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Moody Gardens
Categories: Active Life Aquariums Arts & Entertainment Museums Arts & Entertainment Cinema Aquariums, Museums, Cinema
1 Hope BlvdGalveston, TX 77554
(800) 582-4673
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 6 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
44 reviews for Moody Gardens
Review Highlights
"We also checked out the Rain Forest pyramid."
(in 5 reviews)
"The third pyramid is the Discovery Center."
(in 17 reviews)
"There penguins were plentiful and very active."
(in 8 reviews)
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44 reviews in English
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Review from Adam R.
Houston, TX
12/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
The lady that sold us tickets was helpful and let us know how to see the aquarium and rain forest a a good price with the Festival Of Lights bulk package. We could not see the Festival of Lights that night though because it was raining heavily and very cold outside. The bus that takes you around to see the lights was only available for seniors and the handicapped.
The rainforest was so-so. I didnt get to see a sloth or any monkeys so i was disappointed. some of the animals were fun to see, but nothing that amazing.
The aquarium on the other hand was awesome. I loved it and wouldn't mind seeing it again next time I visit the island. They had all sorts of sharks, seals, and penguins. Also i liked how there were different sections for different regions of the planet. very enjoyable experience. -
Review from Aaryn P.
Cedar Park, TX
1/15/2012 2 photos
Fairly expensive for what you get to see.
This review is for the aquarium only. We drove down from Houston where we are currently staying and decided because of the steep pricing that we we do only the aquarium. For two people we paid $41.90 - wow.
For such a huge pyramid, I expected a lot more. There are only two floors of exhibits in the place. Several small tide pools, only one touch tank. The have a huge tropical fish tank that you can walk through and see from both floors and many angles. You can also see the penguins and seals from both floors. And...many small exhibits of other fish, coral, anenomies, star fish, eels, crabs, sea horses, lobsters etc. etc.
The one thing I really want to point out, as referenced above..their big exhibits repeat through the first and second floors. So, you see the sharks/tropical fish, penguins and seals twice. While its nice to have different viewing areas, I couldn't help but feel little ripped off. They need more big exhibits if they're going to be charging that much. I mean, I've been to the Seattle aquarium, Sea World San Antonio and the aquarium in Newport, OR and was more impressed with the variety. We only saw one turtle, who was sleeping, and absolutely no jellyfish, which was disappointing. Additionally, there were no feeding times while we were there either...we would have had to wait like another hour to see that. It only took us an hour, with gawking and photography to navigate the whole place.
At the penguin exhibit downstairs and another location downstairs there were large water leaks going on, seeping through the carpet which was a little concerning. Anyways...I just can't give this place more than two stars, as I was disappointed for the reasons above. I'm sort of glad we made the wise decision not to continue on to the tropical pyramid...for as many botanic gardens I've been to, I really think I would have been fairly disappointed with that as well. Sorry Moody's, you just didn't wow me for the money, and I most likely won't be returning. -
Review from Jamie M.
Ventura, CA
11/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
My boyfriend took me here on my birthday, and it was probably the perfect day to attend. Was a Thursday, not to crowded at all, lots of rest and relaxation could be had with plenty of things to see. Though a bit on the pricey side we did the all in one deal. Where you could attend all pyramids and a 3-D show.
We started off in the Aquarium pyramid. Tons of ACTIVE sea life to view. Nothing is trying desperately to push itself in a corner wishing for other waters. Got to enjoy watching the seal push around and chase its toy underwater, as though nothing around it existed, even while the other seals passed close by. The penguins also were another neat attraction to watch. Along with the normal different fish and sharks.
Next we strolled into the Rainforest Pyramid. It was a bit of a maze I admit, little intimidating to figure out which way was up and down or entrance and exit. It's not a large enclosure but definitely a fun one to walk through. I was disappointed to not see the sloth, but I did see a couple types of primates. The butterflies or well what was left of the exhibit was also fun, nothing like the exhibit I have been to at the San Diego Wild Animal Park (if your a butterfly fan I recommend if given the opportunity to check it out). There were to say the least a large amount of butterflies that had passed on collected at the basin of the nets.
The Discovery Pyramid was cold, there wasn't anyone in there including staff. Maybe they turned up the AC to drive people out from visiting it, haha. There really wasn't much to mention about it, more so a education area for small children.
