Newport Aquarium is so large it is almost overwhelming. I really don't recommend going there with any kind of fish lover unless you want to spend way more hours than you can imagine looking at all of the offerings this aquarium has. But, that being said, if you love aquariums and do want to spend lots of time exploring a great one, you can't find one too much better than this. And the Zagat guide agreed with me- as this aquarium was named the number 1 aquarium in in 2004.

From a wheretogousa.com review I wrote: An unusual creature began trolling the shore of Newport, Kentucky, just across the Ohio from Cincinnati in June. The mysterious 40-pound, 4-foot-long shark ray, however, is not frolicking with coal barrages in the Ohio River. Instead, this graceful prehistoric looking creature with horn-like ridges along her head and back swims alongside a variety of sharks, stingrays, a sea turtle, and a moray eel in Newport Aquarium’s 385,000-gallon salt-water Surrounded by Sharks exhibit.

The Newport Aquarium is one of only five institutions in the world with this extremely rare Indo-Pacific region species on display. The female shark ray, named Sweet Pea by Aquarium cast members, receives its name because of its flat, ray-like underside and shark-like dorsal fins. The shark ray’s unusual appearance, including her dual fins and human-like eyes, make this animal a must-see. Sweet Pea is expected to grow to nine feet while gliding along the 85 feet of clear acrylic tunnels in the 385,000 gallon, salt-water Surrounded by Sharks exhibit.

The Newport Aquarium showcases thousands of animals from around the world in a million gallons of fresh and salt water. Named the No. 1 aquarium in the Midwest in the Zagat Survey’s U.S. Family Travel Guide in 2004, this state-of-the-art facility is open to the public 365 days a year. This beautiful state-of-the-art aquarium is located only 2 minutes from downtown Cincinnati at Newport on the Levee.

Some of the world’s most unusual and interesting sea creatures are on exhibit in the Bizarre and Beautiful section of the aquarium. The most unique fish we saw were the Flashlight Fish. Walk around into a very dark room and watch these fish flash on and off. This process is called symbiotic bioluminescence. When evading a predator, the flashlight fish will swim away, constantly changing direction while blinking the light off and on to confuse its attacker. A Giant Pacific Octopus is also on display and you may be lucky to see it change colors. Continue on into the Dangerous and Deadly Gallery where you learn about the Oarfish, the unique sea creature usually found in the depths of the ocean that washed up on shore. Here you will also find Lionfish, Rockfish, Piranhas, the unique Zebra Moray Eel, several types of Poison Dart Frogs, and various snakes.

The newest exhibit to the aquarium is Turtles: Journey of Survival. This exhibit contains 23 different species of exotic and legendary turtles from different places in the world. We could not see the legendary sea turtle in his tank, so we were most impressed with the gargantuan alligator snapping turtle.

The Gator Bayou is a delightful exhibit. Gators lay on top of a porch, surrounded with rocking chairs. If they dive into the water they will swim under the see-through floor and over to where some turtles hang out. The jellyfish are regally presented in the Jellyfish Gallery with their tanks each lit in different colors and surrounded with large gold picture frames. Walk though a passage way in the Surrounded by Sharks exhibit containing three species of sharks, sting rays, and several schooling fish swimming all around you. This is also where the sea turtles reside.

There are a handful of other exhibits in the aquarium as well. At certain parts during my visit I could not figure out what type of fish I was looking at because they change around the information about the fish from exhibit to exhibit and I must have gotten lost with the inconsistency. Also, the glass used here seems to be different, or thicker, than glass at other museums. We had a hard time looking at some of the fish because it made us a bit dizzy to look down at the bottom of their tanks through the thick glass. Also, I couldn’t get any pictures because of this glass. The museum does a great job emerging the visitors in the various exhibits they are in. Music and colors match the mood of the fish and there are several interactive opportunities for children and adults alike.