The ocean inspires many fantasies of living under the sea surrounded with wrecked pirate ships, mythical mermaids, scuttle crabs and sunken treasures. Exploring your seafarer whimsy is now a short dive downtown where Houstonıs new gem, the Downtown Aquarium, shines along Buffalo Bayou.

Bringing the shoreline to the skyline, Tilman Fertitta, Landryıs Seafood Restaurant owner, made marine dreams come true for Houstonians as he built the expansive, aquatic complex and opened its doors Feb 17. The $38 million multiplex is a massive version of Kemahıs 40-acre boardwalk attraction.

Dubbed as "an underwater adventure," the abyssal compound combines informal and formal restaurants, an upscale lounge, entertainment banquet rooms, dancing fountains, interactive exhibits, amusement rides, midway games and a gift shop filled with nautical novelties.

Anchored at I-45 and Memorial Parkway, the addition is easily accessible and complements the nearby Bayou Place entertainment center. The Aquarium offers valet parking for $8, or visitors may seek parking at the nearby Wortham Center for a flat rate of $5.

Underwater exhibits flaunt 200 species of marine life including snapping turtles, alligators, octopuses, eel, sea horses, poison arrow dart frogs, and piranhas, hosting an array of sea themes such as the South Seas Ship Wreck, Louisiana Swamp, The Rainforest, Mayan Temple, Gulf of Mexico, and a touch tank, Discovery Reef.

Squeals, shrieks and sounds of awe are heard as children and adults aboard the C.P. Huntington train travel through Shark Voyage, a glass tunnel filled with sharks, giving an up-close view of these magnificent marine carnivores. Other amusements, enticing children and adults, include a colossal 100-foot Ferris wheel that welcomes its guests to a resplendent view of downtown and a carousel that gives fanciful sea-creature rides. Ticket costs to amusement rides range from $2.50 to $4.50 per person.

Tides of people roll in to get a taste of the sea at the Aquarium Restaurant that offers more than an alluring ambiance. Guests enjoy a wide-range of seafood fare and first-rate service at comparable prices, ranging from $9.99-$22.99, while they immerse in the breathtaking scenery of the deep. An exuberant 200,000-gallon tank centers the set, showing off lush colors of tropical fish from the Gulf Coast, Caribbean and Hawaii. Mystifying, blue lighting casts throughout the curving architecture, truly giving an illusion of being underwater.

Inside the Aquarium Restaurant, a spiraling staircase wraps around a 50-foot cylindrical tank of sea life and leads the way to the upstairs ballroom or the downstairs lounge, cafe and gift shop. The Nautilus Ballroom houses two banquet rooms, Port and Starboard, and offers the capacity to entertain 600 guests.

Below deck, guests sip on cocktails and frozen drinks in a ritzy atmosphere at The Dive lounge. Others feast at the Marina Matinee Cafe, where dinner guests sit in docked row-boats to enjoy menu items like Castaway Calamari and Oceanıs 11 Fish and Chips while being treated to retro movie clips such as "Popeye," "Gilliganıs Island" and "A Guy, A Gal and a Boat Full of Loot."

Visitors sail through the Treasure Chest gift shop, buying nautical knickknacks from key chains, shark-tooth necklaces and stuffed dolphins to more delicate keepsakes.

The Downtown Aquarium is open seven days a week, times vary. For more information on the Downtown Aquarium operating hours, exhibit and amusement tickets, and dining, call (713) 223-3474 or visit the Web site: www.downtownaquarium.com.

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