All in all its not a bad place to spend a few hours of the day, took us 4 hours to cover everything. -
Review from Bryan G.
Bridge City, TX
2/7/2012
The Aquarium - Best out of all the moody attractions especially the Penguin exhibit. The price was very steep for what you get and to tell you the truth, it was a good exhibit but not worth the amount you pay to see it.
Colonial Paddlewheeler - If you had to stay up all night because you were tossing and turning in a hotel bed that is as hard as a rock, then you are in for a treat at this attraction. Come on board to one hour of boredom and the where the music is sure to put an insomniac into a very deep coma. Feel free to take a seat, kick back, and allow your eyes to close. The scenery is nothing but the backyards of homes of the lifestyles of the rich and famous where you can enjoy the scenery of cars going up and down the road and dogs running around in the backyard and answering nature's call on a bright sunny day. There is no better time to catch some z's.. Not much information on the history or anything. At the end of the cruise, you will sure wake up refreshed.
IMAX theater - Shows are wonderful if this is your first time to watch them but once you seen them. then you have seen them since they show the same ones over and over that have been out since the dinosaurs last roamed the Earth. They never frequently change them or have new ones that come out.
Ridefilm Theater- This attraction is pretty good which is very much you rock and roll around to a movie.
4D Special FX - This theater is pretty neat in that it sprays water on you and pokes you in the back, but it is no more dimensional than wearing a pair of sunglasses and watching your own television at home.
These are the ones I have went to recently but I believe this place is overpriced for what you get out of it. -
Review from Meredith R.
Houston, TX
Great place for a date and one day we will come back when we have kids for sure! We visited the aquarium and rainforest when it was rainy and almost closing time I'd recommend coming earlier in the day to get more natural light for the rainforest pyramid. This is a must see aquarium and fun for the whole family! LOVED the shark tank, sea lions, penguins and seahorses!
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Review from Gabbs C.
Sugar Land, TX
12/22/2011
I went for the annual festival of lights celebration
The option for $23/person after 4:45pm is amazing and a great deal during the festival of lights period
Be sure to go to the rainforest pyramid before dark! It was a little bit unnerving trying to navigate through there in the dark. At one point there are wet ropes to walk through and I was quite disgusted that they touched my face and then I smelled it... a mildew smell : (
I don't know why but the Garden Restaurant's service is no longer great. The wait staff do not greet warmly , but rather in a curt manner and then they can be overheard obscenely complaining about other customers "walking too slow" etc. They were also busy flirting with each other. We did not receive our drinks until halfway through our meal. The food was like cafeteria food---NOT worth $15/person
The showing of Mr. Popper's penguins was rather nice. The IMAX theater did not have that unpleasant damp popcorn smell because food and beverages are not allowed. The seats were comfortable and movie a nice family friendly film.
For the regular $6/person deal for each of the individual attractions we went to (aquarium, discovery museum, ride film, rainforest, 2-D film, festival of lights walk) we would definitely NOT have gone to the ride film or the discovery museum. The 23$/person was a great value. The discovery museum was quite boring but is more suitable for young kids, though the attraction of Bones was a small room. The ride film was disgusting because I got motion sickness. If you have been on the ride film of Soaring from disney world, you will be disgusted as well. Or maybe it was just because the film we "rode" was Santa's Journey -
Review from Allison S.
Frisco, TX
7/10/2011 1 photo
My review only covers the aquarium so I cannot speak for the rest of the gardens.
I scheduled a private penguin encounter for my husband as an anniversary gift. They have the penguin encounters you can go on with 16 of your closest friends for much cheaper, however, he's liked penguins before they were cool and I'm a science teacher so I splurged for the private encounter. (The difference it price of aquarium admission is included, it's private and you get penguin art included).
One of the penguin caretakers meets you at the exhibit where they tell you about the species of penguins they have. They are great about answering questions and really are experts on penguins! Then they take you back into the penguin facility where they educate you more on penguins as you walk to the room where they prepare the food (Yes it smells like fish!), and then take you to the back of the penguin exhibit. It is chilly so I had a light jacket with me (people look at you weird with a jacket in July). If you're not ready for it the fishy smell might get to you, but you don't noticed it after a few minutes.
