Spot Amazing Sea Life at the Largest Aquariums in the U.S.

Whenever I take my family on a trip to a new state, we always try to visit the local aquarium, and I bet a lot of other families do the same. It’s exciting to see the different types of marine wildlife that grace our great United States. For a truly exceptional experience, visit some of the largest aquariums in the country. The attractions on this list, from the immense Georgia Aquarium to the seaside paradise of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, are truly remarkable, and there is so much to explore. Add each of these seven aquariums to your bucket list.

Georgia Aquarium

The top of the list when it comes to the largest aquariums in the nation is the Georgia Aquarium, which is located in Atlanta. This massive aquatic playground is home to over 60 different animal exhibits and 11 million gallons of water. The aquarium first opened in 2005 after the co-founder of Home Depot, Bernard Marcus, donated $250 million to make it happen. Since that time, families and class trips have been frequenting the aquarium and loving every minute.

Although it’s already huge, this aquarium is constantly evolving and adding new exhibits. One of the newest is called Explorer’s Cove. You and your family can have an incredibly immersive experience as you interact with guitarfish, sharks, rays, and more. Throughout the year, the Georgia Aquarium hosts a variety of fun events, including their Haunted Seas activities during Halloween and a winter holiday special featuring Santa Claus, among others.

The aquarium is home to many amazing sea animals. Some of the species there aren’t visible at most other aquariums, such as the African penguins, beluga whale, tiger sharks, whale sharks, and more. You can sign up to swim with dolphins, hang out with the sea lions, and even watch the various bioluminescent animals light up the water at different times throughout the day. There’s a lot to see and do, so add this one to your bucket list.

Shedd Aquarium

In addition to being one of the country’s largest aquariums, Shedd Aquarium is also one of the oldest. First opened in 1930, the structure houses over 1,500 different species and contains more than 5 million gallons of water. It’s a very popular aquarium, welcoming about 2 million visitors a year. The aquarium features many local species from the Great Lakes area, but it also has plenty of exotic sea creatures from the Amazon and other exciting places.

The Shedd Aquarium features numerous incredible exhibits, including the Oceanarium, which showcases a diverse array of species, such as sea otters, whales, and sharks. It’s designed to be as close to the animal’s native environment as possible, so you can really see the animals in the most natural state possible. Speaking of the Amazon, one of the coolest exhibits is the Amazon Rising section, where you can see incredibly exotic creatures, including a green anaconda, a dwarf caiman, an arapaima, and a variety of lizards.

Whether you like sharks, penguins, sea horses, birds, octopuses, or anything in between, there’s something here for everyone. Additionally, a significant portion of the admission fees is allocated to environmental causes. One of these projects, the Chicago River Initiative, aims to “rewild the South Branch of the Chicago River.” So, you can go to the massive Shedd Aquarium and watch the sea life as you help the creatures thrive in the wild.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

The gorgeous Monterey Bay Aquarium, located along the Pacific Ocean in picturesque California, is just as impressive as its surroundings. This aquarium is enormous, housing over 600 species and containing two million gallons of water within its walls. While this particular aquarium places a strong focus on local marine life, there are still plenty of incredible creatures to enjoy.

In addition to housing familiar sealife, such as sea lions, there are also many unique critters, including the arbiter snailfish, Christmas tree siphonophore, lumpfish, Northern clingfish, and more. There is also an impressive variety of birds to observe, including long-billed curlews, albatrosses, horned puffins, and African penguins.

One of them is called “Into the Deep,” featuring many fascinating creatures that are rarely seen because they live in the pitch darkness of the deep sea, such as crabs and octopuses that inhabit the ocean floor. There are also exhibits with penguins, an aviary, and a fascinating kelp forest. Then, you can go outside the aquarium and catch sea otters and whales jumping out of the Pacific Ocean.

The Seas With Nemo And Friends

It should come as no surprise that an aquarium brought to us by Disney would be impressive, and that’s the case with The Seas with Nemo & Friends, which is the nation’s second-largest aquarium. Come here to see an endless different marine animal species that call 5.7 million gallons of water their home.

This Disney park features numerous exciting animal exhibits, including tanks dedicated to manatees, seahorses, dolphins, sharks, and other marine life. There are many educational activities for people of all ages, including “Turtle Talk with Crush,” where the sea turtle from the movie Finding Nemo answers questions about the ocean. Experienced SCUBA divers can take a 40-minute tour and literally explore the 5.7 million gallons of water and the life within. There’s also the “Dolphins in Depth” experience where you can interact with dolphins in waist-high water.

This aquarium also has rides! One of the most exciting is the “clamobile” adventure, where you board a clam-shaped vehicle and help find Nemo, who has gotten lost again.

Baltimore National Aquarium

Next on our list of the largest aquariums in the U.S. is the National Aquarium located in Baltimore, Maryland. If you ever find yourself in the area, check out this amazing place that is home to over 750 different species, 100 exhibits, and over two million gallons of water. This is a massive aquarium that is so large that the building is a statement piece of the Baltimore skyline. There are many amazing animals here from all over the world. You can walk around and see critters from Australia, Antarctica, Africa, and all of the oceans. There are birds, fish, reptiles, turtles, mammals, and more.

Currently, there are over 15 exhibits where you can see amazing wildlife. One of them, the “Upland Tropical Rain Forest”, is home to fish, turtles, birds, frogs, and even two-toed sloths. Another one called “Australia: Wild Extremes” has many cool crocodiles, snakes, turtles, and an incredible spiny-tailed monitor.

The aquarium also has many incredible tours and experiences, such as a dolphin tour that allows you to get up close and personal with the lovely creatures. You can even join a dolphin training season. To get a real sneak peek, check out the Insider’s Tour. For an extra cost, you can see what happens behind the scenes at the aquarium. Plus, you can touch many of the creatures, including jellies, crabs, and more.

Mystic Aquarium

The Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut offers a massive aquatic adventure, featuring over 10,000 marine animals in more than 750,000 gallons of water. There are many incredible species here, with some of the highlights including beluga whales, African penguins, California sea lions, northern fur seals, sand tiger sharks, and sea lions, among other notable features.

One of the highlights of the Mystic Aquarium is its numerous exhibits, including “Dino Seas,” where visitors can enjoy interactive experiences with various reptiles and amphibians. After they learn, your kids can climb on the massive multi-layer playspace. Another stellar exhibit is the marine theater, where you can see sea lions and other fascinating creatures showcase their adorable qualities.

In addition to entertaining visitors, Mystic Aquarium is committed to helping the world and its ocean ecosystems through conservation efforts. Many of their initiatives focus on creating clean water and building sustainable, resilient communities for wildlife, so your admission price also helps support these important causes.

Tennessee Aquarium

Finally, one of the largest aquariums you should visit is the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, TN. The aquarium has an astounding 12,000 creatures in its 680,000 gallons of water.

This awesome location spotlights many of the marine creatures that inhabit the local habitats with exhibits like the “Appalachian Cove Forest,” which is home to awesome creatures, including the North American River Otter, the brook and rainbow trout, and more. There’s also the “Delta Country” exhibit, which features really wild animals, from the American Alligator to the colorful corn snake.

The aquarium is home to many species that you won’t see everywhere else, such as the blue-spotted tree monitor, collared lemurs, sandbar shark, and the giant Pacific octopus, among many others. There are also many amazing educational experiences here, including a Tennessee Aquarium Summer Camp, where kids can spend a week with their favorite aquatic creatures. Finally, the Tennessee Aquarium features huge IMAX screens where visitors can watch dolphin shows, movies, and more.

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