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Did you know that the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta is the largest aquarium in the United States? The total water volume is 37.85 million liters and it’s the only aquarium to have whale sharks, outside of China.
In this guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know to plan for your visit to the Georgia Aquarium, the best exhibits and finally our complete review of the Georgia Aquarium.
Georgia Aquarium Review
Our review of the Georgia Aquarium is really all about whether we think this attraction is worthy of your time.
My review is: YES!
This attraction should be at the very top of the list if you are visiting or living in Atlanta with children. This is definitely my kids favorite attraction in the entire Atlanta area. Even if you don’t have kids, the aquarium in Atlanta has something to impress everyone.
If you plan ahead, make sure you pick the best time to visit, and follow some of the tips is this guide, the entire family will enjoy the trip to the Atlanta Aquarium.
Planning Your Visit To The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta
Whether its you first trip or your tenth trip to the aquarium, you want to make sure you are finding the best tickets possible. It’s expensive, but the kids absolutely love it.
There were a few years, we had a season pass to the aquarium. No, my kids never got bored of going. Each time we went, we would find a new animal that was our favorite of the day.
Major Georgia Aquarium Exhibits
- Ocean Voyager is the largest tank in the United States complete with multiple whale sharks, sea turtles, sting rays, sharks and many species of fish. You even go underneath, through a tunnel.
- Cold Water Quest has some of the best animals, from african penquins, puffins, beluga whales and many more.
- Tropical Diver has all of your favorite fish from the warm waters, even the clown fish. If you love snorkeling amongst the coral reef, you will enjoy this exhibit.
- River Scout features many fish from rivers from all over the world. There is even an albino alligator.
By far, my kids spend the most time in Ocean Voyager and it is typically the most crowded.
Tip: If it is your first time and you arrive before the crowds, head to Ocean Voyager first for the best views of the whale shark.
The other exhibits are also very good and not to be skipped. My kids other favorites are the coral reef in Tropical Diver and the penguins at the Cold Water Quest. My favorite is watching the beluga whales swim around.
How Long Does It Take To Visit The Georgia Aquarium?
You may wonder how much time to budget for your visit to the aquarium, especially if you bought the city pass and have more attractions to see.
My answer is, it depends.
The aquarium says that the average visit in the Georgia Aquarium lasts about 2 hours.
This is a good estimate if you are only seeing the main four exhibits and its not unusually crowded.
If you are planning to see the Dolphin show, Sea Otter presentation, 4D theater or eating lunch in the aquarium, add a little more time.
Georgia Aquarium Busy Times
This is a very popular attraction in Atlanta and there is no guarantee that the aquarium will not be jammed full of people.
As a previous season ticket holder, the best time to visit was Tuesday through Thursday and getting there right when it opens and staying until lunch. By noon, it is usually swarming with people.
There is no guarantee that the aquarium will not have bus loads of kids on a field trip, that ruin your best attempt at minimizing the crowd. It happened many times to us.
Atlanta Aquarium Picture Taking
Upon entering the aquarium, you will be offered the option to take a group photo. This is completely optional. It seems like everyone must take a photo, but we routinely just skip this step and avoid the wait.
If you decide to take a photo, you can find and print them from one of the photo kiosks or you can access them later from this website. Just make sure you remember your ticket number that was used when the photo was taken.
Atlanta Aquarium Map
There are plenty of maps available at the entrance to the aquarium, but since you found your way to this post, you are probably a planner and are curious about the layout of the Georgia Aquarium. Here is the map of the aquarium.
Tickets For the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta
Tickets can be purchased directly from the aquariums website. With Covid restrictions, you must purchase tickets for a specific time window and arrive within 30 minutes.
There are many other ways to find discounted tickets through various 3rd parties like AAA, student discounts and military for example. Shop around and see what you qualify for.
If you are visiting Atlanta and plan on visiting many attractions, consider the City Pass.
Tip: If you want to save over 40% and are planning to see other attractions within 9 days, City Pass will be a good option for you. You get access to the aquarium, World of Coke, the zoo and two other attractions.
Getting To The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta
The Georgia Aquarium is located right next to Centennial Olympic Park in the heart of the Centennial Park district in downtown Atlanta.
