I was able to go shopping with my family to the student store and found some amazing items there…read more Would love to go shopping there again someday soon! The campus is so beautiful and large!

When you think "300 gallon" tank, you probably imagine a larger aquarium than what is actually…read morehere. However, the water life is well cared for! Happy little turtles!

Stopped by this zoo right before our flight home since it was so close to the airport and it was…read moredefinitely worth the visit! Initially when we came in, we thought the $26 admission rate allowed us to also interact and feed the animals. However, it was actually an additional $30/person on top of the admission rate to do that. So in total (with taxes/fees), it came to around $130 for two people to get the entire experience of coming in and interacting with/feeding the animals. However for us it was worth it! For anyone looking at the negative reviews of others experiences not being able to interact with animals, perhaps you could consider coming in earlier during the day (we came right when they opened at 10am). We were told by staff that for some animals they are more active in the morning since it's their feeding time and by the afternoon they are already resting/hiding. Within a 1 hour timespan, we were able to interact with the sloth, anteater, capybara/cavy, penguins and birds. There were less people in the morning so I think that also helped. It was overall so much fun!! Being able to come in and see the animals up close was so unique and incredible. Every single staff member we met was also amazing and friendly. They were so knowledgeable and you could tell they really cared about the animals. I also wouldn't take it personally if they didn't allow us to interact with the animals, that's most likely for the animals well being! It's already stressful enough for them to be in that kind of environment! Would highly recommend visiting and paying extra to interact with the animals if you can afford it!

My god baby celebrated her second birthday. It was a very busy day so we had to park in the second…read moreparking lot which had a very convenient shuttle bus. My baby was free and I was $30. I use my chest carrier but I seen a lot of wagons and strollers. It's a lot of walking, dust, sun and flies so prepare if you traveling with small children. Venders all around with refreshments and it's also an arcade cafe with food and drinks. I wasn't a fan of the pizza but the funnel cake line was in the sun and I have a month old. (Wasn't lol) The party room was basic with tables. You provide everything. Cake, table cover, party bags, drinks and you can buy pizza. I assume a crew member or animal costume person would come out and sing... but no I only went in the aquarium to let my baby see the turtles, sting ray and fish. (Funky) lol. Then we sat in the party til it was over.

We went to the Houston Downtown Aquarium just to ride the Shark Voyage, and it was such a fun…read moreexperience. The ride was fun, smooth, informative, scenic, and very impressive. I really enjoyed it and would definitely go again. I highly recommend it if you want to experience it for yourself or if you're looking for something fun to do with children. The line was starting to get pretty long, so they brought out another train, which was actually exciting to see that they had more than one. After train ride we went over to feed the stingrays, which is always fun and slimy. We bought single tickets for these two exhibits, but they offer a full day pass of you want to see and do more.

Generally speaking, I love aquariums... and I had a bit of time one morning during my recent…read morevacation, so I decided that I'd check this place out (despite seeing the reviews online). Mind you, I wasn't interested in any of the rides or anything else. I was solely interested in walking through the aquarium buildings itself and seeing their exhibits. The additional benefit was that I was going relatively soon after they opened AND on a weekday... so it was a bit like I had the place to myself during my visit (I think I saw maybe 5 other visitors MAX during my time there). I purchased my ticket online and arrived at the aquarium, but was stopped by a young worker at the door who told me that I needed to visit the ticket window to get a wristband. Okay, noted. Got my wristband on and walked into the building. The aquarium itself? Small. I made a couple stops to intentionally watch specific animals for a while and it still only took me maybe 30 minutes to walk through the entire place. I will say, when I stop to watch the various fish exhibits, I always try to get a photo of what looks like the fish watching me back. Got a couple fun photos along those lines. I watched the axolotls for a bit, and the armadillo (though, gosh, the thing acted so stressed in its enclosure). The tanks were generally fine, though some appeared to need to be cleaned a bit. The tigers at the end of the aquarium bring about a lot of complicated emotions as well... because for a lot of zoos and aquariums, animals in them were often born in captivity. I don't know for sure if that's the case with these tigers, but the idea that these tigers could just be removed from a zoo or aquarium-type environment and reintroduced to the wild isn't likely (and you hear this kind of reaction a lot from people who say they hate zoos and aquariums - "they should be back in the wild!" Well, yes, in an ideal world the animals would be in the wild; unfortunately, that's not always possible). That said, I do wish they were somewhere that provided much more space and was designed as something closer to their "natural" type of environment. While the first tiger I saw was in an enclosure with grass and a waterfall-looking feature, the second tiger was in an enclosure that was mainly tile (again, it had a pool available... but it was provided just a bit of straw in the enclosure otherwise - and a cardboard box, which, I don't know, was related to some kind of enrichment? Seems very lacking though, and everything else was tile). I love tigers, and they're gorgeous animals on display... but I was also sad, especially for the second tiger. Again, I didn't go to the restaurant or any of the other rides/etc. that were on-site. Because of that, it made the ticket cost seem a bit much... but I'm also writing it off mentally as assisting with the cost of maintaining the aquarium. TL;DR I do really love aquariums, and I probably would have been sad if I hadn't decided to visit while I was in Houston. That said, it *IS* quite small, and some may not feel the cost of a ticket is worth it for just the aquarium experience.

