OdySea Aquarium

I took my 1 year old son and 4 year old nephew to aquarium on a Saturday afternoon in late, hot June as an activity to get out of the heat. I have been to a few aquariums around the world so my expectations, especially for the price, was something better than what we got. We paid $200 for three adults and one child (2+ years old need a ticket). Military discount is $5 off. We got through the entire experience in 1hr and that’s with the one year old taking us every which direction at his own little leg pace. The space just seemed a little dated for the cost. I did appreciate the information that they provided about the different fish and jelly’s and such. I also appreciated at the beginning, that it was Arizona waterway focused with regard to conservation efforts. I just think there could be more for the price or they could decrease their price and it would fit better. Price is what you pay and value is what you get, here they don’t align.

We visited the OdySea Aquarium located at 9500 East Vía de Ventura Suite A-100 in Scottsdale, Arizona a while back. This aquarium is full of the things one would expect to see at an aquarium, with 200,000 square feet of space to explore. There’s over 300 different species to observe. We thought the best part was the SeaTREK underwater helmet diving exhibit. We attended a brief training session and we were outfitted with wetsuits, then climbed into a large tank where helmets were placed over our heads that have a continuous supply of air pumped in to allow us to breathe. The manta rays were playful and interacted with the guests visiting their underwater home. There were also small sharks in the enclosure, but they mostly avoided the humans. They also offer rental of waterproof cameras to take underwater pictures and video from inside the enclosure. There is a food court with different varieties of food and drink to enjoy. The only bad part about our visit to OdySea was at the food court, where our beverages were accompanied with paper straws that fell apart almost immediately, rendering them absolutely useless. I get it that they are trying to promote the elimination of plastic, but these paper straws did not change anyone’s mind that they could be a suitable replacement for plastic straws. Maybe in time, the manufacturing process will provide an improved version of this paper straw, but these were useless. Visiting OdySea was a lot of fun and we look forward to going back again.

💯 worth the money....why because its huge! So many fish to see and how fun for the kids!!! I definitely recommend this for a half day adventure especially during the summer! A tip...order your tickets online and often times there are deals. If you can't find a cupon code call and ask! Also plan for two to three hours here at the least. If you really spend time looking and reading it can take more time. A fun family outing for sure!!!

The bathrooms 10/10! Super cool to see, lol, sounds weird, but really, even my kids loved it!! Would definitely come back again! I'm glad they also offer different features throughout the year to keep us coming back... This time was the mermaids and was nice! We ordered tickets online(definitely recommend for easy check in) parking was a bit confusing due to all the other attractions, but its literally all tied together from the inside entrance. It was actually bigger than I thought with 1st &2nd floors!

A complete stranger my family was when entering. Not knowing what to fully expect. We are met with beautiful aquatic life ranging from stingrays , jellyfish , seal lions, and sharks !!! Now, each and everyone has their own fact chart and audio book you can listen to giving valuable insight into the animals' diet, unique abilities, where they live in the wild, and mostly importly how endangered they are in the wild. They also host adult events, kids events, and also can host weddings. Having a starbucks and multiple play areas for the kids to let loose and for you to relax before continuing on your adventure down below the second half of the aquarium. Where there are more unique species of life. They also have a rotating aquarium, giving you 4 different animals to view and learn interesting facts. Then finally leading to the gift shop. Where all your new and old favorite animals can be taken home with you and enjoyed. Pricey, but what do you expect. So, of course, I left out some info, but that's for you to come down. Enjoy and just like my family get the memeberships because the fun never stops after one visit.

I think aquariums are fascinating places. They allow people to experience marine life up close and learn about different species that live in the ocean. It’s both educational and relaxing to watch the fish swim. However, it’s important that aquariums treat animals ethically and focus on conservation and education

The (almost) perfect place to get out of the heat. There are plenty of sea creatures to "sea" as well as activities. Be warned that if you have an aversion to "sea smelling scents," you'll get a nostril full when you first enter. Sadly, they took away the food court area (and the soda machines with it) and replaced it with a Starbucks and several 'No outside food allowed' signs. The thing is their is already a Starbucks in the same plaza (you can literally see if from the dining area's windows), making this Starbucks kind of redundant. And I wouldn't consider a coffee shop as family-friendly as the original food court. I highly recommend you visit the restroom right when you get into the building (I use the excuse "I wanna wash my hands") because you get a great view of one of their best aquariums.

This is SO worth it. Wayyy bigger than I expected with cool and free/cheap experiences. All the workers were so happy and full of info. Lance at the front desk was so helpful and kind and immediately told me about the coolest aquarium IN THE BATHROOM! Such a great experience I bought an annual pass! Excited to go and enjoy it all year!