The address is:
225 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313
Georgia Aquarium Parking
The official Aquarium parking deck is run by Lanier parking. The address for the parking deck is:
242 Ivan Allen Jr Blvd NW, Atlanta, GA 30313
Aquarium Store and Gift Shop
If you are a parent of small kids and are visiting the aquarium for the first or the hundredth time, one unavoidable experience of the aquarium is exiting through the gift shop.
Prepare yourself. I have purchased countless overpriced stuffed animals, toys and candy.
This shop definitely adds to the expense of the day.
Top 5 Things To Do And See Inside The Georgia Aquarium
While no means an exhaustive list of all the fun you will have at the Georgia Aquarium, here are five of my families favorite things to see at the aquarium.
1- See The Georgia Aquarium Whale Shark
The whale sharks are absolutely massive. My kids light up every time one of them swims by. They are really something to see in person that is unique to the Georgia Aquarium.
2 – Ride the Moving Walk Through 100 Foot Tunnel
There is a moving walk that moves everyone through the Ocean Voyager tunnel. As you move, just above you will get close up views of the whale sharks and plenty of other sea creatures.
3 – Locate The Georgia Aquarium Octopus
After Finding Dory came out, my kids are obsessed with the octopus. We have a fun game of who can find where he is hiding. Most times we find him, but there were a few times he was too well hidden.
4 – See The Georgia Aquarium Beluga Whales
This mighty whales are excellent swimmers and are constantly moving. Their white color makes them easy to notice. There are multiple vantage points to watch these remarkable mammals.
5. See the Dolphin Show
The show changes periodically, but it is usually very nicely done. Watching these animals perform is fun for the entire family. If you don’t want to be splashed, move up a few rows from the front of the pool.
Restaurants near Atlanta Aquarium
- CNN Food Court is right down the street if you are looking for a quick bite. There is a Chic Fil A, Burger Fi, Subway, Moe’s and other chain quick service restaurants. If you want something higher end, there is also a McCormick and Schmick’s.
- Ted’s Montana Grill is half a block down Luckie street. They specialize in Bison burgers and steaks and is a large chain that is found in most states now.
- Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint is an upscale soul food restaurant. You may have seen this restaurant at Hatsfield Jackson Airport. Their chicken and waffles are hard to beat.
- Max Lager’s Woodfire Grill and Brewery is a little under a half mile walk from the Aquarium and has in house brewed beers, steaks, fish and burgers.
- The Sun Dial is a few blocks away if you have a reservation and the budget for the meal. The views of downtown Atlanta are killer from the top of the Westin.
- Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria serves authentic, New York Style Pizza from a coal oven. It’s above average pizza within walking distance from the aquarium.
- STATS Brewpub is a large sports bar with a few hand made beers. Guys, if you are at the aquarium and need to catch up on what happening for sports, this is your spot nearby the Georgia aquarium.
Things To Do Near the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta
If you made it through the aquarium and still have time in Atlanta, you may wonder, what other attractions are close by?
Here are a few ideas:
- World of Coca Cola has a lot of history on the Coca Cola brand, memorabilia and everyone’s favorite, Taste It. Where you can sample hundreds of international brands of soda’s.
- National Center for Civil and Human Rights is a musuem highlighting the achievements the United States and the broader worldwide have made in civil rights and human rights.
- Centennial Olympic Park is one of the best parks in Atlanta and offers 22 acres dedicated to when Atlanta hosted the Olympics. Today is a place where kids can splash in the water or you can snap a photo next to the Olympic Rings or just enjoy the playgrounds, gardens, and expansive lawns.
- CNN Center has an expansive food court, but you can also book a studio tour of the CNN Studio. The highlight was watching the family take turns broadcasting the news, while their image was broadcasted on the TV’s in the studio.
- The SkyView in Atlanta is within a couple blocks of the aquarium. You can enjoy the views of the city from the giant ferris wheel.
If you are visiting Atlanta with kids, see 20 best things to do in Atlanta with kids for more ideas.
Hotels near Georgia Aquarium
Luckily, here are many great hotels to choose from in downtown Altanta, near the Georgia Aquarium. If you are looking for a close by option to you can’t go wrong with these options. All are few blocks away.
The Georgia Aquarium is located at 225 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313. For more information, please refer to the aquariums website.