Georgia Aquarium

To date, we have only explored less than 5% of our oceans. Out of that 5% we have made amazing discoveries in terms of animal life. Some of these amazing animals can only be found in the Georgia Aquarium. In this aquarium lies 6 sections to be explored. Each section explores a different area of the world and also features a unique tour that can be payed for. Be warned however, the special tours are NOT cheap. You can choose any section you like to start off with. In the first section I went to was the dolphin tales show. The dolphin tales show features a captivating story of Captain Starspinner and his dolphin friends who seek to stop the evil sea monster and its reign of terror on the high seas. The show is a musical made mostly for the kids, yet the story line is pretty good as is the music and singing. The dolphin action however, is considerably less than one would expect of a dolphin show.

From here, I made my way into the Georgia Explorer exhibit. Much like the Dolphin show, this section too is mostly made for the kids. That being said, however, both child and adult will be able to touch various sea creatures that include, the sea urchin, star fish, and this lovely little guy, the Stingray.

In the same area as the stingray, your little one can captain his own fishing boat as he makes he way to the "bridge" to operate the throttle, horn and even steering wheel. Also in this exhibit, check out 2 albino alligators and a few fun loving otters. Once I was done exploring the waters of Georgia, I decided to head to deeper waters in the Ocean Voyage exhibit. One of the main attractions here is the the underwater tunnel that allows you to view not one, not two, but 3 massive whale sharks and the massive manta rays that roam the tank along side, other rays, groupers and smaller fish.

Seeing these Ginormous creatures was like watching an underwater airshow. The immense size of just the manta ray alone was enough to make my jaw hit the floor. One of the special tours here is getting to dive or snorkel alongside these gentle giants. By the way, in case you were wondering, while the whale shark is considered a shark, meat is not one of its entrees. It feeds off krill and plankton. After rising up from the deep ocean depths, make your way into the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean in Cold Water Quest. Here you get to play with penguins and swim with the elegant Beluga whales. The special tour here is simply getting to interact with one of the white whales.

Once you warm yourself up, its time to visit the Beaches of Tropical Diver. Here you will get to touch a sea anemone and see various types of sea creatures that live in the warm oceans. The most notable of these is of course the Jellyfish. You can also see an actual shark hatchery. 

  

The final area of the aquarium is the dedicated to River creatures, such as the piranha. If you are itching for a bite to eat here. Check out the Cafe Aquaria. The food is a bit pricey but is worth what you pay for. Before you leave, visit the gift shop for all sorts of interesting items. One particular item of interest is the glow in the dark glass blown jellyfish. Yes you read that right. It is a jellyfish design inside a glass orb that when the lights go out, the jellyfish glows. Another item of interest is the inflatable remote controlled fish. You might see them a lot more in malls come Christmas time but the aquarium sells them year around. The aquarium is designed to be an all day adventure with the various exhibits, shows, and interactive touch pools for the kids. At the end of the day though, the amount of creatures seen will make for one heck of a family experience that is sure to leave behind memories. 

Entertainment: 4

Educational:4

Price: 2

Cafe: 3

Giftshop: 3

Overall: 3

Additional Information

Address: 225 Baker St. NW, Atlanta GA

Hours of Operation: See Website for Hours 

Price: BASED ON NON-MEMBER PRICES

Adult: (13-64): $35.95                                    Scuba diving: $334.95             Snorkeling: $234.95

Child (3-12) $29.95                                        Beluga Interaction: $179.95

Seniors (65+) $31.95                                      Dolphin Encounter (not the show): $64.95  

Military Receives 15% off.                               Sea Otter and Penguin Encounter: $59.95

For More Information, visit: http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/