Our Last-Minute Family Visit to the Georgia Aquarium: What to Know Before You Go

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By Michelle Lambright Black

May 2025: Visit with Kids, Shows, Favorite Exhibits, and Traffic Tips

If you’re planning a trip to Atlanta with kids, someone will most likely recommend that you visit the Georgia Aquarium. Of course, there’s a good reason you hear about the destination so often. The aquarium is one of the largest in the world, and it can be a great attraction to experience for adults, kids, and families.

Our family of five—my husband, myself, and our three kids—made a last-minute decision to visit the Georgia Aquarium in May 2025. We had a few bumps along the way (hello, Atlanta traffic), but the overall experience was worth it.

Here’s everything you should know if you’re planning a trip of your own.

Tickets: Yes, You Can Buy Last-Minute (But I’d Recommend Planning Ahead)

Our family was visiting Georgia for another reason. One of my children was competing in a tournament a few towns away. So, we only decided to stay in nearby Atlanta and go to the Aquarium the day before the event on a whim. (Surprise, kids! We’re going to do something special on Saturday!)

As a result of the spontaneity, we didn’t book our tickets in advance—a risky move on a busy Saturday in Atlanta. But thankfully, we were still able to snag day-of tickets when we arrived. There was about a 2-hour wait between when we bought our tickets and our reservation window, but honestly, it worked out perfectly. Atlanta traffic delayed us. (Shocking, right?) And we still needed to check into our hotel. So, the wait didn’t feel too painful.

That said, if you’re visiting on a weekend or holiday, it’s best to buy your Aquarium tickets in advance. Buying at the last minute has several drawbacks.

We paid $67.99 per person for single-day admission with no blackout dates or time restrictions. (At the last minute, that was our only option.) If I’d purchased in advanced I could have bought the “Plan & Save” General Admission tickets for as low as $44.49 at the time of writing. Just be careful, no refunds are available and you can’t change the date of your ticket after the date of admission arrives.

CreditWriter Tip: Staying in Atlanta for a few days? Consider the Atlanta CityPASS which includes admission to the Georgia Aquarium plus four other major Atlanta attractions at a discounted rate. If you’re planning to hit more than one spot (like the Zoo or World of Coca-Cola), it could save you a lot.

Staying Nearby Equals Less Stress (Trust Me)

For this trip, we opted to stay in Uptown Atlanta. Because of this choice, we were able to walk to the Aquarium—something we couldn’t do on our last visit. On our last trip, we sat in traffic for over an hour just trying to make it to Aquarium parking garage. Then, we had to pay the general parking rate of $25 per day.

For me, Atlanta traffic is hands down the most stressful part of visiting the city. So now, I try everything possible to avoid it. If you’re planning a visit, consider staying close to your destination and walking instead. Your sanity will thank you.

Keep in mind that your hotel may charge a daily parking rate as well. Ours did. So, we didn’t really save any money on parking with this strategy. But we did save time and avoid a bit of stress.

Details to consider

1. Many streets around the Georgia Aquarium have noticeable hills with significant inclines in some areas. Trying to walk for longer distances might become more tiring than expected, especially if you’re pushing a stroller or wheelchair.
2. If you’re planning to walk, check the weather for the entire length of your visit. On rainy days you can store umbrellas under your stroller (if using one) or consider stuffing some ponchos into your purse or book bag. And, in a pinch, you can always call for an Uber or Lyft at the end of the day for a ride back to your room.

Aquarium Hours and Shows

One of the best surprises we encountered was that the Georgia Aquarium is often open later on weekends. The day we visited, the aquarium was open until 9:00 PM. As a result, we have a full seven hours to explore even though our entry time wasn’t until 2:00 PM. It was more than enough time, and we didn’t wind up staying until closing.

The website suggested three to four hours should be plenty of time to view the entire aquarium. But with kids who liked to linger at certain attractions, I found we needed longer. By the time the day was over, we spent around six hours exploring (including a lunch break at the Aquarium’s Coastline Café).

The good news is that even though we arrived a little after 2PM, we still had enough time to see both major shows:

Sea Lion Encounter (Our Favorite!)

The Sea Lion show, named the Truist Saltwater Showdown, was hands down my favorite part of the entire visit. The 30-minute presentation features Georgia Aquariums’s California sea lions and takes place in the Sea Lion Stadium. The show offers a blend of education and entertainment that my whole family loved. My 4-year-old was especially obsessed with the sea lions’ roar—he mimicked it all day long.

Important tip: You do need reservations to attend the Sea Lion show, and you should plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before it starts—earlier if you want great seats.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I was not super prepared for this visit to the Georgia Aquarium since we decided to go on a whim. With no advance research I did not know we needed reservations to attend the Sea Lion Encounter.

The good news is the aquarium wasn’t packed the day we visited. We got lucky and snagged extra seating without reservations, but the seats weren’t the best. (No complaints here. I’m just glad we got to experience the show.) Next time, I’ll book in advance. Also, if you’re bringing young kids, consider bringing a small toy or book to keep them entertained while waiting.

The Dolphin Presentation—A Crowd-Pleaser with Limited Views

Toward the end of the day, our family caught the Georgia Aquarium’s Dolphin Presentation. The show was a big hit—especially with my husband and two teenagers. (My younger son and I still preferred the smaller, more intimate Sea Lion show.) But, honestly, even just watching the dolphins swim and play in their exhibit area before the show began was mesmerizing.

The Dolphin Theater holds up to 1,800 people and seating is packed. During the show itself the dolphins’ athleticism is nothing short of spectacular. Plus, there’s lights and music that do a great job of keeping the audience engaged. That said, we missed the 6:00 PM show because I didn’t have tickets reserved. So, I had to act fast to book the later time slot for the final presentation of the evening.

