You Can Snorkel With Sharks At The Texas State Aquarium

If you've ever wanted to swim with sharks, now's your chance. At the Texas State Aquarium, you can get up close and personal with the ocean's most notorious predators (from the safety of a diving cage, of course). This one-of-a-kind animal encounter is equal parts thrilling and educational, and you'll have a whole new appreciation for sharks afterward.

The Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi is home to many creatures of the deep, including tropical fish, octopi, and - you guessed it - sharks.

A 68-foot-long acrylic window takes you up close and personal with the ocean's most notorious predator, offering views of a massive Caribbean shipwreck that reef sharks have made into their home.

While admiring the sharks from behind the window is still an incredible experience, thrill-seekers might be interested in a slightly more high-stakes adventure.

One of the aquarium's exclusive animal encounters lets you cage dive and snorkel with six sandbar sharks while a knowledgeable guide teaches you all about the fascinating creatures and how we can best protect them in the wild.

In addition to the sharks, you'll see stingrays, eels, barracudas, and several other species of marine life.

You don't even need a scuba certification!

A maximum of four people can enter the cage at once, and everyone must sign a waiver beforehand.

Participants must be at least eight years of age, and children ages 8-12 must be accompanied by a paying parent or guardian. Children under eight are not allowed to participate in or be present during the encounter, even if accompanied.

Snorkel with the Sharks costs $99.95 per person (not including the price of admission).

Tickets are available both online and in person.

Don't leave without checking out some of the other exhibits after you've been let loose from the cage.

From exotic coral reefs to rainforest-dwelling flamingos to rare sea turtles, the aquarium has a little bit of everything.

Address: 2710 North Shoreline Boulevard, Corpus Christi, TX 78402.

Aquarium hours are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. However, Snorkel with the Sharks is only offered on Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Please note: Not all of the photos in this article depict the Snorkel with the Sharks encounter. Some were taken elsewhere in the aquarium and are for illustrative purposes only.

General admission costs $37.95 for ages 13 and up, $27.95 for ages 3-12, and $33.95 for military, students, and seniors ages 65 and up. Discounts are available when you purchase tickets online. Visit the aquarium's website or Facebook page to learn more and/or get your tickets.

Have you ever gone snorkeling with sharks at the Texas State Aquarium? If so, we'd love to hear all about your experience in the comments section below. Tell us how it went, then check out our previous article for another unique animal encounter you'll only find in Texas.