New Orleans

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Aquarium of the Americas

More Photos
Ailuri
First Reviewer
4 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
14
Reviews
20
Photos
Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
11-14 of 14

Aquarium of the Americas

  • May 31, 2003
  • Rated 4 of 5 by RoseO'Texas from Houston, Texas
On the Mississippi River, right outside the Frech Quarter, lies this aquarium with all the wonders of nature. Kids will love the sharks, giant jelly fish, darting clown fish, and sea horses. Everyone that brings a kid to "Sin City" should take the kid here for some good clean fun. Try going to the aquarium during the hot part of the day, as it has plenty of A/C. Just don't try to go for Marti Gras; its closed to the drunken partyers.

From journal Steal Away to a Family Friendly New Orleans

Editor Pick

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas

  • January 26, 2003
  • Rated 4 of 5 by azsunluvr from Mesa, Arizona
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas

Audubon Aquarium Website

If you’re touring without children, allow a couple of hours to thoroughly tour these wonderful exhibits. With children, plan to stay longer as they’ll be enraptured by some of the creatures here.

On the first floor, saunter through the “Caribbean Tunnel,” a clear plexiglass tube through an underwater garden. Fascinating fish and colorful coral will keep you gawking for several minutes. Wander past tanks of glowing jellyfish and stop to watch the sharks swimming in the Gulf of Mexico tank.

Climb the stairs to the 2nd floor to see sea creatures of the Amazon Rain Forest, including huge catfish, then pause to watch the playful penguins before heading over to pet a baby shark. Yes—-pet a baby shark! The prankish otters require more than a brief stop as they roll, splash, and play. Next is an area of changing exhibits. Right now the exhibit is Frogs!--every color and size imaginable. Next stop, a rare, white alligator sitting on a dock in a reconstruction of a Louisiana bayou fishing spot.

There are several areas where you can see some of the inner workings of the aquarium. You’ll see some of the pumps and filters that keep the creatures in the right temperature and chemical mix for their survival here.

The IMAX Theater offers two or three movies shown several times throughout the day. We saw Space Station 3D. Awesome, awesome! Except for the lady who took an “emergency” cell phone call and chatted for 10 minutes during the show!

There really is no reason to pay full price for this attraction. Coupons can be found everywhere, even at the information booth at the airport, for discounts and combination discounts.

From journal New Orleans through a Yankee's Eyes

Editor Pick

Aquarium of the Americas

  • August 27, 2000
  • Rated 4 of 5 by IWW639 from New Orleans, Louisiana
Aquarium of the Americas

The Aquarium of the Americas doesn't try to encompass the world of fish, just North America and the Amazon. It is rated as being in the top 5 Aquariums [in the world]. Enter into the Atlantic, and climb the stairs to the Amazon. From there, go back 'inside' to see the penguin exhibit and the Pacific, passing by the Seahorses. Outside again and you're in the Mississippi Delta region. Back down the stairs to the Gulf of Mexico exhibit.

Its relative location to the French Quarter make it a must see. Park in the parking lot behind the Holday Inn next to the mural of the whale. Walk thru the Riverwalk mall and don't forget your tickets on the way back for free parking (first 3 hours).

From journal New Orleans for the family?

Editor Pick

Aquarium of the Americas

  • July 17, 2000
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Ailuri from Cincinnati, Ohio
As if New Orleans didn’t have enough world-class attractions, it also features a top-5 rated aquarium. If your idea of an aquarium is a couple of tanks with a few colorful fish in them, then you really need to visit this aquarium. Like the zoo in New Orleans, the aquarium is set up in themes. You start out in the waters of the Caribbean, meeting creatures like sharks, turtles and seahorses. The walk-through tank at the beginning of your journey gives you a first glimpse of how exciting this place can be. You move along through various aquatic ecosystems of the world. The focus may be on the sealife, but the aquarium has made sure that the entire ecosystems have been represented, to give you a real feel for the different regions. The tropical rain forest area takes you above and below the canopy, on a boardwalk in the trees and alongside tanks featuring Amazon river fish. You can go face to face with a piranha here, or if you prefer, have a conversation with the manahs who also live in this exhibit. In the Gulf of Mexico area, local birds like a hawk, an eagle, and an owl join the fish in watching visitors pass under the replica of an oil rig platform. Other areas take you to the Pacific Northwest and the Mississippi River.

Some of the most popular exhibits with the younger set are the penguins and the sea otters. If you catch the otters at feeding time, you’re in for a real treat. The keepers give them food trapped inside toys, so the otters have to think to get it out.

Another exhibit getting a lot of attention is the collection of jellyfish, the largest such collection in the US. Watching these delicate creatures is amazing. The lighting of the exhibit highlights their glowing forms, and some people sit in this room for hours.

When you’re tired of the jellyfish, you can also check out the new seahorse exhibit, just opened in March. It also features Seadragons from Australia, a rare animal for US aquariums to have.

From journal The Best of New Orleans

Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
11-14 of 14

Compare New Orleans Rates

1. Enter travel information

City

2. Select websites to compare rates

Each selected website will open a new window.

Helpful New Orleans Links

New Orleans Travel Deals