Entry is free with your admission ticket. However, you can pay for preferred seating if you want better views. The cost for preferred seating is $5 per seat.

When it was time for our show, we arrived around 15 minutes early. This left us stuck in an upper section of the theater with limited viewing, and while the show was still amazing, it was a bit frustrating. I had a hard time seeing many parts of the presentation. And I know the experience was even worse for my shorter children (though my youngest son sat on my husband’s lap to try to accommodate for the view).

CreditWriter Tip: For better seating, try arriving at least 30 minutes early or purchasing a preferred seat if your budget allows.

Again, I know that the frustrations I experienced are my fault due to failure to plan or take advantage of an available upgrade. But they were frustrations nonetheless. My family still had a good time and I hope you can learn from my small inconveniences and avoid them altogether.

Exhibits: So Much More Than Fish

Beyond the shows, the Georgia Aquarium has eight major exhibit areas to explore. We didn’t feel rushed, and our kids stayed engaged the whole time.

1. Ocean Voyager Built by The Home Depot

The Ocean Voyager exhibit is home to whale sharks, manta rays, giant sea turtles, and a tunnel that makes you feel like you’re walking underwater. It’s the iconic exhibit everyone talks about when visiting the Georgia Aquarium—and it delivers.

My kids couldn’t get enough of the whale sharks and manta rays (and neither could my husband and I). And the giant sea turtles make you feel like you’ve stepped inside your child’s favorite Disney movie. They are HUGE, and watching them glide overhead through the acrylic tunnel was mesmerizing.

2. Tropical Diver

Tropical Diver mimics a thriving Indo-Pacific reef, complete with living corals, colorful reef fish, eels, seahorses, and even jellyfish. In fact, it’s one of the largest living reef exhibits of any aquarium in the world.

The exhibit ends in a floor-to-ceiling reef wall where you can relax and watch thousands of colorful fish swimming in synchronized patterns. It’s one of the most peaceful spots in the aquarium—perfect for sitting and taking it all in. Even my energetic, active kids sat cross-legged against the edge of the massive tank and enjoyed the colorful view for much longer than I would have imagined possible.

3. Cold Water Quest

This chilly exhibit features sea creatures from the coldest parts of the world. Puffins, sea otters, and the majestic beluga whales are a few of the animals you can find in this section.

The beluga whales are my favorite in the Cold Water Quest. I could have sat for hours listening to the aquarium attendant explain fascinating facts about belugas. It’s an immersive, tranquil space with peaceful music that invites you to linger.

One of my happiest memories of the day was when my youngest son started singing “Baby Beluga” in front of the beluga whale exhibit and demanded his sister and I sing along—several times. After a few minutes, however, he grabbed big brother to run off and explore some other fish tank that caught his eye. (Too much to see, too little time!)

The Cold Water Quest gallery also contains the adorable penguin exhibit. The best part of this area are the 3-foot tunnels that kids (and brave adults) can crawl through for an up close, underwater view. All three of my children went through the tunnels multiple times and left reluctantly to explore other areas of the aquarium.

4. River Scout

River Scout takes you on a journey through the rivers of Africa, South America, and Georgia. You’ll encounter piranhas, electric eels, and even an albino alligator. The alligator tank even have a glass bottom so visitors can observe the powerful (and somewhat frightening) creatures from above and below.

The overhead river creates a unique, immersive feeling as fish swim above you. This exhibit is fun and educational, especially for curious kids. My boys (including their dad) were especially fascinated.

5. Aquanaut Adventure: A Discovery Zone

This area is designed with active children in mind. Located in the upper level of the aquarium, the Aquanaut Adventure is an interactive exhibit that takes around 30 minutes to complete. The area lets children explore the roles of marine scientists and adventurers.

My kids especially loved the hands-on elements of this exhibit including touch pools with starfish and other sea life. The digital games were also a hit. My husband and I were so busy playing with the kids that we didn’t get to take a single photo or video—a win in my book.

6. Sharks! Predators of the Deep™

This massive exhibit showcases some of the most fascinating (and fearsome) sharks in the ocean. The floor-to-ceiling viewing windows and walk-through gallery make you feel like you’re swimming deep in the sea with them. All three of my kids were completely enthralled with the many species of sharks we encountered—hammerheads, silvertips, tiger sharks, and more. This was a magical and unforgettable part of our visit.

This area also features the Shark and Ray touch tank. Here, my children were able to get an up-close view of sting rays and some shark species. None of the kids actually succeeded in touching a ray or shark. But they had a great time laughing and sticking their arms deep in the water while the animals swam by them.

7. Dolphin Coast

Dolphin Coast gives you a chance to see dolphins up close, even outside the Dolphin Presentation showtimes. The exhibit includes above and underwater viewing areas. So, you can watch these intelligent animals swim, play, and interact with their trainers from multiple vantage points. It’s a nice way to revisit the dolphins after the auditorium performance.

8. Explorer’s Cove

Explorer’s Cove is another fun and engaging area for younger visitors. It includes hands-on displays and smaller aquatic animals designed to educate through play.

My kids had a blast here because the area features another touch pool—this one with sturgeon fish. These types of exhibits are very appealing for children at this age. And as mom, I appreciate the bathroom with soap and sinks plus strategically positioned hand sanitizer stations that are both nearby.

Final Thoughts

Despite the last-minute planning (my choice), traffic woes, and a few tight seating situations, our visit to the Georgia Aquarium was an overall success. The shows were fantastic, the exhibits stunning, and the kids were still talking about it days later. As a mom, I loved the joyful memories with my family plus the peaceful atmosphere (despite the crowd).

Would I go again? Absolutely. But next time, I’ll plan ahead—and book those show tickets early. I’ll also buy an Atlanta CityPASS to save some money.