This post is sponsored by the Texas State Aquarium and all viewpoints are of our awesome family experience.

Texas boasts some of the best dramatic changing of scenery from region to region. From the heart of the hill country to the coast, El Paso, the piney woods of east Texas and the plains of the panhandle. Texas is gorgeous, full of resources and incredibly diverse. As a tourist destination the Texas Gulf Coast is best known for its excellent beach recreation, fishing, shopping, dining, and weekend getaways, The Texas State Aquarium is definitely one of the major attractions of visitors to our Texas beaches. However, peel away the layers of tourist appeal, and you will discover a more profound meaning through the Texas State Aquariums exploration, education and conservation efforts to save one of our planets most essential and most abundant natural resources, the ocean.

The majority of the injured, impaired, or diseased wildlife along the Texas coast is brought to the Texas State Aquarium. Just a quick glance at their website and one can see the institution passion for saving wildlife and educating the public. The aquarium's website contains detailed instructions on their process of rehabilitation of wildlife, what to do if you find an injured animal, and phone numbers and maps that would assist in such an event. In one year, the Texas State Aquarium is able to treat 350 shorebirds and release 125 birds back into their natural habitat after rehabilitation.

The Texas State Aquarium implements a variety of green initiatives around the campus. Solar panels, xeriscaping, automatic faucets, recycling stations, and single-use plastic reduction are just the beginning of their efforts. The aquarium also funds over $70,000 annually distributed to a variety of local wildlife and conservation projects. This year's funds will specifically benefit teams of scientists tracking green sea turtles and studying Kemp ridley disease in sea turtles. Other groups are funded this year to monitor Texas coastal sport fisheries and following the movement of tagged sharks. A complete list of recipients, amounts, and initiatives of The Aquarium’s Wildlife Care, Conservation, and Research Fund (WCCR) can be found on the Texas State Aquarium’s website.

Entertainment at the Texas State Aquarium goes above and beyond a great family outing. Coming up on April 16, 2019, the Aquarium is hosting it’s wildly successful exceptional dining event, Seafood Wars. On a Tuesday evening, three chefs from the Corpus Christi area come together to prepare and serve locally sourced and sustainable seafood in hopes of educating and inspiring diners to learn to ask and shop for sustainable seafood. The Aquariums website provides links and tips on how to be an educated consumer when dining out or shopping at your local grocery store for seafood. The Texas State Aquarium also boasts many public partnerships with local organizations such as the National Park Service, U.S. Fish, and Wildlife Service, Texas Game Wardens and a variety of others. The Aquarium’s partnership with the Texas Game Wardens can be seen frequently on Animal Planet’s program “Lone Star Law.”

Organizations like the Texas State Aquarium are so crucial to our social climate as a human species. Grassroots campaigns of conservation, education, and sustainability are the most important way to bridge the change of waste products, pollution, and injury and disease in animals because of our carbon footprint. The Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi is a beautiful place to visit with the family and kids for vacation, but the Aquarium’s core is so much more potent than just a day pass. Glance behind the scenes and be amazed by the teams, initiatives, and employees that are working passionately to change the game.