Explore the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston

South Carolina Aquarium

Great Ocean Tank

Get a comfortable, up-close view of the depths of the ocean at the South Carolina Aquarium.

The aquarium is designed in a novel fashion, with exhibits spread out around the property organized by habitat. When stepping through the aquarium and into a different habitat's exhibit it feels like you are entering another world. Here's a brief overview of what to expect, and what to look out for in Charleston for similar activities.

Great Hall
Your entrance into this undersea world begins with the Great Hall, which acts as both a foyer and an exhibit within itself. Large two-story windows give you an impressive view of the Charleston Harbor, where you can enjoy an Isle Palms Parasailing Excursion. The key thing to see here is the 15,000 gallon Carolina Seas exhibit, which contains many of the creatures found within the nearby waters.

Mountain Forest
After leaving the Great Hall you may find yourself in the densely forested region of the Blue Ridge Mountains, but you are actually still in the aquarium. Here you will find rock outcrops, waterfalls, and even a family of river otters. A Canoe Trip at Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest is a great way to connect with this habitat after an aquarium visit.

Coastal Plain
Fish, reptiles, amphibians, plants and more make up the habitat of the South Carolina coastal plain. A Creek Fishing Trip or the Blue Crabbing Clinic will let you experience this firsthand, but a trip to the aquarium is great to get a basic understanding of environmental roles of each animal in the habitat. This area includes a special exhibit emulates the sights and sounds of a real blackwater swamp at dusk.

Ocean
After a full day of Charleston Harbor Wave Runner Rental, it is nice to get a better look at what you have been riding over. You'll get a close look at a tank that holds over 385,000 gallons of water with hundreds of animals. Be sure to get a close look of the beautiful Moon Jellyfish, and a sea turtle that weighs over 200 pounds.

More
There are too many habitats to describe throughout the aquarium, but be sure that the quality of them are just as high as the others, and are filled with many surprises. Be sure to schedule some time at this aquarium, kids and adults alike are sure to be impressed by the shear scale alone, as well as being introduced to a number of new creatures.