As I'm finally getting back into the hobby and venturing into reefs for the first time, I've been…read moredriving around visiting LFSs. I'm lucky to have Oceanlife not too far from me. This is a smaller LFS that focuses on saltwater/reef tanks. They have quite a few frag tanks with various softies, LPS, and SPS corals that all seem healthy and fairly priced. The staff has always been super patient and helpful when I have questions or when I just want to browse. They've been nice about letting me be particular when choosing specific fish/inverts/corals. They're also very knowledgeable and helpful, especially as I'm still new to this side of the hobby. It seems like Oceanlife is a staple among reef keepers in the area and they've definitely built relationships with folks. People get greeted by first name and seem to be able to special order things as well. All around, it seems like what you look for in a LFS!

I can't say enough good things about this place! I recently got my first 10 gallon reef tank and…read morethese guys test my water every 3 days to make sure it's ready to go before allowing me to purchase anything. Even with the new adjusted hours I unknowingly came in a minute before closing and to my surprise, Nick still took the time to patiently test my water thoroughly and refused to sell me any fish or corals because my water still wasn't ready. Fast forward a couple weeks later and my water is finally ready and they will be seeing a lot of me! What attracted me to this place is that the store is super clean and the prices are generally better than any other marine-life store in the Houston area. The staff is always super friendly, professional and knowledgeable which I am so thankful for as an aquarium novice such as myself. If you're looking for anything saltwater tank related- ocean life should be one of your top choices!!

Came here over the weekend to get some freshwater shrimp. I always thought they only had saltwater…read morefish here, but turns out they have fresh water too. It's so fun to walk around and look, and they had an insane selection of saltwater, but still a really great selection and fair pricing on fresh water fish as well. They were also super friendly and helpful and I got everything I needed. Will definitely be back for more in the future!!

This place is a paradise for fish lovers, they have so many fish tanks with such a great variety of…read morefish. The guy who helped us had a great attitude. He was very busy and still managed to make us feel like valued customers by checking in on us while we were looking at the fish. We finally chose and he got them ready for us in no time. Prices are not the cheapest but I have seen places with much higher prices. Unfortunately, all the fish we got died within 12 hours. We were looking for the place online to call and ask, and it turns out they are closed on Mondays. We got our fish on a Sunday. Then I checked their return policy and they only have a 24 hour return policy. No fish, no interest in going back. For everyone else: don't go on a Sunday if you are planning on buying fish.

4 stars? Let me tell you why…read more We've been visiting The Woodlands Children's Museum regularly for the past couple of years, and overall it's been a solid experience for younger kids. It's a well-managed space that's clearly designed for structured, imaginative play rather than chaos. If you know what to expect, it can be a great outing. Pros: * The location right off The Woodlands Parkway makes it easy to get to without going far out of the way. * The museum is the perfect size--big enough to keep kids engaged, but not overwhelming for parents or little ones. * They host multiple events throughout the month, which helps keep things interesting beyond a standard visit. * Being able to host birthday parties here is a big plus and very convenient. * Pricing feels fair for what's offered, especially compared to larger, more crowded children's attractions. Cons: * The layout doesn't change very often; in two years, I've only seen one noticeable update, which can make repeat visits feel a bit repetitive. * Parking can be frustrating since the lot is shared with a large gym, especially during peak hours. * The shopping center itself is pretty outdated and could really use a remodel, which affects the overall experience. * This is not the place for very hyper kids who need to run freely--everything is more controlled and calm. * There are no concessions, and outside food or drinks aren't allowed, which can be inconvenient for longer visits. Overall, this museum is a great option for younger children who enjoy hands-on, imaginative play in a calm environment. It's affordable, well-located, and thoughtfully run, but best suited for kids who do well with structure. We'll continue to visit, just not expecting major changes each time.

Great interactive museum for young kids. My toddler had a great time. We saw Dr Seuss for story…read moretime and even got some fun stickers! I love that they have themes for special days which is posted on their websites in events calendar. For me o think the admission is reasonably priced for $9 per person over the ago of 1.

This review needed to be updated! Since becoming a parent I have a new found respect for the…read morechildren's museum. For as many times as my kids have been here they never get bored of it. As toddlers there enjoyed the small kids space but as bigger kids they just love exploring the whole building. We had been coming for years and just discovered the downstairs area!!! You can build all kinds of stuff down there. It truly is the best place in Houston you can go with kids!

