BEST AQUARIUMS TO VISIT IN U.S.
Aquariums have always been a fascination for humans. Why? They give us a glimpse into a world that we would otherwise never be able to see. For a brief moment in time, aquariums take us from our terrestrial perches to the shallow coral reefs of the Caribbean and beyond to the darkest depths of the deepest oceans.
Fortunately, the United States is home to a wide variety of aquariums across the country that showcase hundreds of thousands of miraculous sea animals. From frolicking, cuddly sea otters to some of the more elusive creatures of the deep, the top-rated aquariums in the U.S. are not short on exciting educational exhibits.
Some aquariums go above and beyond the traditional exhibits to offer unique experiences like touch tanks, underwater tunnels, and even restaurant venues and live entertainment. So if you're ready to explore the best aquariums in America, we've combed review sites like Yelp to determine which aquariums are the absolute best.
Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium
Location: Springfield, Missouri
Year opened: 2017
Why the Aquarium Happens to Be One of the Best: Bass Pro shops have an aquarium to peek at, but this is something totally next-level.
The Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium is huge, so you will need at least an hour or two to see all it has to experience.
What to Expect: There's a reason it's called a wildlife museum.
Unlike ordinary aquariums, this one includes 1.5 miles of trails to explore, with 35,000 fish, reptiles, birds and mammals to view along the way.
Adventure Aquarium
Location: Camden, New Jersey
Year opened: 1992 (reopened as Adventure Aquarium in 2005)
Why the Aquarium Happens to Be One of the Best: If you like sharks, Adventure Aquarium is one of the best aquariums to visit.
What to Expect: It's home to the biggest shark collection on the East Coast.
After visitors walk across the (nerve-racking) shark exhibit suspension bridge, there's an entire world of aquatic life to explore that's not quite so toothy.
There are tons of fish and even a couple of Nile hippos.
Long Island Aquarium
Location: Long Island, New York
Year opened: 2000
Why the Aquarium Happens to Be One of the Best: The Long Island Aquarium has one of the biggest, real indoor coral reefs in the world, plus over 100 additional aquatic exhibits to check out.
What to Expect: If looking at fish isn't enough of a thrill, skim through the educational exhibits and sign up to snorkel with tropical fish.
For the most adventurous visitors, there's also a scuba diving adventure with live sharks.
But don't worry. Swimmers are in a cage for safety.
Steinhart Aquarium
Location: San Francisco, California
Year opened: 1923
Why the Aquarium Happens to Be One of the Best: The Steinhart Aquarium opened at the California Academy of Sciences nearly a century ago. It strived to be an innovative aquarium that served three purposes: to educate, to explore and to entertain.
By the looks of it, the biologists there have accomplished their mission and more.
What to Expect: Steinhart Aquarium is home to the biggest living indoor coral reef and boasts almost 40,000 live animals.
It's one of the best aquariums in California, and one of the most diverse in the world.
Oklahoma Aquarium
Location: Jenks, Oklahoma
Year opened: 2003
Why the Aquarium Happens to Be One of the Best: When it opened, the Oklahoma Aquarium was an instant hit. One of the most popular exhibits is the epic, 380,000-gallon shark tank/tunnel.
Here's hoping it doesn't crack.
What to Expect: The Oklahoma Aquarium features what's arguably the coolest, creepiest exhibit of any aquarium in the U.S.: the largest collection of bull sharks in captivity.
There are even interactive tanks where you can touch much smaller, less hungry-looking creatures.
For more great aquariums, check out Always Pets.
2023-09-26T16:35:28Z dg43tfdfdgfd