Our family recently visited the Georgia Aquarium and we all had a blast! We learned so much about sea creatures, got up close and personal with penguins and stingrays, and watched several engaging shows. I would highly recommend visiting when you have the opportunity and we have a few suggestions for you before you do.
Purchase Your Tickets in Advance
The Georgia Aquarium has special rates when you purchase tickets in advance online. Check out their website HERE for up to date pricing and activities.
Arrive Early
It was recommended to us to arrive at the aquarium as they open. We are SO glad we took this advice. We managed to get in before the big rush and were able to successfully visit the various exhibits without too many pushes or shoves. TIP: Upon arrival, a very helpful attendant suggested to visit the tunnel first. It is to the right when you walk in and is where the humungous Whale Shark is located. The tunnel gets crowded quickly so definitely go there first.
Nursing Pod Station
If you are a nursing mom or need a quiet space to feed your little one, there is a nursing station on the second floor of the aquarium.
Pack Lunch & Snacks
The aquarium cafeteria filled up quickly! If you don’t bring a lunch plan to eat early to help beat the crowd. We did not bring a lunch on our trip but I wish we did. There are restaurants within walking distance of the aquarium but during our trip, they ALL had lines out the door. It took us over an hour to get food. Plan ahead, don’t get hangry!
Play & Eat at Centennial Olympic Park
We took our lunch to this park and had a family picnic. Once we were done, our little ones ran around on the lawn and played on the playground. I highly recommend visiting this park. It is a rather large area to explore so try to bring some comfy shoes. We did not get to explore the entire park during our visit but we definitely plan on going back one day! Check out the website HERE to learn more.
World of Coca-Cola
Does your family drink soda? Do you enjoy learning about iconic American brands? Well, you definitely want to visit the Coca-Cola Factory too, while you are in Atlanta. It is right across the lawn from the aquarium. My husband and I actually visited there on a field trip when we were in 5th grade. We have shared memories of our time there which is pretty cool. The experience I remember the most was tasting different colas from all over the world. Some of them were quite interesting! To plan your visit to the World of Coca-Cola click HERE.
Before (or after) The Aquarium Visit
Before our visit, I did a little research to learn about what type of animals we would have the opportunity of visiting. I was able to find detailed animal guides on the Georgia Aquarium website and LIVE webcams HERE. I used this information to teach our little ones about the major exhibits we would visit and did activities involving some of the more popular species like the Whale Shark, Dolphins, Jellyfish, Manta Rays, and the Beluga Whales.
Our daughters are currently young, so we mainly read fun facts, watched some educational videos, and did crafts. For older kids, there are still tons of activities and projects you could do together: animal habitat activities, create your own aquarium craft, research conservation efforts, participate in a conservation project, and more!
Crafts
We created a jellyfish out of construction paper, glue, and glitter. To help you get your creative minds thinking, here is a list of 18 Jellyfish Crafts for Kids. (Make sure to add in counting skills when you glue the tentacles!)
Jellyfish Craft for Kids Video
Click HERE for a super easy Free printable Beluga Whale.
FREE Printable Whale Shark coloring page from Crayola.
Ocean Theme Activities & Printables including Montessori Inspired Sensory Play Ideas
Helpful Videos & Articles
National Geographic Kids Videos & Articles
Learn About Whales with the Octonauts (Video)
Animal Planet on location at the Georgia Aquarium
Georgia Aquarium: Learn More
“This book tells the story of the world’s largest aquarium, how it was conceived, designed and constructed. It is a tour of the aquarium beginning with the whale sharks and their journey from Taiwan to Atlanta, and how they are cared for. Each of the galleries is highlighted with beautiful photographs. Special sections highlight some of the research and conservation efforts underway at the aquarium. It continues with a tour of the Education Loop created especially for students. Along this tour is the 4-D theater.”
A Behind- the- scenes look at the Georgia Aquarium. Learn more about a day in the life of biologists, veterinarians, and aquarists.
Books to Read to Children
We had a wonderful time and learned a ton about sea life and ocean conservation at the Georgia Aquarium and we hope you will too! It will be a blast for your entire family and I’m sure you will create wonderful memories together.
*Disclosure: Links provided in this article are of products I have personally used in my home or early childhood classroom. I believe they are beneficial items that will assist you in educating your children. These links are special Amazon affiliate links. If/when someone purchases an item using the links provided it will send a small commission to help us further produce quality content for our readers.
