Hearts will flutter, much like our birds, this year as Moody Gardens opens up its Rainforest Pyramid for a wild Valentine’s Dinner celebration on Saturday, Feb. 11.

The romantic evening starts with a Rainforest experience with animal encounters from 5-7 p.m. with guests touring the pyramid while our biologists offer mini presentations about our curious and sometimes playful wildlife. In addition, guests will take in more than 1,700 exotic plants as a breathtaking tribute to the world’s vanishing rainforests, and its inhabitants.

After the tour, a host will escort each couple to their romantic three-course dinner, being served this year in the Garden Lobby area, with a view of the giant river otter exhibit. Guests will receive a rose and one souvenir photo. During the dinner, biologists will walk around with various animals to show-and-tell.

The Rainforest of Love Valentine’s Dinner includes soup or salad, entrée choices of Wagyu Rib Eye Steak with Jumbo Gulf Shrimp, Filet of Grouper with Argentinean Shrimp or Lobster Tail on a Bed of Saffron Cream with Mussels and dessert for two. Guests can also choose between a bottle of champagne or wine. For a complete menu, visit our website

There will also be live musical entertainment and animal presentations.

The Valentine’s Dinner package is $250 per couple. RSVP by noon on Feb. 8 by calling 409-683-4368.

Shearn’s Seafood and Prime Steaks

Choose from two options to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year at Shearn’s Seafood and Prime Steaks, Galveston’s premier destination for fine dining.

Guests can order from the restaurant’s dining menu, or enjoy special Valentine’s Day selections, on Friday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 11 from 5:30-10 p.m. The restaurant, with spectacular views of the Moody Gardens Pyramids and sunsets over Galveston Bay, will feature a pre-fix menu on Valentine’s Day at $100 per person. Tax and gratuity are not included. Guests will receive a complimentary rose and can enjoy live entertainment at Shearn’s Lounge.

Make reservations by calling 409-683-4554 or by booking online at OpenTable.com.

Moody Gardens is counting its blessings – two by two – this holiday season as the Rainforest Pyramid staff welcomed Pygmy Slow Loris twins in the Nocturnal Exhibit.

The twins made their debut just before Christmas as excitement mounted amongst staff. This is the first Pygmy Slow Loris birth at Moody Gardens since 2011.

The birth was even more special as Cai, the mother of the twins, is a Moody Gardens twin herself. She is one of the first pair of Pygmy Slow Loris babies born at Moody Gardens in 2011. The father of the twins joined the Moody Gardens’ family in September 2015 as per a Species Survival Plan (SSP) recommendation from the Duke Primate Center in North Carolina as a mate for both Cai and another female named Blackwell.

As an Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ accredited institution, Moody Gardens is a part of the SSP  breeding recommendation program. Through this program staff assists animals that are endangered or threatened in the wild by breeding them in captivity.

Pygmy Slow Lorises are small, nocturnal prosimians native to Southeast Asia, more specifically Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. They have a vice-like grip, move slowly, and have a venomous bite which is unique for a mammal.

In addition to habitat loss, their main threats are traditional medicine and the illegal wildlife trade. They are captured and their various body parts are used in different traditional medicine or practices because some cultures believe the animal can be used for healing. This, combined with the issue that they are perceived to make good pets, has led to the capture of many lorises and their numbers in the wild are dwindling.

There are only about 50 Pygmy Slow Lorises in captivity in North America.

Guests can do their part to protest lorises. Moody Gardens has partnered with the “Little Fireface Project”, the world’s longest running project that aims to protect lorises from extinction through research, education and conservation. Through Jan. 8, visitors can purchase a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Moody Brews at the Moody Gardens Hotel. A portion of the “PSLs for PSLs” proceeds will be donated to help protect the Pygmy Slow Loris in the wild.

The twins will join the other Pygmy Slow Lorises on exhibit in the Moody Gardens Rainforest Pyramid in the New Year. The Rainforest Pyramid showcases the various rainforest habitats from around the world. The Nocturnal Exhibit houses Geckos, Prehensile-Tailed Porcupines and Madagascar Jumping Rats. The immersive tropical environment is home to free roaming monkeys and birds, as well as fish, Komodo Dragons and more!

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, and what better way to kick off 2017 than with the Midnight in the Gardens: A New Year’s Gala.
From 7:30 p.m.-1 a.m., put on your finest black-tie attire and get a “little bit country and a little bit rock and roll” to enjoy live music, an open bar, deluxe party favors, a lavish buffet, Champagne toast and a midnight balloon drop, all at the Moody Gardens Hotel.
Tickets for the gala are available for $470 per couple or $240 per single person. As a special treat, hotel accommodations for gala guests start at $109+tax/night. For tickets and reservations, call 888-388-8484.
While you’re here, make sure to check out our holiday attractions, including ICE LAND: Ice Sculptures, A Caribbean Christmas and Festival of Lights.