The caretaker tells you about the exhibit while you look at it from behind then escorts you to a room where they bring in a friendly penguin to interact with. We met Hendrix a six year old rock hopper penguin -- he was full of personalty! He trumpeted for us, and the caretaker explained to us how the exhibit came to be (I won't spoil how they got the penguin eggs!). Towards the end of the encounter Hendrix did some painting for us with his feet and we got to take home a two paintings. They let you take video and pictures of the little guys as well. My favorite was getting to pet Hendrix -- so soft!
If you are a penguin freak like my husband and I then you'll love it! We toured the rest of the aquarium which allowed you to view three different tanks (including the penguin tank) from lower angles.
Since I went to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium two years ago I made some unfair comparisons (Monterrey is AMAZING!). I wish Moody's aquarium had a little more, but what they did have was done well which is what you want. There are places for kids to touch star fish and learn about sea creatures. The only place that felt crowded was the tank with sharks that went over head -- it was narrow. Otherwise the area was open and space was well used.
The gift shop was almost like a toy shop leaving me disappointed as I looked for posters for my classroom and adult t-shirts (plenty of kids). I'm sure Moody's other gift shops are much better. They did have a small place to eat at the end which we did not stop to look at.
Overall it was a uniquely fun experience and a great place to take kids as a part of the Moody experience. -
Review from Tiffani B.
Round Rock, TX
6/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's terribly overpriced for what it is. The IMAX films are full of misinformation (not their fault, I know), the food is what you'd expect at a fair, the attractions (when actually open) are meh at best.
Little kids love it, but anyone over the age of 10 shrugs it off. -
Review from Nana K.
Houston, TX
7/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
My husband and I enjoy coming here so often from Houston that we keep getting the year-round passes every year. We've had them for about 10 years now or so.
We love the aquariums, especially the tunnel room and the new Rainforest pyramid is not to be missed. It is wonderful how they've remodeled it. -
Review from Katie B.
San Antonio, TX
7/13/2011
I've been to Moody Garden's several times while I was living on the island, and I've done it all. From the entire all in one pass, to just a visit to the aquarium.
If you aren't strapped for cash and have all day to spend there, you should do the all in one deal. The rainforest is small, but pretty cool! It is very humid in there, so be warned! The discovery pyramid is neat especially for little ones, but not too many exciting thigns in there. All it really has is the Imax, and that costs extra. The paddleboat was a neat experience, but if you don't want to be in the heat, it's not for you.
But the only thing really worth going for is the aqarium. It is somewhat overpriced, but I love sealife and aqauriums, so I always didn't mind paying the money. Sometimes I would go just to beat the hot humid summer days. There are alot of interesting exhibits. I think my favorite part is the peaguins.
So not the best aquarium in the country, but a neat little local atrtraction for sure! -
Review from John L. H.
New Orleans, LA
Moody Gardens Aquarium is located in a pyramid style building.
We decided to visit on a weekday while in the area for vacation. It wasn't cheap at $60 for two adults and one child. In addition to being expensive the bathroom was horrendous. I guess the place sees alot of traffic, but unflushed toilets and stalls that wouldn't close make for a nasty bathroom experience.
Enough about the bathroom, the aquarium was not bad. The highlights were the seal/sea lion and penguin exhibit. The seal/sea lion exhibit had a half glass enclosure so when the sea lion breeched the water during the show, water splashed over the wall. The kids loved it.
There penguins were plentiful and very active. One cool thing about this aquarium is that it is multiple levels. That way you can view the large displays from above and below the water.
The aquarium is worth a visit if you have kids. If not, id probably avoid it.Listed in: Galveston,Tx
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Review from David B.
Spring, TX
12/5/2011
We had a package that included 2 day unlimited attractions so we took advantage. We went to the rainforest, discovery pyramid, the aquarium, dora's 4-D adventure and the paddleboat. The aquarium was great as always. The rainforest pyramid was a lot hotter that I remember. It was not much fun going through that thing burning up the entire time. The Dora experience was pretty cool and my daugher really liked that one. All in all it was an enjoyable experience checking out all the different attractions. I highly recommend going off season as there were no crowds here at all. We went back in the spring/summer and it was packed.
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Review from Juli t.
Krum, TX
9/24/2011
This was a great day out! Good deals good food and fun staff. We didn't see everything so we will be going back again. But becareful of the hotels in the area, we ended up leaving early because our bank sent us a text of the hotel charging us double. We will not be staying at that laQuinta again!
