Tips for Taking Small Children to The Georgia Aquarium

Over the weekend we took a family trip to Atlanta, Georgia to visit the Georgia Aquarium. We stayed one night at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Atlanta which is located right next door to the aquarium. The boys loved staying at the hotel and we all did surprisingly well sleeping in a room together. They really love taking a late night (8pm) swim at the hotel’s indoor swimming pool.

The next morning we walked next door to the aquarium. To be honest I was a little nervous about how well the little ones would do but I prepared well and they did wonderfully.

My tired guys after a long day at the Aquarium.

Tips for Taking Small Children to the Georgia Aquarium

Brightly Colored, Matching Shirts – There are a lot of people that visit the aquarium including a lot of school groups. It’s easy for little children to get lost in the crowd so I dressed all three boys in bright green shirts so I could easily find them if we got separated.

Pack Snacks – There are a lot of tables and seating areas in the common spaces where you can sit and take a small break. They have on-site food but sometimes you just need a little snack to calm the cranky little ones.

Avoid a Stroller – If possible don’t bring your stroller. Because the aquarium is busy it’s hard to maneuver the stroller. I recommend bringing a baby carrier. We actually brought both since we have 2 little ones that get tired of walking and tend to wander. We were able to use the stroller if a few exhibits but had to utilize the stroller parking for others.

Use the Stroller Valet Parking Station – If you must bring a stroller utilize the stroller parking if you need to store your stroller. They tag your stroller and give you a ticket to pick up your stroller. You know your stroller is safe in the Stroller Parking Area.

Take Your Time – Don’t feel like you have to see every thing right away. Some exhibits will captivate the children while others might be a little too advance for young children.

Let them interact with the sea life – There are a few interactive spaces throughout the aquarium where children can touch sea creatures and play. Giving children a hands-on experience will keep them interested and entertained.

Sleepy Simon enjoys riding in the baby carrier.

We took a behind-the-scenes tour which was very insightful and a lot of fun. At 10:30 AM we got to watch the marine biologist them feed the whale sharks. Jude had a lot of questions about whale sharks and we learned they are the largest sharks but have tiny throats. We also got to see the beautiful beluga whales and the amazing wave machine in the Tropical Diver exhibit (and much more).

We knew the boys probably wouldn’t last all day so we picked some of the more interactive and entertaining exhibits for young children (Tropical Diver, Ocean Voyager, Cold Water Quest, and Georgia Explorer). We even took time to see the AT&T Dolphin Tales show which was extremely fun and entertaining for the small children.

One of our favorites was the Whale Sharks in the Ocean Voyager Exhibit. I could have watched them swim around all day but the little boys were on the move.

Jude has already asked to go back to Georgia and the aquarium. I hope we can take the boys again soon because we didn’t get a chance to see everything on our first visit and I would love to see more. It was a truly a trip will not forget.

 

I was provided admission and lodging free of charge for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and not influenced by the company. Thank you to the Georgia Aquarium and Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Atlanta.