Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!

Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia

We had a fantastic time at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. This beautiful Aquarium features fascinating sea and river creatures. It is the largest aquarium in the United States with a capacity of 8.5 million gallons.

This aquarium works hard to educate visitors about the animals, their habitat, and how we can protect both. In addition to being educational, the aquarium is a lot of fun. Between the shows, galleries, and exhibits we were busy and entertained for hours. 

The Aquarium

When you first arrive at the aquarium, you will purchase and/or scan or tickets and enter through the security check. After entering the building, you see a massive room that is the epicenter for the entire aquarium. From here, you can access customer service, the cafe, restrooms, a coffee shop, the Virtual Voyager, and some gift shops. You can also enter all of the galleries, exhibits, and shows from this area. 

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
Photo above: The Virtual Voyager is located in the entrance area. It is a Virtual Reality Simulator and costs extra. 
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
Above photo: Cafe Aquaria is located downstairs at the aquarium. The food is a little pricey but they offer some decent food items. They have a salad bar and gluten-free options. The cafe has a hot bar with meats, pasta, and veggies as well as a dessert/cupcake bar. My kids had burgers and pizza from the grill. There is seating available downstairs and upstairs. 

Ocean Voyager

Our very first stop was at the Ocean Voyager Exhibit.

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
Above photo: A Huge Whale Shark Hangs over the entrance of the Ocean Voyager. 
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
Above photo: 
We entered into the acrylic tunnel in Ocean Voyager and we could see the ocean creatures all around us. You can either walk through or stand on the large conveyor belt to watch the fish, stingrays, and whale sharks swim overhead.
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
Above photo: We were able to see the whale sharks during feeding time. Some brave person is dispensing food from the boat (seen in the upper right-hand corner of photo).
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
There are so many great spots to get cool pictures of the kiddos!

Another highlight of Ocean Voyager is the huge glass wall showcasing all of the sea creatures. The Georgia Aquarium has one of the largest viewing windows in the world.  This is probably one of our favorite spots in the whole aquarium. It is so peaceful.  There are seating areas where you can sit and watch the ocean swim by. 

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
Above photo: The viewing glass is actually two feet thick, but you feel like you can reach out and touch all of the fish and sea creatures. It is so fascinating to see them so closely.

Coldwater Quest

The second exhibit we visited was Coldwater Quest.  The entrance is actually upstairs and it exits downstairs. This exhibit features Beluga Whales, Penguins, and Sea Otters. We also saw Puffins, Sea Dragons, Garibaldi Damselfish, and Japanese Spider Crabs.

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!

Beluga Whales

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
Above photo: Watching the Beluga Whales playing.





African Penguins

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
Photo Above: The African Penguin exhibit at Coldwater Quest
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!

The penguin exhibit has a long hallway that is one huge acrylic wall. We were able to watch the penguins swim, nest, and play. There are also some tunnels that lead to pop-up windows. The kids were right there next to the penguins. 

Tropical Diver

The Tropical Diver Gallery is relatively and this was our first time seeing this exhibit. We loved all of the peaceful and relaxing areas here.

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
Above photo: Japanese Sea Nettles
I could have watched these jellyfish all day!
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!

The Pacific Barrier Reef

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!

The Pacific Barrier Reef has a beautiful viewing wall.  This is one
of the largest living reef exhibits of any aquarium in the world.  It is so relaxing to just sit here and watch all of the fish swim through the tropical coral reefs. There were even waves crashing above – such a tranquil place!

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!

River Scout

The River Scout Exhibit features animals from the rivers of Georgia as well as the rivers of Africa, South America, and Asia. We saw Albino Alligators, an Emerald Tree Boa, and Piranha.

The exhibit also features the Asian small-clawed otter. They are normally very active and social, but they were napping while we were there. It was still cute to see them snuggled together sleeping.

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!

Shows

The Dolphin Show, Sea Lion Show, and 4D Shows are all included in the price of admission.

AT&T Dolphin Coast Show

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!

If there is one thing you MUST DO at the Georgia Aquarium, you must watch the Dolphin show!

We actually watched the show twice on the day we went. Both shows were similar but offered a few new details. The kids loved sitting in the front 10 rows because that was a splash zone. I recommend bringing a change of clothes if you think you and/or your kids will want to sit in the splash zone. It is a lot of fun, but you can get soaked and you will smell a little like fish.

We visited the aquarium a few years ago, and it was similar to a Broadway-style show and the dolphins were featured and they performed tricks. The new show is more educational and interactive. We learned a lot about the animals and felt involved in the show. Watching these beautiful dolphins was really amazing. And, we learned a lot about them and how to protect their natural environments.

Sea Lion Show

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!

We also really enjoyed the Sea Lion Show. It is more intimate than the Dolphin show but is also entertaining and fascinating. If you are brave enough to sit in the “splash zones” you will find yourselves only a few feet away from the sea lions during portions of the show. 

We really enjoyed watching the sea lions swim and interact with their trainers. At the end of the show, they even did a dance routine set to music. I liked that it was fun and educational at the same time. We really fell in love with these sweet animals!

4D Shows

The Aquarium offers a 4D show which includes a video, bubbles, wind, and watery 4D effects. It is a very fun experience but is it also very stimulating if your children are sensitive to over-stimulation. Read more about the 4D shows and featured films HERE.


Aquanaut Adventure: A Discovery Zone

This is the newest gallery at the Georgia Aquarium. It is a series of hallways located on the upper levels. The hallways are filled with interactive and educational STEM challenges. This fun area is usually only open in the afternoons (starting around 2 p.m.). You can ask someone at customer service for the exact opening times.

The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
The Georgia Aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest aquarium in the United States!
Above photos: The kids loved all of the games and challenges in this area.

I would definitely recommend visiting the Georgia Aquarium if you are anywhere near Atlanta, Georgia. It is a fascinating place whether you are a kid or an adult and it is perfect for families!

You may also enjoy: 25 Things to do in Atlanta, Georgia with Kids

Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta Georgia - The largest aquarium in the United States!

More Information

Tickets prices for the aquarium start at $27 and aquarium parking is $12-$15. There is parking on the surrounding street areas.

Georgia Aquarium // 225 Baker Street NW – Atlanta,GA 30313 // 404.581.4000

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Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta Georgia - The largest aquarium in the United States!
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