There's no shortage of exciting attractions in Atlanta. Football fans can visit the College Football Hall of Fame or catch a home game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. History buffs can explore the city's wonderful museums and cemeteries. And tourists of all types with a sweet tooth are sure to enjoy the World of Coca-Cola.
However, there is one thing that sets Atlanta apart as a tourist destination. It has the best aquarium in the country, possibly the best in North America. You'd best believe it's worth braving downtown traffic for.
Sometimes, Bigger Is Better
If you prefer your fish to be on your plate rather than swimming in front of you, an aquarium may not seem like that big of a deal. Maybe it's a way of passing a rainy afternoon, or a space for kids to get their energy out and maybe get an overpriced dolphin plushie if they're lucky. But, the Georgia Aquarium isn't just any aquarium.
Filled with more with 11 million gallons of water, the Georgia Aquarium is the biggest in America—actually, it's one of the biggest in the world. However, its mammoth size isn't the only reason why we're inclined to name Atlanta the best aquarium in the country. There's one other factor that plays a big part.
The Georgia Aquarium is the only place outside of Asia or the wild where you can see whale sharks and manta rays. The Georgia Aquarium was also the first outside of Asia to keep whale sharks. This is a far bigger accomplishment than you may think.
Seeing as how whale sharks are the largest fish on the planet, transporting them is no easy feat—especially when they have to cross oceans. Whale sharks can grow up to 60 feet, and the Georgia Aquarium keeps theirs in a tank roughly the size of a football field.
Precious Cargo
To transport the gentle giants as swiftly and safely as possible, supersize containers were specially crafted and filled with water. The whale sharks rode in a private cargo plane and had an escort through downtown so they wouldn't get stuck in Atlanta traffic. Sadly, if they weren't chosen by the Georgia Aquarium, they would have been killed for food, as they were food at a Taiwan fish market!
Because of their size, whale sharks are also rather difficult to keep in captivity. It isn't so much that they'll outgrow their tank—with 6.3 million gallons in the Ocean Voyager tank alone, there's no risk of that—but that there isn't much research on how they fare in captivity. All the Georgia Aquarium can do is learn through experience.
Currently, they have one whale shark named Yushan. The centerpiece of the Ocean Voyager exhibit, Yushan delights millions of visitors each year and has roommates of all sizes. Some of them are almost as big as he is!
Nandi, a female manta ray, was the first manta ray on display in America. Instead of being rescued from the fish market, Nandi was accidentally netted off the coast of South Africa. She has two other super-sized playmates named Tallulah and Blue.
It's impossible to overstate the awe of seeing these massive creatures in person. Pictures and videos cannot do justice to how regal they are as they glide through the water. It takes seeing them in person to truly understand how lucky we are to share a planet with them.
Conservation Station
In addition to their jumbo aquatic friends, the Georgia Aquarium also has beluga whales, sea lions, sea otters, and an excellent dolphin show. There are too many species to list here, but several are ones that you might not find at every aquarium, such as albino alligators.
Like other aquariums, the Georgia Aquarium offers behind the scenes tours where you can meet some of the animals up close. Descend into the shark exhibit in a diving cage, or learn how sea lions pick up tricks. These tours are fantastic opportunities to learn about the importance of conservation.
You can even have a sleepover at the aquarium! Though, we wonder how difficult it is to fall asleep knowing the whale shark is nearby. How do you not stay up all night watching it?