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Review from Adrian V.
Fort Worth, TX
Man had the best day of my life at Moody Gardens, the aquarium was spectacular, very fun and educational. Rainforest was very hot but still gorgeous, flowers and animals everywhere. Wear comfortable shoes, you will walk everywhere. Also take a lot of money! (especially if you have kids)
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Review from Elizabeth L.
Gilmer, TX
7/29/2011
We have 3 kids: 7, 5, & 3. We stayed at the hotel with a package for everything in the park.
Aquarium: Kids loved it. Penguins, seals, sharks, and seahorses were some favorites. Several other smaller exhibits and learning areas. Kids and adults both enjoyed this.
Paddle wheel Boat: Don't know if I'd do this again. Fairly long ride- 30-40 minutes? Not very exciting. The breeze was nice but if the wind wasn't blowing, it was hot!
Rain forest: Kids loved this too!! We went as close to 10 AM as we could to avoid the heat. It was very comfortable in the pyramid. Lot's of things to see, even though this is not a zoo. We saw lots of birds, monkeys, butterflies, and fish. Vegetation is magnificent. Our kids were entertained through the whole pyramid.
Water park: Small but the kids loved it. Good big kids slides (2) and good little kids slides (2). Lazy river and wave pool as well. Adults will bore quickly as this is geared to younger kids. Mine did not want to leave.
Hotel: Friendly staff. Clean rooms. Free Wi-Fi. -
Review from Scott B.
Pasadena, TX
5/16/2010
This is my third (and last visit) to The Garden at Moody Gardens. My review below is toned down a great deal because I left angry. My review is fair and based on this experience only.
Atmosphere: A
Cleanliness: A
Hostess: A+
Server: B-
Food: F
Kid Friendly: A+
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: Not sure. No bar.
Menu: Easy to read.
The hostess quickly took us to a table near the window where we could overlook Galveston Bay. She then spent a few minutes talking to the kids and looking over their drawings they had made.
Server - Ivonne - Clueless, slow, and unprepared. It took about ten minutes for her to greet us. Fortunately, the hostess had already taken our drink order. I ordered diet coke. I informed the server that we are members and she quickly informed us that the member discount doesn't apply until after 5pm. (Not what we were told when we were seated at the table.) Oh well... we will do the buffet.
From the buffet - Grilled fish. Ok. Boney. Not too spicy. Temp was off. Taste was ok. Noodles - Not cooked all the way. Sticky. - Macaroni and Cheese - Cold, something didn't taste right. - Meatball from spaghetti - raw meat inside and the meat that was cooked had a horrible consistency. It reminded me of dog food (but I wouldn't ever feed a dog that meatball.) Pasta salad - half cooked pasta and frozen on the inside. Chicken breast - fried too long, meat was dry. In a nutshell, food was worse that I have ever been served in a restaurant too date. Forget the member discount, they should have paid me to eat this.
My opinion - And yes, I am being fair here. The chef should be fired immediately. The wait staff should be retrained.
Moody Gardens is great. The restaurant inside called The Garden... I do not recommend. I will not return to the restaurant. -
Review from Erika V.
8/10/2010
I went to Moody Gardens last weekend for the 1st time ever....
The kids and I had a blast! Loved the penguin exhibit!
Not as elegant of a hotel as I am used to but one of the most kid friendly hotels ever!
We will be back :) -
Review from Joanna B.
6/13/2011
My family and I visited Moody Gardens while we were vacationing. We checked out the aquarium and the IMAX theater. Both seemed incredibly overpriced. The aquarium was ok but we did not get what we paid for. Those that worked in the aquarium seemed very uninformed and could not even tell us where to find a bathroom. Once we did find a bathroom they were a mess!! The IMAX show was nice but we would never have gone just for the show. Moody Gardens is way too over priced we have been to many other aquariums that were infinitely better and better priced. Don't waste your time or money!
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Review from Carole G.
6/17/2008
This was an interesting place to visit with our granddaughter and her sibs. I'd call this place a theme park. It did evoke a Disney-esque type of atmosphere as another reviewer pointed out. However, I thought it was in a good way. But, then again, I'm also a Disney fan, so there.
