Fun Things To Do In Atlanta With Kids | Georgia Aquarium - Georgia Aquarium

Kids Have All the Fun at Georgia Aquarium

Georgia Aquarium has a host of fun, family-friendly things to do with your kids. From toddlers to teens, we’re sure your family will discover activities they love! Spend your day making friends with penguins, dolphins, beluga whales, and other amazing marine creatures.

All Today This Weekend With Kids

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Fan Night

December 31, 2024 4:00pm - 7:00pm

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Fan Night

Celebrate Bowl Week at this unique football event in Atlanta! Georgia Aquarium is offering football fans the opportunity to be surrounded by millions of gallons of waters, thousands of aquatic animals, and fellow football enthusiasts at Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Fan Night.

Fans are invited to explore all the Aquarium’s galleries, attend a mini-pep rally. There will be no lack of team spirit at our 5:30pm pep rally that will feature each team’s cheerleaders and mascots. Café and cash bar will be available from 4:00pm – 6:00pm.

Please Note: Sea Lion and Dolphin presentations are not available after 3pm on 12/31/24.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Fan Night 4

Georgia Aquarium 5K

Presented by Waste Management

March 8, 2025 8:00am - 11:00am

Get ready to lace up your sneakers and join Georgia Aquarium’s 5K Walk/Run, returning for its eighth exciting year! This Peachtree Qualifier 3.1-mile course takes participants on a quick “out and back” journey through some of downtown Atlanta’s most iconic landmarks. Open to ages 8 and up, it’s perfect for runners, joggers, and walkers of all levels.

Whether you’re tackling your first 5K, training for the Peachtree Road Race, or just looking to stay active, every step you take supports aquatic animal conservation—plus, with our virtual option, you can participate from anywhere and make an impact for the ocean, even from your own neighborhood.

Every stride helps fund Georgia Aquarium’s research and conservation efforts locally and globally. Together, we can deepen our understanding of marine life and work to protect ocean animals for future generations.

Interested in corporate sponsorship opportunities? Please contact Erin Burnett, eburnett@georgiaaquarium.org for more information.

Explore Georgia Aquarium

Georgia Aquarium is open 365 days a year. Hours of operation vary, so please check our calendar to verify our hours before visiting. Buy tickets online to save money and skip long lines.

Don’t miss the magnificent Dolphin Presentation where you can see the grace and athleticism of these playful marine mammals. Get an exclusive look at our galleries and habitats with a Behind the Seas tour.

All-new TV Series "The Aquarium" Episode 1

Behind the Seas Tour: Dive Deeper

Our Behind the Seas Tour offer a backstage look at our most popular exhibits.

Behind the Seas Tour: Dive Deeper

Behind the Seas Tour: Explore the Surface

Our Behind the Seas Tour offers a backstage look at our most popular exhibits.

Behind the Seas Tour: Explore the Surface

Beluga Encounter

Adventure behind-the-scenes of the Cold Water Quest gallery, where you'll to get to meet our beluga whales face to face.

All New Beluga Encounter 7

Dolphin Encounter

Adventure behind-the-scenes of the dolphin theater where you'll to get to meet our dolphins face to face.

Dolphin Encounter 2

Dolphin Presentation

Dive into the world of dolphins during our awe-inspiring and educational dolphin presentation. Known for their agility and playful social behavior, our dolphins are a must-see at Georgia Aquarium!

Dolphin Presentation 5

Harbor Seal Encounter

With our unique Harbor Seal Encounter, you'll go behind the scenes of our Cold Water Quest gallery and enjoy some time with our seals in their Aquarium home.

Seal Encounter

Journey with Gentle Giants — Dive

Immerse Yourself with Whale Sharks, Manta Rays & More

Journey with Gentle Giants — Dive 2

Journey with Gentle Giants — Swim

Journey with Gentle Giants is the only opportunity in the world where you’re guaranteed to swim with whale sharks, manta rays and more.

Journey with Gentle Giants — Swim 3

Penguin Encounter

Go behind the scenes of our Cold Water Quest gallery for an up-close-and-personal penguin encounter.

Penguin Encounter 11

Sea Lion Encounter

With our unique Seal Lion Encounter, you'll go behind the scenes and enjoy 30 minutes with our seal lions in their Aquarium home.

California Sea Lion Webcam

Sea Lion Presentation

Truist Pier 225’s live presentation, Under the Boardwalk, features Georgia Aquarium's incredible California sea lions.

Under the Boardwalk

Sea Otter Encounter

In our unique Sea Otter Encounter, you'll go behind the scenes of the Cold Water Quest gallery and interact with these charismatic animals for more than 30 minutes.

Sea Otter Encounter 13

Shark & Ray Interaction

Suit up and get in the water with some of our sharks and rays in this animal interaction in our Sharks! Predators of the Deep gallery.

Shark & Ray Interaction

Sleep Under the Sea

Join us for an exciting night of adventure and exploration! Georgia Aquarium offers sleepovers for families, youth groups, schools, companies, and more.

