March 04--Shedd Aquarium wants to get nature lovers out of the aquarium -- and the city -- with trips designed to put people even closer to marine life.
The recently announced roster of summer excursions led by Shedd experts includes getaways to the Bahamas, the Pacific Northwest and Mexico.
"We hear people say they want to make a difference and they don't know how," said Cheryl Mell, senior vice president of global field experiences at the Chicago aquarium. "We're always trying to connect what we love about these animals with what's really happening in the wild."
Swimming with whale sharks, kayaking and pitching in with conservation fieldwork are some of the activities featured in the Shedd Adventures program, now in its fourth year.
Here's this summer's lineup:
Iguana Research Expedition
When: June 18-26 and Sept. 3-11
Spend 10 days in the Bahamas aboard the aquarium's research vessel, Coral Reef II, as you travel to islands in search of endangered Bahamian rock iguanas. You'll help collect iguanas for research and snorkel near Lee Stocking Island.
Price: $2,495 a person, double occupancy, excluding airfare to and from Miami.
Kayaking in the San Juans
When: June 30-July 4
Aimed at millennials, this five-day, four-night kayaking trip through Washington's San Juan Islands is tailored to people 35 and under. It's billed as suitable for all levels of kayakers. The lodging is a mix of camping and hotels, with guests spending the first and last nights at Swinomish Lodge in Anacortes, Wash.
Price: $1,499 a person, double occupancy, not including airfare.
Swim with Whale Sharks
When: July 20-24
Spend four days in Mexico, where you'll swim with the world's largest fish during the popular Whale Shark Festival. (Don't worry; these docile fish prefer plankton to people.) Guests stay in a boutique hotel on Isla Mujeres off the coast of Cancun. The group will go on private boat tours in search of not only sharks, but also angelfish, crabs and schools of blue tang fish. The trip caps off with an exploration of Mayan ruins in Tulum.
Price: $1,495 a person, double occupancy, airfare excluded.
Trip prices include one sponsor-level Shedd membership (a $500 value) per household, Mell said.
www.sheddaquarium.org
