# Vacations with Aquariums!



## ravencrow06 (Dec 11, 2012)

If you had the oppurtunity to travel anywhere in the US and were particularily interested in visiting a place with a public aquarium... not necessarily one geared towards cichlids, which city and aquarium would you visit and why... i would really appreciate any insight into this question! Thanks


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

I really liked the Baltimore aquarium. There were lots of nice exhibits, plus some reptiles, dolphin show and the fact that it's right on the bay.


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## aicardi (Sep 15, 2012)

I like the Shedd Aquarium here in Chicago. However I live in Chicago so there isn't much travel involved.


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

I live about 25 minutes from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and out of the ones i have been to (San Fransisco, Seattle also) it is the best. Its also rated really high.


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## turbokev (Nov 26, 2012)

I'm from New England but my wife and I got married in Monterey and spent 5 days between there and Sonoma going to different places..
Day 1 was the Monterey aquarium, it was awesome.. When we go back to CA for our 15th next year, we'll be going there again for sure.

There's a small aquarium half way out on Long Island NY that is pretty good, we've taken the kids there a couple times now while visiting family down there.
Of course NE Aquarium in Boston for its famous cicular tank..Been there many times.

But if I could go to any US aquarium I have not been to yet, it would definitely be the one in Atlanta.. (closely followed by Chicago)









(yes..Atlanta has a whale shark)


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## ravencrow06 (Dec 11, 2012)

All right thanks for those replies everyone... anyone else with more experiences/suggestions? just like picking a new aquarium's stock of cichlids... so many choices


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## JoeU (Dec 27, 2012)

Unfortunately, ours here in Brooklyn, which I've always loved, suffered very badly in superstorm Sandy. I don't think it will even reopen for this summer. 

I do love the Shedd, though, so another vote for that one.

And I've never been to Atlanta, but that would be worth the trip for the whale sharks!


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## verbal (Aug 16, 2011)

I haven't been to the ones on the West Coast, but Atlanta, National Aquarium in Baltimore, New England Aquarium are the best on the East Coast.


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## Asami (Aug 9, 2011)

I'd have to go with Shedd's in Chicago as being overall the most impressive. Although I have been to Waikiki aquarium, Maui aquarium, and the MGM shark reef aquarium in Las Vegas which was pretty awesome too.


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## 02redz28 (Dec 21, 2012)

I love traveling and I love public aquariums so I've been to many.... Here are some of my experiences...

1) Shedd is nice but looks its age. They have a variety of rotating exibits that are nice. This last summer, I saw the Jelliefish exibit which was nice. 
2) Monterey Bay is amazing. The outer bay exibit with the white shark and Moa sunfish is amazing. 
3) I was disappointed by the Georgia Aquarium overall. Its more geared towards children instead of fish nerds. The Whale Shark exibit was the only one I really enjoyed. 
4) The national aquarium in DC is terrible and I wouldn't waste time with it.
5) The small aquarium at Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota Florida is nice and its funds support the research. (I did an internship there in fisheries biology.) Its worth while to see all the aquaculture research labs.
6) The Newport aquarium in Ohio is very nice. Its a good combination of education and beautiful displays.
7) The Tampa Aquarium is average. It had a nice mangrove exibit with birds and moving tides. 
8) The Bell Isle Aquarium in Detroit was nice, but it was shut down years ago. Recently reopened but its half empty and the displays are poor... Admission is free... so I guess you cant be disappointed.
9) The Waikiki Aquarium had the largest and oldest naturally lit reef aquariums I've ever seen. They had a T. gigas that was 5 feet across! It was a wonderful small facility. I even got to meet Charles Delbeek while there.


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## JoeU (Dec 27, 2012)

Forgot to mention my old hometown aquarium (although when I was growing up it was in a different building, much older, totally different experience). The Birch_Aquarium in San Diego (La Jolla) is quite good. It's very small, not worth a trip all on its own, but San Diego is a great vacation spot overall, so if you're going anyway, don't miss an hour or two at the Birch_Aquarium. Especially nice tide pools outside, with a spectacular view.


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## anthraxx4200 (Aug 16, 2012)

can u imagine the resources that must be necessary to rehome / transfer a whale shark...


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## Yael (Nov 25, 2012)

Another vote for Baltimore - although I'm not sure I'd want to vacation there just for the aquarium


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

+1 on the Shedd. I need to get back over there soon...

I've been to one in San Diego last March, that was nice. But overall it was very small. It was all salt water as well.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

I loved the Atlanta aquarium!! Do the behind the scenes tour if you go, and you can jump in twith the Whale sharks if you purchase that ticket in advance.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

The Atlanta aquarium is supposed to be amazing...It's on my wish list, problem is, that's the only thing I want to do in Atlanta! Wish Kid Rock would plan a concert there and make it worth the drive! :lol:

Knoxville TN also has a really nice aquarium. My best friend takes her kids there every year, although I haven't been myself, I've seen alot of her pictures.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

There is Stone Mountain just ooutside Alanta, as well. I love Atlanta. Catch a Braves game if you can(lots of fun), but the Aquarim is the star attraction for me.


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