It was pretty sweet to have a shark swim right over our heads! Then we crossed the totally unique rope suspension bridge hung across the top of the shark tank for another fun encounter.
Imagine being able to walk right through an ocean filled with sharks and rays…that is the effect the see-through tunnel creates. However the show stopper was definitely the one-of-a-kind Shark Tunnel and Shark Bridge. Some of the highlights included watching a feeding of the Little Blue Penguins, watching the hippos go swimming, getting our hands wet and touching lots of cool, slimy invertebrates in multiple tanks, and being mesmerized by the 760,000 gallon “Ocean Realm” tank containing myriads of aquatic animals. It was so refreshing after visiting the Franklin Institute earlier in the day and fighting the field trip crowds. We were able to see the whole aquarium, and look at the exhibits unimpeded by crowds. Turns out, it was a fantastic time to visit as most people had left for the day and we nearly had the place to ourselves. We arrived around 3:30PM on a Friday and knowing it closed at 5PM, we figured we would just see what we could before it closed. Since this was part of our CityPASS package, we decided to end our Center City Philly trip at the aquarium and then drive home from there. Although smaller, there were enough unique aspects that definitely made the trip worthwhile. Formerly the New Jersey State Aquarium, this educational destination is home to 8,500 species of aquatic animals and boasts the largest collection of sharks on the East coast and the only aquarium in the world to exhibit hippos! Just weeks before our visit, my son had visited the Baltimore Aquarium on a class field trip, and he claimed Adventure Aquarium was better! He is into sharks, so their superior shark exhibits is what won him over. I know, I know…this destination is not actually in PA…BUT it is marketed to tourists in Philadelphia, included with the Philly CityPASS booklet, and is a quick jaunt over the Ben Franklin Bridge on the Camden riverfront (without driving into the shady part of town).
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