Dolphin Encounter 1

The Megalodon Shark (Otodus Megalodon)

The megalodon shark (Otodus megalodon) is an extinct species thought to have lived between 23 million and 2 million years ago, and scientists believe they grew up to 50 feet (15m) in length.

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Still Looking for the Perfect Thing to do in the ATL?

The Georgia Aquarium hosts various events year round. If you’re looking for the top things to do in Atlanta, be sure to add a Georgia Aquarium event to your list. There’s a little bit of magic for everyone.

Helpful Tips

Before You Arrive
- Our hours of operation vary daily, so visit our calendar to verify our hours.
- Purchase tickets online to save money and skip the line. Choose the date and time of your arrival, and arrive within an hour of your selected time.
- Plan your day ahead of time by downloading our mobile app on the iTunes App Store or the Google Play store and browse our Daily Schedule to view times for our dolphin presentation and our Under the Boardwalk sea lion presentation, gallery features and more.
- We recommend about 3-4 hours to view our entire Aquarium, including our sea lion and dolphin presentations. Weekends are our busiest times, so be sure to arrive early.
- We offer daily military discounts of 10% with a valid military ID, and free admission for active military through our Military Mondays program.
- Visiting several Atlanta attractions? Save 41% or more off admission to Atlanta’s top 5 attractions. Atlanta CityPASS is valid for one general admission to each attraction during its 9-day validity period, so you don’t need to lock into a specific visit date. Learn more.
Getting Here
- Georgia Aquarium is located in downtown Atlanta across from Centennial Olympic Park.
- For directions from specific highways (I-85, I-75, I-20, etc.) and vehicle height/size restrictions, visit our Directions & Parking FAQ.
- Keep Atlanta traffic in mind when you visit the Aquarium. For up-to-date traffic information, route your trip through Google Maps.
- Due to construction, access to Georgia Aquarium’s main entrance via Baker and Luckie Street is closed. We advise using the east pedestrian walkway via the 2nd floor of the parking garage to enter the Aquarium.
During Your Visit
- Our Dolphin Presentation and Under the Boardwalk sea lion presentation are seated on a first come, first served basis, so we recommend getting in line at least 30 minutes before showtime. View times for these presentations on our Calendar.
- For updated daily events, check with our Information Desk when you arrive or download our mobile app on the iTunes App Store or the Google Play store and browse our Daily Schedule.
- In an effort to conserve paper, Georgia Aquarium no longer prints maps. We encourage our guests to download our mobile app on the iTunes App Store or the Google Play store and to access a map of the Aquarium.
Must Seas
- Get an exclusive look at our galleries and habitats with a Behind the Seas tour. These tours are only $15 and run every half hour starting at 10:30.
- Visit Truist Pier 225 to meet our California sea lions. You can see them in action in our Under the Boardwalk presentation.
- Check out our incredible dolphin presentation. This amazing experience highlights the grace and athleticism of these extraordinary marine mammals.
Need to Know
- Food & Drink policy:
  No outside food or beverages are permitted in the aquarium with the exception of small snacks for children or visitors with food allergies. The aquarium has several water bottle filling stations, we encourage you to bring a refillable water bottle for your visit.
- Strollers:
  Strollers are allowed throughout the Aquarium. For the most enjoyable experience for all visitors, we encourage leaving your stroller at home if possible. This helps ease guest flow and reduce congestion. If a stroller is required, please be mindful of stroller size. The use of large strollers is discouraged. Complimentary stroller parking is available in the atrium and a stroller check is provided at each theater. We do not have strollers for rent at this time.
- Cameras:
  Cameras are permitted in the Aquarium. However, the use of flash is prohibited in the presence of our animals. Additionally, please refrain from taking photos in our sea lion and dolphin presentations.
- Lost & Found:
  If you lose an item during your visit, please inquire at the Information Desk before you leave. If you discover you’ve left something behind, call 404.581.4000 between the hours of 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. to see if it has been turned in.
- First Aid:
  Piedmont Hospital provides staffing for a full first-aid station, located in the restroom hallway between Ocean Voyager and Tropical Diver.
- Nursing Mothers:
  We have a private nursing/pumping room available for mothers on our second-floor rotunda in front of Oceans Ballroom.
- Weapons Policy:
  Georgia Aquarium has established – and strictly enforces – a “No Weapons” policy. Weapons include (but are not limited to) firearms and knives. This policy was created to ensure a safe and comfortable experience for all guests, and to eliminate a potential risk to guests, staff and/or animals. This policy was created based on the findings of a comprehensive threat assessment conducted by Georgia Aquarium. With more than two million guests visiting our facility each year, and thousands of aquatic animals living in 10 million gallons of water behind acrylic, we cannot put ourselves at risk of either an intentional or accidental discharge of a weapon within our facility. Signage has been placed on our property stating that firearms are not permitted. Enforcing this policy and ensuring the safety of aquarium guests and team members is Georgia Aquarium’s 24-hour security staff, which is supplemented by two off-duty Atlanta Police Officers.