Best aquariums in US for families
With summer on the horizon, families are no doubt already deep in their vacation planning modes.
While theme parks, water parks, national parks and beaches are top draws, why not consider adding in an aquarium visit?
Aquariums are great for families as they offer a unique blend of education, entertainment and opportunities for bonding. On a recent visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, it wasn't only the five-year-olds that were fascinated. Aquariums hold multigenerational appeal, teaching about marine life, ecosystems and conservation in a way that any age can understand and appreciate.
Here are some of the best aquariums in the U.S., renowned for their impressive exhibits, educational programs and family-friendly experiences. Look for one close to home or one to include in your summer travels. And be sure to set aside ample time for exploration.
Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta
As the largest aquarium in the U.S. and one of the world's most spectacular, Georgia Aquarium boasts over 11 million gallons of water across seven major galleries.
The aquarium is home to whale sharks, the largest fish in the world, manta rays, beluga whales, sea otters and African penguins. Its focus is on marine animals from icy, cold environments. But there's so much to see here, we recommend not rushing through this impressive aquarium.
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, Calif.
Located in the idyllic seaside town of Monterey on Cannery Row, this has always been one of my favorites and happens to be one of the most celebrated aquariums in the world due to its groundbreaking exhibits, dedicated marine conservation works and stunning oceanfront setting.
On a recent visit however, I was more than impressed by the added exhibits and upgrades offering guests a front-row seat to life above and below the abundantly blessed waters of the Pacific.
Visitors will see unforgettable sea life - which includes the deep, dark undersea cavernous environment where exotic life exists - along with celebrating local creatures from the Monterey Bay environs.
National Aquarium, Baltimore
Transport yourself to the underwater wonders of the world.
No visit to the Baltimore Harbor is complete without exploring the National Aquarium, featuring thousands of animals representing many parts of the globe, including the Amazon Rain Forest, an Australian river gorge and Indo-Pacific coral reefs.
Though all these displays are impressive, don't miss the local love, a 10,000 square-foot floating wetland that mimics the Chesapeake Bay's original tidal marsh habitat. Afterward, enjoy exploring the vibrant waterfront.
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans
Situated on the Mississippi River waterfront of downtown New Orleans, the aquarium is home to thousands of marine animals, many endangered and ranging from penguins and sea otters to jellyfish and seahorses.
Though many visitors don't think about visiting an aquarium while in New Orleans, you should. When it reopened in June 2023 after a massive renovation, the aquarium became the only facility in the world to house both an aquarium and an insectarium under one roof.
Newport Aquarium, Newport, Ky.
Who would think that Kentucky would have one of the country's best aquariums?
Located just across the river from downtown Cincinnati, the aquarium houses thousands of the world's most exotic aquatic creatures. The all-new Coral Reef Tunnel is stunning, a new jellyfish exhibit has opened, and a favorite attraction is the Shark Bridge, a suspended rope bridge over a shark tank, allowing visitors to walk only inches away from sharks, rays and fish.
Mermaids Cove has returned as an interactive event where guests can meet performers dressed as mermaids and touch a stingray. Mermaids will also be at Coral Reef Tunnel and a meet and greet at the Shark Ray Bay Theater.
New England Aquarium, Boston
Situated on Boston's Central Wharf, this renowned marine science center and aquarium has been captivating visitors since 1969.
The Giant Ocean Tank lies at the heart of the aquarium, a cylindrical 200,000-gallon exhibit simulating a colorful Caribbean coral reef. The four-story tank is home to Myrtle, a beloved green sea turtle who has been a resident since 1970, along with other sea turtles, stingrays, moray eels and a variety of tropical fish. The tank also features a spiral walkway with 67 windows, allowing visitors to view the marine life from multiple angles. Other exhibits include a shark and ray touch tank, coral reef, penguin colony and the Amazon Rainforest, housing poison dart frogs, piranhas and anacondas.
