The Shedd is a city treasure and well deserving of its title as world's largest indoor aquarium. A mix of standard aquarium tanks and elaborate new habitats, this marble octagon building is filled with thousands of denizens of river, lake, and sea. The only problem with the Shedd is its steep admission price. You can keep your costs down by buying the "Aquarium Only" admission, but then you'll be missing some of the most stunning exhibits.

The first thing you'll see as you enter is the Caribbean Coral Reef. This 90,000-gallon circular tank occupies the beaux arts-style central rotunda, entertaining spectators who press up against the glass to ogle divers feeding nurse sharks, barracudas, stingrays, and a hawksbill sea turtle. New technology includes an enhanced sound system and a roving camera connected to video monitors mounted on the tank's periphery, which gives visitors close-ups of the animals inside. It's worth sticking around to catch one of the daily feedings, when a diver swims around the tank and (thanks to a microphone) talks about the species inside and their eating habits.

The exhibits surrounding the Caribbean coral reef re-create different marine habitats around the world. The best is Amazon Rising: Seasons of the River, a recreation of the Amazon basin that showcases far more than fish (although you'll get to see some sharp-toothed piranhas as well).

You'll pay extra to see the other Shedd highlights, but they're quite impressive, so I'd suggest shelling out for at least one. The Oceanarium , with a wall of windows revealing the lake outside, re-creates a Pacific Northwest coastal environment and creates a stunning optical illusion of one uninterrupted expanse of sea. On a fixed performance schedule in a large pool flanked by an amphitheater, a crew of friendly trainers puts dolphins through their paces of leaping dives, breaches, and tail walking. Check out the Oceanarium schedule as soon as you get to the Shedd; seating space fills up quick for the shows, so you'll want to get there early. If you're visiting during a summer weekend, you may also want to buy your Oceanarium ticket in advance to made sure you can catch a show that day. The newest signature exhibit is Wild Reef -- Sharks at Shedd , a series of 26 interconnected habitats that house a Philippine coral reef patrolled by sharks and other predators. The floor-to-ceiling windows bring those toothy swimmers up close and personal (they even swim over your head at certain spots).

If you want a quality sit-down meal in a restaurant with a spectacular view of Lake Michigan, check out Soundings, right there inside the aquarium.

Allow 2 to 3 hours.