One truly visits a place if only he visits the cultural hotspots of the place. The Chicago, one of the most popular cities of the world, sees many tour it every day and the cultural attraction here is the Shedd Aquarium. This remains as one of the most visited spots by both the locals and the tourists.

The Aquarium, or 'Ocean World' to be apt, has every kind of sea creature from every different kind of water sources on display. There are the whales, otters, octopuses, penguins, lizards and frogfishes to the turtles. One of the main attractions is the dolphin. These have been brought in from oceans of every part of the world, from indo-pacific to the arctic. The tour into the water planet here does really show a whole lot about the water lives from around the world.

There are the specific displays categorized by place from where the animals come- The Amazon Rising, Caribbean Reef, Fantasea, Oceanarium, Polar Play Zone and Waters of the world.Each of them has its own unique flavor, and there is always the visitor who gets out talking about the magnificence of one or the other things inside the Aquarium. It is not just this that makes the place tick though; the people who, come here every day just show the essence of Chicago. There are many tourists and locals that you find here and one call clearly sees the culture that is Chicago, and that is why the Shedd Aquarium is a must see attraction in Chicago.

Chicago boasts plentiful well-known attractions that can occupy your time. One of the best attractions in Chicago is the Shedd Aquarium. It is especially true if you are a marine life enthusiast or just looking for a family-friendly attraction to have a fun filled day.

General admission: There are three kinds of admission tickets. Different kind applies for different attractions or activities.

Shedd Pass - The admission of Shedd Pass is $26.95 per adult and $19.95 per child (aged 3 to 11). This fee applies for the newly renovated Abbott Oceanarium and Polar Play Zone, Wild Reef, Amazon Rising, Caribbean Reef and Waters of the World. With an additional fee of $2, you can explore the Shedd's aquatic show with whales, dolphins, penguins and more.

Total Experience Pass - This pass is $30.95 per adult and $23.95 per kid. With this kind of ticket, you can access to all exhibits and a 4-D Experience of your choice. Add Shedd's aquatic show to your visit at a rate of $2 each person. The Total Experience Pass is only available at Shedd box office, not available online.

Shedd Aquarium 4-D Experience

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/4dtheater.html

Fantasea Pass - With Fantasea Pass, you can experience everything that the aquarium has to offer. This all access pass (including all exhibits, the 4-D Experience, Shedd's aquatic show) is $32.95 per adult and $25.95 per child. You need to purchase this pass only at the Shedd box office as well.

Are you a budget traveler but really want to visit the Shedd Aquarium? Bring this experience to you or your families with Shedd Aquarium discount tickets. These discount tickets are the first step in your savings plan and the first step for your family's adventure on various exhibits.

There are a variety of ways to get discounts on Shedd Aquarium admission. Learn about these different options to ensure you get the best deals to explore the aquarium. You need to pay attention not only to the cheapest tickets, but also to the exhibits you are interested in experiencing.

1) Community Discount Days - Community Discount Days means that there are 52 days a year for you to get discount tickets to the Shedd Aquarium. During these days, general admission is free and packages for additional exhibits are available at a discounted rate.

2) Resident Discount - If you are a Chicago resident, you will receive a $3 discount on admission everyday other than Community Discount Days. Make sure to have your valid ID with you.

3) Chicago CityPass / Go Chicago Card - Chicago CityPass or Go Chicago Card is a great way to get discounts to the Shedd Aquarium. They can get you into Shedd Aquarium and other well-known Chicago attractions for a low price.

4) Mini Pass - Think about whether partial admission is enough for you. If you are not interested in the extra exhibits like a 4-D Experience or Pet Show, you could consider buying the Mini Pass instead. It helps save you a few bucks, if you are planning on a visit to the Shedd Aquarium with your whole family.

5) Bank of America's Museums on Us Program - Visitors who present a valid Back of America/Merrill Lynch ATM, credit or debit card, together with photo identification, will receive one free mini-pass admission on the first full weekend of each month. This offer is not available during special events or for admission to the 4-D theatre. Museums on Us weekends in 2011 include Feb 5 - 6, Mar 5 - 6, April 2 - 3, May 7 - 8, Jun 4 - 5, Jul 2 - 3, Aug 6 - 7, Sep 3 - 4, Oct 1 - 2, Nov 5 - 6 and Dec 3 - 4.

