Great Aquariums
Windows into the ocean, from Monterey to Okinawa. 23 places, mapped and ready to build a trip around.
Plan a trip on Trailwind →Oceanografic Valencia
SpainBestJun–AugClimate45–88°FCurrencyEURLanguageSpanishValencia, known officially in Valencian as València, is the capital of the Valencian Community and the province of the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia, on the east coast of the Iberian Peninsula on the Mediterranean Sea. With a population of 824,340, it is the third-largest city in Spain. The urban area of Valencia has 1.6 million people while the metropolitan region has 2.5 million.
Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
JapanBestOctClimate59–88°FCurrencyJPYLanguageJapaneseThe Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium , formerly known as the Okinawa Ocean Expo Aquarium, is a public aquarium located within the Ocean Expo Park in Okinawa, Japan. The aquarium's Kuroshio sea tank was the largest aquarium tank in the world until it was surpassed by the Georgia Aquarium in 2005.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
United StatesEst. 1984BestSep–JunClimate46–66°FCurrencyUSDLanguageEnglishMonterey Bay Aquarium is a nonprofit public aquarium in Monterey, California, United States. Known for its regional focus on the marine habitats of Monterey Bay, it was the first to exhibit a living kelp forest when it opened in October 1984. Its biologists have pioneered the animal husbandry of jellyfish and it was the first to successfully care for and display a great white shark. The organization's research and conservation efforts also focus on sea otters, various birds, and tunas.
Two Oceans Aquarium
South AfricaEst. 1995BestDec–MarClimate46–82°FCurrencyZARLanguageZuluThe Two Oceans Aquarium is an aquarium located at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. The aquarium was opened on the 13 November 1995 and comprises several exhibition galleries with large viewing windows: The aquarium is named for its location, where the Indian and Atlantic Ocean meet.
Georgia Aquarium
United StatesBestVariesClimate37–88°FCurrencyUSDLanguageEnglishOne of the largest aquariums in the Western Hemisphere, home to whale sharks, beluga whales, and a 6.3-million-gallon Ocean Voyager tank you can walk beneath.
Shedd Aquarium
United StatesBestJun–NovClimate21–81°FCurrencyUSDLanguageEnglishShedd Aquarium is a public aquarium in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is one of the oldest continually operating non-governmental aquariums in the U.S.
National Aquarium Baltimore
United StatesEst. 1981BestVariesClimate30–88°FCurrencyUSDLanguageEnglishThe National Aquarium, also known as the National Aquarium in Baltimore or Baltimore Aquarium, is a nonprofit public aquarium located at 501 East Pratt Street on Pier 3 in the Inner Harbor area of Downtown Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Constructed during a period of urban renewal in Baltimore, the aquarium opened on August 8, 1981. The aquarium has an annual attendance of 1.5 million visitors and is the largest tourism attraction in the state of Maryland.
Aquarium of Genoa
ItalyBestVariesClimate41–86°FCurrencyEURLanguageItalianEurope's largest, built for the 1992 Expo on Genoa's old harbour front by Renzo Piano.
Aquarium of the Pacific
United StatesBestJun–NovClimate46–81°FCurrencyUSDLanguageEnglishLong Beach, and organised around the three regions of the Pacific rather than by species.
Aquarium of Western Australia
AustraliaBestAug–MayClimate52–86°FCurrencyAUDLanguageEnglishPerth, with a 98-metre underwater tunnel through the Shipwreck Coast exhibit.
Chimelong Ocean Kingdom
ChinaBestVariesClimate61–86°FCurrencyCNYLanguageMandarin ChineseAirportZUHThe world's largest aquarium park, record-breaking on every metric.
Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
United Arab EmiratesBestNov–AprClimate59–106°FCurrencyAEDLanguageArabicA ten-million-litre tank inside a shopping mall, which is a very Dubai sentence.
Lisbon Oceanarium
PortugalBestJun–AugClimate50–86°FCurrencyEURLanguagePortugueseOne enormous central tank read as a single global ocean, with four habitats around its edge.
National Marine Aquarium
United KingdomBestMay, Jun, SepClimate39–68°FCurrencyGBPLanguageEnglishBritain's largest, in Plymouth, with a tank deep enough to dive in.
Nausicaa
FranceEst. 2018BestApr–JunClimate39–70°FCurrencyEURLanguageFrenchBoulogne-sur-Mer, and the largest aquarium in Europe by volume since its 2018 expansion.
New England Aquarium
United StatesBestVariesClimate23–84°FCurrencyUSDLanguageEnglishBuilt around a four-storey cylindrical Caribbean reef tank you spiral down around.
Ocean Park Hong Kong
ChinaBestNov–FebClimate55–86°FCurrencyCNYLanguageMandarin ChineseMarine park and aquarium on a headland above the South China Sea, reached by cable car.
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
JapanBestVariesClimate37–90°FCurrencyJPYLanguageJapaneseYou descend a spiral around a central tank holding whale sharks, following the Pacific from top to bottom.
Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
CanadaBestMay–OctClimate19–81°FCurrencyCADLanguageEnglishUnder the CN Tower, with a moving walkway through a shark tunnel.
S.E.A. Aquarium
SingaporeBestVariesClimate75–86°FCurrencySGDLanguageEnglishOn Sentosa, with one of the largest viewing panels in the world and manta rays behind it.
Sea Life Sydney Aquarium
AustraliaBestVariesClimate46–79°FCurrencyAUDLanguageEnglishDarling Harbour, and the only place with dugongs outside their native range in the region.
Seattle Aquarium
United StatesBestJun–SepClimate37–77°FCurrencyUSDLanguageEnglishOn a working pier over Elliott Bay, focused on the cold-water life of Puget Sound.
Vancouver Aquarium
CanadaBestJun–SepClimate34–72°FCurrencyCADLanguageEnglishIn Stanley Park, and a serious marine rescue operation as well as an aquarium.