ICE LAND: Ice Sculptures, A Caribbean Christmas
This year’s brand-new ICE LAND theme allows you the chance to embark on a breathtaking underwater journey from the shores of Galveston Island through the Gulf of Mexico. As you explore the oceans depths, you will discover sunken treasure and see Christmas surprises along the way.
An ice slide takes the form of a towering oil rig and gives you an opportunity to venture through the beautiful Flower Garden Banks for encounters with spectacular schools of colorful tropical fish, eagle rays, turtles, dolphins, Hammerhead sharks and more.
On the way to your Caribbean island destination be on the lookout for Shivers Ice Bar that will be serving up alcoholic drinks inside a bar made completely out of ice! ICE LAND: Ice Sculptures, A Caribbean Christmas is open now through Jan. 8.

Festival of Lights
The 15th annual Festival of Lights offers an illuminating holiday season. Guests are invited to start a holiday tradition like never before with more lights, breathtaking views, the area’s only outdoor skating rink and the thrilling Arctic Slide.
Visitors can walk the one-mile trail filled with sound-enhanced lighting and animated displays themed to their favorite holiday music. Guests can then grab an inner tube and plunge down the Festival’s Texas-sized, 100-foot long Arctic Slide.
New this year is the arrival of television classic, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in the Special FX 4D Theater. For the first time guests will be able to enjoy the family favorite in high definition for better viewing and interactive elements to engage all senses. There will be new holiday films at the MG3D Theater as well.

Enjoy the Flavors of Christmas at Moody Gardens!

Honey glazed ham, potatoes, New York sirloin steak and a little something sweet. These are just a few Flavors of Christmas that our chefs at Moody Gardens are featuring on this year’s holiday menus.

And the best part? We’re open Christmas Eve 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and Christmas Day noon-10 p.m., so we can do all the cooking for you!

Whether you’re craving the traditional flavors of Christmas or a taste of the sea, or have an extra sweet tooth, the chefs here at Moody Gardens have you covered.

Garden Restaurant Christmas Buffet

Located in the Visitor Center, the Garden Restaurant features views of Offatts Bayou from the patio. The buffet includes Butternut Squash with Cinnamon Croutons, Smashed Potato Bar with all of the Fixings, Chicken Gruyere on a Bed of Marsala Sauce and more. Reservations are recommended but not required. Call 409-683-4202. Complete Menu.

Café in the Park Christmas Dining

We’re offering brunch and dinner at the café, located on the lower lobby level of the Moody Gardens Hotel. This year’s brunch and dinner boasts Pan Roasted Red Fish with Blackened Shrimp and Sweet Three Pepper Sauce, Chicken Leg Confit with French Lentils and Herb Jus and Spiral Honey Glazed Ham with Hawaiian Sweet Rolls. Brunch includes complimentary Mimosas and Bloody Marys. Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more. Call 409-683-4466. Complete Menu.

Shearn’s Seafood and Prime Steaks

Located on the ninth floor of Moody Gardens Hotel, Shearn’s features views of the Moody Gardens Pyramids. Choose from fresh seafood including Lobster Tails, Snapper and Scallops or Filet Mignon, New York Sirloin Steak, Lamb Chops and Veal. Reservations are required. Complete Menu.

Moody Brews

Enjoy a warm cup of coffee, and give back, when you visit Moody Brews through Jan. 8. With every sale of a Pumpkin Spice Latte at Moody Brews, which serves Starbucks drinks, $1 goes to help protect the Pygmy Slow Loris’ in the wild.

Cirque Joyeux Noel Dinner & Show

Enjoy a dinner and a show with Cirque Joyeux Noel, featuring award-winning performers including Christian Stoinev, a finalist of NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.”

Witness the magnificent and the impossible…all in a circus winter wonderland. Marvel in soaring acrobatics, amazing aerialists and gravity defying feats while enjoying a holiday buffet dinner. And, take a stroll through the Moody Gardens Festival of Lights. ALL included at one great price!

The dinner and show run through Christmas day with doors opening and the buffet beginning at 6:30 p.m. The circus performance starts at 7:45 p.m. Enjoy Felipe Gonzalez’s delicious cuisine and then sit back for a one-hour holiday circus spectacular. Complete Menu.

Cirque Joyeux Noel Dinner and Show tickets

And, don’t forget about snacks. Our Festival of Lights trail features funnel cakes, kettle corn, soup, nachos, hot dogs, sausage on a stick, porkskins, mini donuts and Irish Cream shots and hot chocolate to keep you warm!

Wishing You and Yours a Very Merry Christmas!

The holidays are only a few weeks away which means it is time to start crossing things off of your list for those special people in your life. Moody Gardens has something for everyone to enjoy from adrenaline filled adventures to romantic dinners and spa packages. See below for ten great holiday gift for the special people in your life.