6) Membership - Becoming a member, you can get discounts on programming and free admission to all of Shedd's exhibits and more.

Shedd Aquarium Membership Information

https://secure3.convio.net/shedd/site/Donation2?idb=1962209608&df_id=1180&1180.donation=form1&JServSessionIdr004=va9vuw0tm2.app304b

7) Great Kids Museums Passports - Two adults and two kids will benefit from a Great Kids Museum Passport for general aquarium admission only. These passports can be found at Chicago Public Library branches.

Shedd VIP Tickets - You can get VIP tickets at Shedd's selected Chicago Hotel Partners, at the Shedd Box Office or just call 312-692-3373. The price of a VIP ticket is $29 for both adults and kids aged 3 - 11. With Shedd VIP tickets, you can explore Waters of the World, Amazon Rising, the Abbott Oceanarium, Polar Play Zone and Wild Reef and don't need to wait in lines. You also can add the 4-D Experience to your visit at a discounted rate of $4.5 per person.

Chicago Hotel Partners

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/nearby_accomodations.html

9) Other Discounts - Shedd Aquarium discount tickets are also available for teachers, active-duty military personnel and Chicago police officers and firefighters. Present you proper ID and you will receive a $3 discount on admission everyday with the exception of Community Discount Days.

No matter you're visiting Chicago for the first time or a Chicagoan who needs one-day city escape, the John G. Shedd Aquarium truly deserves your visit to have some pleasant time there, and get much more than fun!

This nonprofit institution is one of the world's largest indoor aquariums with a history dating back to 1930. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, the building itself, a grand architecture in Greek style is its own work of art.

History of Shedd Aquarium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shedd_Aquarium

This aquatic wonderland goes out of its unique way to educate visitors through 32,600 aquatic animals representing around 1,500 species of fishes, amphibians, birds, mammals and insects from waters all over the world.

You will be marveled at watching dolphins jump while staring out at a view of Lake Michigan. And the exhibitions like Caribbean Reef, Amazon Rising's Flooded Forest, the Oceanarium's Pacific Northwest Coast and Wild Reef's Indo-Pacific Reef will make your feel surrounded by intense humidity and almost can smell the flavor of soil and water.

Can't wait to start your visit, right? Be cool! Here comes more great news for you. The aquarium offers 52 designated discount days for visitors each year. That means, you can visit the original galleries including the Waters of the World, Amazon Rising, and the Caribbean Reef for totally free.

Maybe you're still trying to figure out the benefits with these free days. We will make you realize the huge savings instantly through telling you the steep regular admission prices. Presently, the Shedd Aquarium has three types of pass:

(1) The admission for Shedd Pass is $26.95 for adults and $19.95 for children at 3 to 11 years old. For the Shedd's aquatic show, you need to pay 2 extra dollars per person.

(2) Total Experience Pass allows you to have access to all the exhibits and a 4-D experience. The price is $30.95 for adults, while $23.95 for children. Also the Shedd's aquatic show charging $2 per person is excluded.

(3) Fantasea Pass enables you to experience everything in the aquarium. You need to pay $32.95 for adults and $25.95 for children.

Note: the last two passes are only available at the Shedd box office, not available online.

Ticket Info from Homepage

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/ticketprices.html

Now let's get back to the free days which will benefit your trip for sure. In 2011, the upcoming free days of January and February are still on Mondays and Tuesdays like 2010.

In January, you can enjoy free days after the second weekends. The concrete dates are 10(Mon), 11(Tue), 24(Mon), 25(Tue) and 31(Mon).

Except for February 21 and 22, you can have your free visiting on any other Mondays and Tuesdays of this month, including 1(Tue), 7(Mon), 8(Tue), 14(Mon), 15(Tue) and 28(Mon).

And the Community Discount Weeks of the two months are Jan 16-21 and Feb 20-24.

