Looking for stops to add to your next adventure? Consider taking the family to an aquarium, where you can get close and interact with multiple different species of sea creatures and even participate in once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
If that sounds like an activity your family will love, check out these best aquariums in the United States.
The National Aquarium is located in Baltimore Harbor. During a visit to the National Aquarium, expect to see more than 20,000 specimens representing 600 different species of wildlife. Explore dozens of unique aquatic habitats from northern Australian river gorge to Indo-Pacific reef to the tropical rainforest.
Located in the Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Ripley’s Aquarium is home to 10,000 sea creatures representing more than 350 individual species. Explore the shark tanks, stingray exhibits and more. Guests can enjoy unique experiences like sleeping with sharks or taking a glass-bottom boat adventure over the Shark Lagoon.
Ranked one of the top 10 aquariums in the United States, Oregon Coast Aquarium is located in New Port, Oregon. Explore the many exhibits on your own or partake in an Animal Encounter & Tour. Book a behind-the-scenes tour and learn the day-to-day operations with the sea life, encounter an octopus and get a slimy handshake, or swim through the water with different animals.
This aquarium is located in Monterey, California, and offers plenty of exhibits for people to explore while visiting. Hang out with octopi, sharks, penguins and more. One of the best exhibits is the Life on the Bay, which provides an ocean view, making it easy to spot sea otters and humpback whales.
The Florida Aquarium in Tampa Bay is home to more than 20,000 aquatic animals and plants from around the world. While visiting make sure to take advantage of the Shark Swim Program. This snorkel-like adventure allows you to swim alongside more than 1,000 fish, including stingrays, sand tiger sharks, barracudas, sea turtles and more.
Read This Next
5 Family-Friendly Museums in Charleston
Destinations / North America
Aug 22, 2024#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedNorth America
Sep 3, 20266 Winnipeg, Canada, Destinations for Family Travel
It’s time to start dreaming of your next family trip. Here’s some destination inspiration for you. Take a visual journey through Winnipeg, Canada, with us.
Sponsored Content
Best of Both Worlds
Enjoy the best of both worlds when you fly with TAP Air Portugal thanks to the Portugal Stopover program. With the program, TAP passengers, whether traveling for business, leisure or both, can stop in Portugal for up to 10 days at no additional airfare on the way to their final destination. What does this mean for travelers wishing to explore by both land and sea? It means after flying to Portugal with TAP and experiencing the country in an entirely new way, travelers can then embark on scenic river and ocean cruises from Portugal’s port cities, or fly with TAP to another European destination.
Hotels
Sep 3, 20263 Caribbean, Latin American Marriott Hotels for Multigen Trips
Multigenerational travel continues to grow in popularity, with family travelers moving away from traditional getaways for meaningful trips with family members of all ages. The Caribbean and Latin America are growing destinations of interest for this type of travel, and three Marriott properties offer opportunities for multigen families to create lifelong memories.
Destinations
Sep 2, 2026Look Past the Traditional Classroom with Scott Dunn’s Back-to-School Itineraries
Parents looking to provide their kids with hands-on learning experiences going beyond textbooks by visiting unique destinations with family-centric approaches will find that and more with Scott Dunn's private, expert-led itineraries. These experiences provide lessons the classroom cannot.
Sponsored Content
GET TO KNOW TAP FORBIZ
Unlock flexible, refined business travel with TAP Air Portugal’s program, TAP FORBIZ. Developed for small, medium and large Companies, with options for corporate events, TAP FORBIZ offers exclusive advantages adapted to each type of business.
Destinations / North America
Sep 2, 2026Visit an Old-Fashioned County Fair in Maine
Celebrate autumn with a family trip to a traditional New England county fair. These annual celebrations of agriculture and country life are filled with sights and activities for the whole family to enjoy, from admiring prize pumpkins and meeting live animals to witnessing horse shows, listening to country music and dancing, and doing craft demonstrations. Most fairs also have carnival rides and hands-on activities for kids.
ShareThis