It’s hard to believe that July is in full swing now. Based on the way 2020 has gone, I feel like it should still be March because I haven’t done nearly enough traveling and exploring this year! But way back in February (where has the time gone???), Daniel and I took a day trip to the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center out in Virginia Beach. I’d been there before, but this was Daniel’s first trip; I’m happy to say that we both had a great time exploring and learning!
The Aquarium is definitely laid out to be family-friendly in every way possible: the aisles have rooms for strollers, exhibits are interactive, fun special events frequently show up in the changing exhibit area, and sensory-friendly hours are available, too. So if you’ve been putting off this excursion because you have kids, don’t! They will love it!
But if you happen to be a couple of adults looking for a relaxing afternoon activity, the Virginia Aquarium definitely fits the bill in that department, too. Daniel and I had a blast strolling through the shark tunnel and along the scenic pathway outside; we even tried out some of the interactive exhibits because we’re just big kids at heart. 🙂
Whatever your age or family status, you’ll find something to enjoy here!
FAQs about the Virginia Aquarium
- What are the aquarium hours? The aquarium is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
- What are the prices? Adults: $25/Military adults: $23. Children under 12: $20/Military children: $18. Seniors age 62 and up: $23. Infants: FREE.
- Can I download a map? Sure! Here’s the download.
- Does the Virginia Aquarium offer coupons and discounts? You can get special discounts if you are in the military or if you purchase an aquarium membership. Members get free admission, plus discounts on additional tickets, tours, and special events. Occasionally, seniors can also get special discounts for a limited time.
- Does the Virginia Aquarium make a good day trip? Absolutely! Depending on your interests and whether you have children, you can explore the Virginia Aquarium in about two hours. However, I would recommend carving out three to four hours so you can fully enjoy everything, including the scenic walkway and shows.
Top 4 Reasons to Visit the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
I have to say, this was incredibly hard to narrow down! The Virginia Aquarium has so much to do and see! But I finally split it into these top highlights:
- Immersive & Interactive Learning Exhibits
- Amazing Variety of Animals
- Gorgeous Nature Trail
- Sensory-Friendly Hours
Immersive & Interactive Learning Exhibits
I love reading more than most, but even I get worn out when faced with literal walls full of educational text. Have you ever been there? It’s honestly a little frustrating!
But one of the things I love about the Virginia Aquarium is how it combines a digestible amount of text in each learning exhibit with fun activities that help you learn even more!
The Science Shacks and Stranding Exhibits are some of my favorite areas at the Aquarium because of this.
For example, you can learn about tracking sea animals on a giant touchscreen of the ocean, control a claw simulator used to pick up artifacts on the ocean floor, and put together a puzzle of pre-continental earth. You can also try out a dolphin sonar and recreate the crater that formed the Chesapeake Bay.
On top of that, a few of the aquariums are in completely immersive environments that make you feel as if you’re underwater, such as the area by the jellyfish and giant lobster. At ground level, you’re surrounded by fish; but overhead, a giant whale replica and a dolphin “swim” across the ceiling!
And let’s not forget the “Red Sea” where you can traverse a tunnel right through a giant aquarium, complete with sharks and rays! It puts you right in the middle of the underwater action!
Of course, a good aquarium is never complete without a couple of touch pools, as well. At the Virginia Aquarium, you can take some time to pet rays and horseshoe crabs!
An Amazing Variety of Animals
I actually had to go back to my biology days to make sure I referenced this category correctly–kingdom, phylum, class, order….ugh! But, now I can confidently say that the Aquarium has an extensive variety of animals, including reptiles, mammals, amphibians, fish, and birds–over 13,000 in fact!
Here is a brief overview of what you can expect in each zone:
Harbor Seals
You don’t actually have to enter the Virginia Aquarium to see the adorable harbor seals splashing around! Their names are Rudder, Piper, and Hector, and they love to play!
Upland River
The Upland River is a park-like room complete with growing trees and a small pond. You can see lots of common river fish, ducks, turtles, and a mischievous quail that likes to escape into the main aquarium!
Coastal River
The Coastal River area is dedicated to some local varieties of fish and amphibians that frequent rivers around the Hampton Roads area. There’s a long aquarium filled with local gar, bass, trout, etc., and even some turtles!