Pricing is interesting here. You can go a la carte and purchase a ticket for each building or attraction you want to visit. it always seems the best route to get the all-day pass that lets you into all buildings and attractions and includes one of your choice of 4-5 Imax movies that are showing continuously. I'm always wondering if I got my money's worth on these things sometimes as we didn't visit all of the buildings and arrived late morning and left early. But, we had a great time at this place overall.
We started off in the Aquarium pyramid and this was just enough fish, water and fun for everyone. They had amazing sea turtles and the baby seahorse nursery was certainly a highlight. A lot of underwater crammed into a small place. Great seals too! Well-done.
On to the Rainforest pyramid. This was my favorite of the ones we visited. Incredible tropical foliage from the native locations. It was all identified and well-marked. The various parrots and animals freely inhabiting the pyramid were strikingly beautiful and looked elegant amidst mostly natural looking surroundings. Smaller sections of caged animals (the vampire bats drinking blood were certainly a hit with some!) again gave a lot to see in a small place. The interior portion of the tour had plenty of amphibians in all colors as well.
We hit the Shark Imax movie next and while good, it was too long in my opinion. could've cut that one in half and been good.
Kids had gone off to the Caribbean Beach and so we met up there. A ton of water fun to be had; most of which I did not partake of. I did get to build a small sandcastle with my granddaughter and that was fun enough for me. You could actually purchase beer, wine or an alcoholic smoothie type or other beverage here as well if you wanted to. Nice waterfalls and awesome views of Galveston shoreline. Pretty cool.
We missed going in the Discovery Pyramid and did not get to do the 4D attraction nor the Paddlewheel boat. Aside from your typical (well under-typical compared to higher scale amusement parks) concession stand crap for food for too much money, this was a fun place that I would go back to again for another visit.
And for anyone that wants to go two days in a row, they offer a 2-day pass for only an additional $5 more to the first day. That's a really good deal! -
Review from Jennifer A.
Austin, TX
7/5/2008
I really liked this place! I took my two kids, my two nephews, a bored brother and my neurotic mother and we all loved it.
It is separated into 3 main pyramids (Discovery, Aquarium, Rainforest) and each has some sort of attraction. They had the Titanic exhibit in the Discovery pyramid and it was not great, but I had already seen it a while ago in Vegas.
The Aquarium pyramid is surprisingly good! I don't know what I expected, but it's really easy to get in and out of and it's not overwhelming for whiny, hungry, tired kids. The penguin exhibit is really cool and fun to sit and watch.
The Rainforest pyramid is awesome. I loved the humidity in there and the feeling of being in an actual rainforest. We spotted 3 sloths in the trees as well as a lot of lizards and other critters just wandering around. There's an extensive wild plant exhibit in there and I loved looking at all the different orchids.
My suggestions?
-in the summer, get the 2 day pass and end the 2nd day with the beach they have there
-Don't forget to take the paddle boat ride
-skip the ride in the Discovery Pyramid. Snoozefest!
-Experience at least one of the IMAX movies
-Don't do the "buffet" at the restaurant. Too expensive for that food.
My only complaint? That they didn't have more hands-on activities in the rainforest and aquarium.Listed in: Road Trip Places
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Review from joseph y.
Garden Grove, CA
1/8/2008 2 photos
Moody Gardens was the final tourist activity I experienced during this visit to Houston while visiting my girlfriend. Actually, it was really the only touristy thing we did, but I don't hold it against her. : p
To be perfectly honest, I did not think Moody Gardens was going to be as good as it was. I was also only looking forward to seeing the aquarium portion, but having been to the Monterey Bay and Georgia aquariums, I did not set my expectations too high. On this particular trip, my girlfriend and I visited the Rain Forest and Aquarium pyramids and they were absolutely fantastic!
The Rain Forest pyramid was a big surprise. It was a little humid inside, but it's supposed to be a rain forest environment so that was understandable. If it wasn't for the brick pathway, it almost did feel like you were walking through a jungle environment minus the poisonous frogs. The flora was beautiful as were some of the birds with the most recognizable being the parrots. The central exhibit was very impressive: you're brought to a plexiglass embankment of a brackish water environment full of giant catfish all surrounded by granite rocks and lush foliage. In the middle, there were a couple of red macaws perched on a post that extended from the water. All in all, it was a beautiful exhibit. At the end, you can take an elevator up to the second floor to survey the beautiful scenery.