Maui Ocean Center, Hawaii
This award-winning aquarium connects visitors with Hawaii's marine life, where you can journey through a 54-foot-long underwater tunnel surrounded by sharks, visit Turtle Lagoon with its majestic honu (sea turtles) and venture below the water's surface with life-sized koholā (humpback whales) in the mesmerizing "Humpbacks of Hawaiʻi" 3D Sphere Experience.
Guests can take a ukulele lesson, discover the art of fishnet weaving and learn how to prepare traditional Hawaiian foods. Of utmost importance, the aquarium, along with the Marine Institute at Maui Ocean Center helps restore coral reefs along with rescuing and rehabilitating injured sea turtles throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
Shedd Aquarium, Chicago
One of the most popular Chicago attractions and one of the largest indoor aquariums in the world, Shedd opened in 1930 and houses over 32,000 animals representing more than 1,500 species across five million gallons of water.
Some of its most popular highlights include Amazon Rising, an 8,600-square-foot walkthrough re-creating the flooded forests of the Amazon River; Wild Reef, an impressive simulation of a Philippine coral reef and home to sharks, rays and other vibrant sea life; and the Abbott Oceanarium, the largest indoor mammal facility in the world.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps, San Diego
Though it's not a large aquarium, it's quite impressive. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the aquarium serves as the public outreach for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.
Our grandchildren loved the Seadragons and Seahorses exhibit, the pint-sized penguins, the shark and ray viewing area of Blue Beach and the impressive interactive tide pool filled with sea stars, sea anemones, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers, lobsters, abalone and more.
Opening on May 22, 2025, Living Seas will take guests on an unforgettable journey through the wonders of our ocean planet - from the colder waters of the Pacific Northwest and the beauty of Coastal California to the colorful reefs of the Tropical Pacific.
Oregon Coast Aquarium
When an aquarium celebrates its local marine ecosystems, that's a good sign. Offering immersive experiences representing the Pacific Northwest, the aquarium spans 23 acres along Yaquina Bay and is home to over 64,000 animals across 375 species.
Visitors can step back to prehistoric times in Cruisin' the Fossil Coastline, watch sea lions and harbor seals play in the Pacific waters or search for a glimpse of the elusive giant Pacific octopus. One of the top features of the venue is the Seabird Aviary, housing exotic tufted puffins, common murres and rhinoceros auklets.
The Florida Aquarium, Tampa
Well-known for its dedication to wildlife preservation, this aquarium located in downtown Tampa's Channel District offers a fascinating look into the world's aquatic and terrestrial animals.
The Mosaic Exhibit Hall features rotating sea life exhibits, while the Wetlands Trail provides an immersive journey through Florida's ecosystems, which include a mangrove forest, cypress swamp and freshwater swamp, home to alligators, otters, turtles and a free-flight aviary.
Odysea Aquarium, Scottsdale, Ariz.
The desert meets the ocean at Odysea Aquarium in Scottsdale, Arizona, boasting the largest aquarium in the Southwest. The state-of-the-art facility features an impressive array of sea life including sharks, otters, sea lions, penguins, sloths and more.
As one of the most fascinating and immersive aquatic experiences, the OdySea Voyager features a 20-minute rotating journey through four major exhibits aboard a stadium-seating "submarine" with 46-foot viewing windows. Those looking for even more adventure can don a wetsuit and helmet and head eight feet underwater on the SeaTREK Helmet Diving encounter.