Restless Planet
This is one of the larger areas in the aquarium, and certainly the one with the greatest variety. The first thing you’ll see is the Komodo Dragon exhibit, complete with a crawl space and domed observation tunnel.
Another fascinating (and slightly creepy) exhibit is the crocodile section. The Aquarium has a couple of Tomistoma crocodiles named Ralph and summer that seem to observe the guests just as intently as they themselves are being watched….
This area also has the two science shacks, the immersive Red Sea exhibit, and a wide variety of reptiles from colorful dart frogs to a cobra!
Light Tower Aquarium
The next exhibit has a couple of different sections. The main feature is the giant Light Tower Aquarium with lots of fish and four lumbering sea turtles.
This area leads to the sea turtle nursery! The nursery tanks were empty when we visited in February, but you can usually see quite a few babies in all stages of infancy from eggs to tiny little swimmers!
Norfolk Canyon Aquarium
The Norfolk Canyon area has several different exhibits from jellyfish to a giant lobster, but the featured creature is the shark!
The Norfolk Canyon Aquarium includes stadium seating where you can view tropical fish swimming around with two sand tiger sharks and three sandbar sharks.
Rays Touch Pool
This area is dedicated to a large, shallow pool where guests can lean over and pet the rays swimming.
Chesapeake Bay
The final area (for now), is the Chesapeake Bay tank. Since we’re right on the coast, there are plenty of beautiful tropical fish to observe–more than I would have expected, actually. The horseshoe crab touch pool is also in this area.
Changing Exhibits
You never know what you’ll see next in the Changing Exhibits. I visited once when the theme was dragons, and it was full of cool lizards. Last time, the theme was based on The Very Hungry Caterpillar book. Check the website to see what’s currently on display.
Upcoming Exhibits
If you’ve visited the Virginia Aquarium in the past (or heard a lot about it), you may have noticed that I left out some crowd favorites over in the Marsh Pavilion. The otters, Tippy, Homer, and Sheldon, have been a beloved part of the Aquarium for years.
The Marsh Pavilion is currently undergoing a $25 million renovation, and is scheduled to open in the spring of 2021. According to a Virginia Pilot article on the renovations, the updated Marsh Pavilion will include “displays of live jellyfish from around the world, a giant Pacific octopus and a touch pool with Indo-Pacific invertebrates.”
The Gorgeous Nature Trail
By the Coastal River exhibit and the Changing Exhibits, guests can access the nature trail that runs along the Owls Creek Nature Preserve. This ultimately leads to the Adventure Park and Marsh Pavillion, but there’s plenty to see along the way.
I highly recommend taking the time to go explore the trail! It has several points with gorgeous overlooks of the water, and you’re bound to see some wildlife. We saw plenty of waterfowl and turtles, plus the oyster reef, and that was during February. You can also use the binocular stations to get some long-distance views of the inlet.
And if you want to stay out and enjoy the fresh air before continuing your aquarium adventure indoors, the trail also has a picnic area by the water.
Sensory-Friendly Hours
I mention this as a top reason because, for some of you, this is the only way your family can truly enjoy an experience like this. If you have a child who needs a quiet environment to learn and explore, be sure to check out the Virginia Aquarium’s sensory-friendly hours.
They generally have one to two of these special admission days available per month, where up to 100 people can enter the Aquarium before or after it’s open to the general public.
This ensures that your children have a calm, quiet environment to observe at their own pace.
The Virginia Aquarium is open again post corona lockdown with limited tickets available per day. Be sure to check their website before you visit to make sure there’s still space and see what the mask guidelines are as the COVID situation progresses.
If you’re looking for a fun way to escape the Virginia Beach heat this summer, the Virginia Aquarium should definitely be at the top of the list!
I definitely recommend going to visit this year while the crowds are down and you can fully enjoy all the exhibits.
Then, when the new Marsh Pavilion is open, you can go back and focus your time on the new areas! I know I’ll definitely be back when the renovations are complete.
As always, thanks for stopping by the Mandala Traveler and joining in on this week’s adventure. I hope that you’ll take a few moments to share the post and leave a comment below!
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I hope to see you back here next week. Be safe and happy travels!
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