To kick off our water adventure, it rained in Galveston. Hard. It rained so much so that we considered taking the next u-turn off I-45 and heading back to Houston. Instead, we pulled over for a bit. After all, the kids were REALLY looking forward to this trip.
After settling in (and drying off), the next stop of our water-ific adventure at Moody Gardens was Rio 2 - 4D. Even if you've never seen Rio or Rio 2 (and apparently, I'm the only person in America who hasn't, judging by the number of people who knew the songs and the characters), this movie is a joy to watch. And, as with all 4D movies, the movie came complete with effects for all senses, including a splash of water.
Our third water encounter was the Aquarium Pyramid. We've seen this before, but never during a special event. We visited during the pyramid's Shark Week activities. The children were given a passport to find various sharks around the facility. With the added incentive of a completed passport, the hunt for different sharks (and our entire aquarium visit) was a hit with everyone!
By the conclusion of our Aquarium Pyramid visit, it stopped raining. The all-new ropes course, zip line, and Palm Beach, which were closed because of rain, re-opened. By then, the children were itching to do these activities, so we headed outside to give them a try. (The Colonel Paddlewheel Boat, to our knowledge, remained closed for the day).
The Ropes Course, new to Moody Gardens this summer, was absolute fun almost everyone. If you've never seen a Ropes Course, it' a series of obstacle-type courses above ground. Ropes course adventurers are secured by harness, and it is a safe way to channel your inner daredevil. Now, please note that I said that "almost" everyone enjoyed the ropes course because I tried it, completed two courses, and returned to the bottom. I can ride a roller coaster, but something about the Ropes Course intimidated me. Most children, though, including most of our group, flew through the courses without fear - even the challenging obstacles.
Also new this summer to Moody Gardens is the Zip Line. We could only persuade one child to try this, and he had a blast! Maybe next time for the rest of us....
Our final water adventure for the day was Palm Beach. If you've never been, Palm Beach is a man-made, white sand beach and water park, complete with a waterslide, lazy river, and wave pool. We did a full review last summer, if you want to take a look around. It's not a large water park, but it's a great size for keeping an eye on multiple children. Anytime there's an opportunity for sand and water, we have fun, and Palm Beach never disappoints.
Moody Gardens was, as always, great fun for all ages. Consider an end-of-summer adventure before school gets in full swing. Palm Beach is open daily now through Labor Day, and weekends from August 30 - September 13.
The author and her party were provided complimentary day passes for the purpose of facilitating this review. Opinions expressed are solely that of the author.
The Ropes Course, new to Moody Gardens this summer, was absolute fun almost everyone. If you've never seen a Ropes Course, it' a series of obstacle-type courses above ground. Ropes course adventurers are secured by harness, and it is a safe way to channel your inner daredevil. Now, please note that I said that "almost" everyone enjoyed the ropes course because I tried it, completed two courses, and returned to the bottom. I can ride a roller coaster, but something about the Ropes Course intimidated me. Most children, though, including most of our group, flew through the courses without fear - even the challenging obstacles.
Also new this summer to Moody Gardens is the Zip Line. We could only persuade one child to try this, and he had a blast! Maybe next time for the rest of us....
Our final water adventure for the day was Palm Beach. If you've never been, Palm Beach is a man-made, white sand beach and water park, complete with a waterslide, lazy river, and wave pool. We did a full review last summer, if you want to take a look around. It's not a large water park, but it's a great size for keeping an eye on multiple children. Anytime there's an opportunity for sand and water, we have fun, and Palm Beach never disappoints.
Moody Gardens was, as always, great fun for all ages. Consider an end-of-summer adventure before school gets in full swing. Palm Beach is open daily now through Labor Day, and weekends from August 30 - September 13.
The author and her party were provided complimentary day passes for the purpose of facilitating this review. Opinions expressed are solely that of the author.
