The Best Aquariums in the U.S.

Are you looking for something fun to do while your kids are still on summer break? Or maybe you just have a strong hankering for fish. To watch them, not to eat them.

If so, have you been to an aquarium lately? First off, they’re beautiful and relaxing. But they also feature air conditioning, which is nice when it’s a million degrees outside. What’s a better way to beat the heat?

Here are our Top Five aquariums in the U.S. (in no particular order):

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. Located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee near Dollywood, this aquarium has it all. Our favorite feature is the shark lagoon, where you can walk alongside them on a moving glidepath. There are also Ripley’s aquariums in Myrtle Beach, and even one in Canada. (You can get 50% off tickets, here.)

Monterey Bay Aquarium. Located in Monterey, California, this aquarium is a must-see if you are in the area. Be sure to attend a penguin feeding.

National Aquarium in Baltimore. Visitors can sign up to watch a dolphin training session . . . check out the jellyfish exhibit . . . or even sleep overnight in the aquarium.

Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. The animal encounter experiences here are next level. You can check out the beluga whales from both underwater and above water viewing areas.

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Aquariums might not be the first thing you think of when Vegas comes up, but this one is pretty special. You can feed a zebra shark while you’re there . . . or check out the Virtual Reality 3D Theater, in case you ever wanted to know what it was like to swim next to a humpback whale.