Helpful Tips In Visiting the Georgia Aquarium

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Visiting the Georgia Aquarium is high on most people’s list when visiting Atlanta. The Georgia Aquarium is located in downtown Atlanta.

It is right across the street from Olympic Park and it is walking distance to SkyView Atlanta, World of Coke, College Football Hall of Fame and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. 

The aquarium is the largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere with over 11,000,000 gallons of water. It is also the only aquarium in the United States that has whale sharks.

This post will give you some tips on visiting the aquarium to help you when you visit, questions you may have and information about the shows and displays.

How much does it cost?

A single day ticket is $47.99 when purchased online which is recommended that you do. Since you don’t have to wait in line when you go to the aquarium. Plus, it is cheaper to do so. If you purchase the ticket one or more days in advance of visiting the aquarium the price drops to $42.99.

When is the Best Time to Visit?

The aquarium is a popular place and the best time to visit is during the week. If you can get there first thing in the morning, that will help you beat the crowds, also. As with most popular destinations, it gets busier on the weekends.

I was there in January during a weekday. The crowds were very manageable but you will have to deal with kids since more than likely there will be schools at the aquarium.

As a former teacher, this wasn’t an issue for me but something to consider.

How Much Time Will it Take?

I would recommend 3-4 hours to walk through all of the exhibits. You can take less or more time. If you plan on seeing some or all of the shows then tack on an hour or more.

What are the hours?

The hours for Sunday-Tuesday and Friday are 9:00am-5:00pm.  Wednesdays the hours are 9:00am-6:00pm and the hours on Thursdays and Saturdays are 9:00am-9:00pm. 

What Exhibits are at the Georgia Aquarium?

Aquant Adventure

The Aquant Adventure is known as the Discovery Zone. In this area you get to learn about how certain animals live in extreme environments. There are 15+ species in the exhibit.

Freshwater and marine habitats are studied and you can catch a glimpse into what it takes to become a scientist that studies these creatures. 

You will walk away with a deeper appreciation of the different environments that these creatures live and thrive in. 

Cold Water Quest

In this exhibit, you will find animals that are located in cold weather climates from around the world. You will see penguins, beluga whales, fish eating anemones, and southern sea otters to name a few of the animals.

My favorite part was seeing the beluga whales. They are majestic creatures that like to put on a show. They played with balls and towels while swimming around in the tank. 

The sea otters and penguin exhibits were also very interesting. 

Dolphin Coast

You can see the pod of bottlenose dolphins in the Dolphin Coast lobby which has a nice big viewing area or during the show that is put on with the dolphins. The show is free with the price of admission.  

Ocean Voyager

This is the largest exhibit in the aquarium and by far my favorite. The tank holds 6.3 million gallons of water. It also contains a 100 foot tunnel that you can walk through or step on the slow moving conveyor belt. It helps make it feel that you are part of the action.

In the exhibit are two whale sharks, manta rays, green moray eels, green sea turtles and all kinds of different fish. At the end of the exhibit there is stadium seating, where you can view all of the creatures through the 23 feet high glass. 

My brother and I stayed there for quite awhile just admiring the different fish. They even have soothing music playing in the background.

Sharks Predators of the Deep

There are 4 different types of sharks that you can see in this exhibit. They include: sand tiger sharks, great hammerhead sharks, silvertip sharks, and tiger sharks. 

There are a number of different windows to view the sharks but in one area there is a floor to ceiling viewing area that is very nice to see the sharks and other creatures in the tank.

River Scout

In the River Scout exhibit, you will see fish and other animals from rivers in Asia, Africa, South America and Georgia. Some of the fish that you will encounter are Asian small clawed otters, giant puffers, white alligators, fire eel and my personal favorite piranhas.

The exhibit will give you a better understanding and appreciation of the role that rivers have for us.

Tropical Diver

I have to say that this may have been my second favorite area in the aquarium. In this exhibit, you will see over 200 different types of coral and over 90 different species of sea creatures. 

Some of the creatures that you will encounter include: big bellied seahorses, blue-spotted stingrays, clownfish, yellowhead jawfish, and fairy basslets.

There are also 3 jellyfish exhibits and at the center of the exhibit is one of the largest coral reef exhibits in the world. The colors of the reef are just magnificent and you can find all kinds of fish and other creatures swimming around. 

