There’s nothing quite like diving with sharks or shaking hands with a giant octopus while visiting an aquarium on vacation. Whether you’re an adventure-seeker or prefer to keep thick glass between yourself and the sea life, there are a number of aquariums across the country that are well-worth a visit. Here are five picks for your next aquatic adventure.
Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey Bay, Calif.
This super-sized aquarium along California’s central coast is known for its impressive sea life collection, interactive exhibits and outdoor decks. Among the most notable exhibits are the Kelp Forest, the first living exhibit of its kind, and the Open Sea galleries, home to puffins, sea turtles and thousands of anchovies.
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans, La.
The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas features sea creatures from North and South America. Exhibits include the Amazon Rainforest, which includes piranhas and stingrays, and a Caribbean Reef, which includes a reef tunnel where you can see angelfish and moray eels. At the Mississippi River Gallery, you can visit catfish, sturgeon and Spots, the aquarium’s white alligator.
Texas State Aquarium, Corpus Christi, Texas
Aquatic creatures that call this aquarium home include Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, otters, stingrays and an alligator. For both educational and entertainment purposes, the aquarium offers daily programs like bird presentations, dolphin training and otter shows.
Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport, Ore.
Focusing on marine life off the Oregon Coast, this aquarium is home to critters like seals, sea lions, jellyfish and sharks. Visitors can dive with sharks, walk through meticulously maintained outdoor habitats or shake hands with a giant Pacific octopus. The underwater walkways of the Passages of the Deep allow you to walk through the exhibits, surrounded head-to-toe by aquatic life.
Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, Calif.
This Long Beach aquarium features sea life from across the Pacific, divided into Southern California, Northern Pacific and Tropical Pacific exhibits. In the 10,000-square-foot Shark Lagoon, visitors can see and touch various sharks and rays. In 2012, the aquarium introduced a Magellanic Penguin exhibit. For a hands-on experience, you can even help a marine biologist feed the aquarium’s seals.
(Main image: Averain)