How to save more on your visit? The Shedd Aquarium is situated in the Grant Park's Museum Campus. There you can also visit other two natural science museums - Adler Planetarium and Field Museum of Natural History. The free days of the three museums are often overlapped. You can take advantage of one same free day for two or even three museums, then have a whole-day visiting.

2011 Community Discount Days of Shedd Aquatium

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/discounts.html

Field Museum Free Days in 2011

http://www.fieldmuseum.org/plan_visit/free_days.htm

Discounts of Adler Planetarium

http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/plan/discounts

We will keep the free day info updated with the announcement on the official sites of these museums. Remember to check back soon!

Shedd Aquarium is one of the largest indoor aquariums in the world and it's one of the major tourist attractions in Chicago, Illinois. Lots of people come here to enjoy the marine animals that thrive here as well as amphibians and birds which is why kids love to come here often. For travelers with kids around, it's a definite requirement to find hotels near Shedd that is safe for kids. That means no bad influence of any kind like alcohol and strip clubs.

1. The Wheeler Mansion

http://www.wheelermansion.com/

The Wheeler Mansion is an elegant hotel where you'll surely get pampered and feel like a queen. It's just 0.72 miles away from the Shedd Aquarium and it's a great hotel for the whole family. You'd surely love the serenity and peacefulness of the place especially with the gardens.

2. Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

http://www.mccormickplace.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp

It's a Hyatt Hotel! If you want class and convenience that's perfect for the entire family then Hyatt Regency McCormick Place is the best choice. Their indoor heated pool will surely excite the kids and they'll have lots and lots of fun. It's just 0.91 miles away from Shedd Aquarium.

3. Swissotel

http://www.swissotelchicago.com/

This is by far the most kid-friendly hotel in Chicago. They offer kids suites where kids have their very own room and kid-sized stuff. It's an adjoining room so you won't be too far from them. Children menus and everything that kids would want from their hotel can be found here and it's in close proximity to Shedd Aquarium as well.

There are lots to do in the Shedd Aquarium that you wouldn't really have a problem about what activity would be fun for you and your kids. It's a kid's paradise and the kids inside each and every one of us would surely fancy a trip to the Shedd Aquarium as well.

You'll have a lot of fun here together with your kids with the several exhibits that they have such as Amazon Rising, Caribbean Reef, Waters of the World, Wild Reef Sharks at Shedd and the Oceanarium Reimagined.

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/explore_by_exhibit.html

Have an extraordinary experience with the awesome animals at the Shedd Aquarium. Maybe the kids would find their passion with the marine animals and would want to become a trainer just like the ones who handle all the different species inside the Shedd Aquarium.

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/premium_experiences.html

4-D movie viewing is another highlight of the Shedd Aquarium. Kids of all ages from 1-99 will surely enjoy this 4-D experience. You would really feel like you're in the movie! You would feel, smell, hear and almost taste what is being shown to you.

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/4Dtheater.html

There are many different things you could do to get some fun with kids at the Shedd Aquarium. All you need is just a little bit of imagination and time to explore what is in store in this magical world of the marine animals. You don't even need to exert any effort just to have fun, just come in and you'll surely have a great time.

Keeping track of the Chicago Shedd Aquarium Free Days is important and this can be maintained by keeping online contacts. This is the most effective method that is used to keep in touch with many individuals who like watching games. Initially these activities usually take place during the summer or spring times when the weather is very conducive. They are usually held during this time to allow all water activities especially for kids to be worked out well.

Which community days are usually discounted or completely free?

In order to promote some worldwide activities especially in the community there are usually some discounted days or general admission if evaded. Among the community discounted days are waters of the world celebrations, during the Caribbean reef as well as the Amazon rising. These have over time created convenience in most families that travel to tour during these days and stay at discounted hotels in Chicago IL.

http://www.chicagohotblog.com/shedd-aquarium-free

What other tourist attraction sites can you visit during your visit in Chicago?

Having travelled to Chicago it is essential that you visit other fun filled places especially the kids' museum and zoo where crafted features are stored for viewing.

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/discounts.html