The United States is home to several aquariums that are home to a variety of beautiful sea animals. The best part is that most of these establishments are non-profit, and their primary focus is on the conservation of the ocean and not the captivity of these animals. The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta is one such aquarium that houses a wide collection of rare sea life. Discover exotic sea creatures from sharks and whales to penguins and seals through several interactive demonstrations at Georgia Aquarium Atlanta.
Georgia Aquarium Atlanta
Essential Information
Georgia Aquarium Atlanta - Things to know
Best time to visit - Early morning on weekdays
Georgia Aquarium Tickets price - $39.15
Suggested duration: approximately 5-6 hours
Volume of the largest tank: 6.3 million US gallons
Nearest metro station: Civic Center Station
Georgia Aquarium - Opening Hours
Monday to Wednesday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Thursday to Sunday: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Georgia Aquarium - Highlights
Sharks! Predators of the Deep
Aquanaut Adventure
Cold Water Quest
Dolphin Coast
Georgia Aquarium Address
225 Baker St NW, Atlanta,
GA 30313, United States
Get There
Why Visit Georgia Aquarium Atlanta?
- Georgia Aquarium Atlanta is the largest aquarium in the Western hemisphere. It is the third largest aquarium in the world with over 10 million gallons of water and 100 habitats.
- The aquarium consists of eight galleries and exhibits: Sharks! Predators of the Deep, Cold Water Quest, Tropical Diver, Southern Company River Scout, Dolphin Coast, Trust Pier 225, Ocean Voyager Built by The Home Depot, and Aquanaut Adventure.
- They host a variety of marine animals such as African Penguins, American Alligators, Beluga Whales, Whale Sharks, Manta Rays, Common Bottlenose Dolphins, and more.
- The Georgia Aquarium also offers Behind-the-Scene Tours of the galleries where the guests can play and interact with the sea animals. There are other experiences such as Sleepovers, Dive/Swim with Gentle Giants, etc.
- It is the only aquarium in North America that is home to whale sharks, the largest fish in the world.
Animals at Georgia Aquarium Atlanta
Georgia Aquarium is massive and the collection of the aquative animals here is paralleled only by some aquariums in the world. Here are some of the most unique and rare aquatic animals at Georgia Aquarium that you cannot miss.
1Georgia Aquarium Whale Shark
A whale shark is the largest fish in the world that lives in Tropical Atlantic, Pacific, and the Indian Ocean. It is generally 8-32.8 feet in size, eats zooplankton and smaller fishes.
2Manta Ray
Also known as the devil ray, a manta ray is a filter feeder that only consumes planktons and small fishes. Found in the Western Atlantic, Western Caribbean, and some parts of the Gulf of Mexico, this animal lives in reefs, atolls, and island groups.
3Beluga Whale
These small, white whales live in cold waters of Arctic and subarctic regions. Beluga whales live in shallow and deep offshores and are in rivers too. They consume marine and freshwater fishes and zooplankton as well.
4California Sea Lion
This species of sea lions live on the coast of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. It is another great sea animal that you can encounter at Georgia Aquarium. They consume squids, anchovy, rockfish, mackerel, and whiting and use honks, growls, backs, etc. to communicate.
5African Penguin
Found on the coasts of Southwestern Africa, African Penguins feed on fishes and squids. They usually hunt from the shore and can swallow the food whole. You can watch these African Penguins strutting around in the Georgia Aquarium’s main Atrium.
6 Common Bottlenose Dolphin
A resident of the Atlantic Ocean, this dolphin species is famous for its social behavior and acrobatic stunts. They use whistles, squeaks, grunts, moans, etc. to communicate and hunt.
7American Alligator
American Alligators have a broad snout and a top jaw overlapping the lower jaw and teeth. They are found in Southwestern U.S. and live in swamps, marshes, or water bodies. They consume both marine and terrestrial prey.
Georgia Aquarium Atlanta Tickets
Best Recommended
If you are planning a visit to Georgia or live here, then you cannot miss out on visiting the largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere – Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta. You can check out these Georgia Aquarium Tickets that come with all the essential information and some amazing discounts as well.
Georgia Aquarium Atlanta Live Cam
Watch thousands of fascinating sea creatures such as California Sea Lion, Beluga Whale, Piranha, and ecosystems such as Indo-Pacific Barrier Reef from the comfort of your home. Georgia Aquarium Live Cam enables you to watch the Ocean live and in HD. The live streaming gives a sneak peak into to your visit to the aquarium.
