Atlantic City Aquarium

Atlantic City has been my choice this year as a great summer desination. This time, five of us girls decided to visit drive together there. We were staying at the Sheraton (usually a full-service hotel complete with all sorts of eye-catching Miss America memorabilia-almost museum like, behind the glass cases just off the lobby). Early Saturday morning, a storm hit the area and the lightning hit the building taking out elevator service as well as turning the water in our hotel room black.  This situation did not dampen our spirits. We checked out of the hotel and drove over to the Aquarium the night after a big storm. The sun began to break through the clouds and we knew it was going to be a great day!

When we arrived at the aquarium, it reminded us of a quaint marina village complete with dolphin-watching day tours.

Inside the aquarium an underwater show was taking place. We walked around touching the sting-rays in the tanks and later received a very informative tour guide explaining the life span and diet of each creature. Upstairs, a memorial service was even taking place! We thorougly enjoyed this experience and the aquarium was a nice change of pace for all of us.

More information courtesy of the Atlantic City Visitors Bureau:

 The Atlantic City Aquarium houses more than 100 species of fish and other marine creatures. A combination aquarium and marine science education center;  with 11 tanks offer visitors a close-up look at Giant Moray Eels, seahorses, jellyfish, an octopus, a coral reef and much more. At the Ocean Life Center's 750-gallon Touch Tank, visitors may actually handle sea urchins, shrimp, whelk, mussels, hermit crabs and other sea creatures. Elsewhere, a 23,000-gallon tank showcases Fish of the New Jersey Coast, among them sea bass, sand tiger sharks, northern stingray and kingfish. Although most of its aquariums are saltwater tanks, the Atlantic City Aquarium devotes displays to freshwater and estuarine marine life as well. The Atlantic City Aquarium also features such interactive exhibits as The Art of Sailing, which pairs a model sailboat with a wind tunnel to illustrate the challenges of sailing. The Atlantic City Aquarium is available for birthday parties, meetings and other special events. It is located at Historic Gardner's Basin, home to fishing boats, restaurants and antique shops.

Atlantic City Aquarium Hours
Open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.

Atlantic City Aquarium Admission Fees
Adults: $7
Seniors: $5
Students & Children: $4
Ages 3 and under: Free