_________
Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hiker dies after bear knocks him into 2,600-foot ravine
A veteran Greek hiker died Tuesday after falling into a ravine in the north of the country after a bear encounter, rescuers said. Christos Stavrianidis was declared dead at Kavala hospital shortly after he was found in the 2,600-foot ravine in Fraktou forest in northeastern Greece, the Ekav national emergency center told AFP. Stavrianidis was in the forest with another experienced hiker, Dimitris Kioroglou, when the incident happened on Monday. "I suddenly saw a bear which attacked me," Kioroglou told news portal NewsIT. "My dog delayed it for a few seconds. I used pepper spray, and it headed to where my friend was and knocked him into the ravine." Panos Stefanou, spokesman for Greece wildlife group Arcturos, said the bear was likely defending itself. "This is more a defensive behavior, not an attack. The bear is trying to push back what it sees as a threat," he told state TV ERT. The hikers were heading towards the remains of a Greek warplane that crashed in the area some seven decades earlier. Stavrianidis had found the plane deep in the forest last August. He was leading efforts to identify a more accessible route to its location to enable more people to visit the wreckage. "It's a beautiful discovery that deserves to be viewed on location... the fuselage is nearly intact," he had told a local journalist last year. "It's a treasure of nature and should be left (in the forest)," he had said. Brown bears are protected under Greek law, according to Ursa Trails, which notes the biggest populations are located in the mountains of western Rhodopes and Northern and Central Pindos. The brown bear population is much denser farther north in Europe. Last month, Slovenia approved the culling of more than 200 brown bears, whose population in a forested area outside the capital had grown to around 1,000. Slovakia has also grappled with a surging brown bear population as well as attacks on humans. In April, lawmakers approved a plan to shoot about 350 brown bears in Slovakia after a man was mauled to death while walking in a forest there, the BBC reported. Last year, a woman died in Slovakia after being chased by a bear through dense forest and mountainous terrain. Australian reporter covering Los Angeles protests shot with rubber bullet by police officer Kristi Noem says "we are not going to let a repeat of 2020 happen" amid L.A. crackdown LAPD chief speaks out about deployment of military forces to anti-ICE protests


Buzz Feed
5 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
26 Extremely Rare And Fascinating Pictures From History That Will Completely And Totally Change Your Perspective On The Past
Before airplanes were pressurized for commercial use, flyers had to wear oxygen masks at higher altitudes: This picture is from 1939 and taken while 20,000 feet in the air. During World War II, the USS Trigger got close enough to Japan on patrol to take a picture through its periscope of Mount Fuji: This is from 1943. Fascinating stuff! The Michelin Man not only used to be absolutely terrifying, but he used to run with a gang of several other musically inclined Michelin men: Chet Baker is shaking. Tourists in Egypt used to be able to climb on top of the Great Pyramid all willy-nilly: Let's be thankful there are some stricter rules about visiting the landmark. These gigantic contraptions are apparently one of the first life preservers ever made: They're made out of mattresses but something tells me they aren't comfortable. This picture, taken in 1942, shows a New York Times employee creating that day's layout of the Sports page: "Boy, this Mort Cooper guy can really slang it." This is selection of prosthetic face parts designed for World War I veterans: Here's what one of those prosthetics looked like in action: This is Australian javelin thrower Reg Spiers, best known for literally mailing himself in a big giant box from London to Australia in the 1960s: Spiers was broke and needed to figure out a way home to his family, so he did what any person would have done: he posted himself. This is the 5x3x2.5 foot box Spiers mailed himself in: The journey took over two days. Spiers stuffed himself in the box with some "tinned food, a torch, a blanket and a pillow, plus two plastic bottles - one for water, one for urine." You can read more about the whole ordeal here. This is frogman Courtney Brown towing a 55 scale model of the Titanic during the filming of the movie Raise The Titanic: The movie was, well, about raising the Titanic from the ocean floor. Interestingly enough, because the movie was made in 1980, the wreck of the ship had yet to be found. That's why "the wreck" is in one big piece here. Here's what the wreck of the model of the wreck of the Titanic looks like today: Slightly worse than the one in the Atlantic, I'd say. This is Robert Earl Hughes, the one-time world's heaviest man and his pet dog: At his heaviest, Robert weighed over 1,000 pounds. Eleven days in October had to be skipped after the