Next was the Aquarium pyramid. The layout of the aquarium is a little confusing since there were multiple pathways leading to the exhibits, but I liked the fact that you had to descend to the lower floor giving you a feeling that you're going under the sea. The penguin exhibit was particularly well done as it was one of the large exhibits that you can view from either floor and the deep ocean exhibit was nice because I believe it had animals indigenous to nearby oceans.
The only reason I'm denying Moody Gardens a star is that I would have to give it some time before ever wanting to go back. It's an awesome destination, but one trip is enough for awhile.
We went on a Saturday during the winter so there wasn't really much of a crowd. If you're in town visiting Houston, be sure to head on down to Galveston to check out Moody Gardens!Listed in: The Yelp Life Aquatic
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Review from allison j.
Austin, TX
10/2/2009
Yesterday we went to the Aquarium, the rainforest, and the bone exhibit at the museum. We thought we were getting a great deal buying the day pass online. Please, unless you just want to give this place money which they obviously need. . .just go to the aquarium. The aquarium was great. The kids loved it. They loved getting their shark stamps and watching the penguins.
The rainforest on the other hand stinks. Unless you really enjoy the plantlife, which is really pretty. . .there are no animals in there. I see more life at Zilker park or at the beach which are both free. I feel like I threw money out the window yesterday when I could have been frolicking on the beach with my kiddos.
Spend $15 and go to the aquarium.Listed in: fun and fancy free in…
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Review from Tammy S.
Austin, TX
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love this place and always have. The price is expensive but what do you think it cost to run a place like that? All I would suggest is avoid the ice on the Colonel Paddle boat my husband and I got sick.
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Review from Ronnie D.
Houston, TX
11/19/2007
I worked here for 3 years, although in the engineering dept. and not with any direct guest relations. I still know the place in and out and have a few friends that still work there as well. There is a lot to see here, and they rotate in new attractions and exhibits several times a year.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the aquarium and rainforest pyramids are great, but the often overlooked Discovery Pyramid has interesting exhibits as well. There's Imax ride films downstairs, and traveling museum exhibits upstairs. There are also seasonal and special exhibits in the other two pyramids. There is even a full fledged Imax theater in the visitors center with a few shows a day.
There's also the Festival of Lights during the Christmas season, Palm Beach in the summer (it's basically a waterpark that looks like a white sand beach), and even an ice skating rink in the winter and in the summer. They have various concerts, plays, and musicals in the new convention center, and the hotel is really great, with a restaurant and bar (with a giant koi pond) downstairs, and a formal dining restaurant on the top floor, with a great head chef. If you stay at the hotel, check out the pool with a full bar in the summer, or the full service spa and private gym on those rare days when it's cold in Galveston.
The day pass is a good deal if you're staying on the island, but if you're driving down for the day you'd get tired before you could see everything.
Call the reservations desk and haggle a deal, and if you have a group of people call their group sales desk and they'll often offer a package deal for groups with rooms, day passes, and transportation service.
There really are quite a few neat things here, so check the website or speak with the hotel conceirge before heading down. -
Review from Jolyn B.
7/8/2008 4 photos
Excellent exhibits and attractions. I LOVE that we can go here a couple times over the summer, in addition to several times throughout the year, and still see new and interesting things. They rotate the themes and attractions very frequently!!
Since I live so close by, I just get one ticket each day. Today we went for the Rainforest Pyramid ($8/kid, $10 for adults) and the Palm Beach ($7 for kids and $12 for adults). We spent at least 2 hours in the Pyramid looking at the native plants and searching for animals. I would think the kids would get bored, having to "search" for the animals, but it turns out being more of a treasure hunt!! We found the huge sloth in the top of a tree and he proceeded to climb along the rafters to another tree. The kids were amazed at how big he was to be so high. They also enjoyed the bats, even though it scared the beee-jeezus out of my little one!
The Palm Beach was very crowded, some families, but a LOT of daycares. Some of the daycare teachers weren't being as vigilant as they probably should have been, especially near the water. Not only did I have to tell one little boy to stop hitting my daughter, I also had to help one little girl when the water went over her head and she started to sink!! But besides that, my kids really enjoyed the separate areas, one right off the sand and another with water slides, and one of those big water buckets that dumps on everybody. The water in the kid area wasn't over 2 feet deep so I could sit on the side and watch and not worry too much about them swimming.
