Tips for your family trip to Shedd Aquarium

By Alaina Buzas

One of our favorite places to visit in the winter is Shedd Aquarium. It's a great escape from the chilly Chicago weather and there's always a new creature to meet.

Plus, January and February are packed full of free days so the only thing you have to pay for is a locker for your coat. And don't forget that if you're a Bank of America customer, the first full weekend of every month is always free at Shedd.

To help your family make the most of a trip to Shedd, we've pulled together this list of simple tips.

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Don't ignore the signs

It's easy to get mesmorized by the jellies or get lost following the sharks around their tank, but don't forget about the vast learning opportunities at Shedd. Stopping to read every sign would make the kids impatient and would really stretch out a visit, but when you see your child really stuck on an animal that's a great time to start reading.

A lot of the signs are interactive, especially in Wild Reef, and reading a few of them can really make the most of your visit. Plus, your kids will love bragging about the cool facts they learned about their favorite animals.