1. Family Fun- Let your kids unwrap a full day of adventure with a Moody Gardens Day Pass that allows you to experience all that Moody Gardens has to offer from the MG 3D Theater to the Colonel Paddlewheel Boat and everything in between. Tickets can be purchased online now! Buy Tickets
2. Golf Course- Treat dad to Galveston’s premier public course by reserving him a tee-time at the Moody Gardens Golf Course! Let him enjoy this spectacular par 72 seaside links course has three sets of tees making it great for all levels of play. Book a Tee Time
3. Penguin Encounter– Have someone in your family that loves penguins? Surprise them with a penguin encounter! You can schedule either a public or private encounter that allows you to get up close to one of the penguins from the Aquarium Pyramid South Atlantic Exhibit. Meet a Penguin
4. Dinner for two at Shearn’s- Go ahead and make a reservation for a romantic dinner for two at the award-winning Shearn’s Restaurant located on the top of the Moody Gardens Hotel. Make Reservations
5. Family Memberships- Looking for something for the whole family? A Moody Gardens Family Membership is just the thing! For $380 your family (up to five people) can enjoy a full year of unlimited admission to most Moody Gardens attractions, special member events, discounts and much more. Join the Moody Gardens Family
6. Ropes Course and Zip Line- If you need a gift for someone that likes the thrill of adrenaline, set them up with passes to the Ropes Course and Zip Line. Let them challenge their agility, balance and strength as they encounter the five-tier Sky Trail® Ropes Course, the tallest Steel Ropes Course on the Gulf Coast or take it to a whole new level with a round trip on the Zip Line. Plan the Adventure Now 
7. Spa- Get mom some time to pamper herself at the Spa at Moody Gardens. Book a relaxing treatment like a facial or massage that will be sure to put the holiday stress behind her. Relaxation Begins Here
8. Getaway- Take a break from the hustle of the holidays and treat yourself and those close to you to a getaway at the Moody Gardens Hotel. Enjoy nearby attractions like the Moody Gardens Golf Course, a visit to the beach or shopping and dining in historic downtown Galveston. The Moody Gardens Hotel provides the amenities and professional service to ensure your stay is relaxing and refreshing. Escape With Us
9. Giant River Otter Encounter- Make the animal lover on your list happy by gifting them with a Giant River Otter Encounter. Our keepers will take you behind-the-scenes of the Rainforest Pyramid for the rare opportunity to meet and learn all about our Giant Amazon River Otters. Meet an Otter
10. ICE LAND Guided Experience- Experience ICE LAND as a VIP with our all new ICE LAND Guided Experience. Guests will receive front of the line access, a Q&A session regarding the construction of ICE LAND, Hot Coco and so much more! Become a VIP

In its third year, the brand new theme of ICE LAND: Ice Sculptures, A Caribbean Christmas has already become a big hit so far this holiday season. Don’t miss your chance to explore the depths of the Gulf of Mexico in a massive 28,000 square foot structure that has been set to nine degrees! This year’s attraction features gorgeous ice replicas of the Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary, the R/V Manta, a submarine and a massive three lane Oil Rig Ice Slide! This year’s theme also includes Shivers Ice Bar, Galveston’s brand-new iced out watering hole.

If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind experience at a great price join us for one of our Value Days! Value Days are Sunday – Thursday (excluding Thanksgiving Day) now through December 15 and January 1-5 when you can receive a discount of $5.00 off of our ICE LAND attraction!

ICE LAND will offer a unique holiday experience for the entire family and will be open through January 8. Admission for adults is $26.95, $21.95 for seniors and $15.95 for children. Kids 3 and under are free.  A VIP Guided Experience will also be available Sunday through Thursday with front-of-the-line access, a guided tour through ICE LAND, hot cocoa, souvenir family photo and admission to Festival of Lights. Special packages are available for groups of 20 or more.

For more information call 1-800-582-4673 or visit www.moodygardens.org .

Are you looking for the perfect gift to give to those you love? Shop ‘til you drop on Thanksgiving weekend, November 25 and 26, at the Moody Gardens Convention Center for this year’s Home for the Holidays Gift Market.

This annual holiday market features more than 200 of the region’s most unique gift vendors selling distinctive products perfect for anyone on your shopping list! The market brings together the best local home décor, candles, craft foods, accessories and much more for an extraordinary holiday shopping experience in one convenient location. With all of the variety there is sure to be something for even the most difficult person on your list!

This is one stop on November 25 – 26 you definitely don’t want to miss. Tickets for the Holidays Gift Market are $6 for admission; the gift market will be open 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. both days.

With the weather getting colder and the holidays closer, one of our favorite things to do is watch Christmas movies with our family and friends. At Moody Gardens we bring holiday films to the next level by showing them not only in our 3D theater but our 4D Special FX Theater as well.

This year Moody Gardens is thrilled to present Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer in our 4D Special FX Theater which combines 3D projection with audio and timed sensory elements. While watching the holiday classic guests can feel the wind in their face as Rudolph flies through the sky and smell Christmas trees and cookies when at Santa’s castle. Perhaps the most enchanting part of the experience, however, is the snow that falls inside of the theater at the same time that it falls in the film. The 4D experience engages all the senses and leaves guests wishing that they could join Rudolph as part of Santa’s team. There is no doubt that after the film, children and adults alike are left feeling  the Christmas spirit!

To experience the sensory adventure of Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer in our 4D Special FX Theater you can purchase tickets in the Visitor Center for $10.95 for adults, $8.95 for children and seniors, and free for children under 3. If you have a day pass or membership the theaters are included for you to enjoy!