Heading to Daytona Aquarium & Rainforest Adventure? Don't miss these exhibits.
The Daytona Aquarium & Rainforest Adventure opened Wednesday morning, offering a fun and educational experience for guests. The facility includes several land and marine animal species as well as two interactive touch tanks.
Here's what you need to know if you're planning a visit to the Daytona aquarium:
Stingray touch pool
The stingray touch pool offers guests a chance to interact with the several stingray species, including the yellow stingray, southern stingray, cownose stingray and more.
For $5, guests can also feed the animals, whose diets are comprised mostly of worms, crustaceans and small fish.
110,000-gallon shark tank
The massive 110,000-gallon shark tank, located right next to the stingray touch pool, features a few shark and fish species that visitors can observe from two different parts of the tank.
Guests can see blacktip reef and nurse sharks swimming around among powder blue and bumblebee groupers.
Signage on the walls feature several detailed shark facts, including information about the legendary megalodon species.
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What about land animals?
The new aquarium is not a marine animal-exclusive experience.
Several land animals are featured, including reptile and amphibian species.
The aquarium’s “Gator Alley” features an American alligator and caimans. The “Lizard Lair” has water monitors, chameleons, a uromastyx and a skink.
There are several colorful frogs and toads, including poison dart frog species like the black-legged, golden and Kokoe poison dart frogs.
Invertebrate touch tank
The invertebrate touch tank features several species, including Calico crabs, conches, starfish, sea urchins, clownfish and more.
An aquarium staff member helps guests safely interact with the animals in the tank, which proved to be a favorite among kids on the first day.
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Coming soon to the Daytona Aquarium & Rainforest Adventure
Even though guests already have plenty to do now, a few more features are slated for the near future.
The next big step is to create the rainforest area, which is expected to house around 50 rainforest species, such sloths, small monkeys, toucans and much more, according to owner Cliff Grosvenor.
A “snake den” is also coming soon.
The site’s “Education Room,” where staff members will hold presentations featuring reptiles and other animals for guests to learn about, is not open yet.
A café area near the gift shop is also in the works.
The Daytona Aquarium and Rainforest Adventure is open daily from 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. For information, visit daytonaaquariumandrainforest.com.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona Aquarium & Rainforest Adventure exhibits you don't want to miss
