Atlanta ~ Take Two ~ Georgia Aquarium

Last summer we took our first day trip to Atlanta. You can read about it here. We were delighted to discover that the kids were old enough to make the 7 hour round trip. It makes for a very long day but cuts down dramatically on the cost since we do not have to pay for a hotel. So since my stepmother was in town, we decided to take a trip to the Georgia Aquarium and the Underground in Atlanta.

Aquarium ~ We arrived at the aquarium at 11:45 am. We ate at Wendy's before arriving. Once inside, we let the kids take turns deciding which gallery to go through first. We were all mesmerized by the GIANT tanks teaming with sea life and Whale Sharks!  They were so big and graceful. The sea tunnel was impressive.

This aquarium has several touch pools. The kids were able to touch stingrays, sea urchins, starfish, sea anemones and sea snails. I appreciated how they gave the sea creatures 15 minute breaks from being touched.

We loved visiting the jellies in the tropical area. We have been learning about Moon Jellies and it was delightful to see them. 

There were so many nooks and crannies for the kids to crawl in and see the sea life from different perspectives.



The dolphin show was kind of cheesy, but the kids loved seeing the dolphins.  I will speak about it more in my reflections section.  I think every one's favorite display was the Belugas.  They were so playful. We were all held captive with amazement!

We had such a wonderful experience at this huge aquarium.

Reflections ~ The food was very expensive. Just purchasing a snack and drinks cost about $46. If you have sensory kids, the dolphin show is overwhelming. There are lots of bright lights, loud noises, and visual stimulation. Tom Sawyer did well with it, but in years past, it would have been a nightmare for him. I would suggest sitting as far back as possible and having earplugs and a comfort toy handy. Visiting the galleries right outside the exit from the dolphin show proved to be very crowded when the show let out. So it would be wise to do those when a show is in progress. 

We left the aquarium right around 5:00 pm and headed for the Underground. We wanted to see what it looked like and take in a little bit of Atlanta history.  It was smaller than we expected and very commercialized. We ate at Johnny Rockets where Tom Sawyer was able to eat the cheeseburgers (without bread) and the French fries. It was not the healthiest place to eat, but it was cheaper and the kids loved the jukebox.

We got home at around 10:30 pm. I am happy that we were able to enjoy another successful trip.

Blessings, Dawn