Definite must-see and do if you're in the area. -
Review from Jon W.
Palo Alto, CA
3/19/2009
The aquarium was kinda neat but also felt small. The rainforest pyramid was closed, and the other pyramid was stupid and really small (the one with the human body stuff and bones and what not).
all the shows have long lines, and the colonel boat ride is kinda pointless. its relaxing i guess since you get to go around and see the sea (no pun intended) but its so slow and there doesn't really seem to be a point to the ride.
also the restaurant there is something everyone should steer clear of. food is crap, service is okay at best, food is also way overpriced. both the buffet and the menu. -
Review from Bobbi B.
Webster, TX
7/29/2007
A great day with the family, the relatives comming to visit.
Keep the children close as its crowded.
Enjoy ! -
Review from Ronni P.
Houston, TX
7/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
We went on a Sunday in July and were surprised that the place wasn't busy.
Aquarium: great, lots to see and facts to read. Seeing a diver feeding was really vibrant.
Rainforest: stuffy, few birds just a garden
Butterfly Exhibit: small, tons of persistent mosquitos despite spray, only saw 2 butterflies after 10 mins.
Could prob bring a picnic, enjoy on patio tables or walkway or takeout to save money on concessions. -
Review from David N.
7/15/2009
Another Houston Area Tourist Trap
BUT! It's actually worth seeing.
There are many things here to check out including the Aquarium, Rainforest Exhibit, and many IMAX Movies.
Honestly, it's more of a family place to visit, take the kids early in the morning and spend the whole day there.
It's also an interesting date idea. Lots of nice scenery for pictures. I wouldn't go more than once every few years but It's worth checking out if you've never been at least once.Listed in: Houston: Local Flavor
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Review from Shana P.
Houston, TX
10/18/2007
Moody Gardens is a great way to spend a day in Galveston if you want to get out of the weather. I mean, if you're bored of the beach scene or checking out all of the shops on the Strand - this is definitely an option while you're in the area.
There's a lot to do and you won't have to worry about getting sunburned or overheated. While that's a good thing this far South, there's also something to be said for getting out in the fresh air and getting a little sun though.
If air conditioning is your thing, I would suggest going ahead with the day pass to Moody Gardens. You can easily see all they have to offer in one day and it is cheaper than buying things individually if you are considering taking in more than one tour or show. Yes, the day pass does kind of plan out your day for you but you'll only have to wait in line once and you'll probably come out cheaper for it in the end.
The whole place is a self contained entertainment plaza and everything is easy to access as you make your way through the exhibits. Moody Gardens is a great place to take out of town guests and kids if you're willing to make the drive down to Galveston and spend the day. -
Review from Dave L.
Naperville, IL
4/7/2009
I don't know of anywhere else where you can actually pet a penguin!
Yes, if you do the Penguin Encounter program -- you get to pet a penguin and watch it make art. You learn all about them and their life there -- turns out that the Penguins get the same lettuce etc. you would at the restaurants in Galveston.
The rest of the place is pretty cool, I only knock it a star because I was counting on going to the Rainforest Pyramid. But it's hard to blame them because the Hurricane caused more than 10 feet of flooding to it.
Note: I understand ethically that Penguins probably shouldn't be exploited in that way but it still was awesome for this Penguin Fanatic. -
Review from Celeste A.
Bedford, TX
6/8/2009 11 photos
After reading others reviews, I limited our Moody Gardens experience to just the aquarium and the 4D Theatre for this trip. Aquarium is top notch and great fun. We went at the aquarium opening. Takes about an hour and a half to do it right. Very enjoyable.
The 4D Theatre wasn't that great. It was 20 minutes long and done in a monotone about dinosaurs. The 3D effect seemed to be neglected for pumping various scents into the room. I like a regular IMAX better. It seems the 4d is a bit overrated and it was filled with unhappy small children.
Search for an online coupon for two dollars off admission.
Rainforest Pyramid still closed but supposed to open at the end of April 2010Listed in: I Love Galveston
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Review from Josh S.
Jamaica Plain, MA
3/1/2011
I went here to go to the Aquarium with a friend and we enjoyed ourselves. The exhibits were very well done and we really enjoyed seeing the seals/sea lions and the penguins from many angles (from above and below). The staff was friendly and answered the questions that we had. It's a little pricey, though, which is the main reason I am not giving it 5 stars. It is worth if you want to see the sea in an intimate way.
