A Day at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga

When Kendra suggested we spend the entire day at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, I was skeptical. I figured, at best, we’d spend the morning there and then find something else to do in Chattanooga. Eight hours later, I was proven wrong.

The Tennessee Aquarium has two buildings, one dedicated to freshwater creatures, the other to salt water. A third building houses an IMAX theatre. Your tickets allow you to come and go throughout the day, and included entry to both exhibit buildings.

River Journey Building

We started our visit in the River Journey building. The layout of the exhibits, four floors centered around a central viewing area, allowed us to meander through without feeling overwhelmed by crowds. We saw crocodiles, giant fish, turtles, scuba divers, and more!

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We took a break after the first building, stopping for lunch at nearby Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant. Just a block from the aquarium, Puckett’s serves up a mix of southern staples, like fried green tomatoes and BBQ, and more general fare that includes sandwiches and burgers.

Ocean Journey Building

After filling up, we headed to the Ocean Journey building. The top floor has an incredible touch tank filled with stingrays, fish, and horseshoe crabs, as well as a butterfly habitat. The kids loved both!

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The remainder of the building ranged from penguin exhibits to a giant tank filled with ocean creatures. The sea turtles and shark were big hits, and the kids sat mesmerized by a presentation by aquarium staff who were in the tank with the sea creatures. My favorite was the jellyfish tanks!

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After two hours exploring the Ocean Journey building, we headed to the IMAX theatre to watch Pandas 3D. It was a fantastic documentary about scientists working hard to grow the Panda population in China. By the end of the film, we all wanted pet Pandas.

Tennessee Aquarium Plaza

As we headed back into the scorching heat of Tennessee, changed the kids into their bathing suits and covered them in sunscreen so they could play in the Tennessee Aquarium Plaza water play area. It was an excellent way to end our visit and left the kids cooled off for the next leg of our road trip.

Know Before You Go

Hours of Operation: Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Last admittance is at 6:00 p.m.) The Aquarium is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Admission: Adults are $34.95, children 3-12 are $21.95. IMAX tickets are extra and can be bought at a reduced rate with a combo ticket. Children under 3 years of age are free to the Aquarium and IMAX Theater. 

For a family of our size, it was cheaper to buy a yearly pass. Unfortunately, you can’t pass it on to another family. We would have gladly donated the family pass to a local Chattanooga family who can’t afford the astronomical price of admission.

Directions & Parking

The Aquarium is at Broad Street & Aquarium Way in Chattanooga, TN. Parking is available in several self-pay lots adjacent to the Aquarium.

From I-24 Westbound:
Take exit 178, turn right onto North Market Street
Drive approximately 2 miles to Aquarium Way
Turn left on Aquarium Way
Go one block and you’ll see the Aquarium on the right.

From I-24 Eastbound:
Take exit 178, turning right onto North Broad Street
Drive approximately 2 miles to Aquarium Way

If traveling on U.S. 27 North: 
Motorists are encouraged to use Exit 1B to MLK Blvd
Turn right on MLK Blvd
Travel two blocks and turn left on Broad Street
Drive seven blocks to Aquarium Way