Arizona Boardwalk’s The OdySea Aquarium: Fun Things To Do In Scottsdale
In 2016, Scottsdale welcomed an innovative entertainment complex called Arizona Boardwalk. Situated on a huge 35 acres, this multimillion-dollar amusement district combines major attractions with retail shops and restaurants. Visitors enter into a one-acre circular courtyard with fountains, patio dining, and a stage for live performances ringed by two floors of shops, restaurants, and an arcade and merry-go-round with sharks and seahorses.
Arizona Boardwalk also draws the crowds with attractions such as Butterfly Wonderland, whose observatory showcases more than 3,000 butterflies; the Lazer + Mirror Maze set in a rainforest; and Pangaea Land of the Dinosaurs, where guests can go on a fossil dig or ride a dinosaur.
The OdySea Aquarium
One of the fun things to do in Scottsdale is going to Arizona Boardwalk’s state-of-the-art OdySea Aquarium, the largest aquarium in the Southwest. With Towering two floors and 200,000 square feet, this $100 million project contains innovative features and theme park technology never before seen in an aquarium. It boastly have 500 different species of marine life and more than 30,000 animals.
Head up the escalator to begin your aquatic journey. Stroll through Rivers of the World to learn about American, Asian and rainforest river denizens such as paddlefish, eels, Siamese Crocodiles and piranhas. Admire the graceful rays at StingRay Bay, playful Asian Small-Clawed Otters at Otter Banks, and lively African Black-Footed Penguins at Penguin Point (OdySea works with SANCCOB, a non-profit agency for the rescue and rehabilitation of seabirds). You’ll also find the SeaTrek area where guests can don a wetsuit and acrylic diving helmet and immerse themselves in a 25-minute underwater walking tour.
Be sure to keep a lookout on the unique suspended globes filled with fish, so look up when you enter Aqua Lobby so you don’t miss it. You can also check out the lobby-level bathrooms for a special first impression of the aquarium tanks. Observation windows with a view into the shark exhibit take the place of mirrors; get a close-up look of the sharks gliding by as you wash your hands
Wanna take a break? Try the Lighthouse Café, which features a menu of salads, sandwiches and seasonal flatbreads. Beer and wine also are served, and your meal can be enjoyed in the airy dining room or al fresco on the balcony.
The second half of your OdySea experience brings you downstairs via the one-of-a-kind Deep Ocean Escalator, a portion of which travels through the Sharks of the Deep exhibit. Seeing some of the creatures in the Bizarre and Beautiful exhibit such as the lionfish with its frilly fins or the fascinating chambered nautilus will surely take your breathe away. The Reef Jewels exhibit includes brightly-colored clownfish, anemones, sea horses and the Great Barrier Reef Tunnel.One
One of their best attraction is a Deep Ocean 3D Theater, You’ll feel like on a Disney ride as this 20-minute seated experience takes place on a moving platform that rotates through four exhibits. The show starts with Open Ocean where you’ll learn more about the aquarium and see a 230-pound grouper and a six-foot stingray. At Sea Turtle Reef, you’ll meet Boudreau, a green sea turtle who was rescued off the coast of Texas, and Valor who no longer suffers from “bubble butt.” The Carousel is also the only place to view Sea Lion Sound with California sea lions and Pacific Harbor seals, and has the best view of the shark exhibit
After exploring this huge aquarium, your grand finale can be with Ocean Art. It displays a collection of colorful moon jellies, pufferfish, and sea nettles. Before exit, be sure to head on the OdySea Treasures gift shop. Bring home gifts for your kids or friends with aquatic-themed clothing, stuffed animals, books and many more.
The OdySea Aquarium is a destination for everyone of any age, and opens at 9am and closes at 7pm.