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Review from Imelda S.
Austin, TX
10/26/2009
The aquarium is awesome.
about as good as any other aquarium.
It was right before christmas when I went so there was a trail of lights outside.
another experience with an ex boyfriend.
I think that was the best date that we ever went on. -
Review from Veronica H.
Round Rock, TX
Updated - 10/26/2009
This place is the best!
They have the aquarium and the rain forest (small but nice). Take your cameras. The prices are fair. I would recommend going during the week so that it's not packed!
We also rode a 3-D, super fun both kids and adults alike!
Take your family, you won't regret it. :)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/26/2009
My husband and I were here during our week long honeymoon back in 06'. I must say this place is… Read more »
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Review from Deb D.
Austin, TX
2/2/2011 1 photo
Took our grand daughter down to Moody Gardens over the summer ( yes it has taken me this long to Yelp about it! We had the best time! Loved the Aquariums. Would go back again in a heart beat. The hotel offered a package that got us our rooms and admission to Moody Gardens and I thought it was a really deal.
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Review from Brandon B.
Chicago, IL
4/3/2008
The only mood I had at these gardens was creepy...seemed like a very Disney-esque set-up with soothing ambient music oozing from the bushery and a deep masculine voice subliminally telling us how much fun we could be having and to buy more tickets, like the voice of some great white God coming from the palm trees. These theme parks are creepy when the place is mostly deserted. The animals were impressive in the Rainforest pyramid, although I had a hard time seeing them through my rainforest-humidity-fogged specs. Make sure you have coupons or you will pay through the nose for this little slice of alternate reality.
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Review from Meg G.
5/29/2009
"Scared of the world outside, you should go explore... Pull all the shades and wander the great indoors... the great indoors...". Okay, enough of channelling John Mayer - this is a great entertainment/amusement park/garden with lots of butterflies that flutter by and a multitude of water-themed exhibits for both the little people and the adults. I love aquariums and rainforest-themed adventures, so if you're anything like me, you'll really enjoy the Moody Gardens!
Listed in: Out & About Texas Style
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Review from Cory O.
Houston, TX
9/11/2007 3 photos
Since I started working in Galveston, all I ever heard about was the Kemah boardwalk and Moody Gardens. Neither seemed interesting and both seemed pretty touristy to me. So when my family came in to look at TAMUG (whoop!), I decided that this was the perfect opportunity to check it out without truly admitting that I enjoy touristy things. :)
It was hot. Well, it's Texas in the summer, of course it's hot. No, really, it was hot. The parking lot is a mess to navigate through and there's not enough parking. So to actually get to the building requires a 20 minute hike from your car to the airconditioning. Where you must wait to buy tickets. We ended up doing just 2 out of the 3 temples (actually really pretty to look at). The Aquarium is my favorite. My cousin plans to go into Marine Biology, so that's where we went first. They'd just come back from looking at schools in Cali and claimed that our aquarium was so much better than all the ones they saw in CA. There were plenty of fish, the penguins were a big hit (plus, I'd just seen Happy Feet that week, so I was all pumped up to see Robin Williams in penguin form), and the gift shop was well stocked with a variety of things that weren't all that overpriced compared to other places I've seen.
We also checked out the Rain Forest pyramid. Very cool. There's a lot to see (including the freaky bats that'll wake up out of nowhere!) and plenty of room to take a lot of pictures. Some of the animals just roam around freely, especially the birds. I was most interested in seeing the sloths, but they tended to stay so far up in the air that we didn't get a good view till we actually exited the pyramid and were walking to the car!
All in all, a great place to take people--especially guests and even more so, kids. It is actually pretty reasonably priced (though I still think that you get more bang for your buck at the Aquarium pyramid) and it is educational as well.Listed in: Being a Tour Guide in Houston
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Review from Scott M.
Los Angeles, CA
10/9/2007
If you ever happen to be in this part of Texas, this is an all right place to see. We only went in the Rain forest Pyramid and it was an excellent greenhouse. It's great for kids with all the animals they have in there. Sloths, iguanas, monkeys, snakes, bats, a gigantic fish tank, parrots, free roaming birds and more.
