Maybe you are just passing through Utah. Maybe you live there. Maybe you are coming out of the mountains from Hiking Mount Timpanogos! Regardless, if you have driven on I15 South of Salt Lake City, you have passed a structure that resembles a giant space spider on the West side of the highway in Draper, UT. This odd structure is known as EECO (Ecosystem Exploration Craft & Observatory) and is an easy reference point to find the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.
In a nutshell, EECO is a recycled art sculpture. In its former life, it was the stage for U2’s 360 music tour back in 2009-2011. Underneath the structure sits the EECO Voyager, a Virtual Reality experience that includes 4D effects. EECO Voyager is part of the aquarium. It “departs” every 15 minutes, but time slots fill up quickly, so visit early to reserve your showtime. To see all the requirements, visit the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium website.
EECO is more than simply the entrance to the VR experience, or a former stage. It also hosts several outdoor events each year including Nights Under Lights, where participants are welcome to hang out under the multicolored lights and picnic (food trucks are available); Movie Night, where movies are shown on an outdoor projector; or other special events during the year.
Whoo! That’s just EECO; we haven’t even gotten past the entrance yet! It’s time to talk about the main attraction … the aquarium!
The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is the only accredited aquarium in Utah. A non-profit, its focus is on conservation, education, science and recreation. The aquarium is divided into sections to include Discover Utah, Expedition Asia, Journey to South America, Ocean Explorer and Antarctic Adventure. Each area has plenty to see and learn and offers something different. Be prepared to see sharks, otters, sea horses, penguins and much more. There are even tanks where you can touch anemones and rays. Before you go in, be aware that it is more, much more, than just big fish tanks! What they put on display above the water is often just as amazing as what is underneath. As you walk through each area, you are fully immersed.
Discover Utah: On our visit, Utah’s water-life started with an aquarium staff member displaying scorpions and desert spiders before we pressed back into displays incorporating the beautiful red rocks of southern Utah, native fish from the state’s rivers, lakes and streams, a display of river otters (apparently, they were all asleep), and a large beehive behind glass. So cool! This area was an eye opener to us as some-times visitors to Utah.
In Expedition Asia, you will find colorful birds, giant fish, a Binturong, Clouded Leopards and a variety of reptiles to include a Komodo Dragon, an Asian Vine Snake and a Chinese Tree Dragon. This area was warm and mildly humid, but a treat. Well-designed, with large areas for the animals to move around in.
The Journey to South America transports you to a tropical rainforest where you will find porcupines, a sloth, a Dwarf Caiman Crocodile, exotic fish, reptiles and many birds to include a beautiful Tucan (yes, we “followed our nose!”). We happened to be at the right place and right time and saw one of the workers feeding crickets to some colorful tree frogs. All I can say is…zap! What a fun sight. High above this swings the rope bridge. You’re never too old to run across a rope bridge! (But you might have to wait for a line of the even-younger to clear out….)
Ocean Explorer is where you will find several sharks, sea turtles and stingrays. As you approach, the walls are lined with the full-size silhouettes of various sharks. Then you turn a corner and—wow!—you are in a deep blue tunnel with glass arching over you and sharks, rays and a variety of sea creatures swimming past, over, and around you. Take your time in the forty-foot tunnel before passing through the back end and into a large shark viewing room. Seriously, say that slowly to yourself… Shark. Viewing. Room. How cool! We spent the most time here viewing a variety of sharks, including Blacktip Reef Sharks, Grey Reef Sharks and Nurse Sharks as well as those rays and other fish. In addition to the shark habitat, you will see dozens of aquariums filled with large varieties of fish, seahorses, sea stars and jellyfish. You can hunt for the Octopus and touch stingrays, sea stars and anemones in the touch tanks.
If you want to take a trip to the Antarctic to see penguins, but you are not a fan of the cold, then the Antarctic Adventure is the place for you. Set up like an old Penguin Research Station, the large room has a glass front wall beyond which enough penguins live to satisfy anybody’s need for cuteness. The back wall is a multi-layered stone habitat while the foreground is all water. And the penguins are swimming, waddling, or hopping all over it. Sit against the glass wall and get a close shot, or be surprised when a penguin zips by, a matter of maybe a foot away. Or, sit in the benches on the back wall and just take in the breadth of the show. Honestly, either one is fun; be sure to carve out time to sit and enjoy them for a while.
In addition to the standard exhibits, the aquarium offers a huge selection of activities. From yoga in the shark observatory to Nature Storytime, from youth camps to STEM activities for teens, from field trips to outreach programs, the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium truly has something for everyone, including several conservation programs to benefit the animals.
The Details
The aquarium has Plan Ahead Pricing for those who are organized enough to purchase tickets in advance. There are discounted tickets for children, teens, students, military, and seniors. Children 2 and under are free of charge. Membership is also available. It is easy to spend the majority of the day in the aquarium, so plan your time accordingly. Food is available for purchase on site and it is easy to navigate, making it a great choice with our friends with mobility issues. The aquarium is easy to find and on-site parking is free.
