Aquariums Near Me - Leon Valley, Texas

The family went here for an outing away from the heat. My cousin has a yearly pass - which helped with tickets for the rest of us. About $15 each so a $10 discount. It's a small aquarium but has something for everyone. It also has an arcade area good for parties for kids. They have certain animals you can pet - which is very cool. We all enjoyed the baby sharks and sting rays. They have tokens you can purchase for extra activities such as going in and feeding the birds. Hanging with the Lemurs and a few other animals. Slightly expensive but for the kids it's worth it. Especially special occasion. We went on a Sunday and it was a little busier but still not bad crowd. They have a small cafe with very minimal choices, expect to pay $5 plus for drinks and chips etc. suggest eating before going. The gift shop is nice and has a wide variety of cool things. Very reasonable prices also. I do suggest it for kids 4-16 probably older kids may not enjoy as much since it's smaller. We did have a great time as a family and truly appreciated all the great staff! Very friendly and helpful. read more

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A fantastic experience all together. I was just expecting a traditional aquarium, and if that's all it was I still would have been satisfied, but the amount of exhibits open involving reptiles and mammals was fun to see. I was also not expecting to be able to touch any exhibits, but there are more than a dozen sensory experiences. This aquarium is unbeatable at that price. read more

San Antonio Aquarium - A friendly free roaming toucan that allowed me to touch it. - Aquariums Near Me - Leon Valley, Texas

I honestly should have checked the reviews prior to coming. We expected an aquarium, but we were greeted with a vibe that felt more like a circus oddities show. The place itself is run-down and smelly, and the conditions that these animals live in are awful. There is no way that these animals can have a good quality of life when you've got concrete enclosures with feces everywhere and overcrowding in the tanks. I swear, there were big fish sharing space with other big fish in tiny tanks. I kid you not, there was a whole sea turtle in this tiny tank with other fish. You can get a better picture of what it's like through some of the other reviews on here as well. Had I known this all prior to coming, I would not have supported this establishment. Close down or do way better. These animals deserve it. read more

Do not support this business at all!! I should've done my research before going here! The animals were all in too small spaces and showed signs of distress and depression. Left very quickly and depressed! read more

As someone who deeply loves animals and believes in the power of zoological facilities to inspire and educate, I truly hope for the success of every place that works with animals--including the San Antonio Aquarium. That's why this visit was difficult for me. I actually left in tears. My suggestion is this: consider taking a pause. Even just a few months of closing to focus on upgrades and animal welfare improvements could make a world of difference. I would strongly encourage pursuing ZAA (Zoological Association of America) accreditation. It would show a real commitment to high standards of care and safety for both animals and visitors. Some gentle observations: many enclosures seemed too small or overcrowded. A few animals--like the porcupine--appeared to be alone without enrichment. Several habitats lacked bedding or natural materials and were mostly concrete. These things are fixable, and you have the space and potential to create something much more enriching for the animals and guests alike. This isn't meant as a criticism--it's a hope. With some changes, the San Antonio Aquarium could become a shining example of what a facility like this can be. I'm rooting for you! read more

From personal experience, I was shocked at just how much is available at this aquarium. This is also my first and only aquarium experience/visit ever. But I of course did not expect sloths, alligators, toucans, reptiles, goats, chickens, rabbits, etc. The sheer amount of space in this building is shocking. You'll find a number of fish tanks as well as open enclosures for hundreds of animals. You'll also find a bouncy castle room, a cafe, an arcade, a gift shop, and an entire outdoor exhibit. I thought it was incredibly accessible, almost every animal is available to "pet" or feed! There's also plenty of hand washing or sanitizer stations for after petting/feeding. Which brings me to the cons? It's $25 to enter the aquarium and tokens (which are required to buy food to feed the animals) are expensive! The cost quickly racked up. On the one hand, it feels outrageous to pay $30-40 for an aquarium experience. But at the same time, after seeing so many animals I can't imagine the cost for food and care. I surely hope the cost directly helps maintain a healthy lifestyle for them. Finally, I can't help but notice that a lot of these animals really are packed in to some small spaces. And sanitation for the enclosures appears to either be hard to keep up or is pretty neglected. read more

