DOWNTOWN DALLAS. Where can you visit a Venezuelan rainforest and meet a small colony of 20 black-footed penguins at the same time? The Dallas Aquarium is the place! Located downtown in the West End, the facility is part of the zoological gardens and even features a 22000-gallon walk-through tunnel. The aquarium is also home to 5000 creatures from 400 species such as stingrays, bonnet head sharks, and chocolate chip starfish, and there's even a 135-pound alligator snapping turtle. The aquarium is a rare water treat in landlocked Dallas!