As a go-to tourist destination in Atlanta, the Georgia Aquarium doesn’t disappoint. It is the largest aquarium in the Western hemisphere, holding over 10 million gallons of water. The Georgia Aquarium provides a magical, one of a kind viewing experience.

In addition to six different exhibits featuring animals from all over the world, the Georgia Aquarium also offers several shows, tours, and chances to interact, or even dive, with several of the aquarium’s most popular animals, such as dolphins, whale sharks, and sea lions. 

The most popular exhibit, and my personal favorite, is called Ocean Voyager. The exhibit was specifically built to house whale sharks, the largest fish species in the world. Ocean Voyager is home to four whale sharks, four manta rays, and thousands of other sea creatures such as sea turtles and sharks. The exhibit can be viewed from a massive 61 foot wide viewing window as well as an underwater tunnel, which gives visitors a one-of-a-kind experience. And this is just one of the many exhibits the Georgia Aquarium has to offer. 

Free with the $30 admission, visitors can also view the aquarium’s sea lion or penguin show. I would recommend getting there early to find a seat, as the shows fill up fast. I would also highly recommend the aquarium’s Dolphin Celebration show for a small $5 fee. The show is unique to the aquarium and features the amazing dolphins and trainers with special light and sound effects. I would recommend this attraction for all ages, but I would not sit in the front unless you want to get wet!

Finally, I would recommend the Behind the Seas tour or animal encounters to anyone going to visit the aquarium. The tour gives visitors a look at all the exhibits from the staff’s point of view, and explains how the animals are taken care of. At the end of each tour, visitors get to see the whale shark feeding from the top of Ocean Voyager, an experience only offered at the Georgia Aquarium. Tickets for the animal encounters are very expensive, ranging from $65 to $155. However, for anyone who is interested in getting to meet dolphins, penguins, sea otters, sea lions, seals, or beluga whales up close, it is worth the price. 

Because of its amazing exhibits, the Georgia Aquarium can get very crowded, especially during the summer. I would recommend buying tickets ahead of time, and reserving tickets for shows and other experiences as soon as possible. By reserving seats, you will not have to spend the day fighting the crowds to see shows. The other thing I would highly recommend is getting there first thing in the morning. This allows you to see the biggest attractions, like Ocean Voyager with almost no other visitors. The food at the aquarium is also very expensive. It is more worth it to just wait and eat at one of the great restaurants in Atlanta.

The aquarium provides an amazing experience that you can’t get anywhere else, despite a few small drawbacks. Plus, it is a great way to escape the Georgia heat. Overall, I would recommend visiting the Georgia Aquarium to people of all ages.