Encounters and Experiences At Georgia Aquarium Atlanta
Here are the fun ways to explore unique sea life with Georgia Aquarium tickets. These encounters and experiences are put together for a fun and educational visit. Make a checklist of the what fascinates you the most to plan your visit.
1 Animal Encounters
There are several personal interaction programs with sea animals available for the guests. You can indulge in the Shark & Ray Interaction, Dolphin Encounter, Penguin Encounter, Sea Otter Encounter, Sea Lion Encounter, Seal Encounter, Beluga Interaction, and Sea Lions Up Close Program. You can touch, play, and feed these animals in these programs.
2 Swim and Dive
There are four experiences available where you can interact with whale sharks and manta rays in Georgia Aquarium. Shark Cage Dive, Journey with Gentle Giants – Swim, Journey with Gentle Giants – Dive, and Rebreather Dive Program are offered as experiences for anyone who wishes to swim with the sea animals.
3 Behind the seas Tour
With Behind the Seas Highlight Tour, you can go backstage for most exhibits and be a little closer to the sea animals. This is a great way to interact with these animals and learn how the aquarium operates.
4 Shows and presentations
At Georgia Aquarium, there are five shows and presentations you can enjoy. Dolphin Presentation, Virtual Reality Simulator, 4D Theatre, Waddle Walk (African Penguins), and Under the Boardwalk (Sea Lions) are a few shows that you can experience here.
5 Georgia Aquarium Sleep Under The Sea
A chance to spend the night at the aquarium! Sleep Under the Sea is an amazing experience where you can sleep in front of a gallery window in your sleeping bag and spend the night with the marine animals at the aquarium. You will get complimentary snacks and tours of the aquarium as well.
6 Georgia Aquarium Sips Under the Sea
A party under the ocean is a distant dream. Georgia Aquarium brings your dreams come true with Sips Under the Sea. Strictly for people 21 and over, Sips Under the Sea features voguish coctails, dining and a live DJ for your evening. Click here to book this one of a kind experience.
Georgia Aquarium Atlanta Visitor Information
Georgia Aquarium Atlanta Timings
The Georgia Aquarium is open on all days of the week. From Monday to Wednesday, you can visit the aquarium from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and from Thursday to Sunday, you can visit the aquarium from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Getting to Georgia Aquarium
By Bus
You get a MARTA bus from Five Points MARTA Station and Civic Center MARTA Station via Route 32 to Georgia Aquarium.
By Train
Georgia Aquarium is just a 10-15 minute walking distance from Civic Center or Peachtree Center Stations on the Red/Gold line or GWCC/CNN Center/Philips Arena Station on the Blue/Green line.
By Car
You can also take a car or cab to reach Georgia Aquarium Atlanta. You can use this address to get the direct route from your location - 357 Luckie Street, NW Atlanta, GA 30313.
Best time to visit Georgia Aquarium Atlanta
Generally, you should visit an animal exhibit when the animals are most active which is usually during feeding time. So, plan a visit then or during one of the dolphins shows that are conducted regularly here. To avoid the crowd, visit Georgia Aquarium from Monday to Thursday early morning or between lunch and dinner.
Suggested duration
There are a lot of exhibit galleries to visit, animals to view, and experiences to enjoy in Georgia Aquarium Atlanta. So, it is recommended that guests keep aside at least 5-6 hours for a visit here.
Georgia Aquarium Atlanta Visitor Tips
Handy tips for a smooth visit
- Reach Georgia Aquarium Atlanta early in the morning or between lunch and dinner time slots to avoid the crowds. Generally, the crowds start coming in from 12 PM. So, if you arrive early you can cover more of the aquarium in peace.
- Plan a visit to the Georgia Aquarium on weekdays from Monday to Thursday to avoid the crowds.
- Georgia Aquarium is quite large and you would need around 5-6 hours to explore all the exhibits and attractions here. So, stay hydrated and eat snacks to keep up the energy.
- Don’t miss out on the Dolphin Show that shows the beautiful connection between humans and animals in a musical story form.
- You can choose to swim with the whale sharks or manta rays at Georgia Aquarium in the Ocean Voyager Exhibit by choosing the Swim and Dive program here.
- Catch the Deepo’s Undersea 3D Wondershow is a fun and entertaining story about the importance of conservation and protection of the animals in their natural habitat.
- Don’t miss out on the animal encounter programs where you can go behind the scene to meet otters, dolphins, and penguins.
- Book tickets for Imagination Nights at Georgia Aquarium Atlanta. Imagination Nights at Georgia Aquarium is the display of all six galleries of the Aquarium, the screening of animated film (Deepo's Undersea 3D Wondershow) and the special exhibition - Sea Monsters Revealed: Aquatic Bodies.
