Complimentary tickets were provided to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Long Island Aquarium and SEA LIFE aquarium to facilitate review. All opinions are my own and are honest. Affiliate links.
Aquariums are a must-do for us when we travel regardless if we have our daughter with us or not. As both a family and a couple we have visited our fair share of aquariums, and I think we can now narrow it down to our top 5 aquariums to visit when traveling.
I’m sharing a list of our top 5 aquariums to visit when traveling, and yes, these are in ranking order.
#1 Monterey Bay Aquarium
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a must-visit when visiting Northern California. It is one of our favorites to visit, especially with our daughter due to its many touch pools and educational activities. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. We love that the aquarium is on the bay, allowing visitors to get a glimpse of wildlife like sea otters and whales in their natural habitat.
886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940
Cost: Adult – $49.95 | Child (3 – 12) – $29.95
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/
#2 Georgia Aquarium
The Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the United States. My husband and I visited when we were dating, and fell in love with its over 550,500 square feet of exhibits. The massive viewing tanks are impressive. We loved viewing the beluga whales and whale sharks. It is amazing!
Cost: Adult – $30.95 | Child – 2 and under FREE
225 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313
https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/
#3 Florida Aquarium
The fact that we have visited the Florida Aquarium almost every time we have been in Florida, we would take the drive to Tampa to visit this aquarium. We love how the aquarium is laid out to demonstrate the journey of a drop of water from one of Florida’s many fresh-water springs out to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. We love seeing the Goliath Grouper, checking in on how much bigger it has gotten since our last visit. And of course, our daughter loves their touch pools.
Cost: Prices vary based on the day of the visit.
701 Channelside Drive, Channel District, Tampa, Florida, 33602
#4 Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
Before heading to the UAE we heard so much about the Dubai Mall. One of the many attractions within the mall is the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. Although a bit small compared to other aquariums we’ve visited, its uniqueness lies in the tank.
The tanks surround you as you walk through the underwater tunnel to view over 300 species of sea life including sharks, rays, and more!
Cost: $32.67 (AED 120)
https://www.thedubaiaquarium.com/en/
The Dubai Mall | Doha Street Off 1st Interchange – Sheikh Zayed Road Dubai, U.A.E
#5 Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center
The Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center is one of our “local” aquariums, and it is home to one of the largest living coral exhibits in the Western Hemisphere. Our favorite exhibits are the Amazon Aviary, Butterflies, Bugs & Birds Exhibit, and Otter Falls.
Cost: Adult – $29.50 | Child (3-12) – $22.50
https://www.longislandaquarium.com/
431 East Main Street Riverhead, NY 11901
Bonus Pick:
Did you know that LegoLand California has an aquarium? Well, they do! It is called the SEA LIFE Aquarium. We had the opportunity to visit just two weeks ago during our family vacation. Although it is a bit small; it takes about an hour to an hour and a half to go through and it has pretty cool interactive educational experiences for kids and families to enjoy. Our daughter loved the treasure hunt and being rewarded for finding everything at the end.
Cost: Adult – $18 | Child – $18 (3 & under is free)
One LEGOLAND Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008
My family and I would love to know what your favorite aquariums are. Share them in the comments below, and just maybe we will visit on our next travel adventure.
Complimentary tickets were provided to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Long Island Aquarium and SEA LIFE aquarium to facilitate review. All opinions are my own and are honest. Affiliate links.