Very crowded and underwhelming Children's Museum, especially when compared to the Thinkery in…read moreAustin or the Doseum in San Antonio, both of which are leaps & bounds better, cleaner, more engaging and interesting. Kidtropolis was jam packed with people & it was utter chaos. There is no way everyone can enjoy it if they don't control traffic flow through that area. The downstairs level is dingy and dark with some Lego related activities but not a whole lot else. The upstairs level for tots was nice but again poorly managed. I'm glad we visited on a free night because it would not have been worth the money if we had paid for it.

The Houston Zoo has and always will be a special place in my heart in Houston. We may be one of…read morethe largest cities in the country, but as far as being a tourist destination, we are not that. The zoo though is a must see in the city. I grew up coming here. From field trips to bringing out of town guests here, it was always at least a yearly visit. Throughout the years, this place has had many changes and it only gets better and better. Parking can be rough at peak times. The direct lot in front can be used for people attending the zoo or visiting Hermann Park. Definitely plan ahead to avoid parking lot nightmares. Tickets have gradually went up over the years, but with those ticket hikes come new and cool additions and experiences in the park. I suggest buying your tickets ahead of time online to avoid the long lines at the gate. The zoo is 55 acres and had a lot to see. I read the zoo now hosts upwards of 575 species with upwards of 4000 animals. You can spend a whole day here seeing all the well maintained animal enclosures. They have everything from the African Forest to the Galapagos Islands and everything in between. There's a wonderful children's zoo where your kids can have a blast playing and see fun animals. You can hand feed giraffes. They also have neat animal encounters on certain days and times. There's a carousel people of all ages can enjoy. There are plenty of snack and dining options all around if you want to grab a bite or a drink. At my age these days, I mainly come for the after hour special events they have throughout the year. I never miss Brew at the Zoo, where adults 21 and over get to come in after hours and explore the zoo while trying vendors upon vendors of local and national brands of adult beverages. During the holidays, I like coming for Zoo Boo or Zoo lights. My all time favorite event which is a splurge is Feast with the Beasts where attendees get to come in after hours and eat tastes of some of the best restaurants in towns while walking around the zoo. So many fun activities that you have to keep an eye out for throughout the year. You don't have to be a little kid to enjoy this place. If you like the outdoors (when the weather is right) or love animals, the Houston Zoo is a must see. I will most definitely be a regular here.

Happy 713 Day!…read more Getting out of the house was easy when a ticket to the zoo is $7.13. 10 o'clock was not early enough to arrive because all of the lots were already full, and latecomers were circling like vultures. Parking at the Centennial Gardens is a lifesaver, just a brisk walk, 15 or so minutes. The zoo itself is so engaging and currently expanding: there's going to be a rhino viewing area that's set to be finished by 2027. The only real villain of the day was the weather. When it wasn't intensely humid, it was raining like God was trying to power wash away our sins.

amazing experiences happen at the museum of natural science…read more it's amazing I would recommend!! learning experiences enrich lives vibe is awesome staff is kind summer time fun!! education rocks thank you

I walked in and instantly was greeted with the bustling pride and patriotism that is our country…read moreupon our 250tu birthday. There were flags and all kinds of stuff. Is this the White House or the natural history museum? Anyway the ticket master gracefully traded us tickets for. American currency. Anyway we then walked into the molecular biology portion of the exhibit. As a wannabe cell biologist I LOVED it. I wish they had a walk in abale cell tho They had touch screens that could not be touched Next for the dinosaurs. It was incredibly agitating not to see labels for the organisms presented. They just put stuff in a cage and expected us to identify it. Not a fan of that. They had average dinosaurs, nothing cool. Anyway,

One of the local reef focused fish stores in the Houston area. The owner, Dennis, is super…read moreknowledgeable and tries to help where he can. His shop has a variety of corals, fish, and some inverts along with lots of equipment available as well. I tend to call ahead of time to see if he has specific things I'm looking for and Dennis will usually be pretty good at letting you know if its available. One time he also found something after I called and he followed up to let me know he found it and saved it for me. It is a smaller shop and may have more of an eclectic variety of livestock but they seem to carry quite a bit of equipment. I do wish it were closer so I could just make an easy trip to check things out but it may be good that its further for me as I can't always buy new things.

The first time I came here I spent allot of money, I bought dry rock and everything else I needed…read moreto start my saltwater aquarium, the experience? Great, but was it because I spent allot of money? The last time I went I just needed 2 5gallon jugs of saltwater, I felt like no one wanted to even acknowledge that I walked in with the jugs and then when they got filled no one offered to help me to my car. I struggled and made 2 trips to get them into my car and now that I'm seeing this is not an isolated experience I will not be returning. How lame is it to watch a female struggle to carry something while you just sit and watch lol and you think people will want to come back? Jokes