Are you looking for a quick family getaway before summer ends? For animal lovers in the Atlanta area, there’s a great vacation hot spot just one state up. It’s full of fresh water and fresh ideas.
Just a two-hour drive from Atlanta, the Tennessee Aquarium houses some massive “River Giants” and has a lot of new things to offer return visitors this year. Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s going on at the Tennessee Aquarium:
What’s new?
There’s a lot for return visitors to get excited about in 2025. The aquarium opened a new exhibit in April that‘s filled with freshwater mussels. According to senior aquarist Avery Millard, it’s for a good reason.
“They’re a part of our history,” Millard said in a news release, explaining that the Tennessee River Valley is the most biodiverse area for freshwater mussels in the world. “For as long as humans have inhabited this area, people have relied on mussels in one way or another. I’m sure even people today have stories of their parents or grandparents using mussels for various things throughout the years.”
If mussels aren’t a big enough flex for you, the aquarium’s latest arrival is already melting hearts on social media: a new penguin chick, hatched May 29 at the Penguin’s Rock exhibit.
The baby Gentoo penguin was first introduced to aquarium visitors just in time for July 4 this year and has been making a reputation for itself ever since.
“The chick is very vocal,” assistant curator of forests Loribeth Lee said in a news release. “There’s a lot of noise, and it’s not hesitant to yell and scream and try to slap with its flippers.”
Daily scheduled gallery programming is also back at the aquarium, including opportunities for guests to watch the penguins be fed every morning and afternoon. Other programs allow visitors to discuss insects with experts at the Butterfly Garden, chat with the divers who help maintain the aquarium about their trade and speak with educators at the Delta County gallery about swamp life. You can also watch divers feed river giants, and pet stingrays and sturgeons.
For the latest programming schedule, visit tnaqua.org/plan-a-visit/programs.
Otters, turtles and butterflies
The Tennessee Aquarium is split into two major parts: River Journey and Ocean Journey. The River Journey section houses seven galleries of animals, ranging from River Giants to River Otter Falls. Once visitors are done checking out the freshwater offerings, they can visit Ocean Journey to see six more galleries, including the Secret Reef, which is home to sea turtles and sand tiger sharks. While you’re there, be sure to visit the a butterfly garden. For information on all the galleries and every animal available to see, visit tnaqua.org/explore.
There’s a refreshment center near the River Journey Gift Shop for when visitors get hungry. Patrons can also get food and drinks at the aquarium’s IMAX 3D theater concession stand before catching a nature documentary.
Places to stay
Out of its bevy of hotel options, Chattanooga’s most fascinating place to stay may be the Hotel Chalet at the Choo Choo. To celebrate the history of trains, the hotel transformed 25 refurbished carriages from the ‘20s and ‘60s into rooms. The best part? The hotel is less than a 2-mile drive from the aquarium.
If it sounds like sleeping in a train carriage would derail your vacation, the Tennessee Aquarium has partnerships with several nearby hotels. The Edwin Hotel is one of the closest — roughly a quarter mile, while The Read House is also close by, less than a mile, and features a timeless ‘20s aesthetic.
For the full list of partnering hotels, visit tnaqua.org/plan-a-visit/hotels.
Tennessee Aquarium
One Broad St., Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402
1-800-262-0695
10 a.m.-7 p.m. (last entry at 5 p.m.) Sunday-Friday; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. (last entry at 6 p.m.) Saturday
Admission is $39.95 for adults and $29.95 for children 5-17. Children under 5 get in free. Memberships are also available, ranging from $135 to $275. For tickets, visit tnaqua.org/plan-a-visit.
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