Introduction

The Georgia Aquarium is one of the largest in the United States, with over 11 million gallons of water. We visited in early 2025 and have heard from many other Georgia aquarium reviews that it can be very busy if you don’t plan accordingly. 

Before arriving, make sure to plan out parking. There are garages on-site that you can reserve online based on the time of your ticket purchase for a price of $25. There are also fee-based garages nearby and street parking available if you are willing to walk.

In terms of the best time to arrive at the aquarium, we’d highly suggest arriving first thing in the morning when they open, or late in the afternoon, after many of the families and large crowds have already come through for the day. 

In our case, we arrived at around 4:00 pm on a weekend and were able to enter without any lines and visit all the exhibits without any issues. There were still quite a few people inside throughout the exhibits; however, it was very manageable, and we quickly realized the value of coming at an off time.

Ticket Prices and Discount Options

In terms of pricing at the time of our attendance in early 2025, general admission “Plan Ahead” tickets range in price by day, and range between $42 and up to $57. This rate means you purchase tickets for a specific day and time, and cannot be used any other day of the year.

They also offer “Anytime General Admission,” where prices are fixed at $68 and you can visit the aquarium anytime with a one-year expiration date. You do not need to select a date in advance and there are no blackout dates.

Lastly, they offer an annual pass for $95 per year. This includes one year of unlimited free admission and also includes discounts on food and gift store purchases.

If you are in Atlanta for a couple of days and have time to explore a few different of the top attractions, we strongly recommend the Atlanta CityPASS. This allows you one-time admission to the following 5 hotspots:

• Georgia Aquarium
• World of Coca-Cola (nextdoor & walkable)
• Zoo Atlanta
• Fernbank Museum of Natural History
• College Football Hall of Fame

The Atlanta CityPASS is valid for 9 days and allows you to save about 50% of the general admission for each location if you plan on visiting them all.

With the above prices, it’s important to weigh all factors to see if it would be worth it for you or your party, and to make sure it’s the best use of your time in Atlanta. For us, it was a great experience without a terribly large crowd, and we thought the price was worth it. 

If you live in Atlanta or visit the city often, the annual pass is certainly worth it if you can make it to the aquarium more than once per year. Overall, it's a great spot to bring the family or go on a date during the weekend, provided you plan ahead for parking and arrival time.

Tip: Children ages two and under are free!

Top Exhibits and Attractions

The Georgia Aquarium has 10 different exhibits, each of them unique and worth visiting if you have the time. We were probably only there for two hours or less, and we were able to see all of the exhibits, with the exception of the sea lion show that was closed. We will briefly cover each exhibit below, counter clockwise from the main entrance.

1. Tropical Diver

Expect to see lots of coral reefs and small tropical fish throughout this exhibit. There is also an interactive section for kids in the main room and small tanks with sea creatures who live in reefs on your way out.

Tip: Visit this exhibit second after Ocean Voyager if you arrive early; it’s a great photo opportunity in the large room with the wall of coral reefs.

2. Ocean Voyager

As the most popular exhibit by foot traffic, you will find giant whale sharks among other fish of all sizes surrounding a 100 foot tunnel with a moving carpet for visitors. This is probably one of the more unique experiences that we’ve had in aquariums around the world, as you are totally encapsulated by a 6.3 million gallon tank with over 50 species.

Tip: If you arrive first thing in the morning, visit this exhibit first as you will have the best views on the moving carpet!

3. Explorers Cove

The smallest exhibit displays both stingrays and lake sturgeon fish in two touch ponds. Aquarium employees frequently speak about the nature of these animals and provide instructions on touching them if you are interested.

Tip: If you are allergic to shellfish - don’t reach into the touch ponds! We were warned that this can cause reactions.

4. Cold Water Quest

Penguins, puffins, beluga whales, and sea otters are the stars here! This was one of our favorite spots; there were plenty of viewing areas to see the animals with guided fun facts from the employees.

Tip: If you want to get up close with the penguins, there is a crawl tunnel that allows you to stand up right in the center of the exhibit!

5. Dolphin Coast

This is one of the two shows available to see in the aquarium, featuring 13 common bottlenose dolphins. With four shows spaced throughout each day, make sure to plan to be at this event ahead of time! Outside of the main exhibit are also two rare bird species, the roseate spoonbill and scarlet ibis.

Tip: Make sure to arrive at the show 5-10 minutes early to get a good seat!

6. River Scout

Expect to enter an amazon-like woodsy exhibit with piranhas, turtles, and otters. There are also tanks above your head with great views of the fish that swim by as well as one viewpoint of the underside of the American Alligator Exhibit (Gator Crossing).

Tip: There are two crawl tunnels that are great for kids to view the fish up close!

7. Pier 255 (Sea Lions!)

This is a very popular show at the Georgia Aquarium displaying several sea lions, shown 7 times per day. Unfortunately, we were unable to attend as the exhibit was closed for 10 days during our visit.

Tip: Similar to Dolphin Coast, arrive a few minutes early to the show time to secure your spot!

8. Gator Crossing

Featuring several American Alligators, we felt right at home as Florida natives who frequent Everglades National Park. The aquarium offers excellent close-up views of the gators, who “sunbathe” under the heated lamps in each section.

Tip: Keep an eye out for the albino alligator, one of less than 200 in the world!

9. Aquanaut Adventure

This exhibit is unique as it focuses on several reptiles in addition to small fish. Expect to see lizards, geckos, and frogs; this was different from the other exhibits as it focused on species who live above ground.

Tip: If you like small reptiles, this is a great stop!

10. Sharks! Predators of the Deep

Our favorite exhibit, however, was the Predators of the Deep exhibit with several great white sharks and hammerhead sharks in a large tank with lots of viewing areas. We found this exhibit to have a lot less foot traffic and yet still provide great views of some of the ocean’s largest predators.

Tip: Make sure to read the facts along the walls opposite the main tank; there are very interesting statistics about shark populations and pollution.

Our Georgia Aquarium Review - Is it Worth it?

Yes, we believe it is! However, if you don’t plan for parking and arrive at peak times (early afternoon or late morning), you might find yourself in a heavily crowded aquarium where you might not be able to see the exhibits or take quality photos.

It’s also important to note that you can spend an afternoon here at any time of the year, not just in the summertime. In our case, we visited during the winter months and greatly preferred this experience to the Atlanta Botanical Garden, where most of the scenery was out of season and many of the plants were dead. 

The most important factors to consider are the price, time of arrival, time of the year, and what you or your group are looking to experience. We hope that this is a helpful guide in determining if the Georgia Aquarium is the right fit for your trip to Atlanta!

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