Hippos, Kookaburras, and More at Adventure Aquarium

Adventure Aquarium offers a fun, unique exploration of the wonderful animal life in the ocean, as well as some cool land animals, such as hippos, and birds, such as penquins and kookaburras.

You can easily spend two to three hours exploring as you walk around the exhibits.

The highlight was the shark tunnel, suspended directly through the center of the 550,000 gallon tank, an enclosed tunnel that allows you to walk through the tanks as the fish, including a variety of sharks, swim above and beside you. It’s the closest thing to being in the tank with them, short of actually being in the tank with them!

Above the shark tank is the 81-foot, v-shaped suspension bridge over the shark tank, allowing you still another perspective into sharks and their habitat.

We particularly enjoyed seeing the Nile hippos, Button and Genny — we caught the tail end of a feeding session — and we looped around and visited them twice. I also enjoyed just seeing them lounging underwater. It’s crazy how huge these animals are!

We weren’t the only ones enjoying the hippos!

Although a for-profit aquarium, Adventure Aquarium also helps the species it has on display. Its African penguin exhibit has been part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ species protection program since its creation in 1998. Since then, it has bred 26 African penguins.

You can make a day of it there, as there is a cafe/restaurant onsite.

Although this aquarium is definitely kid-friendly, it’s also just plain fun for adults as well. Grab a kid if you know one to bring along, but it also makes for a fun afternoon for adults to hang out and enjoy the wonders of our oceans.

Know before you go: Late summer, fall and early winter are generally the LEAST busy times at Adventure Aquarium. The MOST popular days are when school is not in session, such as holidays:

President’s Day Weekend
Spring Break (the weeks before and after Easter Sunday)
Memorial Day Weekend
July 4th Weekend
Labor Day Weekend
Christmas Holiday Week (from the day after Christmas through the Sunday after New Year’s Eve)
Martin Luther King Jr Weekend

During the Day: For the best experience consider visiting in the afternoon on weekdays after the majority of Group/School Group visitors have left for the day or before 11a.m. or after 2 p.m. on weekends and holidays.