Gregorian calendar was adopted in 1582: A wise person on Reddit hipped the internet to the fact that if you scroll back in your phone long enough, you can see it for yourself. Here's what gorilla's fingerprint looks like compared to a human's: Gorillas: they're just like us. This is what a whole bunch of wind turbines look like from way above: Like they're floating! This is a replica of what was apparently the world's largest polar bear, standing tall at 12 feet and weighing over 2,200 pounds: That, and I don't say this lightly, is one big bear. This is the crew of the USS Hunchback, taken in Virginia at the end of the Civil War. Unlike the army, the Union's navy was actually integrated: I think I would have also been the banjo player during the Civil War. This is what British World War I victory medal looks like: Too bad there would be another Great War for civilization less than two decades later. This is the first computer Apple ever developed: It looks nothing like an apple. Not even like an orange. This is a Corinthian helmet and the skull that wore it from the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC: Chilling stuff. This is what a pick-up truck from 1985 looks like compared to the behemoths that are modern pick-up trucks: Poor l'il guy. Owls have big ol' long legs: Check out the gams on Birdie. This is a list of the causes of death of everyone who died in London in 1632: Me, personally? I'm dying from "Planet." This was the scene aboard the ship The Queen Elizabeth as it brought soldiers back home to New York after World War II ended: I hate to say it... but imagine having to use the bathroom? Nightmare. And, finally, this is what Nicolas Cages' father, August Coppola, looked like: Incredible stuff.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Smuggler stopped with lizards, tarantulas, possums, authorities say
Indian customs officers made the latest "significant" seizure of endangered wildlife from a passenger arriving from Thailand, a government statement said: nearly 100 creatures including lizards, sunbirds and tree-climbing possums. Customs officers said the passenger, who was also carrying two tarantula spiders and tortoises, had "exhibited signs of nervousness" on arrival at India's financial capital Mumbai. The seizure comes after a passenger was stopped smuggling dozens of venomous vipers, also arriving from Thailand, earlier in June. They included 44 Indonesian pit vipers and were "concealed in checked-in baggage," Mumbai Customs said in a statement. The wildlife in the latest seizure included iguanas, as well as a kinkajou or honey bear -- a small raccoon-like animal from Mexico's rainforests -- along with six "sugar gliders" — a gliding possum found in Australia. Photographs released by the customs unit showed the six sugar gliders huddled together in a basket, as well as a box crammed with lizards. "In a significant operation, customs officers ... intercepted an Indian national ... leading to the seizure of multiple live and deceased wildlife species, some of which are protected under wildlife protection laws," the Ministry of Finance said in a statement late Monday. Disturbing smuggling trend Wildlife trade monitor TRAFFIC, which battles the smuggling of wild animals and plants, on Tuesday warned of a "very troubling" trend in trafficking driven by the exotic pet trade. More than 7,000 animals, dead and alive, have been seized along the Thailand-India air route in the last 3-and-a-half years, it said. Customs officers at Mumbai airport are more used to seizing smuggled gold, cash or cannabis -- but instances of wildlife seizure have seen a gradual rise recently. Customs officers seized dozens of snakes and several turtles from an Indian national flying from Thailand earlier in June. Among them were several spider-tailed horned vipers, a venomous species only described by scientists in 2006 and classified as "near-threatened" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). TRAFFIC said its analysis showed that while most cases involve animals smuggled out of Thailand, more than 80 percent of interceptions happened in India. "The almost-weekly discoveries and diversity of wildlife en route to India is very troubling," said TRAFFIC's Southeast Asia director Kanitha Krishnasamy. Many of those captured were alive, which "shows that the clamor for exotic pets is driving the trade," she added. In February, customs officials at Mumbai airport also stopped a smuggler with five Siamang gibbons, a small ape native to the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Those small creatures, listed as endangered by the IUCN, were "ingeniously concealed" in a plastic crate placed inside the passenger's trolley bag, customs officers said. In November, authorities found a passenger carrying a wriggling live cargo of 12 turtles. Australian reporter covering Los Angeles protests shot with rubber bullet by police officer Kristi Noem says "we are not going to let a repeat of 2020 happen" amid L.A. crackdown LAPD chief speaks out about deployment of military forces to anti-ICE protests