Shows at the Aquarium

Dolphin Show

The most popular show at the aquarium is the “Dolphins in Depth” dolphin show. The theater for the dolphin show holds 1,800 people. During the show you learn facts about the dolphins, see them perform different tricks and how the aquarium is trying to save them. 

The show is free with your ticket and is first come first serve. You can purchase a $5 ticket that gets you in the first few rows.

The day that I was there they didn’t have the dolphin shows going. So, I was a little bummed about that. I will have to see it the next time that I am there.

Sea Lion Show

“Under the Boardwalk” is the name of the California sea lion show. At the 30 minute show, you will see the sea lions in action. You will also see how the trainers interact with the sea lions and you may even get splashed in the meantime.

This show is also free with the price of your ticket. 

4D Theater

The 4D theater gives you an interactive experience. You will see how animals view their underwater world. There is state of the art sound and special effects. 

The 4D Theater is also included with the price of your ticket. 

Other Things to Do at the Aquarium

If you want to take your aquarium experience up a notch and you don’t mind paying extra, you can do experiences, animal encounters and swims and dives. 

Experiences

Each one of the three experiences deals with something different. You can click on each link to see the details about each one.

Animal Encounters

The encounters allow you to get up close and personal with some of the most popular animals in the aquarium. There are 4 different ones to choose from.

Swims and Dives

There are 4 different swims or dives to choose from. The “Rebreather Dive Program” is listed but at the time of this writing it has been put on hold for now. 

Helpful Tips for the Aquarium

Parking

The Georgia Aquarium has on site parking. Don’t make the mistake I made. It costs $17 for the day to park there. You can save yourself some money and purchase parking online. It only costs $12 when you do that. Needless to say, I didn’t see the $12 online option. 

If you are also visiting other attractions like the College Football Hall of Fame, World of Coke etc. It can save you money by walking to those attractions which are not far away.

Arrive Early or Go Late

The best times to see the aquarium before the crowds show up are first thing in the morning or a few hours before it closes. Going in the middle of the day will be at the height of the crowds. 

Look into Purchasing a CityPass

If you are planning to visit many other popular attractions like the World of Coke, the College Football Hall of Fame and the Atlanta Zoo, the CityPass may be a good option to buy. 

The pass allows you to see up to 5 different attractions and can save you up to 44% instead of buying individual tickets. 

I bought one and even though I only saw 4 of the attractions instead of 5. It still saved me $25. I also liked the fact that I could just show the person taking tickets my pass on my phone. It was very convenient. 

Eat Before 

Like all other major tourist attractions, you are not allowed to bring in food or drink. There is a restaurant in the aquarium. The prices are higher than eating outside of the aquarium. So, if you come in with a full stomach it could save you some money.

Buy Tickets Online

You should purchase tickets online instead of at the aquarium. It will save you time from waiting in line and it will save you money.

Register for Shows Early

When you go to dolphin, seal or 4D shows, you need to register for them. You can do this online. I would recommend you do that if you know what time you are going to the aquarium. 

You can also register for a certain show when you get to the aquarium. The shows usually fill up quickly. The sooner you can sign up the better.

Go to the Ocean Voyager First

This tip is only useful if you are arriving close to when the aquarium opens. This is the most popular area in the aquarium and it can get pretty busy. You can beat the crowds and can get better viewing and photo opportunities. 

Places to Stay

The downtown area is the closest to the aquarium. The Midtown area would be next closest. Generally speaking, the further out from the city center the cheaper your hotels will be. 

Downtown

Midtown

Buckhead

Airport

Final Thoughts

There is good reason that the Georgia Aquarium is the top rated thing to do in Atlanta. The aquarium is top notch. There are 100s of different species of fish and other sea creatures to look at and appreciate. 

You have two different shows to watch with the Dolphin and Sea Lion’s Shows. If you get hungry, they offer a place to grab something to eat. 

I totally enjoyed my time at the aquarium. Out of all of the things that I did on my trip to Atlanta, I enjoyed the aquarium the most.

I always judge how good a place is by the fact that I would return to the place. I am definitely going back to the aquarium the next time I am in Atlanta.

You can go to my travel blog www.travelwidstom.com to learn more about how to save on travel and more.