The map of most popular experiences is co-produced by Groupon. I have a feeling it only reflects places that actively promote Groupon coupons. So in terms of what is truly the most popular experience/attraction in each state, it is (in my humble opinion) meaningless.
It also includes data from Viator, a division of TripAdvisor. Groupon alone booked nearly 2 billion trips last year, so it's not a small amount of data. It's not a complete set, but I don't think that would be a realistic thing to calculate.
@TinoPup You could make a list based on annual attendance (instead of packages sold by Groupon and Viator). That would be a realistic thing to calculate.
Just looked back at my notes and they had albino wallabies which it think are pretty much always Bennett's. Also I forgot in the story of my visit the manager woman who followed me around at one point was beaming about the rarity of their animals while pointing out an apparently rare morph of pet store Leopard Gecko... ~Thylo
I have been tempted to visit the ones in Houston or Fort Worth but I have heard no good things from any one of these locations. I have decided to be more careful which zoos I attend on a moral standpoint after I visited GW Zoo several years back, and from what Iv'e read the ownership and husbandry of these aquariums is on par with them (minus the ridiculous breeding of hybrids). Below I will list some of the information Iv'e come across that has kept me from visiting these aquariums. PETA recently got very involved with protesting these aquariums, which has made it a bit more difficult to locate completely factual information about these places. They did create this very long fact sheet, which from what Iv'e read and found in my prior research seems to be accurate. I believe this is a pretty good summary of the news articles spread about the internet. https://www.peta.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CovinoFamilyFactsheet.pdf Here is an article regarding the ownership. https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/crime/article105762291.html The Houston Zoo has also run into conflict with them as they've issued a lawsuit due to the Houston facility's confusing name of "Houston Interactive Aquarium and Zoo" taking their business. Houston Zoo Statement Regarding Lawsuit Against Houston Interactive Aquarium and Zoo, The Houston Zoo
Been there. Wouldn't recommend going for that reason. I talked abit about it in that other thread like @ThylacineAlive did. Here's what I thought, but could definitely go into more detail if you would like.
SeaQuest has an exhibitor license for Meridian, Idaho, approved at the end of November. There is a fancy shopping mall there, The Village at Meridian, so while they haven't announced anything I'd assume they're planning something for there.
Now that I know your height lol, I think you were spotted because you're 6'8"!! I actually did go ahead and look into the Woodbridge SeaQuest. They hadn't opened yet, so you could get a year-long membership for $29. This was a steal in my book, even if I never went to the Sea Quest, because they have these reciprocal agreements for visits with quite a few bigger and much better aquaria. The only odd thing was that the membership was kind of slippery. You just come in and show your driver's license, and they will look you up and verify you for your visit. No membership cards. That would seem to make the reciprocal visits to other aquaria difficult, but I had plans to venture to Mystic, Adventure, and National this year, so this membership will more than pay for itself if I can just get some documentation.
Those aquariums aren't part of their reciprocal program. There's only a couple of AZA places on their list. Their passport gets you into all other SeaQuest places, then in this area it's: MD - 50% Catoctin MA - 50% Forest Park Zoo NJ - 50% Atlantic City Aquarium NY - 50% Aquarium of Niagara, 50% Binghamton VA - 50% Luray Zoo
Is the location in Florida still open, does anyone know? It isn't on their list of locations page. The page still exists if I click on the link I have saved, but their address at the bottom is their home base in Utah.
No, it looks like they have postponed or canceled the project. SeaQuest aquarium’s dream of opening at Galleria mall ends December 13 2020:
It's kind of in my area, but I missed this update as well. Too bad, maybe when things get more normal they will make another "go" at it.
I recently had occasion to visit the SeaQuest in Woodbridge, NJ. While it certainly can't compete with the major aquariums in the area, like New York and Adventure, it was a nice aquarium that offered a lot of opportunities for feeding and interacting with the animals. And despite the constant food being thrown into the tanks, and the open-top design allowing for little hands to be splashing and reaching in, they were extremely clean with very clear water. It is true that their pigs had what appeared to be a very small enclosure, but otherwise, their animals seemed to have roomy enclosures and were all healthy and well stimulated. I paid for an otter encounter (I wouldn't recommend it), but due to state laws, it really only allows for you to go behind the scenes and feed the otters through pvc pipes inserted into the plexiglass, and only if the otters seem interested. The otters were super excited, which thrilled my daughter, and they seemed to enjoy the interaction as much as she did. The keeper seemed a little worried that we were there to document some perceived mistreatment of the animals, but I didn't witness anything that was untoward in the least. Regarding the species on display, I was suitably impressed given it was an aquarium in a mall, although they did not have much signage. From memory, unique (or at least unique for the aquariums I've been to) species they had included Bat Rays, Grey Smoothhound Sharks, Asian Water Monitors, and Saddled Bichir. They also had a freshwater stingray, a pig-nosed turtle, and 2 baby Arapaimas, which I can say I've never really seen, and they sure were cute. Their aquarium of baby bamboo sharks, which also included egg cases in various stages of development, drew a lot of attention, especially given that they had the adult bamboo sharks in the touch tank right next to them. It was a nice touch. Also, I don't know whether to be intrigued or repulsed by the "spa," which for $14.95 allows you to stick your feet into an aquarium and the fish eat the crud and scuzz off your feet for 4 minutes. I didn't partake, but there were many people who were waiting. They also have a great interactions with Green Iguanas, which were apparently abandoned pets, and domestic Bengal Cats (which, of course, look wild to most people). While they could do a lot to improve, it was a great, interactive aquarium that allows kids to get up close to animals they otherwise couldn't, the keepers were knowledgeable enough for the general public, and they seem to genuinely care about the animals in their charge. I would only recommend going if you have children or if you just really like feeding fish.