San Antonio Aquarium - Crocodiles - Aquariums Near Me - Leon Valley, Texas

It is way too expensive, for me and my grandson to get in and buy the lowest amount of pet food, I spent 70 dollars plus 4 dollars on a pair of socks (if they qualified as socks, they were paper thin) so he could jump 2 minutes. And the place was very smelly read more

DO NOT COME. I honestly didn't do my research and I should have. These animals deserve a ton better than what they are getting and most looked scared and secluded. The enclosures are a good idea but only if done right. Plus no one was there to assist even if someone wanted. Very disappointed that these places exist with this much attention. I think they include an arcade and bounce houses bc they even know how awful this experience is for humans and animals. Dreadful and hate that I have them money to continue the experience. read more

Grand baby 3 just love the interaction with everything. Love the Stingrays and the huge turtles. Gift shop a little pricey but nice read more

San Antonio Aquarium - Her Favorite - Aquariums Near Me - Leon Valley, Texas

Total waste of time and money. But Since we had the pogo pass , it was checked off the list. To view any information you have to scan a QR code and need tik tok. Which not everyone has. Everything requires a token or several to feed or touch etc. The offerings are small and I mean tiny. The floors were being actively mopped as people and kids were walking . They put up signs but definitely need a dry swifter type after the mopping . There's a small bounce house inside . And a tiny arcade. We didn't waste any money on those. About 20ish minutes we walked, saw and were done. Off to Austin because San Antonio has to be the worst ever. From any state . read more

San Antonio Aquarium - Front - Aquariums Near Me - Leon Valley, Texas

Yesterday was the first time I ever visited this aquarium and based on the reviews I was a bit scared to go BUT I want to shout out the staff because not only were they kind but extremely informative on the animals they were near. I wanted to particularly shout out Ken at the desk near the Sting-Ray pool, he saw me wandering around the pool (enthralled by the Rays) and struck up a nice conversation with me. I also loved Monica by the Sea Turtle exhibit, she was super sweet and told me a lot about the different ways to go about becoming an animal care attendant as I'm going back to school for Marine Biology. Those two alone made me go back to the entrance and get a membership pass. I know the animals could *always* use bigger enclosures but those animals are very loved by the staff and taken care of. read more

San Antonio Aquarium - Sting-Ray / Shark pool - Aquariums Near Me - Leon Valley, Texas

I, like others, shouldve checked the reviews. The place is extremely run down and dingy. These poor animals are on concrete and constantly being handled. Haviing been to various aquariums in different states this def has to be one of the worst. Not to mention the prices are high, the $$ def isnt going to the well-being of this poor animals. read more

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Memberships are the way to go! Get 2 aquariums for the price of 1 between here and Austin! This one is our favorite. With all kinds of animals to interact with, a mini arcade to play in and indoor bounce houses for a good energy drainer! For sure a great place to stop in for a day trip when the weathers down or it tooo hot to do anything! read more

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Although they had a wide selection of animals, these animals are clearly not taken care of. As someone who's in veterinary medicine, it was already a red flag just walking in and seeing how small everything is for the animals. The penguins are kept in a hot cage, no water to dive in, no ice or air conditioning in Texas heat. And one of them had plucked out its own feathers. The llamas outside are severely neglected, one of them looked & smelled deceased. And the other had urine & feces all over itself. I would not recommend supporting a business or place like this ever. read more

Meh, a little good, a little bad sprinkled upon this place. The animal exhibits were good, like the lemurs and the manta rays The interactions were a little overpriced, and we only saw the lemurs The outdoor area, was small yet nice But, the place felt a little run down and dirty If you want an expensive experience indoors with animals, then come here read more

It was definitely not an aquarium that you would typically expect. The cashier at the front told us about the new tokens to interact with the animals which we got and it was such a waste of money. We would've had to wait an hour to interact with a sloth. We were very confused by the bounce houses and pickleball. Overall would probably not recommend unless you have small kids. We felt really strange about our whole visit with the animals everywhere and employees who did not seem to be very knowledgeable or qualified. read more

