Several summers ago, we made a trip down to Camden to visit the Adventure Aquarium. It was quite a long drive to get there for us. However, in July and August, the aquarium was showing some teacher love, and gave free tickets for a weekday in those two months to educators and a guest to show their appreciation. I went with a friend, and a bunch of kids. The kids all ranged in age from 15 to 9. We really have not gone back since. Aquariums are not generally our jam, so it is a rare occasion for me to make a long drive there.
Once we got there and parked (keep in mind that there is a $10.00 parking fee), the teens quickly split off and went on their own. We did run into them a few times, and they seemed to be having a great time.
The adults and the youngest kids went together. We saw fish, and sharks, and lots of different animals through out the aquarium. The aquarium was super crowded on a weekday in the summer. It was August, and there were camp groups, parents with youngsters and just many many people enjoying the place. Lot’s of noise and lots of visual stimulation for the lack of the better word.
There was a nice children’s area, with lots of interactive play things (I caught a glimpse of our teens playing in there like they were five…Shhh…don’t tell anyone).
There was a tank that had clown fish, and the tang fish (Dory from Finding Nemo). I could have stood and watched them for hours. What is interesting is that the fish personalities were very similar to the movie personalities of Nemo’s dad and Dory. It was fun to see. I wasn’t able to catch Dory because she moves too fast.
There were a few other tanks that I could have watched for hours. Like this one, filled with beautiful jellyfish:
One of the biggest reasons that I wanted to visit is the shark tunnel. It was fascinating. I got a little dizzy standing under it, but it was most definitely one of my favorite things there.
The shark bridge wasn’t too exciting, and pretty crowded. It was super safe though:
Overall it was an enjoyable visit. The little guy and the teens both enjoyed it. I liked certain aspects, while others made me sad (like the hippos and the penguins). I get that many of the animals have back stories that prevent them from being in the wild, but the conditions for the hippos certainly have room for improvement.
One thing that we enjoyed tremendously is the walk along the river. With beautiful views of Philadelphia it cannot be beat.
Some of us brought lunches, and some bought food at the aquarium. We all got a nice table right on the open patio in the aquarium and enjoyed the air, sunshine and the view.
There is a children’s garden right in the back of the aquarium, but the day was super warm, and the kids were all pretty tired from exploring the inside, so we would up not going in. Here are a few photos from the outside though.
If you decide to go there, please make sure to visit their WEBSITE for hours, directions, and more. Also, my advice is check with your library. I was able to purchase tickets at a discounted rate for the members of our little party with no admission through the library.