If you’ve been to Gatlinburg and you’ve never visited the Gatlinburg aquarium, it’s definitely time to add it to your vacation plans! We’ve put together a simple Q & A to help answer your questions about the aquarium. Take a look at what you need to know before you go.
Where is Ripley’s Gatlinburg Aquarium?
You can find Ripley’s Aquarium right off the Gatlinburg Parkway on River Road. You can’t miss it from the Parkway, but it’s located at traffic light #5.
Remember, the Gatlinburg trolley has a route that drops off at the aquarium, so be sure to take advantage of that while you’re visiting.
What do I wear to Ripley’s Aquarium?
Keep it casual! You will be doing quite a bit of walking through the aquarium so you definitely want to wear comfortable shoes, too.
There’s many interactive exhibits that allow you to dip your hands and arms into water to touch some animals, so we don’t recommend you wear your nicest clothes if you’re worried about a little water splash. Just casual and comfortable!
How long does it take to make it through Ripley’s Aquarium in Gatlinburg?
It really just depends on how much time you want to spend there. Your ticket allows you to spend as little or as much time as you’d like.
We recommend planning to spend at least 2 hours if you want to tour through all of the exhibits. If you’re visiting the Gatlinburg Aquarium with a large group, you may want to plan for a little bit longer of a visit. If you want to spend the entire afternoon, there’s plenty of things to do at the aquarium, so you won’t have any trouble filling your day. You can even stop for lunch or a snack at Feeding Frenzy Eatery which overlooks the Stingray Bay.
What are some fun things to do in the Gatlinburg Aquarium?
The aquarium has lots of fun things to do. Some of the most popular are:
Touch-A-Ray Bay where you can touch actual stingrays as they swim by. Don’t worry, they’re not able to sting you!
Horseshoe Crabs at the Discovery Center is popular because you get to touch and play with real, live horseshoe crabs. The Discovery Center is great for kids because it’s got a lot of hands-on and interactive exhibits.
Shark Lagoon is a 340-foot glide path that takes you underwater, through a tunnel, where you’ll be able to see animals and sea creatures swimming all around you.
For more specific details about what there is to do at the aquarium: https://www.ripleys.com/attractions/ripleys-aquarium-of-the-smokies
How much does it cost to visit?
The Gatlinburg Aquarium ticket prices vary based on where you buy them. Tickets are normally around $34.99. However, you can get discount tickets and combo deals by checking out our guide!
Have you ever been to Ripley’s Gatlinburg aquarium? What was your favorite part? Tell us below!