Had such a great time with my family here. Highlights: -There's a lot of animals you can touch -Staff was friendly and encouraged us in the animals space -this was a blast with the family Lowlights -the layout of the space is awkward. read more

San Antonio Aquarium - Pond - Aquariums Near Me - Leon Valley, Texas

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I'm forced to give it a 1 Star but if I could I wouldn't have give it that!!! For a family of 4 cost me $108 with my military discount. They had chickens, bunnies, Gold fish and some other animals. They seemed to be more focused on the arcade and bounce house area... that cost even more money. When visiting San Antonio I would spend your hard earned money elsewhere. read more

San Antonio Aquarium - Walking area! - Aquariums Near Me - Leon Valley, Texas

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The overall experience was nice. However, this place feels ghetto. Almost like if I am about to be in a Joe Exotic Netflix show. It's not to expensive, which is nice. You get to see a lot of stuff that has nothing to do with fish. Airflow is a little rough so if it's hot out, it's warm in there. Let's just say, it's a different bread of a place, which is exciting and weird. read more

Save your money, this place is kind of a joke And "aquarium" is a very loose term. Sea world has a much better aquarium Also not sure how they get away with having animal pens inside on tile floor, seems like pretty sad life for them. The whole place is really dark and cramped. read more

The San Antonio Aquarium is more of a petting zoo than it is an aquarium. We did have a lot of fun as the petting zoo area provides close encounters with Lemurs, kangaroo, penguins, and a sloth. Our 12 year old daughter loved the experience. They gave a large indoor area and a small outdoor area. We spent almost 3 hours at the aquarium. Highly recommend for children up to 13 years old. read more

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Don't waste your money. It's overpriced, gross, and hot. There's barely any fish and the ones they do have, are the touch tanks where you can "pet" the fish. I feel horrible for spending my money here. The animals there deserve better than the tiny and dirty tanks/cages they're kept in and definitely don't deserve being touched all the time. They had this poor octopus in a tank where people could reach in and bother him while he was trying to find a dark corner to hide in. Do not recommend at all. read more

I paid $25 per adult to visit the aquarium last Saturday and we were all in agreement that it was totally not worth the price of entry. First of all, the aquarium is quite small, it feels a little run down and some of the exhibits were quite sad. We left feeling like some of the animals (capybaras, penguins, etc) deserved way better environments. Not to mention quite a few of the reptiles were nowhere to be seen. I'm not going to lie, the dinosaur sculptures and Disney princess characters (all except Ariel) they had roaming the premises was totally confusing. It feels like they just threw a bunch of stuff together to appeal to young children. On the otherhand, the thing we enjoyed the most was the Sting Ray exhibit. We were able to interact with them and feed them (food costs extra) which was no doubt the highlight of our visit. We definately will not be back. read more

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Abusive to their animals! "Exhibits" are directly on the floor tile. Staff and animals alike look miserable. Tiny cages with opposable animals next to each other. read more

This was my second time here and loved all the new added additions to the aquarium. They have so many animals other than just water animals. One thing I really appreciate is the teacher discounts. Teachers get to enter for free!! I think this is so wonderful. I can't wait to share the excitement with my students. As you enter, make sure you get some tokens to feed the animals! There are many places you can go for this. I also appreciate how close and interactive you can get with the animals. I personally prefer this place over the San Antonio Zoo. We went when it wasn't crowded, so we had a lot of time to really enjoy everything. Everyone was super nice and the animals seemed like they really enjoyed themselves. I had a great visit and will definitely be back again! read more

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My daughter wanted to check out the aquarium while she visited but it was just ok. We liked the variety of animals, however, I do not understand the extra charge to be able to touch them or feed them. I wanted to enjoy this experience but it was hard to when there are a lot of people in one space looking at the same animal. Overall it's good for little kids but school age and up will be bored. read more

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