Where else can you take a picture with John Cena, give dap to President Obama, see a shrunken head and get your kids some play time? I know if I'm looking for a family friendly tourist spot, I'd want all of these! Locals and tourists can find it right here at Ripley's in San Antonio, TX
We've often overlooked Ripley's when visiting downtown, thinking it was just a Wax Museum, but maybe you are like us and didn't know that there is 4D theatre and in 2008, Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Odditorium opened with 18,000 sq. ft., 3 floors and 500+ exhibits and artifacts.
We were given four 3-Way combo tickets to visit and share our experience with you! And first thing we see when we walk in the lobby of the Wax Museum are WWE Superstars John Cena and the Undertaker, so you know the kids were all in!
We had some fun seeing all the celebrities, but also enjoyed seeing the historical figures that allowed us to have a little learning conversation at the same time! Next was Ripley's 4D Moving Theatre. We usually only get to experience these at tourist attractions, so it's always memorable. :)
Our final attraction is the Odditorium, Mr. Ripley traveled 201 countries and collected some of the strangest things! His nickname was the "Modern Marco Polo".
I mean who else collects a mastodon?! This mastodon was discovered beneath a golf course in Ohio.
There's also a room with a toothpick eiffel tower, a 13' long model Chinese multi-headed dragon ship, and giant prehistoric shark jaw!
Lots of little nooks of artifacts.
A Gibeon Meteorite circa 1836.
Oddities such as the history of Mexico on painted butterflies and bats.
And a whole floor of hands on puzzles and learning activities that keep the kids very busy.
Towards the end is a mind bending tunnel to walk through and interactive dance wall that leave you feeling all the fun vibes!
Tourist or not, Ripley's was a great adventure for us! As we travel and our kids have gotten older (almost 10 years old) we are always looking for an attraction besides a children's museum. At Ripley's we found some never seen or even talked about artifacts, some play so the kids don't get antsy, celebrities they love and even a short movie!
You can get the best price on 3-Way Combo Ticket online: $18.99 for kids and $28.99 for adults.