Georgia Aquarium

The heart of the aquarium is Ocean Voyager, a colossal habitat designed to hold whale sharks, which need more room than almost any other fish in captivity. A moving walkway carries you through a curved acrylic tunnel while the sharks, along with manta rays and thousands of smaller fish, pass slowly overhead and on every side. It is meant to feel like standing on the floor of the open ocean.

The whale sharks arrived in the aquarium's early years, and their care has taught researchers a great deal about a species that is still poorly understood in the wild. Manta rays, with their broad wing-like fins and gaping mouths, share the tank and are just as mesmerizing, banking and looping in slow arcs above the crowd.

Beyond the great tank, the aquarium is arranged into themed galleries. The cold-water hall is home to beluga whales, pale and smooth with a rounded forehead they can change shape, and to sea otters that tumble and float in their kelp-fringed pool. Penguins waddle and dart through a habitat you can view from a low tunnel that pops up right among them.

Other galleries hold African penguins, a river gallery of native Georgia species, a jelly gallery lit like a slow-motion light show, and touch pools where you can feel the sandpaper skin of a small shark or the velvet wing of a ray. There is a dolphin presentation as well, a theatrical show set to music and lights.

The aquarium exists because of one man's stubborn generosity. Bernie Marcus, who co-founded Home Depot in Atlanta, decided the city that made his fortune deserved a signature attraction, and after touring aquariums around the world he committed a founding gift of roughly 250 million dollars to build one. It was among the largest single philanthropic gifts the city had seen.

Building a saltwater aquarium hundreds of miles from the ocean was a genuine engineering feat. Seawater is mixed on site, the life-support systems that keep the water clean and cold run around the clock, and the whole operation is designed to sustain animals as large and demanding as whale sharks. The result put Atlanta on the map for a kind of attraction most people expect only in coastal cities.

Behind the exhibits, the Georgia Aquarium runs an active research and conservation program. Its work on whale sharks has contributed to understanding of the species' biology and to efforts to protect them in their home waters off Asia and Latin America, where they are threatened by fishing and boat strikes.

The aquarium also takes in stranded and rescued animals, from sea turtles to marine mammals, and works on breeding programs for species under pressure in the wild. Much of what visitors see framed as entertainment doubles as a window into science that would be hard to do anywhere else.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Georgia Aquarium, in downtown Atlanta, is one of the largest and most spectacular aquariums in the world, a premier attraction home to tens of thousands of aquatic animals across many exhibits. The enormous aquarium is famous for its gigantic ocean tank, one of the largest in the world, home to whale sharks and manta rays, and for its exhibits featuring beluga whales, dolphins, sea otters, penguins, sea lions, and a vast array of marine and freshwater life, along with immersive tunnels, touch experiences, and shows. An awe-inspiring underwater world, it delights visitors of all ages. With its immense tanks and sea life, the Georgia Aquarium offers a spectacular destination in Georgia.

You can see tens of thousands of aquatic animals, including whale sharks and manta rays in one of the world's largest ocean tanks, beluga whales, dolphins, sea otters, penguins, sea lions, and countless fish, walk through immersive underwater tunnels, enjoy touch experiences and animal shows, and explore exhibits recreating habitats from around the world. The giant ocean tank, the whale sharks, the belugas, the dolphins, and the immersive tunnels are the highlights, offering an awe-inspiring experience. Its scale and variety are world-class. With its sea life and exhibits, the Georgia Aquarium offers a rewarding visit in Atlanta, Georgia.

Yes, the Georgia Aquarium is one of the best family destinations in the country, with a huge variety of sea life, immersive tunnels, whale sharks, belugas, dolphins, penguins, touch experiences, and animal shows that captivate children and adults alike. Kids especially love the giant ocean tank, the touch pools, and the shows, while the whole family marvels at the immense aquarium. It is large and popular, so allowing several hours and, ideally, reserving timed tickets ahead is wise. With its sea life and experiences, the Georgia Aquarium makes an excellent family destination in Georgia.

As an indoor aquarium, the Georgia Aquarium is enjoyable year-round in any weather, making it a great stop on a hot, cold, or rainy day. It is very popular, so it can be busiest on weekends, holidays, and school breaks, and timed tickets are often used, so reserving ahead and visiting on a weekday morning may mean smaller crowds. Checking current ticketing and hours before you go is wise. Because it is indoors, the Georgia Aquarium makes a rewarding family stop any time of year in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Georgia Aquarium is in downtown Atlanta, within reach of the World of Coca-Cola right next door, the Atlanta History Center, the Fox Theatre, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, and downtown Atlanta. That makes the Georgia Aquarium a spectacular stop to combine with the World of Coca-Cola and the other attractions of Atlanta on a visit to Georgia.