15 Best Aquariums in America To Add to Your Bucket List

Summer break is on the way, and you're likely on the lookout for activities and travel plans that are a good fit for the whole family. Aquariums can be a great option.

Not only are aquariums entertaining and educational, but they're also often air-conditioned. So, step up your travel game and add one of these aquariums to your itinerary this year.

With so much native marine life to show off, coastal states are bound to have stunning aquariums — and Oregon is no exception.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport features birds, fish, marine mammals, and more that are local to the Pacific coast. Fun exhibits include a shark tunnel and an octopus cave.

The Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut, has several special fish and aquatic creatures on display.

Featured animals include beluga whales, African penguins, seals and sea lions, a giant Pacific octopus, and sharks. The aquarium also has an Undersea Explorer virtual reality experience.

The Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, Alaska, is an aquarium, research center, and rescue and rehabilitation center for marine wildlife.

Animals include seals, sea lions, and many varieties of birds and fish.

If you visit aquariums for the sharks, head to Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas to see the Shark Reef Aquarium.

The truly adventurous can even swim with sharks at this aquarium. There are more than 2,000 other species of animals on display.

The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta is dedicated to providing educationally enriching entertainment, as well as promoting conservation efforts and research.

The aquarium offers several interactive experiences, including scuba diving and swimming with manta rays and whale sharks.

If you want a truly unique aquarium experience, head to the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead, New York. There, you'll find rays, seahorses, moray eels, and moon jellies, as well as non-aquatic creatures such as butterflies, bees, marmosets, and more.

You can also participate in interactive experiences, from diving with sharks to a pirate snorkel and swimming with mermaids.

The Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky, features exhibits that include shark rays and alligators.

Touch sharks and stingrays, or meet a penguin. The Newport Aquarium also features mermaid shows during the summer.

The Seattle Aquarium in Seattle is dedicated to fun experiences and conservation education.

Some of the creatures you can visit at the Seattle Aquarium include tufted puffin, rockfish, sturgeon, dwarf cuttlefish, harbor seals, and more.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California, has several exhibits arranged by habitat, including everything from the open sea to a stunning kelp forest.

Check out the deep sea exhibit featuring isopods and glowing jellies.

On the Atlantic coast, you will find the New England Aquarium in Boston. There are many marine animals to see here, including penguins, piranhas, sea lions, seals, octopi, and more.

The aquarium also has a reputation for studying right whales, sea turtles, and sharks.

The Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi has engaging exhibits focused on ocelots, coral reefs, jungle animals, sharks, swamp creatures, and more.

You can also swim with sharks and feed the fish with staff.

The Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans features both exotic fish and marine wildlife, as well as local animals.

The Down the Bayou exhibit places the spotlight on alligators, birds, frogs, turtles, and more. Consider checking out the next-door Audubon Insectarium for further summer fun.

Visit the OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale, Arizona, for a variety of engaging exhibits, including a deep-sea exhibit that you experience by riding an escalator through an underwater tunnel.

You can also interact with sloths and penguins, as well as participate in tank dives.

Experience aquatic wildlife from around the world and local to the Midwest at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Explore exhibits with themes such as Oceanarium, Wild Reef, Polar Play Zone, and more. You can also learn all about the marine life of the Great Lakes, including touching the armored skin of a lake sturgeon.

The New York Aquarium in Brooklyn features exhibits focused on invertebrates and sharks. Conservation Hall lets you explore many different habitats teeming with fish.

You can enjoy touch pool and aquatheater shows, as well as wild encounters with penguins, sea lions, and sharks.

There is certainly no shortage of fun and engaging aquariums across the country that you can visit this summer.

Whether you want to view conservation efforts up close, interact with marine life, or be entertained at aqua shows, grab one of the top travel credit cards and book a trip to one of the fine aquariums on this list.