South Carolina Aquarium
add photosFun, wonder and education come together at the South Carolina Aquarium. Explore the wildlife and wild places of South Carolina in over 50 interactive exhibits. With something for everyone in the family, marvel at sharks, otters, snakes, moray eels and more! See our newest addition, a rare, one of only 50 in the world, albino American alligator; also take a hike through the upstate in the Camp Carolina exhibit, get up close and touch an Atlantic stingray at the Touch Tank, and marvel at hundreds of species in the Great Ocean Tank! Families will love the fun-filled Something's Fishy Play Area as well as the touching care seen on a Sea Turtle Hospital tour. Then before you leave make sure to catch a show in the state's only 4-D Immersion Theater.
12 Reviews for South Carolina Aquarium
39
23
'11, '12
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"A Nice Aquarium"
I should start with the disclaimer that I've never visited an aquarium I didn't like. From the sharks to the tiny jellies, aquariums are magical. My children agreed. My husband took amazing photos and we all enjoyed the educational experience. The best part is that it was located in the heart of downtown Charleston, in walking distance of yummy restaurants and historic attractions. Definitely a must-see for anyone traveling to Charleston - with or without children!
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"Wow the kids all day"
All 3 of my kids ages 3 down to 8 months spent the day glued to the aquarium windows. It was so fun to hear them babbling in their own language about everything. It is an up close and personal experience.We chose to eat there and the food and service was fine, By the end of the day we were all exhausted and happily the children fell asleep on the short ride home.
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"SC Aquarium"
This aquarium is not what we expected. After all of the hype, we expected it to be large. You can get through it in about an hour to an hour and a half. It does have an interactive exhibit, but that's it. There is one tank that goes from the top level to the bottom that is very neat. They do also have an area where you can actual touch and play with some sea creatures. The back of the aquarium have a beautiful sitting area with a front row view of Charleston Harbor.
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"Good but pricey $$"
The SC Aquarium is absolutely gorgeous so even the adults will enjoy it! Be sure to go to the Great Ocean Tank and see the divers talking during the timed presentations; kids really like that. If you plan on going more than 2 times a year, buy the member package. The great thing is you can add as many children as you want on the Membership for free, so we added our neice and cousin since they were often with us. Eat before you go since there's no restaurants inside.
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"Great for young kids"
The SC Aquarium is a fabulous place for young kids (think ages 1-5). It's a small, easy-to-navigate building, and offers many hands-on activities. Our daughter, who is two, has been visiting the aquarium regularly for over a year, and we feel very comfortable allowing her to run around and explore.
PROS
-Great dive tank with multiple shows, including a diver with a microphone. She loves this!
-You can't beat the membership price. Two visits will cover a year membership.
-Special exhibits. They currently have an albino alligator.
-Affordable lunch options for kids and adults. They have a small cafe with a limited but tasty menu.
-As members, you get a discount on anything in the aquarium (lunch, gift shop, etc.)
CONS
-If you're not a member, it's an expensive trip.
-If you have older children (6 and up), they may be easily bored if you visit more than once.
-The exhibits are focused on animals native to the Lowcountry. This does not include penguins or other fun aquatic animals (dolphins, etc)
1 family found this helpful
"Fishy Fishy"
We loved this aquarium. Even though it was a weekend it was not too crowded and people were courteous allowing the kids to get near the glass and see the exhibits. The large tank was awesome and the kids especially enjoyed seeing the sea turtle. They also loved the play area, the man carrying around a baby alligator, and the pepperoni pizza from the snack bar. There weren't any handwashing stations convenient for the kids near the touch tank.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun for the Family"
We went with our whole family to the Aquarium from Great Grandma to tiny baby. It was fun for everyone. We particularly like the huge tank with all the fish and sharks. There were so many types of fish and sea life we learned about. The hands on section was pretty neat too. I think my favorite exhibit was the wetlands, it's fun to learn about the animals that live near you.
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"An easy part day activity"
From the touch tanks and education staff to the exhibits of live aquatic animals the South Carolina Aquarium is not to be missed. Definitely kid friendly with it's exhibits and small play area. Lots to do and see it's not so huge as to wipe the kids out at the end of the day.
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"A fun introduction to local sea life"
We have visited the aquarium two times while on vacation and really enjoyed the small size (less walking for the little ones) and focus on local plants and animals. The layout is easy to navigate and the gift shop is excellent. I recommend a visit for ages 3-8.
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"small but nice"
This is a nice Aquarium but it is small. If you are going for your first time its nice. I just find when we went back for our 2nd and 3rd time you go through it really quick. Its really nice though and it has awesome views of the Chaleston Harbor.
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"Just ok"
I think it's great the first time but still has it's disappointments. I love seeing the fish and feeling them but at the same time the penguin room is not all it's cracked up to be. It's very small window where you get to watch them. If you've been to the Columbia Zoo you would be disappointed here.
1 family found this helpful
"the kids love it"
I think any aquarium the kids will love. The SC Aquarium is definitely not equal to the Atlanta or Baltimore, but is sufficient for SC. We're happy for anything. I have to say that my first time there I was a little disappointed but then had to realize we're not in a place large enough to support anything more. For what it is, it's good.
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