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by Lauren Menis
With more than 8 million gallons of water
and over 100,000 animals, the Georgia
Aquarium is the largest of its kind in the
world. And it’s in our back yard. But along
with the excitement come questions: Is it
worth the price? Will the size overwhelm
kids? And finally, what’s all the hype
about? Being the curious mom of a toddler, I
headed there to find out.
Laid out in a circular fashion, each of
the five galleries extends from an atrium
like spokes in a wheel. Its user-friendly
layout makes the aquarium feel smaller than
its 505,000 square feet. Each gallery houses
its own aquatic life, complete with touch
screens giving information on the animals.
Staff is eager to answer questions.
 Of course, there are the must-sees. The
beluga whales, my favorites, appear to smile
at their audience as they cavort in their
800,000-gallon tank. It was hard to drag
myself away, but the real stars of the
aquarium awaited: Ralph and Norton, baby
whale sharks who will reach 45 feet in
adulthood. The aquarium was built around
their 6.6 million gallon tank that is also
home to almost 100,000 other fish.
You can view this vast, beautiful exhibit
from numerous vantage points. In a tunnel
with a moving sidewalk you feel as if you’re
underwater as the gentle whale sharks glide
above you. The real highlight, though, is
the second largest viewing window in the
world. You can relax here for as long as
you’d like, taking it all in from a seat on
the stairs or with your face pressed against
the window, like 10-year-old Troy Majors
recently did. The whale sharks are what
brought him and his family here from Buford.
“I love it because I’m seeing brand-new
types of fish, seeing how beautiful they are
and seeing their sizes,” he says. To Troy’s
mom, Lori, the one-time ticket price is
worth it. “I’d heard it was expensive, but
when I bought the tickets online yesterday,
I was surprised they weren’t more.”
Lots of features here appeal to kids and
adults. Touch tanks throughout give the
opportunity to reach in and feel the likes
of horseshoe crabs, stingrays and bonnet
head sharks. Many of the exhibits have
tunnels that lead to private peepholes where
kids can view the fish. And a playground
complete with a northern right whale slide
provides lots of fun for kids ages 5-10.
The
Georgia Aquarium
225 Baker Street
Atlanta,
GA 30313
404-581-4000
www.georgiaaquarium.org
One-time price
(includes tax)
Adult $22.75, child (age 3-12) $17,
senior (age 55+) $19.50
Annual pass price
(includes tax)
Adult $59.50, child (age 3-12) $43.25,
senior (age 55+) $48.75
Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-6
p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Parking: $8 for four hours
MARTA: The Georgia Aquarium is a
short walk from either the CNN Center
MARTA stop on the East/West line or from
the Peachtree Center stop on the
North/South line. To learn more visit
www.itsmarta.com.
The jellyfish are 3-year-old Autumn
Greenman’s favorite, and it’s easy to see
why. The various tanks of brightly colored
jellies are mesmerizing. The Greenmans, from
Kennesaw, bought annual passes and had
already visited twice by the end of
November. Says dad George, “It’s worth it
for a pass for kids because every time they
come it’s a new experience.”
In addition to the underwater creatures,
sea lions, sea otters and African penguins
entertain above and below the water line.
Visitors can pop their heads up and be
inside the exhibit, shielded only by an
acrylic tower.
“Deepo’s Undersea 3D Wondershow” offers
an animated look at life under the sea,
complete with live actors and special
effects in your seat. But be prepared to pay
extra – $5.50 for adults, $4 for kids.
The aquarium’s efforts to reach out to
children are impressive. A special level
called the Learning Loop was built for pre-K
through 12th grade visitors. School field
trips will cost $9.50 a child and will
include activities and guided study.
There are lots of incredible things to
see at the Georgia Aquarium, and if you pick
the things you want to see ahead of time and
take a lunch break, it can be done in one
day. But there’s still the issue of price:
At $22.75 a pop for adults and $17 for kids
age 3 and up, a family of four will spend
almost $80 for a one-day visit or a little
more than $200 for a yearly pass. There are
no deals for families, even when buying
annually. Add lunch (though the food is
moderately priced – $5.25 for a kid’s meal)
and parking ($8 for four hours), and you’ve
got one expensive outing.
The parents I spoke to, however, all
agreed that the price was fair.
Price aside, I can’t wait to bring my
toddler here to see his face light up with
wonder. Because many of the aquarium’s
occupants are babies, he’ll get to grow with
them. To me, this is the beauty of having
the aquarium just a 20-minute drive away
from our home. We’ll come back again and
again, and my son will gain an understanding
of the animals here and of the world that
exists in the rivers and oceans.
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