Georgia Aquarium Atlanta Facts
- Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the Western Hemisphere with over 10 million gallons of water in over 100 habitats.
- At the opening, the aquarium was certified as having the most aquatic life in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records.
- One million guests visited Georgia Aquarium in the initial 100 days of its opening in 2005 and 3.6 million guests visited in the first year. Currently, more than 18 million guests have visited this aquarium since 2005.
- Ocean Voyager in Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquatic indoor habitat that holds 6.3 million gallons of water. It is home to thousands of species including manta rays and whale sharks.
- Georgia Aquarium is the only aquarium in North America that houses whale sharks, the largest fish in the world.
- Tropical Diver’s Pacific barrier reef habitat that consists of 164,000 gallons of water is one of the largest living reef exhibits in the United States.
- AT&T Dolphin Tales at 84,000 square feet and 1.8 million gallons of water is the largest addition to Georgia Aquarium.
Georgia Aquarium Atlanta Reviews
Excellent experience. The shark exhibit is amazing. Very family oriented and enjoyable. We did the Behind the Seas Tour and it was excellent!
Our trip to the Aquarium was the most amazing time ever. The place was so huge but it was laid out in the best way so that the crowds were spread out. My sister did a dive with the Whale Sharks and that was the highlight of the day! It was amazing to see her in that huge tank with all the ocean creatures. The staff was so friendly and helpful during our stay!!
Restaurants Near Georgia Aquarium Atlanta
Where to eat
Take a break and have a meal after your Aquarium visit. Here are some of the best restaurents near Georgia Aquarium.
A great place for breakfast, Atlanta Breakfast Club is a modern diner that serves breakfast, burgers, and other American dishes. Chicken waffles and Peach cobbler are a speciality here that you simply must try if you are visiting Georgia Aquarium.
With a retro setting, Johnny Rockets is a great restaurant near Georgia Aquarium that serves amazing food and ambience. This food outpost serves burgers, fries, and shakes – an American staple food. There are also tiny jukeboxes on the table to play with your favorite oldie.
Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria serves the most delicious pies and pizzas in a casual and chill setting. To make the experience more authentic for the customers, they use a coal-burning oven to prepare the pizzas and the crispy pies here.
This is a Rock’n’roll themed café in Atlanta that offers a killer ambience with even amazing food. You can find all the American classics here including burgers, ribs, and other mouth-watering dishes.
If you are craving some Korean food, then Kwan’s Deli and Korean Kitchen is a perfect place to check out in Atlanta. They have a casual ambience and serve American breakfast, salads, and deli sandwiches apart from Korean cuisine.
Hotels near Georgia Aquarium Atlanta
Here are some of the best rated Hotels near Georgia Aquarium Atlanta for your visit to explore the city.
This modern all-suite hotel is located next to Centennial Olympic Park. It is just a 9-minute walk from Peachtree metro station and offers classic suites and upgraded suites. There is also a fitness centre, breakfast buffet and an outdoor pool to use here.
This is a 4-star hotel that is just a 7-minute walk from Georgia Aquarium. The rooms here offer city views along with basic amenities and a few suites come with separate living/dining areas as well. Guests have access to an outdoor pool, a spa, a gym, and a business centre.
With an iconic blue dome, this 4-star hotel is a 10-minutes walk from Georgia Aquarium and a 5-minute walk from the metro station. Rooms come with floor-to-ceiling windows while suites include living rooms and dining tables. You can use an outdoor pool with a sundeck, a 24*7 gym, and a conference center here.
The Ritz-Carlton is a 5-star hotel that is a 13-minutes walk from Georgia Aquarium. Guests have stately rooms with basic amenities and suites with added living rooms, kitchenettes, and tubs. There is a fitness center that can be accessed by the guests.
Just a 4-minute walk from Georgia Aquarium, Hilton Garden Inn has a variety of rooms to offer. From simple, city view rooms to suites with living rooms and pull-out sofas, you can find it all here. They also have an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, and an exercise room for the guests to use.
Georgia Aquarium Atlanta FAQs
Is Georgia Aquarium worth it?
What can you do at Georgia Aquarium?
Where is Georgia Aquarium located?
Is Georgia Aquarium the largest in the world?
How long does it take to walk through the Georgia Aquarium?
What is Imagination Nights at Georgia Aquarium?
What is the best time to go visit Georgia Aquarium?
How much does it cost to go to Georgia Aquarium?
How can I buy Georgia Aquarium Tickets?
Does the Georgia Aquarium have wheelchairs?
Do you need a parking pass for Georgia Aquarium?
How can I save money at Georgia Aquarium?
