The Aquarium
One Katy family’s favorite place for the big celebrations in life
My daughter loves birthdays. She loves her own (of course), her friends (the parties!), and especially birthdays of family members. Our extended
 family’s tradition is to go out to eat for any adult birthday, as a large family unit. We used to try to head to places like Fogo de Chao or Perry’s Steakhouse, but as the children get older (and as there are more of them!), anywhere we go needs to be kid-friendly.
Enter our new family favorite: The Downtown Aquarium. The food is still fancy enough to warrant a birthday celebration, and the children have so much to do that the event is at least as special for them as it is for the birthday celebrant.Â
Before heading in to eat, we enjoy the shark tunnel train ride. As we’re seated and making our dinner selections, the children can walk around the huge aquarium and pick out their favorites (this past time is was the green eels). It’s not hard to keep the children entertained as we wait for our food with the cast amount of fish, sea horses, sharks, and eels to scope out.
The food is always amazing, and my youngest daughter especially loves the shrimp and chicken plate for children.Â
After dinner, we let the children choose two more activities: the carousel, the ferris wheel, winning an item at the midway games, playing in the bubbles around the midway, dancing in the water sprays or a ride on the horse drawn carriages waiting outside the restaurant. Every time we go, my daughters choose something different. There really is so much to choose from!
The Downtown Aquarium is enough of a drive away (and bears enough of a price tag) that we save it for family birthdays, but when we go, everyone has a wonderful time. It is certainly our family favorite for finer dining and child friendly fun!
How about you? Do you have a favorite spot for family celebrations? Post a comment below!
