Sea Life Grapevine Aquarium

WATER WHIRLS: This brand-new aquarium, waaay inside Grapevine Mills mall, is polished, as things that are new generally tend to be. Give yourself eight to 10 minutes after you park your car to get to the aquarium. En route, you might find yourself gawking at merchandise or window-shopping for “just five minutes, please!” Good to know for those with tots: You’ll pass a Toys R Us store.

Once inside the aquarium, the noise of the mall fades. You’ll begin your tour by walking through a set of double doors (someone will take your picture at this point; at the end of your tour, you have a choice of leaving with your picture, for a charge, of course). You’ll find muted lighting, pillars resembling piers and winding pathways, all adding a sense of mystery.

FISH FULFILLMENT: The aquarium boasts a variety of sea creatures, including stingrays, sharks, seahorses, jellyfish and clownfish. Make it a learning experience by paying attention to the “Fin Facts” signs, placed at intervals along the pathway, so that you can answer questions displayed on “Quiz Trail” signs. Trick question: Are horseshoe crabs crabs? Answer: They’re not. In fact, they’re related to scorpions and ticks. Here’s another: Do seahorses raise their young in Mom’s belly or Dad’s pouch? My husband shouted the answer to this one: “Dad’s pouch!” And he was right, because he happened to pay attention to a Fin Facts sign.

At about $20 bucks a pop (inclusive of taxes for ages 13 and older), admission might seem a bit pricey; and if you shop at the mall before your visit or after, well, that can add up to an expensive aquarium trip! Easing the sting is the Amazing 360° Underwater Ocean Tunnel, where you’ll be in the company of sharks swimming above, below and around you. At the end of your tour, you’ll come to the Interactive Rockpool, where you can touch a starfish, a sea urchin and more; you must wash your hands first.

MAKE A DAY OF IT: While visiting Sea Life, you might also consider checking out Legoland Discovery Center to play with Lego bricks, on a grander scale than your living room. The center is opposite the entrance to the aquarium (www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com for more information).

WOULD WE GO AGAIN? Maybe. Depends on how heavy my wallet feels and how badly my family wants to see that super-cool underwater tunnel again.