By Trent Modglin

Shedd Aquarium’s Shark Feeding Tour

The daily aquatic presentations in the Shedd’s oceanarium — with beluga whales, sea lions and dolphins serving as the stars of the show — will delight the whole family. But that’s just the start, as the Shedd offers up-close, unforgettable encounters with 32,000 animals from aquatic environments around the world. Check out the Amazon Rising exhibit to see everything from darting piranhas to slithering electric eels and massive snakes, among the many other inhabitants of the world’s largest river system and rainforest.

Insider’s tip: Take advantage of a rare opportunity to surprise the kids with the Shark Feed Tour (Saturdays and Sundays at 9:45 a.m.), where you go behind the scenes in the Wild Reef exhibit and the 400,000-gallon shark habitat to experience brunch with a host of sharks via a 60-minute guided tour with aquarium experts.

Get exclusive access to the animal-care area to get up close and personal with the ocean’s most dynamic and misunderstood predators.

Get exclusive access to the animal-care area to get up close and personal with the ocean’s most dynamic and misunderstood predators, delving into their important role in the ecosystem.

The staff will show you how they prepare diets of restaurant-quality seafood for each species and how certain sharks have been trained to respond to a customized version of a dinner bell. You’ll even be able to take part in that actual feeding process.

Admission to the aquarium is included with the purchase of a shark feeding tour.

The Shedd Aquarium is located at 1200 S. Lake Shore Dr. SheddAquarium.org

ComedySportz

For 35 years, this improv performance and training institution has been a staple for regular laughs on the north side of Chicago.

A lengthy COVID shutdown, combined with an expiring lease in their longtime Lakeview location last winter, temporarily forced ComedySportz to move their shows exclusively online with a series of games and events streaming live several nights each week via Twitch.

But now, you can have the best of both worlds — watching the improvised, energetic, family-friendly battle of wits between two teams competing for audience approval from the comfort of your own home or live in person at The Den Theatre, where the nationwide company shifted its live shows in early October.

Besides the original two-team showdown, you can also catch a storytelling adventure, karaoke competitions and more. Bonus: You’ll never see the same show twice. ComedySportz also offers improv classes, private events and corporate trainings for a more personalized experience.

The Den Theatre is located at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Visit CSZChicago.com for more information.