This past weekend, my daughter and I were invited to embark on a Caribbean journey to the Yucatan and beyond without ever leaving Texas. After a few hours drive south to Corpus Christi, we found ourselves chaperoned beyond the Gulf to the Caribbean Sea via the Texas State Aquarium.

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are mine.It is my Universe, after all.

My family and I love aquariums. If you have followed any of our travels, you probably have seen more than one picture of blue waters, sea turtles, or dolphins. We had not visited the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, however, so we were very excited to attend the Grand Opening of the new Caribbean Journey.The Caribbean Journey represents a trip from the tree tops of the Sian Ka'an reserve on the Yucatan peninsula to the blue waters of the Sea. We saw two of Little Diva's favorite animals - sloths...and flamingos...She squealed in delight at each and was thrilled at how very close a proximity they were to her. Maybe a little too close, tee hee hee!VideoWe then descended below the surface to the longest shark tunnel in North America. Wow! What an amazing experience. We wound through the wreckage of a ship lost in the beautiful blue...Were surprised by stingrays...And startled by sharks.

A Genuine Caribbean Experience

But more than a simple visual delight, the Journey offers a unique educational experience. The Aquarium has partnered with the Biosphere Reserve to teach conservation and the diversity of nature. As a mother invested in ensuring my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren share in the blessings of this world, I was moved by this mission. There is much more to tell here both stateside and abroad so stay tuned!I have hundreds of pictures - enough to fill out a true scrapbook - and we cannot wait to head back again. This time with Daddy and Big Brother in tow.

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A big thank you to the Texas State Aquarium and the Corpus Christi Convention & Visitor's Bureau for including us in this wonderful event.