Aquarium at the Boardwalk

Aquariums are one of our favorite places to visit. We enjoy anything wildlife related and the beautiful and often strange ocean wildlife is no exception. The Aquarium at the Boardwalk in Branson MO is a fun attraction with several tanks full of fish, sharks, and octopus. sting rays and other bright, colorful, and let's say unique specimens of fish. 

Whenever you pull into the parking lot you are greeted with a nice music-synced water fountain and a giant reflective octopus that appears to be trying to blend into its environment with reflective tiles covering it. Unfortunately for him, he is 55 feet tall and made of panels of stainless steel too big and reflective of the sun to hide as it drapes over the corner of the building. 

After paying a slightly more than modest entry fee (keep in mind it's not cheap to maintain an aquarium), you start your tour by getting your photo made with another large octopus. You get three photos made, a silly one, a scary one (you are getting attacked by a giant octopus after all) and finally a normal one. This octopus, Aquarius, and his friend Fin a yellow puffer fish are sort of the mascots of the facility and you will see them often throughout your tour, especially in the 5D submarine adventure. 

There are many different tanks full of live coral, plants, and of course beautiful fish. You will find unicorn fish, jellyfish, sea horses, clownfish, and lionfish among the 7200 individual sea animals. You will also see a beautiful green-themed room with 20-foot kelp. It's artificial of course but very cool and impressive.  The highlights of our visit were the sea horses, the walk-through tank, and the interactive section. Yes, interactive as in petting,  you can pet live stingrays, sharks, and even anemones! The anemones have these unique little fingers that cover them and feels a bit strange as they stick to you but it is so worth the experience.  

Once you finish your aquatic tour you end up in the gift shop. There are plenty of stuffed Aquarius’ and Fins along with sweet treats, key chains, jewelry, and much more. Dont forget to pick up your pictures with the giant Aquarius.