Public aquariums

[Paalk]

I have a question for you guys. I am soon embarking on a roadtrip in the US for a month. I will be travelling from Denver-Wyoming-Mount Rushmore-Jackson Hole-Salt Lake City-Las Vegas-San Francisco-Los Angeles- Grand Canyon all the way to Nashville-Memphis-Key West and then Orlando puuuuh:rollface:

The reason why I write up some of my destinations is because I wonder if there are any public aquariums along this route(or at least close) which is worth visiting.

Hope somebody can chime in here, is there a website or something which has gathered all the aquariums around the US?

 

[slyseekr]

Definitely checkout the Academy of Sciences / Steinhardt Aquarium in San Francisco, not to mention Monterey Bay Aquarium between SF and LA, and if you're driving close to Atlanta on the way to Florida, the Atlanta Aquarium's got the largest tank in the country I believe.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[ahuaia]

Most of your major cities like San Fran and LA should have some I'm in Long Beach to and stopped buy aquarium of the Pacific. Just Google aquariums in the cities you will be stopping at.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[WatDatThing]

There is a site call Google and a site call TripAdvisor.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[Valentini89]

Definitely checkout the Academy of Sciences / Steinhardt Aquarium in San Francisco, not to mention Monterey Bay Aquarium between SF and LA, and if you're driving close to Atlanta on the way to Florida, the Atlanta Aquarium's got the largest tank in the country I believe.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yes I've been to the GA aquarium in Atlanta. Definitely worth a visit.

 

[squeakymcmurdo]

The one in the Scheels near Salt Lake is pretty cool. There's the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper. I've never been there though. The East Idaho Aquarium is supposed to be up and running in September. (Jackson Hole is close to East Idaho) The Silverton in Las Vegas has an aquarium and mermaid show that my family liked.

:wavehand: I'm in Star Valley just south of Jackson. Have fun!

 

[Tcox]

There is a site call Google and a site call TripAdvisor.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Wow... nothing says welcome to the US like this... I think the guy wanted recommendations from people around this hobby. Nobody can speak for quality public aquariums like reefing hobbyists.

Good luck on your trip and enjoy the US!

 

[praveen956]

I don't have any recommendations but welcome to US.. have a wonderful trip !!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[WatDatThing]

Wow... nothing says welcome to the US like this... I think the guy wanted recommendations from people around this hobby. Nobody can speak for quality public aquariums like reefing hobbyists.

Good luck on your trip and enjoy the US!

The guy wanted websites so I gave him websites. TripAdvisor is my go to source when I travel. Google will tell me what and where.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[IowaReefer]

Monterey Bay Aquarium is the best I have ever been to and I am a Shedd Aquarium (chicago) frequenter.

 

[davocean]

For west coast of your list, Steinhart aquarium in San Fran, Vegas, Mandalay bay, L.A/Long beach Aquarium of the Pacific, and if you can swing a visit to San Diego not only does it have Birch aquarium, but also one of the nicest coastlines and beaches, and during Summer we have leopard sharks breeding in la Jolla that is a pretty memorable experience(safe, 5-10' of water)

 

[davocean]

Monterey Bay Aquarium is the best I have ever been to and I am a Shedd Aquarium (chicago) frequenter.

Monteray is awesome and a great coast to explore.

 

[MondoBongo]

if you're around the Tampa/Bradenton area i highly recommend the Florida Aquarium in Tampa and Mote Marine near Siesta Key. two fantastic places that i always visit when i'm anywhere close.

 

[slyseekr]

Monteray is awesome and a great coast to explore should you make it that far north of L.A.

There are also some incredible tidepools along the California coast. My favorite is north of Santa Cruz at Pigeon Point lighthouse, an entire field of tidepools... if you're there during late fall, you can do some whale spotting from the lighthouse as well.

A couple miles south is also Ano Nuevo reserve, which has a nice hike to the beach, good surfing and hosts one of the largest populations of elephant seals in the country during breeding season.

 

[Cliving1]

if you're around the Tampa/Bradenton area i highly recommend the Florida Aquarium in Tampa and Mote Marine near Siesta Key. two fantastic places that i always visit when i'm anywhere close.

Agreed. Tampa is quite large and has a lot to see.

 

[RobZilla04]

Orlando has one but I agree with one above, Atlanta has a great one.

 

[nereefpat]

If you are in Denver, the Denver downtown aquarium has some very nice exhibits, including native freshwater stuff that would be interesting to someone not from the area.

If you are near Omaha on your way to Tennessee, the Henry Doorly Zoo is among the best in the country, and has a great aquarium in it.

 

[Mishri]

Since you'll be all over the west coast and south.. so might as well visit the best aquariums in those areas. (No aquariums in WY/SD/ northern AZ)


Georgia Aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Audubon Aquarium of America, Aquarium of the Pacific, Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Florida Aquarium, Tennessee Aquarium

Thats most of the top rated aquariums in the areas you'll be in/driving through.

 

[jda]

Denver Aquarium is nice. It is not huge and will not take up very much time... a couple of hours usually. We usually eat when we go - they have an aquarium that takes up the entire side of the restaurant and they have some big fish that you don't see everywhere.

I know that you did not ask about other stuff, but if you are here in the summer, then Trail Ridge Road that goes up to 13,000 Feet over the mountians outside of Denver is better than any aquarium. Be sure that get a look at the rockies when you are here - they amaze me every day and I live here.

 

[Kevin Guthrie]

I've been to a few aquaria but disappointed in the lack of coral other than the resin-cast kind. Focus is fish, with occasional submarine gerbil tubes, jelly tanks, sea horse/sea dragon tank, kid's hands-on tidal pool and just maybe a "small" (say 500 gallon max) real reef tank with anemones and corals. All well and good but they seem the same after a while. Does anyone know of one with more of a focus on real coral?