Places to Visit

“Our goal is to become the most ‘touchable’ aquarium in the country, if not the world,” says spokesperson Kim Walker. Families can reach into open tanks to feel sea stars, jellyfish, sea cucumbers, sharks and now stingrays, in the tropical Stingray Beach Club exhibit. Aquatic animals you can observe include hippos & hammerhead sharks.
Tour Tips: When you arrive, pick up a map & show schedule, which details daily programs including 4D shows (for an extra fee) and keeper talks at Seal Shores & on Penguin Island. Consider packing an extra T-shirt in case kids get wet in the touch exhibits. Before and after your visit, check out GillsClubhouse.com, a website just for kids with games & educational activities.
Fun Fact: The African penguins can eat more than 20 percent of their body weight in small fish on a daily basis. That’s comparable to a 100-lb. person eating 100 quarter-pounder burgers every day.